Librarian Nicole Johnson, left, and crochet club member Saoiras McDonald-Young work on a project at Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library on Thursday, Feb. 27. (Journal photo by Jessica Potila).

ISHPEMING — If you happen to come across a plastic baggie around town containing a small yarn-fashioned critter or crocheted bookmark, chances are this gift was placed there just for you. It is also possible this handmade effort at spreading happiness was created by a member of the Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library Crochet Club.

Negaunee resident Kris Ball is a member of the club that meets twice monthly at the library for a free afternoon of crochet camaraderie.

She is also a member of Random Acts of Crochet Kindness USA, a group of which contains over 77,000 Facebook members.

The Crochet Kindness yarn slingers create small projects which they place in random locations throughout their communities, including playgrounds and doctor’s offices.

The goal of dispensing the hook and yarn projects, which are often accompanied by inspirational written messages, is to brighten the day of those who find them.

“It could be anything, something you could fit in a ziplock baggie or something and you leave it around town,” Ball said. “I left one in the dentist’s office while I was there and I happened to see a child who had to have a tooth pulled. He seemed nervous but when he saw (the crochet project) he smiled,” Ball said.

Ball, who graduated from Westwood High School in 1979, said her grandmother taught her how to crochet when she was about 7-years-old.

She has been at the hobby ever since and describes it as “kind of relaxing.”

Crochet club at the Ishpeming library can also include talk of something more traditionally found in such places – books.

The club includes members of all ages, including sisters Saoiras, 8, and Aiofe, 11.

The girls are homeschooled by their grandmother who also taught them the art of crochet.

Saoiras crafted a little white bird in the likeness of Hedwig, an owl in the Harry Potter book series.

“I made it for my sister. She really likes Harry Potter,” the youngster said.

Meanwhile, Aiofe was stitching a project she had yet to determine at Thursday’s crochet club meeting.

“Sometimes the yarn just speaks to you,” Ball told the young girl. “It is like painting, it will come.”

Librarian Nicole Johnson said the club has been meeting for about two years and at any given meeting three to 15 people may show up, depending on people’s schedules.

“I personally love to crochet. I know it is great for people to gather together with other people who like similar things and have common interests so that’s how it started,” Johnson said.

Those not blessed with a yarn-fastening grandmother, can still take up the crochet craft at the Ishpeming library.

Johnson is willing to teach anyone the basics of crochet with yarn donated to the library.

Members of the crochet club can work on their own projects, or contribute their works in the form of “grandma squares” which will be used to create blankets for those in need through the groups Project Linus and Crochet for a Cause.

The library is also accepting donations of the crocheted squares, which Johnson pieces into blankets.

“The more blankets we can get out in the community is the goal,” Johnson said.

For more information about the Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library Crochet Club visit ishpeminglibrary.info.

Jessica Potila can be reached at 906-228-2500. Her email address is jpotila@miningjournal.net.