A Tight-Knit Community

A nationwide group of crafters pick up their needles and finish projects for those who can't

- BY Maggie Gordon FROM HOUSTON LANDING

BONNIE BLUMBERG HAS always known her mother was creative and kind. When she was growing up in the '60s and '70s, her mom, Janice Goldstein, always volunteered to sew costumes for the class plays. And not just her daughter's costume: Goldstein would make them for the entire class, sewing and knitting into the wee hours. Goldstein's dedication to her craft was something Blumberg took as a given.

Then came the 40 ministrokes. And the three massive strokes.

In 2017, Goldstein lost the use of the right side of her body and began using a wheelchair. Two years ago, Blumberg, a senior lecturer in the math department at University of Houston Downtown, sold her mother's place in favour of something smaller. While packing up, she found three knit sweaters in various stages of construction. She knew exactly who they were intended for: The first, a blue-and-white garment, was for her mother; the second, all purple, was for Blumberg; and the third, a cardigan coming to life from a homespun pattern, was for Blumberg's daughter.