Talented Teen Boy Uses His Crocheting Skills To Raise Money For A Cause Close To His Heart

Most teens that we see today are either on their phones, hanging out with their friends, partying, or clubbing. It is not often we see a teen involved in a productive hobby. It is rare to see a teenager raising money to uplift the lives of people in his hometown. Jonah Larson is one such exception and the internet is proud of him.

Larson, who is now 15 years old, got the hang of crocheting when he was barely 5. He turned to an easy tutorial and picked up the skill. With practice and persistence, he gave tough competition to grandmas at the country fair when he was only six.

His business grew with time and is now flourishing with demands. His mother, Jennifer, told Good Morning America: "He's gotten about 2,500 orders in the last two weeks."

Larson shot to fame through his Instagram account, @jonahhands, where he has more than 390k followers. It's his business account where he shares his creations with the audience. His mom added that his fame comes from the online crocheting boards. She says the crocheting community is very kind and supportive. "He's pretty popular on there," Jennifer said. "I guess because he's a little boy doing crochet."

His humble beginning started with a crochet dish towel he created. Later on, he moved on to design scarves and hats. He first participated in the country fair and took home some ribbons. He did not stop there. Larson challenged himself to create more intricate designs. His crochet collection includes baby booties, baskets, mermaid tail blankets, and afghans. The most complex project for Larson was an afghan he stitched with 800 flowers, employing the puff stitch.

His mother explained how crocheting brings peace to the teen. "Crocheting calms him," Jennifer said. "His mind is normally engaged, but he's crocheting."

Crocheting is not his only expertise. He is also a math wizard. He is a basketball lover, often plays with his brothers, and is an "occasional" video gamer. "Everyone needs a little quiet time," Larson said.

He is a confident guy at age 15 and immersed in his passion for crocheting. It initially disturbed Jennifer how his peers and schoolmates would perceive him. She worried they might judge him. But "he could not care less what people say," she said.

When asked to pick a favorite piece out of his creations, Larson said it was tough to choose. He remarked, "That's like asking a parent which child is their favorite. But I've narrowed it down to either my sunset afghan or my mosaic placements."

He believes in the art of crochet and wants people to start again. "I hope they will pull their hooks out and keep this art going into the next generation," he said.

Apart from being a prodigious crocheter, Larson is also a young philanthropist. His roots are from a small village of Durame in South Eastern Ethiopia. An American family adopted him at six months old and brought him to the US.

According to the UN, Jonah's generosity has changed many lives in his hometown. He has a website where he sells DVDs, books, and YouTube tutorials that teaches easy crocheting to millions of audience. On his GoFundMe page, he sells crochet products like dishcloths and blankets and helps people in his village.

He has raised more than $25,000. With this money, he has opened a library and a science lab at a school in Durame. He is targeting projects like constructing restrooms for school students and collecting donations for them. He hopes to return to his village in Ethiopia someday.