Meet The Crochet Kid, An 11-Year-Old World-Renowned Master Craftsman Who's Using His Skill For Greater Good
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A world-renowned master craftsman made a stop in Philadelphia on Friday. His special, self-taught skill has made Jonah Larson a social media sensation at just 11 years old.
Jonah's hands are something to behold. He doesn't always have to look at what he's doing and doesn't miss a stitch.
"I just think about other things," he said. "How my day has been going. I don't have to think about it."
Jonah is 11 years old and is world-renowned for his crochet abilities and creations.
"It's really fun and quite relaxing and therapeutic," he said, "and you can make really beautiful things with it too."
Known as The Crochet Kid, Jonah has hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
He's known for his speed and precision. He can crochet a hat in 46 minutes.
"I can make an Afghan in 4.5 hours," Jonah said.
Jonah lives in Wisconsin, but he was in Philadelphia this week. He was hosting a workshop in partnership with the Philly-based apparel company Anthropologie.
"I taught a little class to the kids and their parents," Jonah said, "and a majority of the kids got crocheting already and they are doing a pretty good job."
Jonah wants to see more kids crocheting. He taught himself how to crochet at the age of 6 using YouTube videos.
He has now released an autobiographical photo book and has made it his mission to never forget his roots through a GoFundMe and partnership with Roots Ethiopia. He's giving back to the small village where he left when he was adopted as a baby.
"There's not a lot of books or resources or science labs, anything for kids to really get a great education from," Jonah said, "so I've raised enough money through GoFundMe and Roots Ethiopia Jonah's Hands Library."
Jonah knows where crocheting has taken him so far, but he's not stopping any time soon.
"I always see my future as still crocheting. I would like to be a surgeon when I grow up and still helping people and doing as much social good as I could," he said.
Thanks to a charitable gift from Anthropologie, Free People and Urban Outfitters, Jonah will also be able to open Jonah's Hands.
It's a hands-on science lab in Ethiopia so that children in his place of birth will be able to experience their first microscope.
