4 minute read
Knit and Nurture: The Power of Yarn in Building Community
Meet Helena Ahrens
When Helena first arrived in Australia in 1972, she had just turned 20. She came from the Netherlands with one suitcase, no English, and no money - but she carried something much more powerful: a lifetime of creative skill and quiet determination.
Growing up in a large family, Helena had learned to knit at a very young age. With four younger brothers, there was always someone in need of a warm jumper or a pair of socks. By the age of seven, Helena had already knitted underwear for her special dolly, and her mother had sewn the doll’s dress. That doll would travel across the world with her, packed carefully in a container with the family’s few belongings. She picked up crochet at school in Grade 3 when her teacher, impressed by her knitting skills, suggested she learn something new.
Life took on adult responsibilities early for Helena. She left school at 14 and became a maid on a houseboat. It was her first experience working outside the home, and it taught her independence and resilience. Soon after, she began working in an aged care facility, a job that sparked a lifelong passion. That initial role led Helena to a fulfilling career in psychiatric and aged care nursing, where she spent decades caring for others with compassion and grace.
Starting over in a new country was not easy. With no knowledge of English, Helena couldn’t read local crochet patterns. But one day, she came across a magazine featuring a baby dress pattern with Dutch translations.
“That was it,” she smiles.
“I made the dress for a friend’s baby, and from there, I just kept going I even rocked a crochet bikini in the 70's! It was beautifully made, but it wasn’t the most practical thing in the water!”.
Helena first visited The Nest as a customer, in the early days before The Nest Haberdashery was set up as a shop under the house in Everton Park.
On a later visit with a friend, she spotted a small sign on the counter the looking for volunteers.
By now, Helena was living alone and thought it sounded like a good way to meet people. She joined the team and hasn’t looked back since.
Today, Helena is a much-loved volunteer contributing to our resource recovery efforts, always surrounded by yarn, laughter and good company.
“I really look forward to coming in each week,” she says “It’s the company. The ladies here are wonderful”.
Helena’s friendships often begin with a ball of yarn. She’s an active member of three other crafting groups, where conversations wind as freely as the wool on their needles. “We’ve solved a lot of the world’s problems over a yarn, ” she jokes.
Beyond doing volunteer shifts in the Textile Recovery Centre and The Nest Haberdashery, Helena has also been involved in a number of other Nest programs, including the Exchange Project and Craft Stall. She encourages others to get involved too.
“Volunteering is a great way to meet people and try something new, ” she says “You never know where it might lead.”
From knitting socks for her brothers to creating community connections at The Nest, Helena’s story is stitched with care, creativity, and an open heart. And just like the pieces she makes, her presence adds warmth wherever she goes.
