What do you find most stressful when traveling by plane? Seeing someone sitting in your assigned seat, realizing you forgot your headphones or seeing a baby boarding the craft? A lot of people give parents dirty looks, in anticipation of a few hours of non-stop crying. Fortunately, there are people like Meegan Rubin, who, upon seeing a cute baby, decided to gift her a fabulous crochet beanie that she rushed to make during the flight. After all, baby Romey behaved excellently on her very first flight.
More info: TikTok
Five-month-old Romey was on her very first flight. Instead of fussing and crying, she was observing an intriguing passenger nearby
Image credits: crochetobey
Long flights are excellent opportunity to catch up on your favorite TV shows, listen to a new podcast or take a nap that may or may not cause neck pain. Meegan Rubin, however, believes that flights are perfect to catch up on her craft – crocheting. As she was crocheting her latest creation, she noticed that her work intrigued a five-month-old baby, Romey, who was traveling for the first time.
Air travel can be nerve-wracking for many adults, but Romey was very brave, perhaps, too occupied with watching Meegan. Her attention didn’t go unnoticed, and the crafter decided to surprise Romey with a beautiful gift. In a lucky coincidence, she had yarn matching the baby’s outfit, so she started working on a cute little hat to complete the beige look.
In the skilled hands of the professional, crocheting, like any other craft, seems easy. However, it takes years of practice to be able to create intricate designs. Meegan was rushing, working against the clock so she could finish the beanie before Romey left the plane with her family. They were watching her in awe, unaware Meegan was preparing a present for them.
Image credits: kellyryan49
The woman next to her was crocheting, an activity that captivated Romey's attention. Touched by it, the crocheter decided to make a little gift for the baby
Image credits: kellyryan49
When the plane landed, the kind-hearted stranger handed Romey a handmade gift. This gesture was captured in a TikTok video, gathering an astounding 8 million views. In the video, passengers couldn’t stop smiling as they noticed a beautiful exchange between strangers. Thousands of people flocked to the comments, noting that such gestures restore their faith in humanity, reminding us that there is so much light in the world thanks to people like Meegan.
Romey’s mom shared her surprise in an interview, saying that it was a pleasant surprise. “Never seen someone work so fast in my life. I had no idea it was for us. What a cool way to just do something nice for a stranger, and in turn, light up everyone else’s day.”
She also urged people to pay it forward with a kind gesture to a stranger. After all, there are so many stories where unexpected kindness completely changed someone’s day and even life.
Meegan was rushing to make an adorable beanie that matched Romey's outfit. Her parents were moved by the stranger's gesture, capturing the moment on video
Image credits: kellyryan49
"What a cool way to just do something nice for a stranger, and in turn, light up everyone else’s day” the baby's mom said
Image credits: crochetobey
Meegan also posted about her encounter with a young fan. She wrote:
“I made some cool new friends on flight home from Mexico this past weekend. Mom and Dad were such sweet parents as they took turns caring for their 5-month-old baby girl Romey. While other children were crying and complaining, lil Romey remained calm, cool and collected as she gazed upon the crochet work in action.
My heart melted, she was adorable and deserving of a custom beanie! Thanks Kelly and Jake for sharing this story. The more we give, the more we receive!”
A few days later, Romey’s mom Kelly sent Meegan pictures of Romey still wearing her beanie. She looked adorable, smiling while being held by her mom.
Meegan started crocheting during the pandemic. It grew into a business - now she makes adorable outfits for doggies, bags and even bikinis!
Image credits: crochetobey
Bored Panda has reached out to Meegan for an interview to learn more about the story. Her crocheting journey began back in Spring 2021. “Almost 3 years of crocheting. I’m still learning the basic of crochet, so up to this point most projects have flaws” she admitted.
Meegan also shared a very important insight when it comes to creating things:
“But let’s be real here: nothing more magical than to create something of value from a single strand. It makes you more connected to the universe”.
“It’s a super zen, relaxing craft!” she added.
However, it can be difficult at the beginning “The learning can be frustrating for people. They get tense and give up too quickly. It’s like cooking – takes years to master the flavour!”
When asked why she decided to make a gift for little Romey, she wrote: “I am the kind of person who enjoys giving. Blessed with many talents I like to teach and share my passions with others”. How inspiring!
“Romey was the perfect baby muse. She didn’t take her eyes off me the whole flight. She was a new born – how could I resist?!” Meegan joked.
Image credits: crochetobey
Image credits: crochetobey
This story has caught the attention of former First Lady Michelle Obama, who herself commented on Meegan’s post. She wrote:
“As someone who loves knitting, this story made my day. Beautiful stitches, Meegan—Romey looks adorable in her new beanie!”
Attention from such a high-profile fan will surely attract even more fans to Meegan’s work. What started as a way to pass time during the pandemic grew into a business, called Crochet Obey. She currently has over 36K followers on Instagram where she shares her crafts – from beanies to colorful outfits for dogs and even bikinis! Who said crochet was boring?
Crocheting and knitting have many surprising health benefits besides looking cool in a custom-made outfit
Image credits: crochetobey
A kind gesture from a stranger reminds us that life is precious and beautiful - at 5 months, Romey is already experiencing the best of humanity
Image credits: crochetobey
Knitting and crocheting were often regarded as “grandma” activities – probably a lot of us have been gifted a jumper or a vest made by grandma. However, things started to change during the pandemic. Just like Meegan, people were looking for ways to meaningfully spend their time, and arts and crafts skyrocketed in popularity. While not everyone could create clay vases, a lot of people were able to make simple crochet crafts like napkins or little roses.
Turns out, crocheting has a lot of surprising benefits:
- Boosts dopamine, which can help with depression;
- Lowers cortisol levels and helps to relax;
- Increases productivity;
- Lowers risk of Alzheimer’s disease;
- Helps to practice mindfulness;
- Boosts self-esteem.
If you were looking for a sign to pick up a new activity, let this be your sign to try crocheting! Or perhaps you’ve already started a big project? Share in the comments below!
Watch the video here
Commenters couldn't get over this sweet gesture
