Not only that but the 53-year-old also demonstrated her wool spinning and weaving skills after the shearing demonstration in the Alpaca section at the Show.
Juggling life as a trainer, wife and mother of two teenage boys, Barbara’s crochet journey began at the age of eight in Austria, where it was part of school life.
Crafting with her grandmother and mother, she found joy in creating crochet treasures.
After moving to Australia in 2009, her love for crochet reignited, exploring new techniques like Tunisian Crochet and Thermal Crochet.
Blankets, wearables and Amigurumi (a craft in which you knit shapes with wool and stuff them to make three-dimensional objects) are Barbara’s go-to creations.
A filet crochet curtain she made at 19, still adorns her home. Recently, she crafted a beautiful crochet dress and is currently tackling a challenging ‘Phoenix’ (heirloom) blanket.
In 2023, Barbara wowed audiences at the Australian Crochet Tournament, showcasing her skills with a poncho, beaded wall hanging and intricate backpack.
She said researchers had discovered crocheting was as good as meditating and very beneficial to mental health.
“Apparently it aligns all parts of the brain and helps the mind fully disconnect from worries,” she said.
“It’s also easy to learn and an extremely creative art where you’re choosing different colours and patterns to produce a certain result.
“I was thrilled with the wins, I felt like I had won Olympic Gold Medals.”
