It all started with a black and yellow scarf.

About 40 years ago, Harold Utley was working his job at a textile mill when he saw that the woman at the switchboards was crocheting the striped item.

It struck him with its beauty, and so he approached his coworker to ask her if she would sell him the scarf when she finished it.

He wanted to give it to his wife as an anniversary present. She agreed, and a few days later, Utley went home $15 poorer and a scarf richer.

Mrs. Utley loved the scarf dearly.

Overjoyed with the unique and beautiful present her husband had gotten her, she exclaimed that she wanted a thousand more just like it.

“I said to myself, ‘That’s a lot of $15,’” Utley recalled with a laugh, “And I’m going to have a big family, so I need to go teach myself how to do it!”

Have a big family he did, as at the age of 74 he is the proud father of 11, grandfather of 22, and great-grandfather of 4.

His crochet skills granted him valuable bonding time with his family as he taught each of his children and grandchildren, in turn, how to do it.

The craft has become a valuable therapeutic tool for him and his family over the years, he said.

Since learning how to do it, Utley has worked on a crochet project every day.

“It’s in my blood,” he said. He said that if anyone wants to learn, all they have to do is ask and pull up a chair.

“I’m out here (the Robeson County Farmers Market) on Saturdays and Wednesdays,” Utley said, “It won’t cost you nothing, and I’ll be glad to do it!”

He says no one has taken him up on his offer yet, but it remains open.

Crochet is not the only skill Utley has thrown himself into throughout the years, though. He bakes, teaches piano, coaches tennis and even teaches shag dancing.

“A lot of people in Robeson County don’t know that about me,” he said, but he said he considers it to be one of the most fun things he does.

Utley has been a regular attendee of the Robeson County Farmers Market for two years. However, he’s had a constant presence around the county for much longer, selling cakes and crochet projects alike.

He needs a kitchen certification to sell his baked goods at the farmer’s market, but his baking prowess is still well-known.

During Lumbee Homecoming a few years past, Utley said he went down for a visit and gave out a few samples of his cakes.

The next day, he was back as a vendor.

“I sell the loaves for $5 a loaf,” he said, “and I sold 485 loaves of the cake. That’s how much they love my cake,” he said.

Utley began baking when his sister got into the hobby more than 40 years ago. He specializes in flavored pound cake and he said he enjoys spreading joy and spiritual healing with his treats.

Utley credits much of his joy in life to just going with the flow and staying in his lane, exploring his interests while staying humble.

“Think positive, look at life, be optimistic about everything,” he said. “If life hands me a lemon, I don’t complain; I start making lemonade.”