Knitters unite to share craft, hope for increase in membership and participation
By Lisa McMahan
Aside from a few orange flyers affixed to bulletin boards on campus, students might not know about one of UP's newest clubs.
The knitting club began a few months ago as part of a joint effort from freshman Joyce King and her professor Alexandra Hill.
"(Hill) told me that there was no knitting club on campus and asked if I would be interested in helping her start one," King said.
King and Hill, both experienced knitters, teamed up to reserve a room and print off flyers to promote the new club. They meet Wednesday nights from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Franz Hall 121, but are currently seeking out a more comfortable meeting space.
"My hope for this knitting club is that it will bring together members from across the campus," Hill said. She is serving as the club's academic adviser.
So far, King and Hill are the only regular attendees, but they have hopes for expanding their club. Two of their biggest challenges include getting the word out about the club and scheduling meetings at a time that doesn't interfere with other club meetings, according to King.
"It's like other clubs in that we all have a shared activity that we come and do together, but it's not like other clubs in that the activity itself doesn't dominate what you talk about when you're there," King said.
She and the other club members typically talk about school, family, movies and books, although they are there to help others figure out their knitting patterns as well.
"My favorite thing about knitting and knitting clubs is the sense of community that exists among knitters," Hill said.
Welcoming new members is important because King hopes to make it an official club in the future. She invites all students to attend the club, "especially people who want to learn how to knit and don't know where to start," she said. "We'll teach you."
There are two other informal knitting organizations on campus of which King knows. A group of RAs teamed up to create blankets and hats for infants in a local neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The other is a weekly Knit Night held in Corrado Hall.
Junior Shipstad RA Aundrea Roberts helps coordinate the NICU knitting project. There are about 50 residents and RAs involved in the project, which began in February.
"On our staff here there are three of us who knit or crochet regularly," Roberts said. "We thought we should do something with this and get other dorms involved."
The Office of Residence Life received extra money for supplemental events, according to Roberts. The NICU knitting project used some of these funds to purchase knitting supplies for those interested in creating pieces to donate.
At the end of the semester, the group hopes to deliver the hats and blankets to a local NICU.
Corrado's Knit Night started last year and senior RA Leah Winter continued the tradition this year, meeting in the assistant hall director's apartment every Sunday at 8 p.m.
"It gives people a chance to share their projects and expertise with different techniques," Winter said.
Their group, like the knitting club, only has a handful of regular attendees, but Winter hopes the various knitting groups will be able to combine someday, especially because the Corrado Knit Night will only continue if someone steps up to the task next year.
"I am glad Joyce started the knitting group up," Winter said. "I hope that people hear about it and are interested."
King encourages knitters of all levels to attend the knitting club's Wednesday evening meetings, describing the benefits of knitting.
"I believe there have been actual scientific, clinical studies that show knitting decreases stress," King said. "Everyone should have a hobby."
Crocheters and non-knitters are also invited to attend meetings and just talk about life, King said.
"Knitters are nice people," King said. "I have never known any mean knitters - I don't think they exist, I really don't."
