It is early in the morning, and Heidi Hager crochets the beginnings of a cardigan in Panther Time, more enamored with the yarn and hook in their hands than with the scene in front of her. The pieces of the sweater are slowly building up and coming together.
Heidi, an eighth-grader on Dream Team, says, “The ending result is nice, and the process is really relaxing.”
Crocheting and knitting have been rising in popularity since the beginning of the 2023-24 school year. Creative Yarn Club, one of the clubs Rachel Carson Middle School has to offer, has seen a large raise in members, and has even switched to meet in the Lecture Hall for a larger space.
Ms. Elena James, the teacher sponsor of Creative Yarn Club, says, “It’s the first year it exploded.”
Yarn crafts have also been rising in popularity on social media. Many people decided to try crocheting and knitting after seeing others do it.
Heidi says, “I started in school because a lot of my friends were crocheting and I wanted to join.”
After initially starting to crochet and working past the bumps of learning stitches, crocheting and knitting can become a form of relaxation.
Allison Cai, a seventh-grader on All Stars, says, “I enjoy crocheting because it’s fun and it’s kind of relaxing.”
Creative Yarn Club, which meets on Thursdays and is entirely free, offers a large range of supplies, including yarn, crochet hooks, and knitting needles, to get started on crocheting.
Ms. James advises beginners to keep crocheting as a relaxing activity.
“Don’t make it something stressful,” she says. “Just realize you’re going to practice the same stitch over and over again, and one day you’ll wake up and be good at it.”
If you’re looking for a way to get started on crocheting, YouTube has a variety of crochet tutorials to make items ranging from stuffed animals to accessories to clothing. The only supplies you need to start are a crochet hook or knitting needles and yarn.
Ms. James compares knitting to life, saying, “I think of it as a metaphor for life. There are a few mistakes along the way, but the finished product is beautiful.”
