GlenOak High School has established its very own student-led Crochet Club, dedicated to providing a safe and comfortable environment for people interested in the art of crocheting, a kind of needlework.
The club was founded by sophomore Julianne Liliestedt this January, and according to her, the club currently has eight regular members.
“I created the club to meet new people and talk about a common interest… I wanted to find a group to socialize and share my creations with,” Liliestedt said.
The club provides members with crochet hooks and yarn, so there is no need to feel like one needs to force themselves into the hobby, and even if they have no experience crocheting, other members will be happy to help you out.
Grace Renz is a student who started out with little crocheting experience- she said she had just started last summer. Ever since she joined Crochet Club, she has come to love the hobby as a way to channel her feelings of anxiety in a different, healthier way.
“The club is a way for me to express myself in a different way… beyond crocheting, I can connect with people I’ve never met before. I didn’t even know the names of half of the girls here up until now. It’s awesome,” Renz said.
Renz’s most recent creation is a circle blanket she crocheted with help from fellow members of the club, which makes it her third finished project. She enjoys the comfort of the club and likes how honest you can be with it.
If you are a fidgety person and like to keep your hands moving, it may be worth your while to create something in the process- that is how Lilliestedt started her crochet journey.
Maybe you are an introvert and want a safe space to help come out of your shell. Crochet Club could be your chance to do just that.
“This club is definitely a zero-commitment zone. We have a member who came in and was a little overstimulated… she decided to come in every other week instead of every week. This is a comfy place, so my advice would be to join, and if you don’t like it, there’s no harm in leaving,” Renz said.
If you are interested in joining, Crochet Club is run every Thursday from 2:15 to 3:50 p.m. in room B113.
