On Tuesday, January 28, the Crochet Club met in State Farm Hall for their first meeting, and it was a hit.
Participants learned some of the basics of crochet, such as holding the crochet hook, beginner stitches and how to read a pattern.
The Crochet Club plans to teach newcomers the basics of crochet while allowing experienced crafters the opportunity to explore their own projects.
“People with different majors can come together with a common interest,” president Lexi Hartweg said. “This differentiates us from other clubs that only cater to a specific field of study.”
The club is open to anyone interested in the fiber arts craft, and no experience is required. “Anyone who wants to learn how to crochet is encouraged to attend” secretary Izzy Beoletto said. ”We have a lovely executive board to guide them – except our treasurer, she can’t crochet.”
“Crochet Club has a laid-back environment, and it has built-in time to do something that I enjoy with people of the same interests,” Beoletto said.
Members who already have experience with the craft can use the meeting time to explore personal projects or help other members.
“Alternatively, our projects can be intended for donation purposes,” Beoletto said. “Members can learn to crochet through personal projects and then begins to create garments for donation once they are confident in their skills.”
Crochet Club is still a newly created organization, so the executive board is unsure about any special events outside of general meetings.
For anyone looking to join Crochet Club, Beoletto said “we want to create a time and place for people to get together and unwind from their day, so even without experience people are welcome to be with friends and enjoy the vibes.”
Anyone interested in crochet is welcome to join. They can email lhartweg@iwu.edu about details, or find meetings on the IWU calendar.
”Crochet is an art form, and it comes with plenty of practice,” Beoletto said. “We are hoping to create an environment where people can feel included at any skill level.”