The first meeting of the Crochet Club at Stony Brook University was a massive success — more than 80 eager students started lining up an hour before the listed start time of the first general body meeting.
“The response was amazing, but we didn’t expect the line to wrap all the way around the library,” said club president Maya Hasegawa.
Crocheting has skyrocketed in popularity recently, primarily due to the influence of social media during the pandemic. The Stony Brook Crochet Club has seen such early success by providing a much-needed space for students to come together and learn how to crochet, ultimately filling a gap in the university’s extracurricular offerings.
Its success may also be attributed to the passion, enthusiasm and welcoming nature of the students who came together to build the club, which has attracted students who may have yet to find a community that resonates with them elsewhere on campus. By providing a space for students to come together and share their love of crocheting, the club has created a new sense of belonging and friendship for many.
The club’s organizers are versatile and have the ability to teach beginners as well as help advanced crocheters progress in their skills. After providing as many hooks and skeins of yarn as possible, organizers methodically roam the room and help individuals with their projects. During the meetings, students can chat and relax while working on their projects, which is a productive and creative way to de-stress from their academic schedules.
The club has many exciting ideas it is working to implement before the end of the semester. One idea is to create a collaborative quilt to which everyone in the club would contribute by crocheting a “granny square.” With all the squares sewn together, the collaborative quilt would be donated to a local hospital or a similar organization.
Additionally, in preparation for the stressful finals season, an event tentatively named “Crochet and Sip” will help students unwind by sipping tea, crocheting, and maybe even watching a movie at the same time. Another idea known as “Crochet Fest” will allow groups of advanced crocheters to collaborate on projects and compete against other groups to win prizes. Some contest categories may include plushies and apparel.
For more information, reach out to the club through Instagram (@sbucrochet) or email (sbucrochet@gmail.com).
— Bo Abramson
