Socks, hats and sweaters, you can buy. But peace of mind?
That’s one of the health benefits that can get lost in the knitty-gritty of learning how to “needle-bind” and do “hook work.” Those are terms that, through history, have been used for knitting and crocheting.
Jen Cranston of Patagonia knows about the relaxing part. But as the middle school social studies educator for Sonoita Elementary School District, she has also seen the frustration of knit newbies. Cranston has taught the craft as an elective at Elgin Elementary school. Some have liked it. Others, not so much.
“It’s relaxing when you’ve done it for a long time,” Cranston acknowledged. “But when you’re learning, it’s frustrating.”
For the most part, though, the knitters and crocheters who show up for the Patagonia Public Library’s newest semimonthly group – the Knitting and Crocheting Club – have been doing one or both crafts for a while.
Sandy Wolf learned to knit sitting on her mother’s lap. “I don’t remember if I used needles or sticks,” the Sonoita resident said. Moving to the Valley of the Sun, she lost touch with the craft there – the need for winter garb in a place with one season being minimal. At a recent club gathering, though, she works on a blue sweater that will be seasonally useful from time to time.
Cheridayn Egan of Patagonia is crocheting a baby hat on this day. She learned to crochet from a college roommate, and picked up knitting from a student taking a gap year in Ecuador.
“I take it (crocheting) on road trips and long flights,” she said. In addition to relaxation, socialization and community involvement are also positive outcomes, both of which are components of well-being.
“There is something very lovely about being around other people who do this kind of handwork,” Cranston said.
That plays right in to the historical aspects of knitting and crocheting.
Cami Schlappy, historian for the Bowman-Stradling History Center in Sonoita, noted loneliness could be an issue for ranch wives many years ago. Handwork “allowed for socialization when crafters gathered to work on projects together,” Schlappy said. Additionally, it was a means to repurpose old material by creating much-needed supplies, especially for warmth.
“It allowed households to add personal touches and decorations to their products. If extras were able to be made, they could be sold and income was added to the family,” Schlappy said.
Today, the “how-to” knowledge may not be generationally passed down from grandmother to mother to daughter. Which begs the question, is the Patagonia Public Library Knitting and Crocheting Club the best place to learn?
Not really, Cranston said, although the knitters and crocheters do share tips and tricks at the gatherings. Learning, she said, is better done one on one or through free online videos.
“I love to teach people to knit, so I wouldn’t have to know them very well to say, ‘Sure, sure, sure, let’s meet at the library and knit,’” Cranston said.
A good first project in both crafts? A pot holder. Hey, Christmas will be here before you know it!
The Patagonia Public Library’s Knitting and Crocheting Club meets 3:30-4:45 p.m. the first and third Tuesday of each month.