Crafters find constructive group environment in new Cranberry Public Library organization
CRANBERRY TWP — While it takes a lot of focus and time for Wendy Clibbens to complete her yarn projects — like one she is working on now for her coming second grandchild — she found herself surrounded by other people Monday, May 11.
But many of the other 20-odd people in the Cranberry Public Library that evening were equally focused on their hands as they knit, crocheted and cross-stitched projects during the second crafting meetup the library hosted.
Clibbens said that even though she was chatting with people while she worked, the environment was conducive to her knitting productivity for the hour-and-a-half session.
“It’s nice to get out of the house, away from the chores you have at home, the kids,” said Clibbens, of Economy, Beaver County, “and to go somewhere you can be with other like-minded people.”
The meetup May 11 was only the second meeting of Knot Just Knitting, a group started by Cranberry Township library adult services manager Megan Babal and library regular Leigh Koegler. About 20 people attended. However, Babal said more than 40 attended the group’s inaugural meeting in April.
The meetup is planned for 6 to 7:30 p.m. the second Monday of the month in the Cranberry Public Library. As the group name implies, people can bring their craft of choice to the back meeting room.
“Everyone brings their own projects and just kind of gathers to work on things together,” Koegler said. “It gives a little space to get out of the house after work to meet people in the community.”
The seats in the meeting room of the Cranberry Public Library were crowded with people, the tables in front of them piled with crafting equipment like needles, pins, hooks and lots and lots of yarn.
Koegler said she contacted Babal to start a crafting group because she was looking for a place to meet with other crafters and enjoy chats while making art. It helps to be surrounded by crafters, especially for people who may have taken a break from a medium for a while.
“We had a person here who was a crocheter but couldn't remember how to start a particular stitch. But they could resource people around them to help them get started,” Koegler said.
The meeting room Monday was mainly filled by personal conversation, with people sharing what they were working on, leading to talk about family and home life. Many of the people said during an opening show-and-tell they were working on a gift for a child, grandchild or other family member.
Amy Walters attended the session with a blanket she was crocheting to look like a honeycomb for a grandchild she is expecting. She said the group of people at the session was pleasant and welcoming. She was able to focus her energy on crocheting the blanket for an hour-and-a-half that evening.
Being surrounded by other crafters also gave Walters some inspiration for her next project after finishing the honeycomb blanket.
“It’s good to have other people around and see what they’re doing,” she said.
Julie Coleman, of Seven Fields, and Jo Emanuelson, of Cranberry Township, were making clothes — a vest and a sweater, respectively.
Emanuelson said she learned about the group through the library’s newsletter. Even though she normally finds herself crocheting in her free time at home, the group setting was equally pleasant to be in. She said crocheting helps keep her hands busy while she is idle and she ends up with a nice gift for herself or someone else.
“It’s like my therapy,” Emanuelson said.
The therapy aspect of crafting resonated with several people at the May 11 session, with Jeanine Ging, of Robinson Township, Allegheny County, saying she was happy to just sit and talk while knitting. She, too, was working on a blanket as a high school graduation gift. She said the star pattern she was following is meant to be one that isn’t too technically demanding to follow.
“They make it so you don’t have to focus too much,” Ging said.
One of the unique crafts May 11 was a punch needle art stocking that Darlene Corris, of Cranberry Township, was making. Punch needle art involves using a needle to punch holes into a cloth following a sketched-out design that is filled in with yarn from the needle.
Corris said it’s a fairly involved craft that also needs a maker to have a good amount of supplies to work with.
Koegler and Babal pointed out that some of the local venues where crafting meetups took place before have closed recently, like JoAnn, which used to have a location in the Cranberry Mall.
Babal said the Cranberry Public Library has become a bit of a crafting hub since the opening of its Makerspace, but that area requires people to take classes before gaining access to its equipment, which includes a 3D printer.
Knot Just Knitting is open to everyone.
Babal said she was not only surprised by the turnout to its first two meetings, but happy that they attracted people of many different ages.
“This is more freeform where people come in and they learn from each other and just work on their own projects,” Babal said.
Babal and Koegler also said that even though they plan to only host the Knot Just Knitting sessions once a month, it could become a more common happening if its popularity grows.
As Clibbens explained, the knitting project she was working on would probably take all summer to complete, so having a regular time each month to focus almost completely on her work is a good thing.
“Here, I don’t have to worry about chores or the kids,” Clibbens said.
For updates on Knot Just Knitting, visit the Cranberry Public Library’s website at cranberrylibrary.org.
