Camas High School (CHS) provides students with many opportunities to learn new skills through various activities. Among these opportunities are Knitting Drop-Ins which happen every Wednesday early release lunch in the library to give interested students a place to knit.
The drop-ins serve as a place for students to let their creativity free. Students often make wearable items like scarves, gloves and cowls. All materials are provided; students just have to show up at the library sitting area to begin.
Knitting Drop-in is run by Brandy Livingston, an instructional paraprofessional. She started hosting the event because she had extra time on Wednesdays and wanted to share her love of knitting with everyone.
“I notice there [are] a lot of different clubs but there [isn’t] a lot that focus on crafting,” Livingston said. “Since I know how to knit, that could be the thing that I teach.”
Livingston helps students get started on an easy initializing stitch, called “casting on.” Using the two knitting needles, the student makes a slip knot and allows the yarn to wrap around one of the needles. Then, the student uses the other needle to pick up and add yarn to their project.
“It’s a really fun hobby that I’ve picked up over the past few months,” CHS sophomore Akhila Pattamatta said.
The art of knitting involves numerous skills in addition to dexterity. Livingston says knitting also teaches students the value of being patient. She manages a Google Classroom for Knitting Drop-in to allow students to review the stitches she has taught through replayable videos.
“A friend of mine from college taught me the basics and then I had to watch a lot of YouTube videos to reteach myself because I didn’t remember everything from watching it the first time,” Livingston said. “My mom is mostly a crocheter.”
Knitting is loosely related to crocheting. Crocheting involves knitting using a hook instead of two needles.
“I’m more of a crocheter than a knitter,” CHS senior Ilakkiya Anbazhagan said. “I would love to learn how to knit, though.”
Knitting Drop-in will continue to run in the CHS library, indefinitely. Its members are considering converting it into a fully-fledged club. However, members say that the officer roles required of clubs could shatter the casual and liberating nature of the drop-in.
“I used to have a knit night at my house and I would have ladies come over and we would knit. I know the Camas Public Library has a similar drop-in. I attend that sometimes,” Livingston said.
The many unique clubs and classes offered at CHS, provide students with the opportunity to acquire new skills every day.
Livingston encourages anyone interested in knitting to stop by and join in.
