Yarn Over Cleveland has been around since 2004 and began with five original members, helping the club thrive. The group meets on the first Thursday of every month, weather permitting, at the Rocky River Public Library basement community room.
While the club experienced a brief decline in membership, members came together and rebuilt the community to significantly increase attendance. This club is great for escaping the house while still being able to be warm inside, which is especially appealing during the winter months.
“I think it’s been almost three years [since I started crocheting]; this is my second time here,” said new member Maggie Glance.
Skill levels among members vary widely, ranging from those with nearly 19 years of experience to those with just two. You get to see all the different aspects. Anyone is welcome to attend, and members are available to teach those with no prior experience.
Members enjoy reconnecting with people from years before and learning important life lessons through the friendships they make. People of any age or skill are welcome to come.
“It’s like a repetitive calming … there is a lot of counting, and it just looks very calming,” said frequent member Valerie Esmond.
The repetitive aspect of crocheting gives many people a way to relax and escape stress, as patterns are easy to memorize and can be switched if one does not work. Many members bring different magazines and binders with new patterns and activities for everyone to pick and choose from whenever they feel like trying something new.
Crocheting is helpful for keeping blood pressure low and is a zen project for people to work on. There are all types of people with different projects that show up. It could be to start a new project, or they could be finishing pieces that they have been working on for a long time.
Not only do they go there to crochet, but also to embroider or sew, depending on which people show up to the event.
“The ability to make anything I want — blankets or scarves … wearables, and then you can make little stuffed animals,” said Jessica Skiles, teacher and frequent member.
There are endless possibilities of things to make; it just depends on what you prefer and how long your patience is for creating something. Some members bring extra supplies for a free-for-all, allowing anyone who needs them to use a variety of materials.
People can craft items, including blankets, scarves, and octopuses. One person wore an outfit she had made herself while also working on a stuffed animal project. These often become gifts for presents for grandchildren, friends, and more people that you could share your projects with.
People make these items not only for fun but also to donate. A table in the room is set aside for members to place any items they would like to give.
Many members donate to a variety of places and attend different crochet events, such as Sew 4 Service. They create fidgets for nursing homes and other facilities where residents benefit from having stimulating sensory items.
One popular donation project is making octopuses for hospitals’ NICUs. Studies have shown these stuffed octopuses mimic the umbilical cord and can help improve the vitals of premature infants. This gives everyone something to help out the community with while also doing something calming and soothing for themselves.
