Wayzata West Middle School Students Hooked on Crocheting
We often think of crocheting as a hobby associated with an older generation.
But middle schoolers at Wayzata West Middle School have caught the crafting craze.
“I’m working on a vest that has cable stitches,” said seventh-grade student Evelyn Soeffker. “But, I’m learning the cable stitch, so kind of a work in progress.”
The school’s crochet club meets once a week during “My Time,” a flexible learning time designed to give students a chance to study for a test, talk to a teacher, or for these students, learn something new like crocheting.
“When I crochet, I feel very accomplished,” said student Elaine Wang.
Wayzata West Middle School students crochet during school.
The students gather in Wayzata West Middle School teacher Alycia Knabenshue’s art room to practice crocheting.
“It was surprising to me that the students came to me last year and wanted to do this,” says Knabenshue. “Because it’s kind of tied to ‘oh, that’s what my grandma did.'”
But, these aren’t your typical grandma handiwork items.
The students have made shirts, purses, and pillows with their own flair.
And that’s not all.
“We also were making what we call worry worms and we were putting them around the school,” said Knabenshue. “Just something they could handle in their hands if they had a bad day or something like that.”
Art teacher Alycia Knabenshue helps student crochet.
Crocheting has another benefit too.
It helps with mental health.
“I often times will see kids that need to fidget, or to be doing something with their hands,” said Wayzata West Middle School Counselor Missa Morey. “So I’ve seen students take the skills that they have from crochet club, and and use it in spaces where they just need to do something to calm their mind and relax.”
In the days of high tech, this low-tech activity that only requires a hook and yarn, is helping kids to unwind without the use of a screen.
“Instead of watching like a video, I can listen to music while I’m crocheting and do that for hours as well,” said Soeffker.
It’s also given Evelyn an outlet for her creativity and being social.
“I like spending time doing it with my friends,” said Soeffker.
There’s around 30 students in the club and their creativity is limitless.
One student even made a crocheted brain she uses to help in another class.
