Reed’s ‘Knitty’ Committee

By Emily Ashbolt

When one imagines the conversations of 10- and 11-year-old girls, skeins of wool and needles are probably not the first topics to come to mind. But discussions of purling and needle size are common topics of conversation for the 20-plus members of Reed Intermediate School’s Knitting Club.

Started in 2008 by music teacher Jill Marak and special education teacher Nancy Cedor, what began as an eight-week course on a whim has turned into a Thursday-afternoon phenomenon.

“We had a good response right away,” said Ms Marak, “and enrollment increases each year.”

Knitting, while often seen as a hobby for the older in the community, has a timeless fan base. In fact, many members of the knitting club were inspired to join by their older relatives.

“My granny has been knitting since she was 10,” explained sixth grader Bridget Morrissey on her reason for joining knitting club. “I thought it would be a nice way to spend time with her and have something in common.”

Grandmothers were often the inspiration for learning this art, although some aunts and mothers made contributions, according to group members.

Some, however, were just interested in picking up a new skill.

Sixth grader Kelly Garcia knew how to crochet, but had always wanted to learn how to knit, “so I thought it would be a perfect chance.”

And for fifth grader Taylor Rinaldi, the reason was simple.

“I just love knitting,” the club member said.

All first-time members of knitting club are required to bring a skein of yarn and a pair of needles to the first meeting. When it comes to providing yarn for further projects, however, while the girls are welcome to bring their own yarn, Ms Marak and Ms Cedor have found that the community has been more than generous with donations.

“We just have our box,” said Ms Cedor, “and I’ll buy a load of wool on sale and put it in there, or people put their own stuff in there.”

The club is not limited to just fifth and sixth graders, however. According to Ms Cedor and Ms Marak, parents interested in learning to knit are welcome to join their daughters at the club, and any high school or middle school students are welcome if they can get rides.

For Sarah Spillane, a seventh grader at Newtown Middle School, knitting club was not something she was ready to give up when she left the Reed School, so she makes the journey back every Thursday to participate and help the younger girls.

“My grandmother taught me when I was 8 or 9,” explained Sarah, “and it’s great because I get community service hours.”

Having Sarah as an extra pair of hands, says Ms Cedor, is wonderful, because the club features all different skill levels, from girls just happy to know what to do with the needles to girls wanting to learn stitches and make large projects.

As requirement for joining this year, each member had to make a 9-by-7-inch square. All these squares were then combined into a blanket that was donated to Warm Up America, a fund that donates knitted and crocheted hats, afghans, and blankets to the needy around the United States.

The knitting club consistently is giving back — its members are very involved with the school district’s China Initiative, which will also be sending delegates from Reed Intermediate School to visit Newtown’s sister school partnership this year. Sixth grader Katherine Humbolt and Sarah Spillane are helping Ms Cedor, Ms Marak, and volunteer Ms Sabin make hats and scarves for all the visiting delegates, and all members of the club taking part in making the 4,500 handmade friendship bracelets that the Newtown delegates to China are bringing over.

The group also recently began taking part in the Mother Bear Project, which provides hand-knitted or crocheted bears to children affected by HIV/AIDS in emerging nations.

The girls also are free to work on their own projects, however, which range from hats to pillows to shawls to sweaters.