April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
COPAKE FALLS
Kids' Knit Club is sew good
"I think it's important they know how to pass the time without pushing buttons and looking at a screen," said Teresa Haldane, a parishioner who oversees the group. "They love putting on a hat or something they've made themselves. [There's joy in] the creative process."
Mrs. Haldane saw a need for the group a decade ago, when a parishioner questioned her about a hand-knitted scarf she was wearing. The Ireland native had grown up knitting in school and at home and observed that the skill didn't seem as widely-taught in America.
She approached the parish about hosting a weekly evening of instruction and fellowship for children, and advertised the program in Copake Falls businesses and churches. A dozen children enrolled at first; soon, adults started asking to join, too.
"I said, 'OK!'" Mrs. Haldane said. "We can't discriminate."
Tea for two-plus
Today, attendance fluctuates between 10 and 25 people, including a handful of children. There are two eight-week sessions; younger members attend less often after Christmas, when the area's ski slopes grab their attention.
After members knit for an hour, they share tea and homemade bread.
"They don't have tea anywhere else," Mrs. Haldane said of the younger knitters. "Especially in rural areas, the 'social' is just as important as learning to knit. It's supposed to go from 6 to 7:30, but I'm lucky if I can get everyone out at 8 o'clock, because they start yakking."
Sierra Shelton, 12, has attended the group and likes the pink camouflage pillow she made. She enjoys talking with the adults in the group about designs and what she's doing at school.
Sierra said people outside her age group "can teach you a lot of things. One time, I was making a mistake, and they helped me."
The pre-teen decided to try the club because her stepmother and stepsister were going. She likes to "find new hobbies.
"They taught me how to crochet," she said. "Next time, I'm going to try knitting to see which I like better. It's quiet, so you can, like, stay focused. It's something I like to do to get my mind off everything."
Kids' view
Sierra has shown some of her school friends her crafts: "I tell some people, but some people are impatient and don't like that kind of stuff."
Her stepsister, 10-year-old Cora Doty, made a blanket and a blue scarf over a few years in the group.
"It's really neat," she said. "It really just calms me down, because I live with my brother. He's so annoying."
Although she didn't plan for adults to be involved, Mrs. Haldane appreciates the intergenerational atmosphere of the club.
"There's so little opportunity in this country for people of different ages to come together," she said. "We all have a lot to learn and benefit from each other."
Three other adults help Mrs. Haldane teach and provide refreshments.
For $5, children get a startup package with bamboo needles, yarn and instructions; adults pay $10. People who just want to try one session can use donated aluminum needles.
Our Lady of Hope donates $50 for needles, and community members donate yarn, especially when a loved one who knitted dies. Yarn companies often make donations when the group knits for charity.
Made with love
Members make hats and blankets for newborns at Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson; mittens, scarves, lap blankets, hats and shawls for a veterans' home in Copake; and lap blankets for a nursing home in Catskill. A 12-year-old member is currently making booties for her pregnant schoolteacher.
Mrs. Haldane is a proponent of homemade gifts.
"It's just priceless," she said, "because it's the time and love that goes into it. We're using our gifts for the less-off in the community."
The group has also contributed items to the parish's craft/bake sale for four years; last year's sale brought in $3,500 for the church.
There's no pressure for members to join Our Lady of Hope parish. Sierra is not Catholic, but thinks the church is a relaxing environment.
"It's nice to hang out there," she said. "The stained glass is really pretty."[[In-content Ad]]
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