By Emily Mentzer, Lebanon Express writer | Posted: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 12:00 am
Some fourth and fifth graders at Cascades School spent their lunch recess this winter knitting blankets, which were donated to Willamette Manor on June 2.
It all started when Principal Susan Straight asked grandparent Barbara Farnsworth if she could teach some kind of craft during lunch for those kids who did not seem to have anything to do on the playground.
"I thought about several possibilities and came up with loom knitting because it's fast and easy," Farnsworth said.
Straight said at first the knitting club started with just seven looms.
Farnsworth met with the knitting club twice a week in the library.
She said the club quickly grew to "almost more than she could handle."
Farnsworth split the group into two, one for beginners and one for more experienced knitters.
"I started coming four days a week so I could spend two days with each group," she said.
Farnsworth taught the young knitters to make squares, which they put together to create the afghans.
"They've learned other things to do with them," she said. "They can make hats, scarves, bags and legwarmers. It's been a good creative experience for a lot of them."
The majority of yarn has been donated, though some students have purchased their own.
Farnsworth said interest in the club has gone up and down throughout the season.
"As the weather has gotten better, it's kind of tapered down," she said. "But in fall, students were interested in making Christmas gifts."
Farnsworth said the hardest part about teaching the club is the lack of time.
She said because students are knitting after lunch, they only get 15 to 20 minutes.
"It would be better to have an hour or longer," Farnsworth said.
In spite of this, she said, "we've accomplished a lot in the time we had. I'm really proud of the girls."
Farnsworth said initially some boys participated in the club, but she thinks peer pressure got to them a little.
She hopes to lead the club again next year, though what she would really enjoy is going into the classrooms teaching a whole class at once.
She would like to teach the kids how to knit baby hats, because they go a little faster.
Farnsworth said maybe the classroom approach would show boys it's OK to knit.
She said it's been great to watch students' abilities grow.
"Some of them have a great deal of enthusiasm for crafts, and want to try crochet and embroidery," she said.