Interested learners and experienced crochet enthusiasts have joined together in one of Irvington’s newest clubs, Crochet Club. The club plans on channeling their passion for the art into service to the community by crocheting hats, blankets, and granny squares for those in need.

When looking for ways to incorporate crochet into service, President Anvitha Shorroff (11) found out about newborn babies’ need for head protection and the shortage of available baby caps in hospitals. Shorroff decided to bring Crochet Club members together to kick off the year with their very first project: creating hats for newborn babies at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.

“When [babies] are really young, it’s easy for them to get infections,” Shorroff said. “That’s why [doctors] tell you that you shouldn’t touch their heads.”

Shorroff estimates that the club will crochet a total of 20 to 25 hats for the babies by the tentative deadline, Dec. 14.

Besides volunteering, members also learn new skills in each meeting through PowerPoints and skill lessons on crochet techniques. The officers taught beginning crocheters basic skills at the beginning of the year. While new members are welcome to join the club at any time time, they will have to look at YouTube videos to understand the basics. Officers mentor and answer any questions beginning crocheters may have. During the meeting, students can check out crocheting materials such as yarn or crochet hooks for ongoing club projects.

Shorroff originally started the club to provide a form of stress relief from homework, tests, and benchmark projects. Her interest in knitting took root when she was very young, and as her passion for it flourished, she began to look for ways to express her interests and give to the community.

“For me, it’s therapeutic—like stress relief,” said Shorroff. “In the middle of all this school stuff, it’s kind of hard to find a good way to relieve stress. Crochet and knitting were always somethings that were there for me.”

Treasurer Iris Kan (11) began crocheting in eighth grade in order to get off the computer and do something more productive.

“Crocheting is repetitive, but it’s very calming and soothing,” said Kan. “I think [I] spend too much time on social media, the internet, and playing games, and I guess this is a kind of break away from all the distraction.”

The club also plans to tackle other projects this year, including crocheting hats for cancer patients, crafting granny squares (small square patches that are sewn together to form larger materials), and creating blankets for the homeless.

“Basically anyone who can pick up crocheting can make things that they never thought they could make before,” says Shorroff. “You can make a shirt – you can make a sweater – and it feels really good to have made something by yourself, with patience and perseverance. Once you’re done, it feels amazing.”