Meet your neighbor: let's crochet the community together

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Crochet is one of those skills that takes you back to another time.

“If you think about your heirlooms, the quilt your great-aunt made or that sweater your great-grandmother knitted for you, those are things you cherish,” says Ashley Michel, librarian at ‘East Baton Rouge. “So to be able to give this to someone who might need it is a great feeling.”

This timeless craft seems to be experiencing a resurgence, at least within the East Baton Rouge library system. EBR Library branches throughout the parish offer free crochet groups for all levels and ages. They are one of many craft and hobby groups that meet weekly or monthly, providing opportunities for residents of the parish to connect and explore through crafts.

One such group is Threadheads, which meets every Monday evening at the Greenwell Springs Rd. branch library.

At 6 p.m., you’ll find many crochet enthusiasts gathered around a table to work on their projects, from scrunchies to blankets. Regulars in the group include Joe, who has been crocheting for more than 50 years, and Abigail, 10, who is learning from the group’s organizer, Anne Brown. Brown learned from her great-aunt when she was a child.

“It’s just a nice way to come together and have camaraderie because there are so many people who feel isolated,” Brown said. “People are starting to come back and realize we need to spend time together, socialize because we are social creatures. »

For more advanced crocheters, Michel organizes Crochet for a Cause once a month at Goodwood Main Library.

“I wanted to do something a little different, like something that could give back to the community,” Michel said.

Crochet for a Cause tackles specific projects for several different charities, including waterproof mats made from plastic bags for the homeless and blankets for children going through a hard time through Project Linus.

“When we hand out the blankets, it’s our way of trying to tell the recipients. We can’t be there physically to give you a hug, but here’s what we can offer you,” Michel said.

The group also makes crocheted prosthetics for women who have suffered from breast cancer as part of a mission called Knitting Knockers.

No matter the group, skill level or cause, the goal is the same.

“In the old days, our grandmothers knitted bees and all that and it was a gossip session. I think we live in a very disconnected society now. It’s all online and you know there’s nothing wrong with just staying in touch through social media, but you know, these kinds of programs bring adults together,” Michel said.

Crafts unite people, something that has been done for generations.

“This is how I’m going to change the world, one point at a time,” Brown said.

To find a crochet or other craft group through the library system, inquire at your nearest branch or visit their website at https://www.ebrpl.com/.

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