Students use knitting to help community

By Sandy Martin

Some knitters at UK don’t just stitch things for themselves — they also help victims of domestic violence learn how to knit.

Serving Our Community by Knitting Stuff, a student organization that meets weekly on campus, goes to the Bluegrass Domestic Violence Shelter about once a month to work with the women there.

“It feels amazing when you watch people like the women at the shelter get such joy from learning to knit,” said Lauren Frame, treasurer of SOCKS. Frame is also a page designer for the Kernel.

SOCKS, which club president Amanda Zimny founded more than a year ago, meets every Wednesday from 7 to 8 p.m. in room 228 of the Student Center. Members also hold special meetings in some residence halls to try to get more people to join.

SOCKS is a good opportunity to learn a skill that is often overlooked, Zimny said.

“Knitting is a great thing to do,” Zimny said. “It’s relaxing, but it’s also productive.”

Many people who join SOCKS have never knitted before, so no one should be scared away because of lack of skill, Zimny said.  It is organized so that anyone can join, whether they are a beginner, or more experienced, she said.

“There are no prerequisites to be a knitter, except that you generally should leave your prejudices at the door,” said Chet Gray, secretary of SOCKS.

Even though spring is around the corner, there are still several reasons that students should be interested in knitting, Zimny said. Students can knit tote bags and slippers that can be made for the warmer weather.

Students can still attend meetings even if they do not have any knitting materials.  SOCKS provides free items at meetings, and other members will give helpful suggestions for newcomers, Zimny said.