The Stevens Knit and Crochet Club was dissolved after last Sunday’s meeting of the Student Government Association (SGA) Senate on Sept. 8, 2018. The Senate planned to discuss whether the well-known club with dwindling membership should be placed on probation or completely discontinued. Vice President of Student Interests Dakota Van Deursen explained that the discontinuation of the club was attributed to low membership and the lack of response and effort of club members after the club was placed in poor standing as a Recognized Student Organization (RSO) for not registering on DuckLink. In addition, for the first time ever in the club’s history, the Knitting Club did not attend the Freshman Flock Party to recruit new students.
In the end, the discussion concluded with dissolving the club, despite interest from younger members of the club who wanted to retain RSO status. The Senate proposed to these younger members they restart the club through the New Organization Process.
Described as “quirky, creative, and carefree” by an alumni member, the Knitting Club was a space for those who wanted some peace during the week. It was an escape from the stress of coursework and a way to alleviate the pressure of being a student at Stevens. The Knitting Club was almost like a hidden gem for those that took a chance on it, while others laughed and asked, “We actually have a knitting club?” It was known for creative posters with memes and various types of events, such as the particularly popular sushi night (an all-you-can-eat sushi event). Other events hosted by the Knitting Club included yarn dyeing night and adventuring to a yarn store in the city for new yarn and projects. The club even received wool each spring from a sheep named Snow in Pennsylvania and hosted events outside of knitting, such as pumpkin carving. Even outside of the special events, the club would welcome knitters to share their knitting knowledge and invite curious minds to try out or learn how to knit or crochet with yarn and needles provided by the club.
What is important to note is the life and death of clubs on campus. While many RSOs are well-established in membership and host events that occur on a semesterly or yearly basis, there are some clubs that struggle to maintain interest. The fluctuating membership naturally occurs over the years and there is no direct blame on the students or the SGA or even Admissions for this, but rather just displays the interests of each class. Evolving interests and changing fads encourage us to try new things, and the Stevens Knit and Crochet Club was one of those clubs that further encouraged students to try something new. Although the club is now dissolved, the missing creative outlet for many may create the interest for a new knitting club, or something just as quirky.
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