Like many others, senior Hridi Ghosh decided to commit herself to crocheting during the COVID-19 pandemic. This allowed her to easily pass time during the grueling hours of online classes. When in-person school started up again, Ghosh noticed that students had less time to engage in their creative outlets. So, with the collaborative minds of Ghosh and senior Benjamin Refsell, they created the Mounds View Fiber Arts Club. 

The club aims to teach the art of knitting yarn and string into a cohesive work. It is a lifelong skill, something that people can still pick up even after days, months, or years away from the simple craft. “It teaches you the lifelong skills, as you can keep doing knitting and crocheting as long as you’re alive,” said Ghosh. The art of learning how to build garments and stuffed gifts, along with more efficient objects like bags and making decor out of string or yarn, sticks with a person for years and years. It can teach the value of hard work and how much effort truly goes into every creation.

This club is for Mounds View students who enjoy learning how to make unique articles of clothing, stuffed dolls, and more with their peers. It’s open to everyone, and if a student already knows the craft well enough, this club allows them to have fun after school, honing their skills in an environment that encourages them to do well. The club meets in a flex space outside Room 229A and already has the supplies ready to use.

In addition, this club offers to help new members without prior knowledge of the craft. Both co-presidents are relatively skilled, with many years of experience in fiber arts—Ghosh started crocheting in 2020, and Refsell has worked with the fiber arts since he was a kid. They offer all of the materials: both kinds of needles, yarn, and string for making garments, so those with less knowledge will still be able to enjoy that craft even if they’ve never touched the materials before.

 Another thing is that all of the pieces created go to the Ralph Reeder Food Shelf, which Ghosh specifically chose. “So when we heard about those programs, we were like, this is a fantastic opportunity for us to kind of, you know, give back to the community,” said Ghosh. 

This club allows students to enjoy their craft with others around them, too. “And it also gives people a space … to work in a good environment, which is good for everyone after school,” said Refsell. The Fiber Arts Club aims to help students connect with their community by giving back and helping others.