Eye on the Quads

RSO Spotlight: Commuknity

Knitting is not a “grandma thing” anymore.

There are more than 450 registered student organizations at UChicago, from the A Cappella Council to the Zombie Readiness Task Force.

One of the newest is Commuknity, the knitting club, which meets in the Reynolds Club on Monday nights. The group donates much of what its members knit—scarves to the Olive Branch Mission, hats to Colleges Against Cancer, squares that are made into blankets for orphans in South Africa.

Serene Yang, President, ’12

Is it relaxing? Very. Once you know how to knit, you don’t really need to think about it. It gives you a break from all the thinking.

Do you usually knit scarves? I knitted half a sweater, but the idea of putting all the seams together kind of scares me. Socks—I am afraid of socks. The tiny needles, and the amount of time you have to put into it, when you’re knitting a pair of socks.

Laura Pulido, Vice President, ’11

Have you had any disasters? Things don’t always turn out the way I want them to. But that’s ok, because each scarf has its own personality.

You don’t use patterns? I just do it all randomly. Once I get tired of doing a stitch, I switch to a different one. They come out looking pretty unique. In the store, scarves are all uniform. It’s ok. But I feel like there are more ways to express yourself.

Do any men come to meetings? There have been a few. But they tend to not come back. I don’t know why.

Aaron Herreras, AB’10

How did you learn to knit? From my mother. She taught our whole Girl Scout troop.

How often do you do it? I knit here on Mondays, and then at home, usually at the end of the day, depending on my workload. I can talk to my boyfriend or watch TV at the same time. Some of the girls can read while knitting. I’m not quite there yet.

What does your boyfriend think? He’s supportive. He says, oh, it looks nice. There are no holes in my work.

Lynn Garrett, ’14

What do your friends think? They think it’s a grandma thing until they get knitted gifts. And then they’re pretty happy.

—Carrie Golus, AB’91, AM’93

Photos by Dan Dry