{"id":55,"date":"2025-11-04T11:39:31","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T11:39:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/katy-woods\/?p=55"},"modified":"2025-12-12T11:14:33","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T11:14:33","slug":"society-spotlight-crochet-and-knit-society","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/katy-woods\/2025\/11\/04\/society-spotlight-crochet-and-knit-society\/","title":{"rendered":"Society Spotlight: Crochet and Knit Society"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fancy a night off from the chaos? Crochet and Knit is ideal for a relaxed weeknight.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>A sense of community is what initially strikes upon meeting the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/nclcrochetandknit\/\">Newcastle University Crochet and Knit Society<\/a>; less than a month into&nbsp;the academic&nbsp;year,&nbsp;and&nbsp;it\u2019s&nbsp;clear what a warm atmosphere has already been created.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A membership for the year costs \u00a35 and includes a weekly two-hour knitting and crocheting social, usually in a pub, caf\u00e9 or student union building, as well as any other social events the society may put on.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The committee&nbsp;said that&nbsp;these&nbsp;events&nbsp;are a means&nbsp;to&nbsp;socialise, giving members an opportunity to meet people they&nbsp;wouldn\u2019t&nbsp;ordinarily.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And&nbsp;this ideology spreads throughout the society; students from various disciplines and ages are seen interacting with each other, like a group I sat with that consisted of both first-year and PhD students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Katie Mackenzie, a 1st year student I spoke to, said that crochet and knitting is \u201csomething I\u2019d be doing at home, so it\u2019s nice to do it with other people.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This dynamic of students from across age groups and disciplines talking to each other is one I have rarely seen in the societies I have visited thus far.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"287\" height=\"287\" src=\"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/katy-woods\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25138\/2025\/11\/A6BC5940-995B-4E6F-AB9D-571984254701-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-152\" srcset=\"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/katy-woods\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25138\/2025\/11\/A6BC5940-995B-4E6F-AB9D-571984254701-1.jpg 287w, https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/katy-woods\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/25138\/2025\/11\/A6BC5940-995B-4E6F-AB9D-571984254701-1-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 287px) 100vw, 287px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The society \u201ctend&nbsp;to&nbsp;do more non-drinking socials\u201d,&nbsp;said its president, Ellen Green,&nbsp;and though their weekly&nbsp;knitting and crocheting socials&nbsp;can sometimes take place in&nbsp;a pub, she insists that \u201cthere is&nbsp;<em>no&nbsp;<\/em>expectation of anyone drinking.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When speaking to the members, many of them appeared to appreciate the calmer atmosphere of the crochet and knitting society compared to the usual wild stereotypes attached to university societies.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>1st year student Katie Mackenzie said that &#8220;I&#8217;m not really a big drinker so it&#8217;s nice to be in a place where you don&#8217;t have to. There&#8217;s just less pressure.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote\"><blockquote><p>\u201cI\u2019m&nbsp;not really a big drinker so&nbsp;it\u2019s&nbsp;just&nbsp;nice&nbsp;to be in a place where you&nbsp;don\u2019t&nbsp;have to. There&#8217;s just less&nbsp;pressure.&nbsp;It\u2019s&nbsp;just nice after a day of lectures and classes to decompress.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p><cite>Eleanor, Member<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For anyone wanting to give crochet and knitting society a go, its treasurer, Katie Mills, suggests that they have some knowledge&nbsp;of their chosen craft before attending the socials, or are at least willing to learn&nbsp;in their own time&nbsp;as the purpose of the socials is not to teach people how to knit or crochet&nbsp;but to give people a social space to knit and&nbsp;crochet together.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The society also require members to bring their own needles (if they are knitting) and hooks (if they are crocheting).&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The members appear happy with the society, reporting no drawbacks&nbsp;but commenting on many of the upsides that drew them to the society.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The president, Ellen Green, described the society as &#8220;so chill&#8221; and &#8220;a good place to meet new people.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Memberships for the Crochet and Knitting Society are available on the <a href=\"https:\/\/nusu.co.uk\/activities\/view-society\/533\">NUSU<\/a> website for all Newcastle University students.&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Visit my Instagram here:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links is-layout-flex wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-instagram  wp-block-social-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/talk_of_thetoon\/?igsh=b3V0b3ZqZXR3emJo#\" class=\"wp-block-social-link-anchor\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\"><path d=\"M12,4.622c2.403,0,2.688,0.009,3.637,0.052c0.877,0.04,1.354,0.187,1.671,0.31c0.42,0.163,0.72,0.358,1.035,0.673 c0.315,0.315,0.51,0.615,0.673,1.035c0.123,0.317,0.27,0.794,0.31,1.671c0.043,0.949,0.052,1.234,0.052,3.637 s-0.009,2.688-0.052,3.637c-0.04,0.877-0.187,1.354-0.31,1.671c-0.163,0.42-0.358,0.72-0.673,1.035 c-0.315,0.315-0.615,0.51-1.035,0.673c-0.317,0.123-0.794,0.27-1.671,0.31c-0.949,0.043-1.233,0.052-3.637,0.052 s-2.688-0.009-3.637-0.052c-0.877-0.04-1.354-0.187-1.671-0.31c-0.42-0.163-0.72-0.358-1.035-0.673 c-0.315-0.315-0.51-0.615-0.673-1.035c-0.123-0.317-0.27-0.794-0.31-1.671C4.631,14.688,4.622,14.403,4.622,12 s0.009-2.688,0.052-3.637c0.04-0.877,0.187-1.354,0.31-1.671c0.163-0.42,0.358-0.72,0.673-1.035 c0.315-0.315,0.615-0.51,1.035-0.673c0.317-0.123,0.794-0.27,1.671-0.31C9.312,4.631,9.597,4.622,12,4.622 M12,3 C9.556,3,9.249,3.01,8.289,3.054C7.331,3.098,6.677,3.25,6.105,3.472C5.513,3.702,5.011,4.01,4.511,4.511 c-0.5,0.5-0.808,1.002-1.038,1.594C3.25,6.677,3.098,7.331,3.054,8.289C3.01,9.249,3,9.556,3,12c0,2.444,0.01,2.751,0.054,3.711 c0.044,0.958,0.196,1.612,0.418,2.185c0.23,0.592,0.538,1.094,1.038,1.594c0.5,0.5,1.002,0.808,1.594,1.038 c0.572,0.222,1.227,0.375,2.185,0.418C9.249,20.99,9.556,21,12,21s2.751-0.01,3.711-0.054c0.958-0.044,1.612-0.196,2.185-0.418 c0.592-0.23,1.094-0.538,1.594-1.038c0.5-0.5,0.808-1.002,1.038-1.594c0.222-0.572,0.375-1.227,0.418-2.185 C20.99,14.751,21,14.444,21,12s-0.01-2.751-0.054-3.711c-0.044-0.958-0.196-1.612-0.418-2.185c-0.23-0.592-0.538-1.094-1.038-1.594 c-0.5-0.5-1.002-0.808-1.594-1.038c-0.572-0.222-1.227-0.375-2.185-0.418C14.751,3.01,14.444,3,12,3L12,3z M12,7.378 c-2.552,0-4.622,2.069-4.622,4.622S9.448,16.622,12,16.622s4.622-2.069,4.622-4.622S14.552,7.378,12,7.378z M12,15 c-1.657,0-3-1.343-3-3s1.343-3,3-3s3,1.343,3,3S13.657,15,12,15z M16.804,6.116c-0.596,0-1.08,0.484-1.08,1.08 s0.484,1.08,1.08,1.08c0.596,0,1.08-0.484,1.08-1.08S17.401,6.116,16.804,6.116z\"><\/path><\/svg><span class=\"wp-block-social-link-label screen-reader-text\">Instagram<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fancy a night off from the chaos? Crochet and Knit is ideal for a relaxed weeknight. A sense of community is what initially strikes upon meeting the Newcastle University Crochet and Knit Society; less than a month into&nbsp;the academic&nbsp;year,&nbsp;and&nbsp;it\u2019s&nbsp;clear what a warm atmosphere has already been created.&nbsp;&nbsp; A membership for the year costs \u00a35 and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":385,"featured_media":56,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wds_primary_category":7,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[18,15,16,17,4,8,19,5],"class_list":["post-55","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-society-spotlights","tag-crafts","tag-crochet","tag-knit","tag-knitting","tag-newcastle-university","tag-sober-activities","tag-social","tag-societies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/katy-woods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/katy-woods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/katy-woods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/katy-woods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/385"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/katy-woods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/katy-woods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/katy-woods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/katy-woods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/katy-woods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/journalists.org.uk\/katy-woods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}