Otselic Valley Central School District

Wait, are both of those students knitting? With and without needles? They sure are. You can knit with needles, or even pencils in a pinch, or with your hands – that’s called finger knitting. Thanks to Ms. Charles’s patient instruction and assurance that nothing has to be perfect, Vikings have begun to learn. It’s just right that Vikings would learn a needle and fiber craft common to historic, seafaring Vikings. For nets to catch fish and sails to catch the wind and knots to hold boats securely, Vikings needed to be able to work with dedicated tools and materials. Just a few centuries later and many miles across the ocean, we’re on it! Knitting and crochet has taken off at Otselic Valley as an unexpected outcome from the first knitting session held during the open Community Library. Students are asking to try it, and Ms. Charles is pleased to help teach skills with many benefits proven by research.  Fiber work like this is about even more than creativity: That’s the good news. The challenging news is that students would benefit from having more materials. Do you have knitting or crochet needles you don't use any more? How about yarn of any kind that you’d like to donate (the chunkier the better)?  Feel free to drop off your donations in the marked box inside the front doors near the main office, OR come by Open Library from 3-7 pm each Tuesday when school is session. Students are welcome to bring donated yarn on the school bus but donated knitting needles or crochet hooks must be dropped off directly. If you’d like to learn too, just watch the monthly library calendar to learn when the Knitters Group is held during Open Library for the community. As always, thank you for your support.