New Year, New Hobby: Crochet and Knit Your Way to Gifts from the Heart

Are you looking for a new hobby for the new year? Many people learned the skill of crocheting or knitting as children, often being taught by their mothers, grandmothers, or other talented women in their family. Other people took up the hobby later in life. Whatever their history, fans of crocheting and knitting will attest to the joy and benefits they bring – from relaxation, stress reduction, and increased self-esteem to insomnia relief, a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s, and more. An added benefit is the ability to create something warm and beautiful that may be gifted to someone else, including those in need all year long.

The Bayshore Hooks and Needles club, whose members some from towns all throughout the Bayshore area of New Jersey, was founded six years ago by Holmdel resident Pat Koziol. As of early December, they were preparing to close out a busy year of activities and planning the year to come. In 2018, the group made significant contributions of lovely – and lovingly made – crocheted and knitted items to Green Knoll Care Center, Knights of Columbus, Meridian at Home Hospice, Monmouth Medical Center, NJ Veterans Memorial Homes in Edison and Vineland, Soap S.A.C.K.S. Inc.,Trinitas Hospital, and United Way of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. They also were able to provide enough “lapghans” for each and every one of the residents at Laurel Bay Nursing Home in Keansburg for Christmas gifts. For the club meeting held on December 6, members celebrated the holiday season not only with continued crocheting and knitting, but also with games led by Sue Meyer, light refreshments, and beverages. There were also kits on hand for those who wished to make donation items for Soap S.A.C.K.S. or bingo prizes for patients at Laurel Bay Health & Rehab Center in Keansburg. Heading into the opening months of 2019, the group’s projects will include making baby blankets and hats for Monmouth Medical Center, shawls for Meridian at Home Hospice, lapghans for the Vineland Veterans, and Soap S.A.C.K.S. for distribution by United Way to those in need.

All of these projects also require a lot of yarn! Bayshore Hooks and Needles recently received donations of yarn from the Knights of Columbus, hospice nurse Camille Scala at Meridian at Home Hospice, and anonymous donors at Moore Yarn and the Hazlet Library. The group has placed a yarn donation bin in the lobby of the Hazlet Public Library. With their yarn inventory running low, all donations are greatly appreciated and undoubtedly put to good use.

Another Holmdel resident who has been “hooked” into the love of crocheting and knitting is Shama Tankhiwale, who reported on a charitable project undertaken by members of the “Club 55” team. At the beginning of 2018, they launched a program to knit or crochet scarves for residents of Princeton Care Nursing Home, to be presented as gifts on the occasion of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. Their goal was to have 50 scarves made by the end of October. Thanks to an overwhelming response from club members – some of whom were already proficient at knitting and or crocheting, and others who took up the challenge and diligently learned how to crochet – the group created a total of 73 scarves, including a dozen that were made by one woman alone. Additionally, two Club 55 members who could not crochet donated funds that were used to purchase body lotions for the Princeton Care Nursing Home residents. In late October, a luncheon was held for all the volunteers so that they could meet and prepare the gift bags, which were distributed in person to the residents on November 5, 2018. The group was joined by nine-year-old Ria Sheth, who made Diwali cards for the residents and helped give out the gifts. Some of the recipients wore the scarves immediately and were emotional as they accepted them. All agreed that it was a touching and rewarding experience for everyone.

Another young girl who recently lent her support to the crocheting and knitting cause is thirteen-year-old Mia Dasaro, an eighth grade student at William R. Satz School and the daughter of Renee and Daniel Dasaro of Holmdel. She decided to put her skills to good use as her Mitzvah Project for her Bat Mitzvah at Monmouth Reform Temple. She made a grand total of 144 baby hats that were generously donated to Monmouth Medical Center.  Mia was welcomed at a meeting of the Bayshore Hooks and Needles club, where she demonstrated how she made the hats.

Bayshore Hooks and Needles meets regularly at the Hazlet Public Library, but now also boasts a satellite group that meets at Greenbriar in Marlboro, in addition to several “virtual members” who cannot attend the daytime meetings but continue to drop off yarn and beautiful articles they’ve made at the library. There have also been inquiries about holding evening meetings or “teaching meetings” that additional people may attend and the scheduling of new programs will be discussed with the new branch manager of the Hazlet Library in January. This month’s meetings are scheduled for January 3 and January 17 from 1 to 3 pm at the Hazlet Public Library, 251 Middle Road, Hazlet, NJ. Looking ahead, meetings will be held on February 7 and February 21 and March 7 and March 21, all from 1 to 3 pm.

Keep your resolution to have fun while helping others! Bayshore Hooks and Needles invites members of all skill levels to join them in making items that will go to local charities and hospitals. Bring a crochet hook or knitting needles; yarn donations are also welcome. For more information, call the Hazlet Public Library at 732-264-7164 or email Pat Koziol at patk99@comcast.net.