Crochet Class Produces Clothes for Newborns

VILLAS – Crochet hooks moved silently through threads turning yarn into baby caps and sweaters at the Lower Township branch Library Sept. 22. The room was filled with women learning to create art with a crochet needle under the watchful eye of their instructor Jennifer Bolton.
Monica Olsen of Wildwood was happy to be contributing her efforts to producing baby layettes in a project called “Caring Crochet.” The group whose members include Misty Bratton of West Cape May and Jane Tromer occupied seats around a large table with their materials laid before them. Bratton repeated what many of the women stated, that knitting and crocheting helped them to relax and reduced stress, especially when traveling.
“I do this in the car during trips, when I am not driving of course,” said Bratton, “and on airplanes.”
Susan Cozza, Barbara Davis and Marie Marcoeitz sat side by side. “I met my best friend here,” said Marcoeitz, pointing to her neighbors.
Not everyone was a crocheting novice. Tromer, Mary Ann Puglia and Ann Gairo all had some experience. This was Melissa Adamson’s second class. For Doretta Wilson it was a time of fun and fellowship. Linda Gruff and Cathy Stiebretz of Villas, along with Randi Ziring found the classes to be relaxing and peace restoring.
Ziring, Kathy Huntsinger and Kathy Abbott waited patiently for Bolton to check their work. “She needs a raise,” Cozza said of Bolton.
“The baby hats and sweaters will all be donated to Cape Regional Medical Center to give to their newborns,” Bolton said. “Anything left over will be sold in the gift shop and the proceeds donated to help fund cancer research.”
If you would like to join this crochet club, contact the Cape May County Library at 463-6350 or 886-8999 or visit the website at www.cmclibrary.org.
To contact Helen McCaffrey, email hmccaffrey@cmcherald.com.