Fourth-year student, Marianne Philipps, created the KnOTs of Love student group in the Fall of 2019 to teach her fellow OT students how to knit or crochet. She hoped that students might eventually use their new knowledge to help clients regain a long-lost meaningful hobby or perhaps use knitting or crocheting as an intervention to increase range of motion, manual dexterity, or to reduce stress. Ms. Philipps envisioned the group as having three distinct phases. The first phase was to teach students to knit and then have them create one item that is meaningful to them. The second phase was for students to knit sensory squares using different types/weights of yarn, different tensions, and different stitches. The third phase was for students to knit scarves and hats for Alachua Homeless Teens, lap blankets for clients at the adult day care center, Alz’s Place, and baby blankets and hats and for the babies at the MIST substance abuse treatment program for pregnant and post-partum mothers. Since the inception of KnOTs of Love, over forty-five students have learned to knit or crochet. They are currently in phase three and have collected over 35 items. These donated hand-knitted/crocheted items will be distributed to the three organizations in mid-December. A special thank you to all who have donated items and supplies, taken time to help teach, or assisted in outreach, and to the Class of 2024 who are the largest cohort to participate to date!
