Finding Small-Town L.A.: The Memorial Library Knitting Circle
Feeling lost and alienated in sprawling Los Angeles with its transient culture and ten million residents? This is the first in a series of articles that will celebrate events, experiences and people in our Mid-City area who inspire community connections -- giving us that comfy small-town aura.
“Tell the reporter about the doll blankets and pillows you knitted for your 11 grandchildren,” Michelle urges fellow knitter Virginia. Michelle goes on with another story “We each made an item for one of our member’s second baby and threw a shower. We knew that baby before she was born. Then a few months later the children lied over there on their blankets while we met.” Cozy community.
Every Saturday morning up to a dozen knitters assemble in the back room of the Memorial Branch Library on Olympic Boulevard.
The leader provides light instruction but mainly the women of all ages help each other, sharing ideas, patterns, yarn and inspiration. “We also participate in service projects, like knitting blankets or scarves for abused women or veterans." Takeisha, who prefers invention, is crocheting what she thinks is a shrug. She’s "not sure where it’s going exactly" but it will include an image of an owl. Michelle ogles some vintage patterns of hippie ponchos and berets. Connie shares some sculpted cupcakes she crocheted.
Then there’s Pat. Pat crocheted a “Pii scarf” for her sister, a math teacher – alternating color rows to 3.1415926535897932384626433832795. “I also knitted a Dr. Who scarf for my nephew,” Pat mentions. “A humongous scarf like the one BBC-TV Dr. Who wears wrapped around his neck several times and hanging down to his feet.” And don’t forget her "hyperbolic pseudosphere." When it's not busy being a Non-Euclidean two-dimensional geometric theorem, it can also serve as a brooch.
“We have an offshoot group at the Westlake Public Library in Michigan,” Pat explains. “It’s called the Memorial Library Knitting Circle.” The L.A. group meets every Saturday from 10-12 am at the public library located at 4625 W. Olympic Blvd. Bring your own supplies. Beginners are warmly welcomed.
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