The Crochet and Knitting Club collaborated with Cardinal Crafts to host their Pumpkin Social at Evelyn’s Park on Oct. 19 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Officers and members carved pumpkins, crocheted pumpkin accessories and painted pumpkins in festive fall colors.

Co-presidents of the Crochet and Knitting Club and juniors Madeleine Luca and Miranda Wang helped organize this event with Cardinal Crafts.

“We thought that this event would be a good way to mix similar types of crafts,” Luca said. “People who are in Cardinal Crafts can try crocheting and vice versa.”

Participants could purchase a big or small-sized pumpkin from the clubs to carve or paint.

“A lot of people carved the large pumpkins and just painted or crocheted something for the smaller ones,” Luca said. “There were hats, scarves and little jackets that people crocheted for their pumpkin.”

There is no experience required to join the Crochet and Knitting Club, and officers encouraged beginners to come to this event.

“We say that no experience is needed and beginners are welcome on all our Instagram posts and school announcements to expand our outreach,” Luca said. “The club has grown so much since Miranda and I created it freshman year, so I think that our efforts to recruit members have worked.”

The Crochet and Knitting Club plans to host more social events in the future to create a place where people can socialize outside of school.

“Another major plan that we have for this year is DIY kits to make stuffed animals,” Wang said. “We hope to sell them as a fundraiser to buy yarn since yarn can be expensive and we supply the club with yarn.

Wang finds it relieving to crochet and hopes others do too.

“Being able to hand-make items like clothes, bags [and] accessories is very therapeutic for me,” Wang said. “Junior year is very stressful, but crocheting and socializing with my friends has been great for my mental health.”

Next month, the Crochet and Knitting Club will have a booth set up at the Horn Elementary School Art and STEM night where members will teach kids how to crochet. They also plan on creating gift bags for health workers and teaching senior citizens how to crochet and knit.

“Madeleine and I started this club freshman year because Bellaire didn’t have a fiber arts club,” Wang said. “We wanted to foster that community here at Bellaire, and it’s very fulfilling to see it come [to] fruition and grow more.”

For more updates on upcoming events and meetings, follow the club’s Instagram @bhs.crochetknitting and text @bhscroknit to 81010 to join its Remind.