It is no secret that Point Loma Nazarene University students wear crocheted articles of clothing — from beanies and hats to tops and sweaters — all year long. Starting this semester, there is a new club on campus called “Knots of Love,” created by three friends on campus. According to the leaders, it is all about using peoples’ interest and love for crochet to come together to give back to the San Diego community.
Third-year biology major Arabella Armel is one of the creators of the club who sparked the idea for Knots of Love last semester.
“We had so much fun in our dorms, listening to music and chatting while obsessing over the stitches we couldn’t quite perfect or joking about needing arthritis gloves,” Armel said.
When Armel was sitting in calculus class one day, she texted her friends’ group chat, suggesting that they start a crochet club on campus.
“I believed that if crocheting could bring the three of us together, it had the potential to create a larger community on campus,” Armel said.
Armel explained that the meaning and name behind Knots of Love goes deeper than just a love for crochet; it involves being a participant in acts of service for people in need.
“Since moving to San Diego for college, I’ve grown to adore this city and wanted to use this opportunity to give back to those outside of our Loma bubble,” Armel said. “The vision I had was that through this club, members could use their skills to create and provide monthly donations of comfort items like beanies and blankets to homeless and senior communities.”
Third-year psychology major Natalie Bayrakdarian is another creator of the club. Bayrakdarian helped out at the Knots of Love booth at PLNU’s resource fair, which was held on Sept. 1.
“Loma already has a really niche community of crocheters and when we realized how large it was, we wanted to provide an opportunity for everyone to come together,” Bayrakdarian said.
“The number of people who I met the day of the club fair who have either been waiting for this or who have been wanting to learn to crochet was truly beyond what I could have imagined,” Bayrakdarian said. “We just want a safe space for people to relax and enjoy their hobby while at the same time providing outreach for the Point Loma community.”
Bayrakdarian also shared the hopes that the three girls have for their club this year.
“Our goal for the club this year is just to reach as many people on campus as possible who are passionate or want to become passionate about crocheting and create a community through this shared interest,” Bayrakdarian said. “We are hoping that whoever is willing and able to set aside their time to not only learn the craft but also to use this skill to provide for those around us will do so. The more I shared my love for crocheting with the people around me the more I learned how many other people there are on campus who enjoy it as well.”
Third-year biology major Amber Blair is the other creator of Knots of Love alongside Armel and Bayrakdarian. Blair looks forward to creating a welcoming environment through a shared interest in crocheting.
“Being able to see where it goes and the changes that it can make within our community is exciting alone, but being able to share these experiences alongside other crochet-loving students at Loma makes this even more special,” Blair said. “The three of us have found comfort in the craft and I’m hoping others will as well.”
Armel, Blair and Bayrakdarian said everyone is welcome to join Knots of Love, regardless of their crochet skill level. Knots of Love stands for giving back to the community and those that are in need.
“The club is about spending time with people who share the same love of crocheting or who just appreciate the art of it, and using this hobby to provide handmade comfort items for the homeless and senior communities in Point Loma,” Bayrakdarian said. “It involves setting aside personal time to create crocheted items for others while still spending time with fellow crocheters and enjoying good time with good people.”
For more information and updates on the club, follow @knotsoflove.plnu on Instagram.
