By Paxton DeVault OMAHA, Neb.- Every week, students at UNO gather for an event that combines creativity, community, and a little bit of kindness. It’s called Stitchcraft, and it’s stitching together more than just yarn — it’s connecting people.
Inside Criss Library, needles click, and yarn unravels as students come together to create, relax, and unwind. The weekly Stitchcraft gathering is a midweek pause from classes where creativity and connection take center stage. Patron Services Associate, Marina Zendejas, has been coaching Stitchcraft since it began.
“When we couldn’t achieve or weren’t able to go after club status at the time, we just decided that this would be a weekly promised event here at the library,” Zendejas says. “If you work with, effectively, string, needles, and sticks, we are for you.”
The event has been going strong for two years, bringing together those who share a passion for fiber arts — from knitting and crocheting to embroidery and sewing. Ella Lucy, a Molecular and Biomedical Biology major at UNO, expresses what Stitchcraft means to her.
“It’s a deadline for times where I need to turn off,” Lucy says. “There’s definitely times where I have 20 hours of homework and just being able to turn that off is really important to me.”
And now, Stitchcraft is taking its mission even further. What started as a casual stitch-and-sew gathering has grown into something much bigger, thanks to a recent donation from a UNO faculty member.
The donation came following a personal loss and was made to help Stitchcraft continue growing its community. With the new support, the group plans to teach beginners, supply materials, and create handmade winter gear for students who need it most — just in time for the cold months ahead.
“This donation came with two stipulations,” Zendejas says. “It needs to be given to the student body of UNO for the accomplishment of fiber art, and number two, whatever supplies are donated to these students, a finished project must be donated back to the student body.”
From scarves and mittens to friendships and support systems, Stitchcraft is weaving something lasting into campus life, one stitch at a time. Each creation is a small act of kindness passed from one Maverick to another.
The Stitchcraft group meets every Wednesday from three to five in the Criss Library Theater. All skill levels are welcome; all you need to bring is a bit of creativity and a willingness to connect.
