March 7, 2023

Adventure Club students at Ridge Meadows Elementary have been enjoying a series of knitting projects since January, making hats and scarves for themselves and as gifts for teachers and family members.

Amy Steimel, Ridge Meadows’ Adventure Club facilitator, said her students have used circle looms in the past to hand-knit scarves and hats, but the intricacy of the projects sometimes proved difficult for younger learners.

After some research, Steimel came across a device called a LoomBot, which uses a hand crank to produce knit products and is easy to use for all ages.

“We began by choosing the colors of yarn each child wanted to use and then made balls of yarn from the skeins so their yarn would not tangle as the LoomBot went to work,” Steimel said. “After about 80 revolutions for a hat and 200 revolutions for a scarf, it was finally time to unhook their creation, make a few finishing touches, and – voilà – our students had created a wearable masterpiece.”

Steimel said her students have been knitting hats and scarves – including gifts for Valentine’s Day -- during Adventure Club for the past two months, and they are still showing the same enthusiasm for their projects.

She hopes to expand the program next year with additional machines of various sizes, to potentially tackle bigger projects such as stuffed animals.

“I have loved seeing the excitement in their eyes as they watch their project come to life and the look of pride as they wear the finished project around school,” Steimel said.