Contributed image: Blair Destro

Every Tuesday, a group of Mercer Island women gather to knit together. You may have bumped into the “Tuesday Knitters.” They meet weekly at the Starbucks located on the south end of Mercer Island.

Blair Destro is one of these knitters, and she has met with the group every week for the past eight years.

“To this day, I am excited by a new technique, the wonderful friends I’ve made, and the comfort knitting has provided,” she shared.

This past school year, she volunteered weekly to teach Islander Middle School students to knit during their lunch periods. Now she is expanding her passion for knitting even further and is offering her first knitting class for kids.

Her first class, Knitting for Kids!, will take place June 19th through 22nd, and is offered for kids ages 9 and up.

The goal for these classes is to teach kids the basics of knitting from start to finish. Carla Kepler will also be at the class to assist the new knitters. Each class meets from 10 am to noon, and kids will learn the knit stitch, purl stitch, cast on, and cast off. They’ll  also develop muscle memory with knitting, along with practicing various new techniques.

Knitting with Kids! prepares children for projects that are easy for first-time knitters, such as making finger-less gloves. There is a possible opportunity for drop-in classes as well, so students can continue working on individual projects.

Destro also describes the many health benefits to knitting: “The activity and developed skill has shown to help alleviate emotional feelings of anxiety and boredom while creating a new social outlet.  The repetitive motion feels meditative while providing a sense of accomplishment.”

Kids can learn these valuable skills and much more at Knitting with Kids! while also developing a fun, new hobby this summer.

The class fee of $125 includes needles, yarn, scissors, and a canvas bag. There is a maximum of 6 spots per time slot, and registration is currently open. Contact Blair Destro at [email protected] to register. Her classes will be located at 6211 Parkside Lane.