A quiet buzz settles over the Red Hawk Nest. Students look down into their laps, occasionally picking their heads up to talk to one another. Eyes are focused downward at the fingers moving back and forth.
No, these students aren’t looking at their phones. Instead, they have knitting needles, crocheting needles and yarns in their hands, creating blankets, hats, clothing and more.
Montclair Unraveled is a registered student organization (RSO) at Montclair State University that brings together students who are interested in the fiber arts. Created in April 2023, the club has blossomed into a close-knit community for students to gather, take a break from the stresses of being a college student and create something.
Young adults taking an interest in the fiber arts have been a growing trend for a few years, in large part due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdowns. Studies have shown that knitting has a positive effect on mental health and students in Montclair Unraveled have felt that firsthand.
Faith Monesteri (left), a senior English major, the club’s president co-founded the group in April 2023 with her roommate at the time, Toni Dornhard.
Sal DiMaggio | The Montclarion
Faith Monesteri, a senior English major, the club’s president, co-founded the group in April 2023 with her roommate at the time, Toni Dornhard. She said that knitting kept her grounded when she first started at Montclair State.
“I was having a lot of trouble making friends,” Monesteri said, “and knitting was a way for me to bond with people like Toni over a shared interest, but was also something that kept me from basically freaking out and calling this whole college thing quits.”
So Monesteri and Dornhard decided to create a space where other students could come together to knit and crochet. Since founding the club two years ago, Montclair Unraveled has grown to 245 members.
Montclair Unraveled hosts different events in addition to their general body meetings, such as learning sessions for beginners to the fiber arts and events dedicated to making specific items.
Sal DiMaggio | The Montclarion
Montclair Unraveled hosts different events in addition to their general body meetings, such as learning sessions for beginners to the fiber arts and events dedicated to making specific items.
Toni Dornhard (right), a junior philosophy and classics double major and the vice president of Montclair Unraveled, began to crochet as a way to deal with her own problems.
Sal DiMaggio | The Montclarion
Dornhard, a junior philosophy and classics double major, is the vice president of Montclair Unraveled. Dornhard began to crochet as a way to deal with her own problems.
“I don’t like phones and social media and I try to stay off them as much as possible,” Dornhard said. “But what I find [really] good about crocheting for me is that I focus more on the problems that I have and thinking about them while doing something productive is just helping me a lot. It’s sort of like a distraction while I’m thinking about the problems, so it’s not too emotional for me and that makes it easier to handle them and then I get something out of it too.”
Jamie Yermish (center), a sophomore majoring in jurisprudence, law and society, has been a part of the club since he started at Montclair State. He said that knitting has improved his mental health so much that he is no longer on medication for his anxiety.
Sal DiMaggio | The Montclarion
The positive impact of knitting on mental health has spread to other members as well. Jamie Yermish, a sophomore majoring in jurisprudence, law and society, has been a part of the club since he started at Montclair State. He said that knitting has improved his mental health so much that he is no longer on medication for his anxiety.
“I feel like it just helps me calm my nerves and feel more connected and have a coping mechanism for something to do,” Yermish said. “But also it helped me so much that this year, I’ve been so much more healthy mentally than I have been in any other year.”
Studies have shown that knitting has a positive effect on mental health, and students in Montclair Unraveled have felt that first-hand.
Sal DiMaggio | The Montclarion
The club has also become a community where students can rely on each other to talk about what they are going through. Monesteri said that the organization’s casual format is what allows this to happen.
“Several of our club members just are happy and content to sit to the side and keep to themselves, and this is just their time to work on their crochet projects or their knitting projects,” Monesteri said. “By having that free-flowing format, people are allowed to make what they want out of the club and they’re also allowed to talk about whatever they want, whenever they want and talk to whoever they want whenever they want.”
Yermish said that he feels he can talk to other members of the club about anything.
“If I did have something going on that was really bothering me, I know any one of them would be willing to go within the club or outside of the club and be like, ‘Hey, yeah, what’s going on?’ and have a nice conversation,” Yermish said. “And I feel like I’ve also been that for them.”
Dornhard explained how one of the club’s functions is to be a welcoming space for all.
“I like to consider [Montclair] Unraveled a safe space,” Dornhard said. “Everyone is accepted at Unraveled and I think we take that to the extreme. I try to make everyone feel included as much as possible and try to welcome as many people as possible.”
Yermish summed up the way the club is connected perfectly.
“I feel like not to make the yarn reference, but like, we are so woven together in that way.”
