Hi Cyclones! My name is Emily Butera, and I am the president and founder of the Crochet Club at Iowa State. After realizing how popular crocheting has become in recent years, I proposed the idea of starting a club to my friends — and fellow crocheters — Emma Gerber and Kennedy Zook, who were thrilled.

We asked the wonderful Dr. Kelly Odenweller to be our club sponsor, and completed the necessary steps to get our student organization approved by the university. After obtaining approval for the Crochet Club in late spring 2025, we decided on a course of action for our club meetings. Our vision was to have a laid-back, welcoming space for crocheters of all skill levels.

Whether our members have never picked up a hook before or have been crocheting all their life, we’re here to support them! After volunteering and advertising our club at ClubFest this fall, we received a lot of interest. We were thrilled to have about 50 members join, and the number is still growing!

At our first meeting, we had an amazing turnout and had the opportunity to meet so many people. It is truly so much fun to see what kinds of projects our members are working on. After seeing our idea come to life, we’ve realized that truly anything is possible at Iowa State.

We are grateful for all the support we’ve received from the university in having our club approved, as well as for all of the resources they provide. We are very excited to see what the future holds for our club, and we look forward to meeting even more members.

For those interested in joining the club, please feel free to join via the Iowa State Student Organizations website or contact me at [email protected] with questions.

Currently, Crochet Club meets every other Thursday in Carver 0282 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. We exchange tips, patterns, materials and laughs, among other things. We’re looking forward to holiday-themed events, potential fundraisers, yarn swaps and more.

We currently do not have funding to provide materials for our members, so you will be expected to bring your own yarn, hooks and other necessary supplies.

Feel free to follow us on Instagram at @iowastatecrochet. Happy crocheting!