5 Must-Have Supplies for University Students to Knit or Crochet at School

---

It’s that time of year again! Back to school time. Local stores are busting at the seams with backpacks, binders, and color-coordinating notebooks and folders. You can almost smell the scent of freshly sharpened No. 2 pencils in the air.

Above: Image source – Getty Images

If you’re like me, it’s been a while since you were in school, but you know students. Whether it’s Sydney from down the street heading off to their freshman year of college or your cousin’s little one getting ready to start kindergarten, students are everywhere—even if you aren’t a parent yourself.

In this article, we’re focusing on the bigger kids going back to school. If Tiktok is an accurate indication of what students are up to these days, more college-age people are taking up needle arts than ever before! So, you may be wondering, what should I send Syd off to school with so they can craft in their dorm room? We’ve put together a list of must-haves for a fiber-related care package of crochet and knitting supplies that’ll set a student up for crafting success between classes.

Related: 6 Tips for Raising a Maker

What Students Need to Knit or Crochet at School

#1 – Project Bag

The best place to start a fiber care package is with a storage solution. Dorm rooms are small, and most students only have the space under their bed and in a small wardrobe to store all their belongings. A medium-size project bag that can hold everything on this list will not only solve the problem of where to store their yarn-y goodies, but it also makes it easy for them to carry their project around campus. A simple, inexpensive canvas tote is a great option!  

#2 – Notions

Most college students don’t have access to notions that would be easy to find at home. So, take the guesswork out of what they’ll need. Put together a small notions bag for them with everything to make any project they might be stitching. If you’re like me, you have collected more than a few pairs of embroidery scissors and you’ve got more stitch markers than you care to admit. Use those extras to make a notions bag with scissors, stitch markers, a tape measure, and a tapestry needle. 

#3 – Yarn!

Oh, this is my favorite part! This is where a care package gets exciting. Yarn! To keep the fiber care package affordable, head to your stash to choose a few starter skeins for your student. Look for few skeins of worsted-weight yarn with a good amount of yardage. Remember that it is unlikely that they’ll have access to a swift and ball winder. So, wind the yarn if it’s in hanks. If you have the luxury of a stash with lots of colors, look for something in their favorite shade or their school colors. And fibers that don’t require special care, such as superwash wool, cotton, or acrylic, would be helpful.

#4 – Starter Patterns

You want to set your student stitcher up to be successful with their projects. You know how important it is that the right pattern is paired with the right yarn. Based on the yarns you’ve selected, pick out a couple of beginner-level patterns that the yarn would work well with. A simple ribbed hat, crochet wall hanging, or seed-stitch scarf are great first-time projects for knitters or crocheters.

#5 – Needles or Hooks

No care package would be complete without the most essential tool to pack a project—the needles or hooks. Obviously, you won’t know the student’s gauge tendencies. (Are they a loose knitter? Are they a tight crocheter?) So, you’ll want to include a couple of options to go with the yarns and patterns you picked out. Like the other items in the project bag, you probably have a few spares in your stash that you don’t need. For example, if you’ve recently invested in an interchangeable needle set, pass on a few of those other cable needles you no longer need. If you’ve found you prefer inline crochet hooks, share those that are not inline with your student.

---

With a care package full of goodies and the crochet and knitting supplies outlined, your student will be all set to join their school’s knit and crochet club when they find it on the community board.

Did you have a fiber group when you attended school? Tell us all about it in the comments below!  

Kerry Bogert
Content Manager, Yarn

---

Stitch your way through school with great patterns and resources from Interweave!