LGBTQIA Resource Center continues Crafternoons every Friday.
There is something soothing about sitting and taking the time to start a project, whether it be knitting a scarf, beading a necklace or painting a masterpiece.
If you want to unleash your inner crafter or hang out with a great community of welcoming people, be sure to attend the LGBTQIA Resource Center’s Crafternoons, held every Friday from 12:30 to 2 p.m.
The tradition dates back to a time before the Student Community Center (SCC) was even built and the LGBTQIARC was housed in a small cottage near South Hall. Crafternoons have come a long way from those humble beginnings, as attendance numbers have continued to grow.
Hazel Quintanilla, a fourth-year human development major and former community intern at the center, previously served as the head of Crafternoons. Quintanilla explained that the scope of Crafternoons has changed since its inception.
“In the years before, it was more of a social justice, political [forum],” Quintanilla said. “There [were] heavy topics, but for me, the last two years I made Crafternoons more about a fun place for people to come on Fridays to hang out.”
Crafts vary each week. Past projects have included beaded bracelets, Game of Thrones themed dragon eggs and a handprint mural, which proudly hangs in the resource center.
Crafternoons is attractive to students because it is free to attend, as second-year psychology and French double major Gianna Carelli pointed out.
“There’s not a lot of places on campus that do this other than the craft center, but this one’s free as opposed to the craft center where you have to pay a lot,” Carelli said. “It’s a good outlet.”
Mat Talton, a fifth-year genetics major, is taking over as head of Crafternoons. Talton hopes that Crafternoons provides a space to de-stress and make new friends.
“Generally a lot of people don’t know each other and if they’re talking about crafts and helping each other, it provides a way to make some cool friends,” Talton said. “I hope it’s a good way to meet people. If you’re a new student here, [Crafternoons is] somewhere to come and hang out and have fun.”
Clara Malloy, a second-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, said she enjoys coming to Crafternoons to reconnect with friends each week in a stress-free area.
“It really does help get rid of stress for me and I also get to see people who don’t always come into the center because of classes, so it’s nice to see the people that come back each week for Crafternoons,” Malloy said.
Some people that are new to Crafternoons were drawn to the event because of the community atmosphere and central location on campus.
Visit the event’s Facebook page for more information.
