Center for Creativity’s fiber arts event fosters creativity among Pitt community

The Center for Creativity hosted a knitting event in the understory of the Cathedral of Learning on Oct. 1. The event provided a welcoming space to anyone with an interest in fiber arts, knitting, crocheting or weaving and was open to both beginners and seasoned knitters.

Participants were invited to either learn knitting basics or work on personal projects alongside other members of the Pitt community. 

The event facilitator Chloe Baierl, who works at the Center for Creativity, said she sees a growing interest in fiber arts among students and community members. 

“When we did this over the summer, I taught knitting, and a couple of community members also showed up,” Baierl said. “Honestly, no one’s really turned away. If there’s interest and they really want to join in, they’re welcome.”

The first half of the session was dedicated to beginners and teaching them the basics of knitting, with Baierl guiding participants step-by-step. 

“What I find kind of cool as the instruction goes on is that everyone begins to help each other,” Baierl said. “People who are catching on more quickly will help those who are struggling, and it becomes a kind of communal learning atmosphere.” 

Baierl expressed the overall goal of the Center for Creativity has always been about breaking down barriers between members of the Pitt community and uniting them through creation. 

“It seemed like there was a big demand for people wanting to learn how to knit and crochet and also just hang out in a sweet, supportive environment,” Baierl said. 

For many attendees, events like this are not just a learning opportunity but also a way to explore a new creative outlet that might become a lasting hobby. Xiaofan Zhang, an attendee and second-year grad student studying special education, said he hopes to continue developing his new skill in the future. 

“I hope I could use this as a learning opportunity if I need to eventually make my own gloves or other projects,” Zhang said. “That’ll be really cool.”

Baeirl shared similar sentiments and expressed how knitting has become an important part of her own life.

“It’s really nice to have something repetitive to do with my hands. I find myself knitting when I’m watching TV with my partner, or even out at the movies,” Baierl said. “Sometimes when I was in school, I would knit during lectures if I didn’t need to take notes.” 

Eric Schuckers, the manager of programming and communications for the Center for Creativity, said that the fiber arts have become an important medium for community engagement.

 “It’s not just about learning to knit or crochet — it’s about creating a space where people feel comfortable to express themselves, learn from each other and connect in a meaningful way,” Schuckers said. 

Schuckers said that similar programs help foster creativity and connection across campus.

“We’re really excited to be able to offer these community-based programs because bringing people together is what we’re about,” Schuckers said. “It doesn’t matter what form your creativity takes, we want to provide a place for people to make things together.”

In the future, the Center for Creativity plans to continue expanding its fiber arts offerings, as well as its other creative programs.

“We’re doing a series on zine-making this fall, and we’re also hosting workshops around different elements of filmmaking for people who might be interested in screenwriting and filmmaking,” Schuckers said. 

Schuckers said that the zine-making workshops will be done in collaboration with the University Library System.

“We’ve involved folks from the University Library System to talk about the themes of banned books in our zine workshops. Both zines and banned books can be sources of inspiration and strength,” Schuckers said.

Beyond fiber arts, zines and filmmaking, the Center for Creativity offers a wide range of workshops and events aimed at supporting all forms of creativity. 

“We really try to offer something for everyone,” Schuckers said. “Whether you’re into knitting, screenwriting or creating music, we want to build a community where everyone can find something they’re passionate about and share that passion with others.”

For students interested in participating, the Center for Creativity updates its event listings on the Pitt Events Calendar and through social media. The C4C’s website also provides information about upcoming events and workshops.