Are you someone whose hobbies change with the wind? Did you start out with a craft or toolbox that has doubled, tripled, exploded in size now requiring an entire room in your house or a shed in your backyard? Are you tired of spending money on all the bits and pieces you need to begin a new project only to find those tools lying around collecting dust in a few months? The Library of Things is here to help!
As a fellow hobby enthusiast who waffles a lot and has a hard time committing to new things, I recently decided to try my hand at knitting. I learned to knit (poorly) as a teen but once I learned how to crochet in college, I favored the speed and ease over knitting. I already had a skein of yarn from a previous crochet project, but no knitting needles. I also wanted to try the yarn baller that I saw in the fiber arts studio at Richland Library Main, which led me to utilizing the Library of Things to check out the yarn swift and baller, and knitting needle set.
The Library of Things allows you to dive into new experiences without upfront costs, discovering ways to find entertainment or enhance your life and home through an array of useful items. From gardening tools, to camping tents, power tools to puzzles, feel free to explore all that the library has to offer without spending a dime! Introduced in 2019, the Library of Things collections are ever-growing and are now at our Main, Ballentine, Lower Richland and Edgewood locations. Our Seed Libraries are also being expanded to more locations, where you can grab up to 10 packets of seeds at a time, up to 30 packets per season.
The pickup and return process of the Library of Things was super simple. After I selected my desired dates, I reserved the items and received an email with an order confirmation and the requested dates. It gave me a clear due date, where to go and what to do once I arrived. I walked up to the friendly staff at the studio services desk and let them know I was there for a Library of Things pickup. Everything came in a branded and labeled bag and I was on my merry way.
Once I got home, I took out all my supplies. It turned out the type of yarn I had did not need the swift, but the baller worked beautifully. I had never used one before but had no problems whatsoever since the kit came with handy instructions and was very easy to use. What resulted was a perfect yarn ball after only about one minute of winding. What a time saver over doing it by hand!
After I wound my ball of yarn, I referred to some knitting books that I checked out (did you know you can check out up to 60 books with your library card?). From there I determined which size needles would work best for my yarn. Using the books as guides, I learned the best way to cast on, and how to do a basic knit stitch.
Process over product, y’all! It’s fun to experiment with tools, dabble in new hobbies, and practice a craft all without spending a dime. The Library of Things makes all that and more possible.
What's next? Maybe I'll try felting, or cake decorating. Perhaps embroidery, or wood burning? Maybe I'll take up stargazing or birdwatching. Whatever I decide to do, I'm thankful the Library of Things makes it easy and free!
*Find out more information about our Studio Services department at the Main library where you can book the Fiberworks Studio space to work on a project, make an appointment with our Fiber Arts Coordinator, or take a class.
*Get Used to Knit: Start Your Knitting Journey
*Learn how knitting can benefit your mental health
*Richland Library Southeast’s Sew Divine group recently donated knitted and crocheted items to local charities. Learn more here.