Our "Why"

Crazy Yarn Club

Crazy Yarn Club is the community outreach program of Crazy Yarn Lady, created to make creativity accessible through fiber arts. Crazy Yarn Club delivers community-based fiber arts outreach through workshops, kits, and partnerships—serving participants ages 12–83 across Eastern Iowa.

Creativity should be accessible, not exclusive. Through welcoming, hands-on experiences, we use crochet as a tool for participation, presence, and community-building, not perfection.

When people are given the space and support to create, meaningful connection follows. That’s why this work matters.

What We've Achieved

  • Since launching Crazy Yarn Club, the program has moved quickly from concept to consistent, community-based action.

    To date, Crazy Yarn Club has:

    • Delivered 18 public outreach sessions, each designed to be welcoming, accessible, and hands-on

    • Engaged nearly 50 participants, ranging in age from 12 to 83 years old

    • Brought fiber arts into a wide variety of settings, including senior living centers, informal community groups, coffee shops, library makers’ spaces, and the dine-in area of a local corner store

    • Distributed approximately 60 physical outreach kits, removing cost and access barriers for participants

    • Established active partnerships with Matthew 25 Ministries / Cultivate Hope Corner Store and Emery Place Senior Living Center

    Community response has been consistently positive. Feedback has been shared verbally and in writing, through repeat invitations, and through participant requests for virtual sessions during inclement weather. To date, there has been no negative feedback, and each session has demonstrated clear growth in participant confidence, creative engagement, and community connection.

    Crazy Yarn Club continues to grow through direct participation, trusted partnerships, and a commitment to meeting communities where they are.

Ongoing Growth & Focus

Our growth is guided by participation, feedback, and sustainability—not rapid expansion. Crazy Yarn Club is growing with intention—guided by direct community engagement, participant feedback, and a clear commitment to sustainable, people-centered programming.

As the program continues to expand, our focus is on:

  • Deepening relationships with existing community partners while thoughtfully adding new collaborations

  • Expanding outreach opportunities in spaces where creative access is limited or unavailable

  • Refining workshop formats and kit offerings based on participant experience and accessibility needs

  • Strengthening program infrastructure to support consistency, accountability, and long-term impact

Growth for Crazy Yarn Club is not about scale for its own sake. It’s about building a program that remains responsive, accessible, and rooted in the communities it serves—while laying the groundwork for future expansion through partnerships, funding, and mobile outreach.

Each next step is shaped by what’s already working, ensuring the program grows with clarity, care, and purpose.

What We're Doing Now

Crazy Yarn Club currently delivers hands-on fiber arts experiences through:

  • Community-based crochet workshops

  • Outreach kits designed for accessibility and ease of use

  • Partnerships with local organizations serving youth, seniors, and underserved populations

  • Pop-up creative sessions that remove cost and transportation barriers

The Community Need

Across many communities, access to creative spaces and hands-on learning has quietly disappeared. Local yarn shops have closed, arts programming has been reduced, and opportunities for low-cost, skill-based creative engagement are increasingly limited—especially in rural and underserved areas.

At the same time, isolation, stress, and disconnection are rising. For many people, there are few accessible outlets for creative expression, social connection, or purposeful activity.

Fiber arts offer a simple, effective response. Crochet and related skills are portable, affordable, and adaptable across ages and abilities. They provide structure without pressure and creativity without barriers—but only when people can access the tools, instruction, and encouragement to begin.

Crazy Yarn Club addresses this gap by bringing fiber arts directly into community spaces, removing cost and access barriers, and creating opportunities for connection where they are needed most.

How You Can Help

Crazy Yarn Club grows through community—through individuals, organizations, and partners who believe in creative access and meaningful connection.

There are several ways to support this work:

Host or Request a Workshop
Community spaces, libraries, senior centers, schools, and local businesses can request on-site fiber arts sessions designed to be welcoming and accessible. Workshops are tailored to the needs of each group and meet participants where they are.

Partner With Us
We collaborate with organizations and community spaces that serve youth, seniors, and underserved populations. Partnerships may include hosting sessions, co-developing programming, or supporting outreach through shared resources.

Support Outreach Kits
Donations of yarn, tools, or financial support help fund beginner-friendly kits that remove cost barriers and allow participants to continue creating beyond a single session.

Sponsor Community Outreach
Businesses and individuals can sponsor workshops, kits, or program expansion, helping bring fiber arts into new spaces and communities.

Spread the Word
Sharing Crazy Yarn Club with community leaders, organizations, or potential partners helps extend our reach and connect this work with those who can benefit most.

Every form of support—whether hosting, partnering, donating, or sharing—helps strengthen creative access and community connection.

 

If you’re interested in hosting, partnering, or supporting Crazy Yarn Club, we’d love to hear from you. Not sure where you fit? We’re happy to start the conversation.

A Final Stitch

Crazy Yarn Club is built on a simple truth: when people are given space to create, connection follows.

This work isn’t about teaching a perfect stitch or producing a finished piece. It’s about showing up, sharing space, and using creativity as a way to strengthen confidence, calm the mind, and build community—one person at a time.

As Crazy Yarn Club continues to grow, the heart of the program remains unchanged: accessible creativity, meaningful connection, and thoughtful outreach rooted in real community needs.

We’re grateful for every participant, partner, and supporter who helps make this work possible—and we look forward to continuing the work, one stitch at a time.