Shelf Talk 51: Crafting with the MCLS

Stress is something that every person will experience at some point in their life. It places a damper on their mood, but also on their quality of life. A good way of coping with stress or other hardships is to pick up a hobby. One hobby that proves to be beneficial to a person is crafting. Because you are in the act of creating an item, your brain releases dopamine which causes a person to feel a sense of reward and motivation. Crafting in any form benefits fine motor skills, delays memory loss, and stimulates various parts of your brain. Within the Mississippi County Library System (MCLS), there are many different opportunities to be introduced into the crafting hobby and reap its benefits. The system organizes Craft Club, which meets in various locations within the system. Craft Club is hosted by Mary Kay Martin. Mary Kay teaches the basics of crochet, knitting, and cross-stitch. We encourage beginners and experienced crafters to join us at Craft Nights. If there is a crafting hobby you enjoy that has not been listed, we would love for you to come and share this skill with us. The MCLS provides some of the supplies that are needed, such as yarn, but others will need to be brought by participants. Each week, Craft Club meets on Thursday nights at the Blytheville Public Library from 6pm-8pm. This is the same time as our Game Nights, which is another great hobby to be involved in! Two other locations host Craft Club. The second Tuesday of every month, Craft Club meets at the Manila Public Library from 5:30pm-7:30pm, and the last Monday of every month, they meet at the Osceola Public Library from 4pm-6pm. If you are interested in being a part of this club, search “MCLS Craft Club” on Facebook to find and join our groups for more updates! Another club that meets at the Blytheville Public Library is the Plain and Fancy Quilters. This group meets the first Tuesday of every month at 9am. Quilters, like the Craft Club, invite both those who are beginners and those who are experienced to participate. If you have no idea where to get started, our experienced quilters recommend coming to meet with them. They are happy to teach and share this skill with you! There are other library programs that promote new crafting skills. Take and Make kits are put in our children’s departments. Some of the Take and Makes are STEM challenges which focus on a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics topic. The earlier kids are introduced to STEM, the more developed certain skills are. The library system periodically holds Wreath Making Classes taught by Billie Ann Huegal. There you can learn how to create a wreath and the basics of making intricate bows. The MCLS promotes and encourages crafting in all mediums. Many craft programs are held at our locations. A great way to stay informed about these is to like us on Facebook as “Mississippi County Library System” or follow us on Instagram @mississippicountylibrarysystem. If you have any suggestions on programming, please contact bbowman@mclibrary.net!