WHEN they started the Knits ‘n’ Bits community craft group in Lanyon, co-founders Kylie Allan and Nicki Hohmuth hoped the group would fill a need in the community and one day start giving back. 

Kylie, 50, and Nicki, 29, were alarmed by the isolation that many in the community were suffering during covid. 

Many people were still not ready for larger gatherings so they decided to offer a chance for people to get together in a smaller, intimate setting and learn new skills.

They founded the group with fellow CIT students Kiara Chaplin, 23, Amber Borg, 24, and Diana Katerine, 35, as part of their CIT community development program.

Their brief was to create and nurture a community project that would, in time, develop its own ideas and contribute to the community.

“It was really hard to find a place willing to take us. We went into it thinking this is something for the community that we’re going to put all the work into, it would be really easy. Very limited people wanted anything to do with us,” says Nicki.

Eventually, the group found a home at the Mura Lanyon Youth and Community Centre, that not just welcomed them in but gave them a space to work at no cost. 

“I was taught by my grandmothers pretty much from the age of four how to crochet and knit all sorts of things,” says Kylie, who runs her own business as a designer and interior architect. 

Kylie, Nicki and the rest of the team donated their craft wares to get the group going with the support of the staff and students at CIT.

Initially, Nicki thought they would see mainly older people at the daytime craft sessions, but found many still weren’t comfortable meeting in groups, even small ones.

Kylie and Nicki even scouted nursing homes to take the craft group to older members of the community, but were stopped by the covid policies and the reticence of residents.

Instead, they found mostly younger, working people coming to the group’s Wednesday evening session. 

“They tend to be all working people, which is why they’re coming to the night session. Not a lot have skills and knowledge. We’ve even had a tradie learning to knit,” says Nicki.

“We want it to see it benefit the community somehow. This is something the community was lacking, even before covid. Somewhere to mingle and meet new people, and share a passion.

“We wanted to have somewhere for people to go for social inclusion. But we also – probably down the track – are going to start looking at once everyone is confident with their skills, making blankets for the homeless.

“We want the group to get to a point where they can give back. Give them a sense of pride that they are giving back to the community.”

While the project might wind up at the end of the year, Kylie sees the group continuing. 

“We want to get it self-sustainable so it can sort of run itself. We’ve got a locker here where we keep everything. That’s the ultimate goal,” she says.

“We really enjoy it. And, we’re getting the benefit of just chilling out and having a chat, learning some craft and having a cup of tea. None of us ever want to go home.”