On the first Thursday of each month, a knitting group for all ages and skill levels meets at the Kent Free Library.

Carmen Zampini, Kent Free Library director, said the Cultured Purls Knitting Group has been meeting at the library for nearly three years. At the beginning of the meeting, Rayna Shilling-McCallum, the reference librarian at the Kent Free Library, features new knitting books that can be found in the library.

Zampini said the library has many knitting books and is always getting new ones in. There are books for everyone from beginners to proficient knitters, she said.

Beginner knitters are invited to come to the meeting and talk to other members to get started.

Zampini said the members are always willing to help beginners become better at knitting. If a beginner runs into a problem while knitting, she said it’s convenient to have someone there to help them through the difficulties.

“People who come will find it a very friendly and welcoming group,” Zampini said.

She said it’s important to start knitting small, simple patterns first. Even a simple sweater is not difficult to make, as long as it doesn’t have a lot of colors and fancy stitching, she said.

Members work at their own paces and make any pattern they feel comfortable with. Zampini said the books in the library always have new ideas for the members to aspire to.

The knitting group also participates in charity projects. The group made knit hats and donated them to Robinson Memorial Hospital, Zampini said. Members of the group also made face clothes and sent them to help support the Haiti relief effort.

The Cultured Purls Knitting Group meets every first Thursday of each month at 6:45 p.m. at the Kent Free Library, located at 312 W. Main St.

Contact Rachel Hagenbaugh at[email protected]