Many clubs start out with a group of friends, a hobby and a vision. Infiknit began its life with a prayer and a desire to love. Feeling convicted about not loving others to the best of her ability, sophomore international business major Sarah Sjoberg prayed for God to give her a way to do so.
“The next day I was knitting for myself and I felt like the Lord gave that to me to serve him and love others,” Sjoberg, who also works for the Chimes, said. “I just said, ‘All right God, I’ll do it.’”
Thus, Infinite for India was born as Sjoberg’s personal project.
“We turn a ball of yarn into an opportunity for girls to receive an education,” says Infinite for India’s Facebook page.
She knits infinity scarves, lightweight scarves threaded in a continuous loop, and sells them in her shop on Etsy.com, and as of Oct. 1, at Miyamo, a boutique in Long Beach, Calif. All proceeds go to Harvest India School in Andhra Pradesh, India. This semester, Sjoberg decided to bring the project to Biola, changing the spelling of the project to “Infiknit.”
“I think students here just want to get involved and be a part of social justice. Our generation loves to tangibly see how they are making a difference in the world,” Sjoberg said. “I thought no better way than to just start a club. Infiknit provides a creative outlet for that purpose exactly.”
The driving force of social justice combined with the prospect of knitting is what attracted some students to Infiknit.
“I loved the idea of helping girls in India go to school by doing something so simple and easy as knitting,” wrote sophomore communications major Brittney Dilk in an email.
In the same vein, junior nursing major Madeline Burns wanted to support Sjoberg and learn how to knit.
“I enjoy crocheting and knew I would be able to pick up knitting fairly easy,” Burns wrote in an email. “I love that Infiknit allows one to knit something trendy and stylish for an incredible cause.”
Though official club meetings don’t begin until Oct. 25, students have already found enjoyment in helping Sjoberg with her project.
“What really brings us joy as we are knitting is that we know we are loving God and loving the world through this,” wrote sophomore psychology major KC Medley in an email. “Schooling is a huge need and the girls that are educated in India are much less likely to fall into sex-trafficking or indentured servanthood. This brings us great joy.”
Sophomore business management major Rikki Walker found that the cause has been beneficial to her as well.
"It not only allows me to exercise what I know when it comes to business,” Walker wrote in an email, “but it also has helped me to understand the interests and hearts of the other girls involved.”
Now that Infiknit for India is at Biola, Sjoberg hopes to see her project progress.
“Wherever Infiknit goes, it’s where the Lord is leading,” she said.
Infiknit meets in Business 202 at 9 p.m. on Thursday evenings beginning Oct. 25.
