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Ella Emhoff has revealed she has been forced to leave her knitting club over safety concerns since her stepmother launched her presidential bid.
With Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign moving into full swing, the 25-year-old budding fashion designer's life has changed dramatically in more ways than one.
Her stepmother's political ambitions led Emhoff to regrettably suspend meetings of the Soft Hand Knitting Club.
In a video posted on Instagram, Emhoff explained to his followers that, at least temporarily, he cannot continue at the club due to safety concerns.
“I just wanted to briefly talk about Knit Club and how it’s moving forward. Unfortunately, with everything that’s going on right now, I’m not able to direct you,” she told her followers.
“To protect myself and the other members of the club, the smartest thing to do is to wait until things calm down.”
Emhoff, who is affectionately called the “First Daughter of Bushwick,” continued, “It’s been amazing working on this and getting to know everyone. It’s been so special to build this little community. I’m going to keep working to find ways to make it more accessible and keep building it while I’m not able to teach properly.”
Although she assured her followers that this was not the end of Knit Club and added that she would “be back,” she stressed that she needed to step away from the club for now.
Fans were heartbroken in the comments section of the video, but were ultimately understanding.
“So sad to see a queen can't even teach people how to KNIT safely. The world is crazy and I pray for your safety girl. You are a gem,” one person wrote.
“I’m sorry you have to leave something you love for now,” another person added. “There’s a lot of love in the world for you right now too, remember that.”
“You’re going to be the Queen’s first daughter. Do what you think is right,” wrote one user, while another added: “The next knitting club will be in the White House garden.”
Emhoff has emerged as a favorite among voters, especially after delivering a speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) earlier this month.
Emhoff took the stage alongside the vice president's niece, Meena Harris, and Helena Hudlin, the vice president's goddaughter, to tell a moving story about Harris' relationship with her father, second gentleman Doug Emhoff.
“Kamala came into my life when I was 14, which is a very easy time for a teenager, as you know,” she joked to the crowd at the time.
“Like many young people, I didn’t always understand what I was feeling, but no matter what, Kamala was there for me. She was patient, caring, and always took me seriously. She never stopped listening to me, and she won’t stop listening to all of us.”
Her parents, Doug and Kerstin Emhoff, divorced in 2009. Harris, whom Ella and her brother Cole affectionately call “Momala,” married Doug in 2014.
