Longmont knitting group seeks yarn donations
Feb. 5—Ready or knit, here they come.
For nearly 25 years, seniors in the Longmont area have gathered to experience the joy of making items for people in need. Members of "Knit and Purl" can be found with yarn in their hands and smiles on their faces every Wednesday morning at the Longmont Senior Center, 910 Longs Peak Ave.
"We're putting a raw material to use and donating it to the public," said group leader Margaret Lindblom.
Right now, however, the group is running short on its most precious commodity: yarn. Lindblom said the supply cycles between more and less, periodically, but called the current stock "very skimpy."
"These are all left over from a project," Lindblom said, gesturing to several small balls of yarn pooled the central table in the meeting room. "The pieces that are too little ... you're not going to start a sweater with such scraps."
Lindblom said those who have the financial means to buy yarn will frequently do so, but the members that can't, count on the donations.
"When you first retire, you don't know if your money can last long enough," she said. "There definitely are people here who can only work because of the donated yarn."
Members say acrylic yarn works best for most projects, but with most of that type reduced to balls weighing just a few ounces, it's been hard to use them to complete items that need a lot of one color. Recently, the group has taken to making is "pet pads" to line cages at the Longmont Humane Society, since they can be made with thicker yarn and mismatched colors.
For Knit and Purl, the name of the game is community outreach. The group created and donated over 1,700 items to charitable organizations in 2022. Sweaters are given to kids in local Head Start classes, scarves and hats are added to the the Longmont Library Scarf Tree and baby sleep sacks go to nonprofit health clinics.
"Individual people have different favorite items to make ... and we have fun while doing it," said group member Ginny Cree.
The group also takes on the occasional special project, like knitting Christmas stockings for Marshall Fire victims. Vibrant afghan blankets are also ready to brighten every tiny home at the Veterans Community Project village in Longmont once residents move in.
"I run out of projects for myself, so I like the fact that I can knit and it has a purpose," said member Sandi Knapp.
Lindblom said upwards of 30 people consistently come to meetings; three new knitters even joined the ranks in just the last couple of weeks. While seniors are the primary demographic for the group, anyone is welcome to stop by, see the creations and try crafting something of their own.
"It's supposed to be relaxing," said Karolyn Barnes, who's been with Knit and Purl since 2007. "A lot of the time, it's more about being social than about getting anything done."
Yarn donations can be dropped off at the Longmont Senior Center or given to the group directly during its Wednesday meetings, 9 to 11 a.m.
