Twenty-two knitters and looms, 403 skeins of yarn and a total of 4,119 hours. That’s how long it took Meadow Active Lifestyle Community’s knitting group to handcraft 1,373 hats. And, they are just getting started.

Betty Borland lived in Arizona and her hobby was knitting. “I volunteered with the Assistance League that ran a thrift shop raising money for those in need,” said Betty. “I would knit hats and sell them in the thrift shop.”

When Betty moved to Meadow in June of 2021, she brought her love of knitting with her. She soon found that the community was without a knitting group, but not for long. Betty began to rally her fellow neighbors, many who had never picked up a loom or set of needles, and the Knit Wits were born.

I had the joy of joining the group during one of their Saturday sessions. Upon arrival, they were all in matching shirts that read “Knit Wits.” Jane, one of the members, said her husband started calling them the Knit Wits and the name just stuck.

A display of hats on shelves and mannequins, with faces painted by one of the members were on display. One table held an array of colored yarn skeins that could be purchased for $3 from “The Boss”. The Boss, also known as Bobbie, is the business manager and responsible for purchasing the yarn in bulk at Michaels, allowing them to sell it for much less than retail to their group members.

Being able to knit is not a prerequisite. They will teach you. Betty shared that on Saturdays, she and Joyce Edwards provide knitting instruction for those who are just learning to knit. On Wednesdays the group meets in the lobby parlor by the fireplace. While they still knit, this time is more focused on socializing.

 

One member was legally blind, and had never knitted before joining the Knit Wits. She uses a Stella lamp, designed for individuals with low vision. Now that she has learned to knit, she is teaching her great niece the skill so it can be passed down to the next generation.

The finished hats help others. They donate the hats to organizations including Family Scholar House and Kentucky Refugee Ministries recently sent more than 260 hates to refugee children in Poland and the Ukraine.

Soon, the Knit Wits will reach completion of 2,000 hats, one skein at a time, and just in time for colder weather. What takes only three hours to craft provides at least a season of warmth to a child in need. “We will start distribution soon and that’s the best part of what we do,” Betty said.

November 10, 2023