Snow and bone chilling temperatures will soon be here. Anyone who’s ever lost a glove or mitten and had to spend significant time outdoors during a Chicago winter knows the suffering it can bring.
To reduce the pain and risk of frostbite for those living on the margins, several members of the Beverly, Morgan Park and Mount Greenwood communities are coming together to craft a solution. They’ll be knitting mittens for children and adults served by charitable organizations including A New Direction, Maple Morgan Park Food Pantry, Turpin Cares and WINGS. They’re also encouraging others to join their effort.
“If you’ve got time, it’s good to do something to help people,” said Naomi Alton, a prolific knitter and retired computer programmer who moved in 2015 from her Beverly home to Smith Village, a senior living community in Morgan Park.
Alton is part of an army of mitten knitters that includes fellow Smith Village residents and staff members, Mother McAuley High School students and staff members, and Christ the King Catholic Parish members.
Using their own mitten patterns or a free pattern provided by Miss Purl, a yarn shop that opened last September on 95th Street in Beverly, the knitters are expected to turn in their creations by Dec. 10, to the Chicago 19th Ward office at 10400 S. Western Ave.
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The mitten-knitting effort came about as a result of Ald. Matt O’Shea wanting to help Miss Purl owner Kamaca Champion introduce her yarn shop to the community.
“He’s really focused on helping businesses come together with the community through the local business associations like the 95th Street Beverly Hills Business Association,” said Champion. “We met and developed the idea to do a mitten campaign.”
The fit was perfect for Champion, who lives to help people from all walks of life learn how to knit and who has made countless blankets, hats and other items for charitable causes through her church.
Her cheery shop contains a brightly colored assortment of yarns made by area BIPOC and LGBTQIA artisans. It would have been a logical place to announce the project, but instead O’Shea and Champion went to Smith Village to meet with residents there who also have a long history of knitting and crocheting to help others.
“We crank out quite a bit for this pursuit of helping others,” said Karen Jellema, human resources director for Smith Village and Smith Senior Living. For the last several years, she’s helped a half a dozen or so residents engage in charitable knitting and crochet projects she’s taken part in as well.
Except during the worst of the pandemic when the group did not meet, the women have knitted and crocheted caps and scarves for veterans and homeless people, also blankets for rangers in Africa who protect rhinos from poachers.
“Naturally, we’re looking forward to this new project,” Jellema said.
Beyond the mitten project, the Smith Village knitters also plan to make hats for cancer patients served by OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center in the coming year, Jellema said.
“Today was the first time we’ve talked about getting together since the pandemic,” said Alton, a longtime member of the knitter group. “Not all of us were here, but we’re ready. We’re anxious to start on something!”
Champion emphasized the importance of each knitter’s contribution.
“As far as mittens, they’re not an accessory,” she said. “They’re a necessity for those who are vulnerable, who may be outside all night, it can be devastating not to have any mittens or gloves. You get frostbite.”
Besides selling mitten kits that contain yarn, mitten pattern and discount coupons for knitting needles, Champion is also teaching free introductory knitting classes at Miss Purl, 1824 W. 95th St. She’ll also lead free classes at Chicago Public Library’s Beverly Branch, 1962 W 95th St., on Wednesdays through Dec. 8.
“These classes are a gateway for learning to make mittens,” Champion said.
For more seasoned knitters wanting to join in the effort, project organizers also suggested using the “world’s simplest mitten pattern,” which can be downloaded for free at tincanknits.com
“The exciting part is that this is such a community effort,” O’Shea said. “Organizations like Smith Village, Christ the King and Mother McAuley are strong anchors when it comes to helping those in need. I’m proud to be a part of this neighborhood where people step up and come together to help each other out.”
Susan DeGrane is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.