Hooked on the Hobby
When Fay Goldblatt and Carol Hirsch started coming to NSSC, they did not want to limit their activities to playing cards and sipping coffee with others.
“I knew I wanted to do something generative, so I started in Stitchers,” Carol explained. “Then I learned about Share the Warmth, and I’ve been here ever since— now more than 15 years!”
The group, which gathers every Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Fiber Arts Studio, produces nearly 1,000 blankets every year for people in need. Made from fleece and crocheted yarn, the blankets comfort chemotherapy patients at University of Chicago, and hundreds of children in over 20 different hospitals and trauma centers through the Linus Project.
“It’s very rewarding.” Fay said. “The nurses are always so appreciative and take time to organize and give them out based on a child’s interests and personality. We make blankets with sports, superhero, and other fun patterns. Even if we are working with plain black fleece, we find a way to make it look fun by sewing on a pattern.”
Close Knit Group
“I always leave here with a smile. Nobody discusses how old they are or gripes about life. We just enjoy each other’s company in the moment,” Fay said. The group has anywhere from five to 20 participants on a given day and spans ages and origins, with members from across the world.
“It’s nice to be in such a diverse group,” member Jatinder Grover explained. “We share recipes, books, and stories. All human beings are the same. The same love, same difficulties, and same emotions.”
Waste Knot Want Knot
Share the Warmth runs completely off donated funds, fleece, and yarn. Just five yards of fleece can make up to four blankets for children in need. The group also repurposes tied fleece blankets that hospitals aren’t allowed to accept by cutting the knots and crocheting around the edges, making them safer for small children.
“Nothing is wasted in this group. We take scraps of fleece and use them to stuff pet pillows, which are then donated to local animal shelters. We use extra yarn to make warm hats and scarves for migrant and homeless shelters,” Fay said. “We are only limited by how much material we have. We are enthusiastic about our work, and many of us take projects home and work on them in the evenings.”
“I love to use my time making people feel better,” Carol said. “We are happy to teach newcomers how to crochet. It’s a great community to join here at NSSC!”
Donations of fleece fabric, acrylic yarn, and money can be donated to Share the Warmth through the Lifelong Learning department. Email lifelonglearning@nssc.org or call 847.784.6030 to learn more.
