Impromptu Knitting Group at Central Library Offers Warmth and Dignity

I was so touched by the following article on St. Louis Public Library's website that I had to share it with you. It was authored by Spruce Fraser, below middle, a librarian at Central Library who relates a heartwarming example of how something as simple as a knitting group can produce such powerful changes, as you will see below. See end of post for a way you can help.

Here Is Spruce Fraser's article:

Welcome to Central’s Impromptu Knitters Club, a group made up of mostly men, many of whom are homeless. Staying warm is critical to people who may spend hours walking St. Louis streets during the winter. The Library, the club, the balaclava, the hats, and scarves they create offer warmth and dignity to their lives. The yarn and needles are donated by various sources, with Librarian Spruce Fraser, middle above, supplementing the supplies.

“Our group has been meeting for several years and not always the same people,” explained Fraser, catalyst behind the club. “Sometimes we have eight or nine people sitting around the table. It’s not exactly impromptu since there are regulars.”

Interest in the balaclava headgear started when one of the regulars saw a story in Vogue Knitting magazine. “He’s a very good knitter and after he read the article, he announced he wanted to make one to keep himself warm,” said Fraser. “The pattern was available from the South Australian Museum in Adelaide. After some delay, it arrived at the end of January and he started on it right away.”

Sir Douglas Mawson’s wife created the piece as he was about to leave on an expedition to explore Antarctica, from which he returned in 1914. To celebrate the 100^th anniversary of his successful exploration, conservation experts created a pattern for the famous headgear.

The fame and intricate pattern of the headgear touched off a little balaclava competition at the Library. The first St. Louis balaclava was created in nearly the original color blue. Because the group is dependent upon donated yarn, they can’t always use the colors or types of yarn specified in patterns, so Fraser’s balaclava is grey and brown. Both are made of wool donations.

Clye Verde, above, showed off what she calls a feminine version she designed when Fraser brought in some red and white yarn in early February. “It’s for a little girl. It has some ruffles and little buttons that make it easier to get on and off,” said Verde, who refers to the “rescued” yarn donations as an amazing gift.

“Having access to this yarn means I can use my talents to earn some kind of income, even if it’s not much,” she said. “I crochet on the bus and sometimes people stop to admire what I’ve done. If they like it, I sell it for a few dollars. But I give away a lot of it too.”

Verde made belts for the children at Central. “I once saw a little girl holding up her pants with rubber bands,” she said. “I started making things for kids because of that.”

Bill Nichols, another regular, was crocheting a chocolate brown scarf. Next to him on the table was a turquoise and lilac afghan, which he proudly displayed. Nichols said he came to St. Louis last year looking for work. He first came to the Library to find employment leads. “I found this group and sat down to talk,” he said. “Spruce told me I should give crocheting a try. I started off making a scarf and wound up making that afghan. Now I use crocheting to reduce stress. And stay warm.”

Nichols made a 4-foot by 6-foot blanket with the names of volunteers and homeless well known to the person who runs the Warming Shelter at the AmeriCorps office in Soulard crocheted into it. He said, “I made it to thank her for what she does.”

Nichols didn’t find permanent employment after months of looking and doing odd jobs. He spends most nights during the winter in a nearby homeless shelter.

But he had good news to report to the Impromptu Knitting Club. Starting April 1, Nichols has a job with the Clean Team, a service of Downtown STL, Inc., which manages the Downtown St. Louis Community Improvement District. He’ll be helping to keep downtown streets clean during the peak tourist season. “Things are looking up,” he said with a broad grin.

“This impromptu group changes as people’s fortunes improve,” Fraser said. “The man who made the first balaclava also recently found a job.”

“Some people don’t understand what a gift this is,” Verde said. “Sometimes it means you can make something beautiful and bring it home and say, ‘I’m sorry, Mama.’ That’s a real gift.”

How You Can Help:

Spruce knows that I am a knitter and therefore have leftover yarn. I realize that some of you may too. So I've connected with Kris Kleindeinst, proprietor of Left Bank Books (399 N. Euclid), who's offered to put a basket in the lower level of the bookstore for yarn donations. It will be there starting tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24, and I'll pick it up Tuesday, March 31 and deliver the contents to Spruce for the Impromptu Knitting Group. Thanks for your help.

Thursday a.m.: Yesterday afternoon Miss Jonesey at Left Bank Books called to report that the response had been amazing and the basket was full. Someone even left a lovely little case of assorted knitting needles. I took what was there and will check back each day. Thank you all so much!