Let’s make 100 pairs of mittens, from March through July 2025
(83 pairs received as of June 26. Thank you, knitters!)
Choose 1 of 2 free patterns, and customize the mittens with fun colors, stripes, texture, embroidery or whatever suits you!
Purl Soho’s Arched Gusset Mittens
Tin Can Knits’ World’s Simplest Mittens
We’ll do a photo show and tell at the August meeting. Send a picture of your creations to service@knitters.org or remember to include your name with your donation, and the service committee will take a photo.
Donate completed mittens any time up to July 31 (donation information below). If the two challenge patterns don’t excite you, please choose another pattern and help us meet our goal of 100!
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The Minnesota Knitters’ Guild Service Committee sponsors and coordinates projects that benefit the greater community. Each year, we partner with community organizations to distribute items that are knit and donated by our members.
Please see below to learn about our current partners and the types of items needed.
DONATION DROP OFF
Service Knitting Donation Drop-Off Service Items can be dropped off at Knitting Around Town or Sip & Knit events. Check for upcoming dates HERE
If you would like to make a donation at other times, please email service@knitters.org for instructions. Our Service Committee is run by volunteers, and mailing/drop off addresses change from time to time.
When donating, please wash all items prior to dropping off, and include a slip of paper with your name and total number of donated items.
Thank you to everyone who has donated items to serve those in need!
CURRENT SERVICE PARTNERS
GUIDELINES FOR HAND-KNIT DONATIONS
DONATING YARN TO THE GUILD
If you are interested in donating yarn or other materials to the Guild, you can find our donation policy here. Please email the Service Director to make arrangements.
REQUESTING SERVICES OR MATERIALS
In addition to providing finished items, the Minnesota Knitters’ Guild’s Service Committee also donates supplies and materials to groups and organizations that put them to good use, such as teaching others to knit. To request services or materials, email the Service Director at service@knitters.org.
Past Projects:
In past years, we’ve donated knitted items for babies at the Hennepin County Medical Center’s Birth Center, families on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations in South Dakota, mothers and children at Jeremiah House, family members of organ donors through LifeSource, inmates at the Shakopee Women’s Prison, citizens of war-torn foreign countries, the Range Center in Chisholm, MN, Hats & Mittens, Hats for the Homeless, and many others.
Our spinning demonstrations are sponsored by Get Bentz Farm.
After growing up in the city and suburbs, the owners of Get Bentz Farm felt a need to be closer to nature and to be more connected to where their food came from.
In 2014, they found a farm house for sale and later that year they decided on and purchased their first two Icelandic sheep.
Once they had a good size flock they began marketing the amazing meat and wool. Initially, they found that many mills in the area do not process dual coated long wools, which slowed down their growth in yarn, but they did find a great market for wool filled bedding products and batting for spinning.
Today, they have a variety of yarns, batting and roving as well as finished products like dryer balls, sheepskins, and wool bedding. Most recently, they opened their own Get Bentz Wool Mill as well as their own line of yarn – Badgerface Fiber.
Jean
Vice President
(Term 1, Year 1)
Jean Gross has had an interest in all things fiber since, at the age of 5, her mother gave her fabric scraps to keep her occupied. She is fluent in knitting, crocheting, tatting, embroidery, sewing, quilting and spinning, thanks to her mother, Janice, and grand mother, Clara. But Jean’s favorite thing to do with fiber is help others to explore its possibilities. She has taught at the Iowa State Fair, Des Moines Library, Freedom for Youth, the Des Moines Knitting Guild, Shepherds Market, local yarn shops and also teaches privately. Jean has served on several non-profit boards including FiberSmiths of Iowa and the Des Moines Knitting Guild. Jean lives in north central Iowa with her husband, Dave, and faithful canine, Rolo. She has published several knitting patterns.
Andi
Newsletter Editor
Andi (she/her) learned to knit from her mom over 40 years ago. She remembers going to MKG meetings in college when they were held at St. Kate’s, her alma mater. She knit on-and-off again for a while, and really dove back into the craft in 2015. She is also a quilter. She enjoys traveling and her husband is happy to stop at a yarn store or to look at sheep while on vacation. She and her husband live in the St. Paul area, both enjoy their respective crafts, and also going to the State Fair multiple times a season.
Judy
Yarnover Committee Chair
From one of her mother’s friends, Judy learned to knit a pair of “paputki,” which are simple Polish house slippers. Somehow this gave her the confidence to knit her boyfriend a cabled pullover sweater for Valentine’s Day which was graciously accepted and has lived in the bottom of the bottom drawer of said boyfriend’s dresser for fifty plus years. Though she has made a few sweaters since then, she mostly knits blankets, scarves, hats and toys.
Thyra
Marketing Director
I grew up watching my mom knit. She tried to teach me as a kid and I never enjoyed it, but after finishing college I found myself with extra time and no hobbies. In the last 20 years I have dove in all the way and love to learn new and challenging techniques. As my fiber love has grown, I have also started raising sheep in order to go from sheep to sweater. I love interacting with the sheep who have big personalities and learning to process and spin the wool has been a great adventure.
Melissa
Technology Director
(Term 1, Year 3)
Melissa has been knitting for 15 years. She loves socks and sweaters. She is a new member who hopes to use her marketing background to lift up the MKG. While she isn't local to MN, she really loves the atmosphere created by the Guild. Melissa and significant other Al enjoy traveling, wherein Al graciously offers to drive so Melissa can knit in the passenger seat. (she, her, hers)
Nikky
Membership/Programming Director
(Term 2, Year 2)
Nikky was first introduced to knitting in 2012 when her visiting sister-in-law taught her the basics of casting on and the knit stitch. A few weeks later, she learned how to purl from her mother-in-law. From there, it quickly became a passion and she has taken on each new project with a desire to expand her skill and discover new techniques. She loves a good mystery (knit-a-long) and knits way more shawls than a single person can wear in a month.
Deb
Service Director
(Term 1, Year 1)
Deb learned to knit in the early 1980s as a happy by-product of Hill Street Blues fandom. For a couple of years, she and a gaggle of other students met weekly to watch the show, and one of those friends was always knitting. As it is with so many knitters, that friend was enthused to teach someone else. Deb has been knitting ever since and particularly enjoys playing with colorwork and knitting sweaters. She is constantly astonished at the skill, enthusiasm, and generosity of MKG members. (she, her, hers) (See our Service Knitting Page for more information about our current projects and donation process.)
Open Position
Programming Director
(3-year term)
This position is currently open. If you are interested in volunteering for the Guild board, please contact our president, Kelly, at the email me link below.
Rose
Treasurer
(Term 2, Year 3)
Rose learned to knit from her mother at the age of ten. She started knitting on the ends of small paint brushes. She continued to knit off and on through her teenage and young adult years and became a more avid knitter after taking a Norwegian sweater knitting class through community education. Today, knitting has become a passion and she knits for charity, herself, and her family her stash. She enjoys meeting other knitters and learning new techniques.
Kendra
Secretary
(Term 1, Year 2)
Kendra lives in the Twin Cities and learned to hand knit from her mother in middle school. In the last few years, she has also learned crochet and machine knitting. Kendra enjoys knitting items to donate and challenging herself with new techniques. She prefers knitting in the round with colorful yarn. (she, her, hers)
Meg
President
(Term 1, Year 1)
Meg grew up surrounded by makers. Her mom, a master quilter, former Home Ec teacher, and 4-H club leader in Duluth, taught her to sew, embroider, and cook. She won a trip to the State Fair as the Dress Review Princess at 13! Another MKG member taught her to knit continental style 15 years ago. Meg can’t sit still and NOT be knitting, embroidering, rug hooking or sewing. Favorite thing to knit? Mittens! She loves taking classes and learning new things – absolutely amazed and inspired by all the amazing knitters in the guild! (she, her, hers)
Kathy
Webmaster
Kathy has always been into crafts, but didn’t teach herself to knit until after college. She really got hooked while living in San Francisco when a friend opened a knitting store. To pitch in, Kathy started knitting up fun (and odd) things for window displays, as well as teaching classes. In the last couple of years, she has started designing her own knitting patterns (many of them available for free on Ravelry!) with toys and mittens being her primary obsessions. (she/her/hers)
