By Jean Anderson
Once upon a time, in 2006, there was a Yahoo group knit-along for a custom-fit Aran pullover sweater with stitch patterns chosen by the knitter.
Karen Z., an avid knitter who gave almost everything she knit to charity, decided to join and this time make something for herself. Karen was rarely cold so sweaters were not a big part of her wardrobe but she decided that a black cardigan would be one she’d most likely wear.
Karen loved a knitting challenge. With the yarn being black (therefore hard on the eyes to work with) and with modifications to make it a cardigan, this project was no exception.
Of course other interesting and challenging knitting projects came along over time and this sweater became one of several works in process (WIP’s) that she’d come back to when the mood hit her.
As Karen fought a battle with ovarian cancer, the members of Crafty Ewe, a knitting group she belonged to, searched for ways to help. Then one day, the answer became obvious. We told her we would finish her WIP’s and donate the finished items to people/places that would benefit from them. She was most grateful.
And that’s how in 2018, the project was handed over to us as one of 42 knitting WIP’s found in her house. At the time of her death, she had all but about 6” of the body completed from the top down including both sleeves (attached to the body even)!
As Karen fought a battle with ovarian cancer, the members of Crafty Ewe searched for ways to help… We told her we would finish her WIP’s and donate the finished items to people/places that would benefit from them.
I did the finishing work of sewing sleeve seams, adding cuffs and the bottom, front and neck bands along with buttonholes and buttons (a personal challenge to complete during the 2022 Winter Olympics). Karen L. accepted the challenge of finishing the textured/cabled body section. While Linda M. washed and blocked the finished sweater on her Wooly Board.
Finally, it’s done!
After consulting with Karen’s husband, we made the decision to donate the sweater to the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance (MOCA) to be used as a fundraiser. We all think Karen would be pleased.
A big thank you to all the knitters who knew Karen and accepted the challenge of finishing one or more of her WIP’s to help us keep our promise to her.
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. 
