During the month of September, the Knitty Gritty fiber arts club worked to create and donate hats to the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Hammond. 

The group’s goal was to make 50 hats by the end of September. They were able to make over 90 hats in total to give to the organization. 

Danielle Smith, a senior integrative biology major and the president of the club, said, “I thought we were going to scrape 50. I did not think we were going to get almost 100 hats. That’s crazy to me.”

Everyone in the Knitty Gritty was very eager to get started on this project when it was presented at the beginning of September. One member brought a knitting machine to the meetings and made almost 30 hats in one week. 

The group had been looking for ways to give back to their community, and while they couldn’t give back monetarily, they knew they could make something for people. Because Mary Bird Perkins is a nonprofit organization, whether a person gives monetarily or through handmade items, the donations impact the community. 

“The monetary needs are important because our team can use those funds to help people throughout their journey, but the knitted caps. Those are items somebody took the time to make and give to them. I think just knowing that somebody out there in the community that you don’t even know is thinking of you means a lot to our patients,” said Erica Kelt, Mary Bird Perkins Northshore director of development. 

Smith anticipates future efforts to create and donate. Whether it be hats, blankets or shawls, Knitty Gritty will be donating to Mary Bird Perkins again. 

As for this month, they plan on having a booth at the Reconnect Farmer’s Market, selling some of their creations. By supporting the organization, members of the community can also support their future initiatives. 

“We do not take fees from members because we want people to have the ability to come here. We supply new members with hooks, needles, yarn, everything they need to get started, so we are big on receiving donations because we want people who are interested in fiber arts to be able to get started,” Smith said. 

If you are interested in joining the club or want to learn more, you can contact Danielle Smith at [email protected]. 

To donate to the Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, you can either go to their website to make a monetary donation or contact Erica Kelt at [email protected] for handmade donations.