A Heartwarming Yarn

by Charlotte Skipper

From the outside, The Knitting Patch looks like an unassuming shop in a Longwood-area strip mall. But behind the front doors is a wonderland for yarn enthusiasts – and a home away from home for a group of local women who have found camaraderie and solace through their shared love of fiber arts.

Lora Hall (left) teaches Gail Gold, Gail Zamore, JoAnne Kane, Marci Greenberg, and Pam Kancher how to perfect their knitting.

Their knitting circle started in early 2020 when JoAnne Kane began admiring knitted pieces crafted by Gail Gold, a fellow mahjong group member. Gail eventually convinced JoAnne and a few other friends to join her for classes at The Knitting Patch.

Now, seven women regularly gather there to work on projects and let the stresses of the day melt away. From Jewish to Mormon, Generation X to Generation Z, novices to experienced crafters – each women who has joined the groups has added something special to the knitting circle.

Where everybody knows your name

“It’s really an interesting, eclectic group of people, working on the same things together,” says JoAnne. “And the shop is kind of like our Cheers bar. Someone’s always going to be there to talk to.”

Even though JoAnne had never picked up knitting needles before, she and the group’s other members have now perfected known as The Knitting Whisperer. Whether the ladies are working on individual projects or creating the same pattern as a group, JoAnne believes the time they spend together is the best part of what they do.

Stitched together with love

Lora says the ladies who come to her shop have helped her just as much – if not more than she has helped them. As the world navigated the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic, they made it a point to safely connect with each other there as often as possible.

The women were also a great support to Lora when her husband passed away in 2022 and when she downsized her shop shortly after. Instead of using their free time to knit, the group spent many hours helping Lora pack skeins of yarn and move boxes. She adds that having the group to lean on is what kept her business afloat during such a difficult time in her life.

“They were no longer just my customers, they were my friends,” says Lora. “I’m so thankful I have them to come in to just support me and ask how I’m doing.”

As the years go by, and the piles of finished projects get taller, the knitting circle’s members have found community while expressing themselves creatively. And now, some of the ladies are planning to join the mahjong group where JoAnne’s interest is knitting was first sparked.

“We meet people here who we never would have in our daily activities,” says JoAnne. “For example, some people hadn’t met Jews before, and some of us hadn’t met Mormons. And now, we’re dear friends.”