Calvary Presbyterian Church: Sip ‘n Stitch “Making a Better Place One Stitch at a Time”

A woman in Wausau, Wisconsin who owned a yard shop, started a ministry project which she called “Keeping America Warm Foundation”. In 1991, this woman, Evie Rosen, started other women making 7×9 inch squares using scraps of yarn left from other projects.

Knitting for Peace has a long history dating back to the Revolutionary War when even Martha Washington hosted a group of women in her home. An interesting note is that they used their balls of yarn to smuggle notes wrapped in the middle of the ball to pass British intelligence to George Washington out on the battlefield.

Calvary’s Sip and Stitch group had been meeting for about 3 years, working on their own individual projects, when one of its members, Karen Bading, related to her fellow members the book she had found about the Keeping America Warm Foundation. So they decided that as a group, they would like to be part of this larger mission. The group arranged for a couple of ladies who were knitters to come and teach anyone who would like to learn or re-learn.

Consequently they have a group of about 25 dedicated women who come together on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month and work on knitted squares and then assemble the squares into colorful blankets. The first group of blankets was donated to the Door of Hope in Pasadena. The second group of blankets was donated to both Elizabeth House and to Vitas Hospice.

On June 27th, the third group of blankets was blessed, most of which were donated to the Door of Hope. Six of the blankets will be blessed in absentia – four were sent to Chile to the nephew of Gabriela Pandolfi who sings in the choir, one went to a friend undergoing chemotherapy, and the sixth blanket went to a 9-year old girl who is a client of Vitas Hospice.

The group has grown to include friends as well as some members of other churches. Since their last Blessing of the Blankets, they have accumulated more than 3,000 volunteer hours. The group feels fortunate to have this time to visit and grow in fellowship with each other. This group fills a need for all of those who wish to connect and grow in friendship while working on a worthwhile project to help the homeless.

Sip ‘n Stitch appreciate the support of the Session who has given them a monetary stipend to buy yard and keep the knitters busy.

Calvary Presbyterian Church, 1050 Fremont Avenue, South Pasadena, (626) 799-7148 or visit www.calvarypressopas.net.