“We had to have a name of some kind, and just as a joke, I said, ‘How about the Twisted Stitchers?’ and it kind of hung on,” states Janet, who started this remarkable knitting and crocheting group when she first moved to Old Main Village, a senior living community in Mankato, MN, several years ago.

But what she and her friends (Marvel, Esther, and others) create as the Twisted Stitchers goes a lot further than just a social bond. They’re stitching for the greater good.

THERE’S CAMARADERIE IN QUILTING

The Twisted Stitchers got started as a way to spend time with friends, according to Janet. “We like to knit and crochet and do fancy work, so we might as well do it together!”

“I didn’t crochet for a while, but I decided I’d try it again,” claims Esther, who is now a dedicated member of the Stitchers. She, along with Marvel, finds that it’s just a great way to spend the day. Marvel says simply that there’s never a dull moment when she’s stitching with her friends.

Marvel continues, “I enjoy just being with them. It’s fun making things and being busy.”

STAYING BUSY WHILE DOING GOOD

While it may be a great way to socialize with friends, the concept of the Twisted Stitchers arose from prior experience with serving others. Janet was a registered nurse who started knitting for the Committee Against Domestic Abuse House (CADA House) after she retired. Now, the Twisted Stitchers send their finished caps, hats, quilts, and more to organizations like the Ronald McDonald House and Veterans Affairs Hospitals.

“I really enjoy it because it’s a social occasion and yet we’re creating something to make people more comfortable, especially children,” says Janet proudly. As the ladies of the Twisted Stitchers will attest, there’s nothing quite like the feeling you get when you’ve helped out other people.

As Janet puts it, “It’s a good feeling when you go to bed at night that you can look back and say, ‘I accomplished this.’ It was a good day.”