Warming children in need

By Lisa Kaczke | The Daily Journal

Published 04:50 p.m., November 18, 2009

When knitter Marybeth Potts heard that a local mitten tree, to which she regularly donated, was to be discontinued, she thought, “What can one person do?”

Since that thought, Nimble Fingers on the Prairie has formed and donated more than 1,000 sets of hand-knit scarves, hats and mittens to children living in poverty.

Potts, of Wheaton, contacted other knitters she knew — her sister Kristi Ulland, of Austin, and her best friend Sue Hanstad, of Dalton — and formed the nonprofit organization Nimble Fingers on the Prairie.

Hanstad said she is relatively new to knitting, having begun the hobby a few years ago. The grandmother of two, it tears at her that some children don’t have hats and mittens to wear during winter.

During their first year as a nonprofit, they had four to five knitters who created the more than 1,000 scarves, hats and mitten sets, and also baby blankets, sweaters, quilts and lap robes for seniors, Potts said.

There’s a need, especially in rural areas and in families hit by the recession, Potts said. The donated hats, mittens and scarves help keep children warm as they walk to school or wait for the bus, she added.

“We’re just a couple of girls trying to make a difference,” Potts said.

They work with county departments, Head Start programs and West Central Minnesota Communities Action Inc., to disperse the hats, mittens and scarves to children in need, according to Potts.

Nimble Fingers on the Prairie has been steadily growing, which is “fantastic,” Potts said. Hanstad echoed that sentiment, saying when they began, they didn’t think it could take off like it has. But the response has been huge, she said.

The group is expanding into Otter Tail and Becker counties, bringing the number of counties they serve to nine. They are currently focusing on children living in poverty in Minnesota, but hope to expand to the entire northern Plains, according to their Web site.

As they expand, they are in need of more people who can knit or crochet.

“You can only knit so fast,” Potts pointed out.

They have several women who knit and crochet for the organization, including several women who live at the Broen Home and a Crates of Yarn group that knits for charities, Hanstad said.

Free patterns for the scarves, hats and mittens are available on their Web site, www.nimblefingersontheprairie.com, although knitters can use any patterns for the items.

Crates of Yarn in Fergus Falls has been designated as a drop-off site for donations.

The group is working with Crates of Yarn in Fergus Falls to provide yarn and also to be a drop site for completed items, Hanstad said. They are also hoping to hold a knit-a-thon there to raise funding for the organization, Potts added.

Donations are needed to purchase yarn, she said. Donations of $5 to $25 can be made on their Web site. For every $5 donation, they can produce two sets of hats, scarves and mittens, according to Potts.

Donations don’t have to be monetary. To help those wanting to knit or crochet, but may not have the supplies they need, Nimble Fingers on the Prairie is also collecting new yarn, needles and other tools needed to knit or crochet. Hanstad noted that women may have yarn at home but who no longer knit due to lack of time or arthritis.

To also raise funds, hand-knit items made of luxury yarns can be purchased on their Web site, the proceeds of which go to their general fund.

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