DS: Rows City Knitters

The Rows City Knitters are celebrating their 10-year knit-iversary!  Otis Library has served as home base for this “sit & knit” group for the past 10 years.  If you have ever visited the Library on a Friday morning around 10am, you’ve heard the laughter and have felt the energy of this special group of community knitters!  

This adult knitting group is free and open to all.  It’s a place where knitters can bring a personal project, ask questions, and get peer-to-peer hands-on help with a knitting technique.  John Andriso said, “The group is wonderful and absolutely nonjudgmental! We only judge when a member holds up a completed creation and we all oooh and ahhh, gushing over how beautiful it is!” 

The knitters are also a group that works to give back to the community. The 20+ members create community projects using their knitting closet housed at the Library. The knitting closet is magical, composed of donated acrylic yarn. The closet serves as the supply chain for all of the handmade donated projects.  The list of organizations that have benefited from this crafty work is long and includes St. Vincent DePaul Place, Madonna Place, Hospice, Catholic Charities, Thames River House, Saint Mary’s, The United Way, and the Family Resource Centers in the Norwich Public Schools.  Additionally, scarf and hat giveaways are staged around town a few times a year.  The group also has participated in special campaigns such as ‘Little Hats for Big Hearts’ and ‘Hat not Hate.’

The Rows City Knitters knitted on Zoom during the pandemic and moved to the Norwichtown Green during good weather when the Library was not yet open for in-person programs.  The outdoor location allowed for the group to be visible beyond the walls of the Library.  The group can be found on the Green from July to September.   This change of space serves as a great spot to drop off a yarn donation and lets the membership talk about the Library to all those who stop by.  The membership is happy to call Otis home and Otis is happy to have served as home to this vibrant group for 10 years!  Feel free to drop in and knit with this lovely, welcoming group every Friday at 10am in the Meeting Room.  This adult program is free and requires no registration.