It started as a passing thought—a simple wish to knit during work breaks. Library staff Emily Johnson, Elisha Ramstad, Elizabeth Kreiter, and Janet Kreiter were in the lunchroom when one of them spoke up. 

“Wouldn’t it be nice,” someone mused, “if we had a little knitting group?” The idea hung there for a moment, playful but uncertain. They laughed, nodding in agreement, but then—why not? Within minutes, excitement grew, and what started as a passing comment turned into a real possibility.

By the end of the day, plans were in motion. A time was set, Wednesdays at 3 p.m., and a name was suggested: Knit and Natter. Within a week, students and staff alike began gathering—needles clicking, yarn unraveling, and friendships forming. All because someone spoke a simple thought out loud.

Now, every Wednesday, in the front lounge of the Norma Marion Alloway Library, students and staff gather for Knit and Natter, a space where hands stay busy, but hearts find rest. The group began with just four library staff members, but word spread quickly. Some weeks, up to 14 people pull up chairs, yarn in hand, ready to craft or join in on conversations. Knitting, crocheting, cross-stitching—whatever the medium, all are welcome.

“One girl comes and crochets, another was doing cross-stitch last week,” said Janet Kreiter, the library circulation supervisor. “And some just come to sit and talk.”

For many, it is about more than just the craft. It is about learning, mentoring, and sharing life. Experienced knitters help newcomers loop their first stitches while others swap stories about classes, faith, and the joys and struggles of campus life.

In a time when loneliness is at an all-time high, groups like Knit and Natter offer more than just a hobby—they offer belonging. Life can be overwhelming, but for one hour each week, this small group becomes a place of warmth, where no one has to sit alone.

“People don’t have to bring anything. We just share,” said Janet Kreiter.

Recently, the group received two large boxes of yarn and needles from a former knitting club on campus. It was an unexpected gift, but to the members, it felt like confirmation that this was something worth continuing.

Looking ahead, they hope to create prayer blankets with small, six-inch squares stitched together. Each one would be given to community-nominated students or faculty in need, a tangible reminder that they are seen, cared for, and prayed over.

“The dream is to be able to say, ‘We made this for you. We’re thinking of you,’” said Janet Kreiter. 

In a world that often feels disconnected, Knit and Natter echoes the truth of Ecclesiastes 4:9-10ab, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up,” (New International Version).

And at TWU, that “lifting up” is happening—one stitch at a time.