A knitting group is working to supply Waupaca elementary classrooms with pairs of handmade mittens.
“We’re aiming at delivering them at Thanksgiving but may continue making them through the winter,” said Jane Haasch.
Haasch is among those who is part of the knitting group that meets from 1:30-4 p.m. Tuesdays, at the Waupaca Community Arts Center.
“The yarn being used belonged to the late Mary Curran, who had a gift shop in Elk Mound,” she said. “The idea came up to make them (mittens) for school.”
Haasch said she got a “fantastic response” after contacting a Waupaca teacher, who then passed the idea on to others in the school district.
“I brought it up to the group. the group liked the idea,” she said.
Chris Anthony, a member of the center’s Tuesday afternoon knitting group, came up with the name “Mitten Mania” for the project.
Haasch said others interested in being part of the project may pick up yarn at the arts center.
They intend to supply every teacher in the school district’s Early Childhood through fifth grades with a couple pairs of mittens. As a result, Haasch says mittens should fit 3 to 10-year-old children.
“Anyone who knows how to knit and wants to make mittens on four needles, I will teach them on Tuesday afternoons,” she said.
In addition to picking up yarn at the arts center, people may also pick up patterns there.
Haasch said people are welcome to use any patterns they have for mittens.
“They’re welcome to join us to knit,” she said.
The comment Haasch hears from teachers is they will be “glad to give mittens to children without mittens – mittens made with love – so they can go out to play.”
Otherwise, teachers send students who do not have mittens to the Lost and Found. They are not always able to find mittens there.
Completed mittens may be dropped at the Waupaca Community Arts Center from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
The center is located at 200 N. Main St.