Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/1499272
SPRING / SUMMER 2023 33 club life affinity group Sometime about 10 years ago, WAC members Judy Waddell, Missy Ward, Cay Crowley, Lori Safer, and Kay Knap- ton met during a group fitness class. Aer getting to know one another, they realized they all liked to knit. ey asked around the Club to see who else might be interested. It didn't take long to gather up about a dozen members, the unofficial beginnings of the WACky Knitters. Cay came up with the name, and the group started meeting weekly for lunch and … well, knitting. During the pandemic, about half of them contin- ued to meet virtually. Knitting together weekly—even online—provided some sense of normalcy and social interac- tion during those difficult months and tightened the group's bond. "It was amazing how most of us showed up almost every week," Lori says during a recent Friday lunchtime meetup in the WAC Café. "It really was a social lifeline for us at the time." e WACky Knitters returned to in-person meetups in 2021. As they eat, they catch up on small talk and intro- duce themselves to new members. Once they finish their lunch, they pull out their current projects and get to work. On this particular Friday, Missy works on a pink baby blanket while help- ing guest Carin Cunningham start her own. Nearby, Cay and first-time attend- ee Lauren Ransford exchange tips and techniques. Judy, wearing a self-made cable-knit sweater, puts the finishing touches on a cream-colored cardigan. "I saw something just like it on a hanger at a knitting factory and said, 'I want it!'" Judy laughs while sewing on the buttons. Lori pulls out a small plum-colored sweater she's making for her cousin. "I learned a new bind-off for this," she says, excited for a chance to show the others. rough the years, the WACky Knit- ters have donated handmade blankets to organizations supporting women and families in need. e group welcomes knitters of all skill-levels, including those just starting out. And yes, they even invite crocheters. "Pun intended," Cay smiles. "We are a tight-knit group." Unwind with the WACky Knitters Get to know this tight-knit group E M I L I O H U E R TA S By Maya Anderson Group meetings The WACky Knitters meet at noon every Friday in the Card Room, adjacent to the WAC Café. Bring your current project or pattern, grab lunch from the café, and get ready to knit, laugh, and form new ties. Learn more about the WACky Knitters and other WAC Affinity Groups at wac.net/ affinity-groups.