Every Friday you’ll find several women knitting by the fireplace at The Barrington of Carmel, 1335 S. Guilford Road. They call themselves “Chix with Stix,” and they’re making a difference in the lives of families with premature infants.
The group decided to knit hats and blankets for preemies after seeing a need at area hospitals. Many patterns are too big for preemies, so the residents went on the internet to find one small enough for them. The hats and blankets are given to families when they leave the hospital with their newborn for the first time.
Once a week for an hour, each member of the group brings their ball of yarn and meets in the front lobby. They relax, visit with each other and knit dozens of hats and blankets. The group recently hit a major milestone. They’ve knitted 1,000 hats and 235 blankets, which were distributed to hospitals in the Indianapolis area.
Joanna Wright is one of the first women who joined the group. Wright receives handwritten letters from the staff often, but a recent note made a particular impact on her life. A staff member at a local hospital told her they were overwhelmed with the donations and a new mother cried tears of joy when she received the blanket and hat for her newborn. Powerful messages from recipients encourage her to keep knitting.