BY WENDY TOWNLEY
There are opportunities that make sense professionally. Others speak directly to something you love personally. And every once in a while, you get one that does both.
My crafty opportunities continue this year. I’ve recently been appointed to the Board of Directors for the Center for Knit and Crochet.
For me, joining the Center for Knit and Crochet board brings together two parts of my life that have been important to me for many years: my love of creativity and my passion for serving nonprofit organizations.
My Love of Knitting — Even With Limited Skills
I should probably clarify something right away: I am a longtime knitter. I am not, however, an especially accomplished knitter.
My knitting skills are fairly limited, and I am perfectly comfortable admitting that. I enjoy knitting scarves and coasters, and occasionally those projects become gifts for friends and family. I’m not sitting at home casually producing elaborate sweaters while watching Netflix.
But that’s also part of what I love about knitting. Creativity doesn’t require us to become experts before we’re allowed to enjoy it. Sometimes we can simply make something because the process itself feels good.
Knitting Gives Me Permission to Slow Down
I find knitting relaxing. There is something about the repetition of the stitches, the feel of the yarn in my hands, and watching something slowly take shape that helps me settle into the moment.
For me, that process matters just as much as the finished scarf or coaster.
I’ve talked often through Wendy Crafts about the role creativity can play in our lives. Making something tangible with our hands gives us an opportunity to slow down, focus, and create simply for the pleasure of creating.
Knitting gives me that space. And then, occasionally, I actually finish something. (Which is always a bonus!)
And Then There Is the Yarn
Anyone who enjoys fiber arts probably understands this part.
I love shopping for yarn. Maybe a little too much.
There are so many colors, textures, and possibilities sitting together on those shelves. I can walk into a store intending to buy yarn for one very specific project and suddenly find myself considering colors for projects that do not even exist yet.
The creative process begins long before I cast on the first stitch. Choosing colors, imagining combinations, and wondering what something might eventually become are all part of the experience for me. And sometimes the possibility is every bit as enjoyable as the project itself.
Why the Center for Knit and Crochet Matters
The Center for Knit and Crochet is dedicated to preserving and sharing the history, art, craft, and scholarship surrounding knitting, crochet, and related fiber arts.
Its work reaches beyond simply celebrating beautiful handmade objects. CKC is building digital collections and educational resources while creating opportunities for makers, historians, scholars and fiber enthusiasts to learn from one another and preserve the stories connected to these crafts.
That matters to me. The things we make carry stories. They can tell us something about the person who made them, the family or community they came from, the time in which they were created, and sometimes even the circumstances that made creating them necessary.
A handmade piece can be practical. It can be beautiful. It can become a gift. And it can become part of history.
Where My Nonprofit Work Meets My Creative Life
My appointment to the CKC Board also feels meaningful because nonprofit service has been such an important part of my professional life – most recently, wrapping up a nearly twelve-year tenure as executive director of the Omaha Public Library Foundation.
Behind every mission are people doing the very practical work of building relationships, raising funds, engaging board members, communicating with donors, developing programs, and thinking carefully about what comes next.
My passion for supporting nonprofit organizations remains as strong today as ever.
Serving on the Center for Knit and Crochet Board gives me an opportunity to bring that experience into an organization whose mission also connects with something I personally enjoy.
I may never be the most technically gifted knitter in the room. And that’s OK.
I understand nonprofits. I understand the importance of service. And I understand why preserving opportunities for creativity and connection matters. There’s something powerful about bringing those things together.
Creativity Doesn’t Require Perfection
One of the messages I return to often with Wendy Crafts is that creativity belongs to all of us.
You don’t need an elaborate craft room. You don’t need the most expensive supplies. And you certainly don’t need expert-level skills.
You just need a willingness to begin.
Knitting has been one of those creative practices for me. I enjoy the colors. I enjoy the yarn. I enjoy the repetitive process of making something stitch by stitch.
And I love that something made quietly with my own hands can eventually become a gift for someone I care about.
That’s enough. More than enough, actually.
Upcoming Center for Knit and Crochet Events
One of the wonderful ways CKC brings the fiber community together is through its Virtual Craft Circle, an online gathering featuring artists, scholars, authors, historians, teachers, entrepreneurs, activists, and others contributing to the world of knitting and crochet.
Several Virtual Craft Circle programs remain on the 2026 calendar. Learn more about these featured creatives and how to register.
September 27, 2026 — Lexi Keogh: Knitwell
October 25, 2026 — Austin Rivers: Knit the Rainbow
November 22, 2026 — Sarah Pedlow: Arraiolos Carpets of Portugal
December 20, 2026 — Akeen Kidder, Yarn Art Guy
These virtual programs offer an opportunity not only to learn, but also to connect with people who appreciate the history, creativity, and community surrounding fiber arts.
Join the Center for Knit and Crochet
If you love knitting or crochet — whether you’ve been practicing for decades or, like me, happily operate within a more limited collection of knitting skills — I hope you’ll take a little time to explore the Center for Knit and Crochet.
An annual membership is currently just $10, while a sustaining membership is $35. Membership provides access to CKC’s Virtual Craft Circle programs while supporting the organization’s work to preserve and share the history and creativity of knitting and crochet.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve this organization and excited to see where this next chapter leads. And yes, I imagine there will be yarn involved.
Learn more and become a member of the Center for Knit and Crochet at www.centerforknitandcrochet.org
