For Emily Palmer, the final step in embracing her identity as a true “crazy cat lady” was learning to knit. In fall 2024, she took the leap into her new hobby by founding Keep Wisconsin Warm. KWW is an organization within Women in Chemistry that gathers several times a month to knit and crochet items that the members donate to local organizations. Palmer, president and founder of KWW, was looking for a way to expand the community outreach of WIC.
“There are a lot of members [of WIC] that knit and crochet, so I felt like a lot of people would be interested in joining [KWW],” Palmer said.
Each semester, KWW selects a local charity to focus its donation efforts on. Last fall, KWW donated more than 40 handmade hats and scarves to Porchlight in downtown Madison, an organization providing solutions to homelessness in the area. In the spring, they donated handmade baby blankets, baby clothing and household items to The Elizabeth House in Madison, which supports single pregnant women in the community.
This summer, the members are making toys for children at the University of Wisconsin Children’s Hospital. Each item created is thoughtfully personalized to the organization selected for the semester, making the donations very meaningful to the recipients, Palmer said. The members of KWW will go as a group to the drop-off location once they are finished creating all of their donations.
KWW has fostered a tight-knit community among members in its first year as an organization. The group welcomes every skill level, whether you have been crocheting for years or have never seen a ball of yarn in your life. It is a space where members can work together for a good cause and unwind after a long day.
“Knitting has been really helpful for my mental health in grad school,” Palmer said. “[KWW] gave me the opportunity to learn as I go and have a goal in mind.”
Community members donate all of the knitting and crocheting materials used by KWW. Donating items that have been made possible by recycled materials —such as yarn, crochet hooks and knitting needles — is a rewarding experience for the organization. Each step of the process reflects care and intention, ensuring every item is made with love before it finds its way to someone in need.
If you would like to donate yarn or knitting and crocheting tools to KWW, reach out to Emily Palmer at [email protected].
