Joanne Williams
Editor

(Joanne Williams/TCJ – Lindsay Potter has planted seeds of charity and collegiality with her work as owner of The Yarn Garden in Charlotte.)

Knit one, purl two, or in this case, thousands of dollars and food for the area hungry.

All of that and more will be happening at The Yarn Garden on Saturday, April 11, as the business and clients and friends gather for “Knit For Food,” a national day of fund-raising for hunger concerns.

This will be the second year for Lindsay Potter, owner and “Head Gardener” of the Charlotte business, to host the event. Last year, she and about 30 knitters, raised “just shy of $7,000” for the cause.

Potter said people of all skill levels and whatever craft they create are welcome to join in the 12-hour event, or donate live at the store, open 10 am. to 2 p.m., or online at https://givebutter.com/knitforfood26/gno-gnome-hungry-yarn-garden-gnomies, with her team, Gno Gnome Hungry: Yarn Garden Gnomies! Customers Karen Collins and Cathy Adams are assisting with this event. 

This year, Potter is also collecting food for donation to Helping Hands Food Pantry, which, as many area food pantries, also benefits from the Knit for Food event.

This is the sixth year for Knit for Food, which supports Feeding America, World Central Kitchen, No Kid Hungry, and Meals on Wheels. Information is online at knitforfood.com.

“A lot more people craft than you know,” said Potter. Shops such as hers, which is featured on a regional fiber arts shop hop, are known for using local or American-sourced yarns. Potter creates her own under the label, Gnome River Yarns.

She points out that Charlotte is home to a number of craft businesses, from yarn to fabric, pottery to painting.

Perhaps because of this, Potter and colleague Janice Dlouhy sponsor the annual Maker’s Fest, held at the Eaton County Fairgrounds, May 16 this year, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“We have a wonderful community,” Potter said, of fiber artists, from raw wool to finished items. It is not a craft show, however; rather, a show for makers by makers. 

The Yarn Garden is located at 131 S. Cochran in Charlotte.