KDSN RADIO News
Crawford County Woman Turns Lifelong Love of Knitting Into Warmth for Others
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(CRAWFORD COUNTY) At 84 years old, Millie Malone Lill has spent a lifetime keeping her hands and mind busy, and now one of her greatest passions is helping bring a little warmth to others.
Lill, a longtime Crawford County resident who spent much of her life as a farmer’s wife, has loved knitting for years. Her talent even led her to spend about a decade submitting knitting patterns for Knitting World Magazine.
These days, knitting remains much more than a pastime.
Lill is a polio survivor, lives with a disability and is also recovering from recent hip surgery. Through it all, she says knitting continues to be her favorite hobby, giving her something enjoyable to focus on while helping her stay busy and relaxed.
Those who know Lill also know how much she loves to knit. Friends and community members regularly donate yarn to her, and she puts those donations to good use creating stocking caps, scarves, shawls, lap blankets and other handmade items.
Because the yarn is donated, Lill says she has no interest in selling what she makes.
“All I have in them is my time,” she said.
Instead, she wants her creations to go to people who could use them, especially as colder weather approaches.
Lill already has several stocking caps, a few shawls and a lap blanket ready to give away and expects that collection to continue growing as she keeps knitting.
She is now hoping to connect with a Denison or Crawford County organization, church, shelter or community group that can help place the handmade items with people who need them this winter.
Knitting is not Lill’s only creative outlet. She is also a writer, another passion that has helped keep creativity at the center of her life.
For Lill, the project is a simple combination of donated yarn, a lifelong skill and a willingness to give her time. The result is something that may provide both warmth and a reminder that someone in the community was thinking of them.
