If you walked into 3rd Act Craft Brewery on a Friday afternoon, you might be surprised by the crowd. In addition to the usual brewery patrons, you’d find a fairly large group of women sipping tasty beers, enjoying conversation, and knitting like it’s going out of style. They call themselves Knitwits.

Woodbury resident Linda Wenz is the driving force behind this group of considerate crafters. Wenz first got the idea for charitable crafting back in 2021, when she and a friend started making double-lined fleece mittens to give to those in need. They dubbed their group Warm Hands, Warm Hearts.

As the years went by, Wenz’s vision for her mission grew, and after buying a loom in early 2024, she posted on local Facebook groups to recruit other knitters. Before she knew it, she had a group of around 50 women who were willing to join the cause. The group’s skillset eventually evolved to include knitted scarves, hats, and gloves – hence the name Knitwits. The weekly meetup at 2 p.m. on Fridays regularly has over two dozen attendees.

The Knitwits have made a huge impact in a short amount of time. The group has crafted and supplied thousands of woven items for local women’s shelters, elementary schools, emergency rooms, and charities. The members have partnered with Woodbury Police Department and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office to disperse the items to people who are at risk for exposure in the winter months. The Knitwits‘ influence have even expanded beyond Woodbury to Lakeville, where residents at The Fountains at Hosanna senior center have joined the effort and donated over 100 hats.

What’s next for the Knitwits? Wenz wants to keep the momentum going. Her goal is to “reach more rural, underserved areas and reservations.” She wants to serve everyone in need. She’s hoping to partner with organizations that have access to people who need winter gear.

While the Knitwits find deep satisfaction in helping others, they get something out of it, too. “A lot of us are retired and just looking for a purpose,” Wenz said. “It’s so nice to be part of something bigger than yourself. It’s kind of a respite from the cruelty in the world, you know, and in here it’s a little corner of the world that’s full of kindness.”