by Hannah Danforth

As Joan Lewis’s knitting circle gathers around her in celebration of her 83rd birthday, it becomes apparent that they are all incredibly close friends. “These ladies make me feel so good!” says Joan.

Gathering weekly at Uptown Espresso in the Junction, this tight-knit group of lively women from all walks of life, laugh and share stories about their lives while knitting together. “This is my therapy,” gushes one member.

Longtime West Seattle resident Joan Lewis, opened the Yarn Gallery and ran it for fifteen years before retiring. “I’ve always done things with my hands and made clothing for my children,” says Joan. Extremely knowledgeable on knitting, crochet and other needlework, she held regular classes at local coffee shops.

Some of these ladies have been under Joan’s instruction for close to twenty years.

Laid out before Joan is a birthday quilt, made with love by each member. Joan knows exactly who created each square. At the top, in large, knit letters, reads “How Interesting.” Laughing, Joan’s students recall the way she would critique their work. “She would always say, ‘How interesting…’ if we screwed up. Then we would have to reverse knit,” says longtime member Barbara with a chuckle.

This close-knit group get together to work on personal projects creating beautiful pieces that their friends and family will treasure always. They alter designs and create their own fashion statement pieces, sharing their opinions openly. The iPads displaying patterns and group volunteer projects such as Knitted Knockers; knit prosthetics for breast cancer survivors, are evidence of how far knitting circles have come compared to those of yesteryear. The common thread that holds everyone together is Joan, along with their friendship, history and support of one another.

With a sense of self-worth Joan watches and listens to spirited conversations. “I need this, this group of people.” she says gesturing to her friends knitting around the table. “They make me very, very, happy. By the time I leave, I’m happy as can be!”