Knots of Love Downriver stitches community, compassion and dignity

Knots of Love Downriver is an all-volunteer knitting and crocheting group founded by Michele Ellis that donates handmade hats, blankets and pet bedding to local hospitals, shelters and rescue organizations, meeting every two weeks at rotating local businesses.

On Saturday mornings in Downriver, volunteers gather at cafés with yarn, needles and coffee to knit and crochet. They are members of Knots of Love Downriver, a grassroots, all-volunteer group founded by Michele Ellis. Ellis started the group after becoming disabled and looking for a way to keep giving back. The group donates handmade hats, lap blankets, baby blankets and pet bedding to local hospitals, shelters and animal rescues. Key details: - The group meets roughly every two weeks at rotating local businesses, with sessions that usually last about two hours. - Donations have gone to Karmanos Cancer Institute, the Dearborn Cancer Treatment Center, veterans programs, women's shelters, ChristNet, Metro Detroit Share and local animal shelters. - Volunteers recently donated nearly 100 blankets for use in animal shelter kennels. - Knots of Love Downriver accepts no monetary donations and operates on donated time and materials. - The group welcomes people of all ages and skill levels and members often teach knitting or crocheting during meetings. - Finished items are often dropped off at the founder's home and distributed through partner organizations. Summary: Members describe the group's purpose as offering comfort and preserving dignity for people facing illness, loss or hardship, and some partner organizations allow recipients to take items without paperwork. The group reports an ongoing need for volunteer time and yarn donations to sustain its work, and meetings continue on a regular biweekly schedule.