“If you can just do a little something that will help somebody out in a trying time, that’s the main goal here,” said Kristy Yutrzenka, the owner of Utrinkets, LLC in downtown Brainerd.

That goal is what keeps many of the talented women coming back to Utrinkets each year, to knit and crochet prayer shawls, lap blankets, and chemo hats for local treatment centers. Many of the returning knitters come from all over, including Missy Karol, who makes a special trip from Minneapolis every year.

“Two months before I found it four years ago, my best friend that I’ve had since I was 16, died of cancer. It seemed fitting that I found it on that day, the day they were having it. I just keep coming back,” Karol said.

During the 24-hour knit-in, knitters are welcome to come and go as they please. However, some of them decide to stay and knit the entire time.

“You would think you would get tired of it and you really don’t. You get into such a rhythm that you just keep going and going,” said one of the knitters, Susan Menk.

Even after the event, the knit for a cure is still in their thoughts as they knit at home.

“We have one gal who will make hats over the year and turn them in at the event so she usually brings in about 30 hats at the event and then keeps working on them,” Yutrzenka said.

Many projects are completed during the knit-in and this year Kristy has a special project to work on during the event. There is a young girl in the Brainerd Lakes Area that is battling cancer and Kristy is making her a blanket with her favorite colors. She also plans to make the mother and other family members prayer shawls to comfort them during this time.

Even though not on the receiving end, Kristy is grateful of those that dedicate their time to the cause.

“It’s pretty touching to me that people are so willing to give of their time and their talent and this is a pretty tight knit community. They say Minnesota people are nice, that people are just willing to help out wherever they can,” Yutrzenka said.

Last year over the 24 hours the group made 91 hats, 31 shawls and 18 lap blankets to donate.

No matter what they are working on at the event, the major goal is to give comfort to those who need it most.

By — Sarah Winkelmann