Finding a personal and meaningful gift for Mother’s Day is now easier thanks to Third Piece, a Boston-based knitting business with a new studio in Newton. Third Piece has partnered with Women’s Lunch Place, a daytime shelter for women in Boston, to offer a Learn to Knit Kit and Card that provides a $25 donation to the Women’s Lunch Place.
Founded in 2011 by Kristen Lambert, Third Piece currently has three locations where knitting classes are held: Newton (320 Nevada Street, Nonantum), Hingham, and Charlestown. Third Piece’s online store offers knitwear designed and produced by Third Piece, as well as complete kits and knitting patterns for do-it-yourself projects to create some of the same pieces. Kits are available for all skill levels, from beginner to advanced.
Women’s Lunch Place
The Mother’s Day Gift Set is part of Third Piece’s philanthropic work with Women’s Lunch Place. Third Piece is offering its Learn to Knit Kit along with a Mother’s Day card for $65 including shipping. The card was designed by one of the clients of Women’s Lunch Place. Each purchase provides a $25 donation to Women’s Lunch Place, which funds one woman’s meals for a week.
According to Lambert, “This is aimed to be a heartfelt, intentional gift that gives back by feeding a woman for a week as well as giving someone a creative and mindful gift like knitting. We’re trying to come at the Mother’s Day gift with something that feels a little unique and different this time of year.”
The kit comes in a choice of 8 colors and has everything needed for someone to get started with knitting – needles, yarn, instructions, a long-form digital workshop and short-form videos. The inside of the card is blank for a personal message – for a mother or even as a gift for a graduate, teacher, or as a birthday present.
Introductions to Knitting
Lambert finds that there is a strong demand for knitting today and noted that many people have knitting on their list of ‘things to do someday’ but understand that it requires some investment of time. “My hope is that knitting becomes part of a practice, like yoga or drawing or writing. It’s a muscle that has to be worked, so you have to invest a little time to get the foundation.”
New knitters often have specific things they want to make, such as a sweater or hat for themselves or a gift such as a baby blanket. Lambert has found that women who have recently retired or are moving into a new stage of life are often interested in taking up knitting.
People tell Lambert that when they make knitting a regular habit, “It becomes a therapeutic process, grounding them and calming their nerves, allowing them to be focused and present in the moment. It’s a nice way to introduce something simple in your day away from devices.”
And for those who have tried knitting before but gave it up, Lambert recommends getting support by finding a community of knitters. “It’s hard because many yarn shops have closed. The best way to learn is to find a community of people and to learn in partnership with someone that has a like-minded interest and can be a guide.“ Third Piece also hosts knitting circles, but Lambert says that her customers find them elsewhere too.