A stitch of kindness: How one woman is wrapping Pittsburgh in warmth

What began as a hobby has become a heartfelt outreach for Fran Fall, who uses her needles and yarns to bring comfort — and a touch of beauty — to Pittsburgh’s most vulnerable.

Fran Fall is making Pittsburgh cozier one stitch at a time.

For 27 years, the retired elementary school teacher has been knitting scarves and, more recently, headwraps for those in need, turning a longtime hobby into a labor of love.

Through her friend Zivia Wilkes, a deaconess at Central Baptist Church in the Hill District, Fall’s wraps have found their way to women’s shelters, homeless missions and anyone who can use a wearable hug.

“I get pleasure out of knitting and I know people are happy to have something that helps keep them warm at this time of year,” said Fall, 82, who lives in Squirrel Hill and is a member of Congregation Dor Hadash.

Her project evolved after she retired from a decades-long career that included Pittsburgh Public Schools, Community Day School and Yeshiva Schools.

Fall learned to knit from her mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law, and made a lot of sweaters over the years. Her latest projects have included a sweater and hats for her infant great-grandson. She is an avid needle-pointer, too, having stitched belts, bar mitzvah tallis bags, pictures, pillows, and other items for her husband, three daughters, three grandsons and granddaughter.

“I’m addicted to the needle, but it’s the right kind of needle,” she quipped.

After retiring in 1998, Fall focused her knitting on scarves for herself, family and friends. When a former colleague mentioned she was collecting items for people experiencing hardship, Fall was eager to donate.

She got the idea for headwraps when she saw one at Chatham University’s bookstore during granddaughter Danni’s freshman orientation.

“I bought it and used it as the prototype for making my own,” Fall said. “They became even more in demand than my scarves, so I switched to headwraps, exclusively.”

People like them because they keep ears warm without mussing hair. Fall likes that she can knit a wrap in a couple of evenings while watching TV, “and I have something to show for my time.”

She knits year-round and even takes projects with her on vacations. She buys yarn in bulk, stocking up during sales, “but if I run out,” she said, “I figure, what the heck, and buy it anyway. I want to keep my project going.”
Fall picks fibers and colors that appeal to her and has fun putting leftover yarns together in interesting combinations.

“I like to mix up the stitches, and the sizes of the wraps. Some are wider than others,” said Fall, who uses soft, washable yarns. “Wool is too scratchy.”

She averages five dozen wraps a year.

On occasion, she has fulfilled a special request, like when the security guard at a nursing facility sent word through Wilkes that he’d like a wrap to match his uniform.

The wraps are stylish and practical, and something to treasure because they are handmade, said Wilkes, 62. “In a store, they’d be expensive.”

Fall got to know Wilkes when she was caregiving Fall’s sister, and the two became friends as well as partners in a mission.

Through Wilkes, Fall could expand her outreach.

“I saw what Fran was making and told her that I go to different facilities with my church the fourth Saturday of every month, and she started making more wraps for me to give away,” said Wilkes, who heads the Central Baptist women’s ministry.

Wilkes keeps the wraps in the trunk of her car and makes spontaneous gifts if she spots someone in need. “I can be driving down the street and if a kid looks cold I ask do they want one,” she said.

She is seldom refused.

Wilkes recalls a wintry day she was driving through East Liberty and saw a girl of about 10 or 11 years without a hat waiting for a bus.

“I rolled down my window and asked ‘You cold? Do you need something to put on your head?’ And she said, ‘Yes.’ So I opened the trunk of the car and told her to pick a wrap.”

There were so many, the girl was overwhelmed at first, not knowing which to choose, Wilkes recalled. “I told her to take any one she wanted and then she asked if she could have a couple more, for her brother and sister.”

“Next time I saw her, she recognized my car, tapped on my window and asked for one for her mom.”

Wilkes’ church distributes clothing, and serves lunch every day but Sunday to anyone in need.

The wraps are just one more way to spread love, Wilkes said.

“It may not seem like much but they bring a smile to someone’s face. What people need more than anything is kindness, and to know that someone cares.” PJC

Deborah Weisberg is a freelance writer living in Pittsburgh.