Loose Ends Project mends broken hearts by finishing knitting projects left behind by deceased loved ones. The American initiative can now count on a network of 19,000 volunteers all over the world, including in Quebec.
Jean-Louis Pitre knitted his first pair of mittens with his grandmother when he was only 9 years old. Its needles have never been far away. “Growing up, I knitted all kinds of things: scarves, stockings, sweaters, blankets. I consider myself quite an expert,” he says.
The retired nurse chose to put his skills at the service of Loose Ends Project, an organization created by Americans Masey Kaplan and Jennifer Simonic in August 2022. The two accomplices play matchmakers by combining a craft project left by a missing loved one to a local volunteer ready to put the finishing touches on it. More than 2,500 people have a memory to cherish.
It was the latter who put him in contact with Laura Moir, who like him lives in Gatineau. “We met at a Tim Hortons,” he says. She came with a box full of yarn, unfinished knitting scraps and patterns. »
“My ex-mother-in-law was an avid knitter,” explains Laura Moir. She was making a sweater for her granddaughter – my daughter – but she died before finishing it. »
Laura Moir admits, she doesn’t have an artisanal streak. “I couldn’t tell if a piece was a portion of a sleeve or a collar,” she confides. I handed everything over to Jean-Louis, telling him to take his time. » Once the sweater is completed, it will be framed and proudly displayed on the wall.
Build relationships
Jean-Louis Pitre does not take his mandate lightly. For him, finishing the knitting of a deceased person requires a lot of sensitivity and respect.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY JEAN-LOUIS PITRE
Jean-Louis Pitre
It’s a bit like receiving an organ donation. There is a grief that comes with it, it means that someone has lost a loved one. It is an honor to complete his work. It touches me deeply.
Jean-Louis Pitre
With the wool provided, Jean-Louis Pitre made a sample to check the tension of the knitting and try to reproduce it as faithfully as possible. “I had to dig through the patterns to figure out what pieces I had. Finally, it’s a one-button jacket. I hope to finish it before summer. »
Already, Laura Moir is delighted to have asked for help from the organization. “My daughter was very close to her grandmother. It turns a difficult moment into a positive experience. »
Volunteers looking for projects
According to the co-founder of Loose Ends Project, Jennifer Simonic, the initiative remains little-known in Quebec. There are only 77 finishers (the name the organization gives to volunteers), including 29 in Montreal and 5 in Quebec.
In fact, there are currently more volunteers in the province than there are knitting items to finish. Several enthusiasts are therefore patiently waiting for the call from Loose Ends who will pair them with a project holder.
Like Jean-Louis Pitre, Mélanie Paré learned the basics of knitting from her grandmother when she was a child. “I do it regularly, it’s become a passion,” says the woman who knits throughout the interview.
She volunteered for the Loose Ends Project last fall.
There is a lot of tenderness in this initiative. I want to help people get through this, to get one last hug from their grandmother or their parent.
Mélanie Paré
Leïla Thompson de la Chenelière was also won over by the idea. “I am concerned about the discomfort surrounding death in our society. A tangible legacy can really contribute to the grieving process, in my opinion,” explains the woman who works for Albatros, an organization that supports people in palliative care and at the end of life as well as their loved ones and the bereaved.
This desire to help the community also motivated Xiaomin Caron to join Loose Ends Project. “The pandemic introduced me to crochet, then knitting,” says the marketing and digital media advisor at Familiprix. I love giving back to others, so it was natural for me to sign up. »
Joanie Leclerc, who masters knitting, crochet, sewing and petit point, understands what it’s like to have several projects in progress. “If I had to die, I think my boyfriend really wouldn’t know what to do with all this,” she mentions with a laugh. A piece made by hand by a loved one is nevertheless a wonderful legacy. »
Visit the Loose Ends Project website