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Photo by Mike Yoder

Donna Durrant knits one of the 20 hats she plans to donate.

Four large garbage cans sit in Donna Durrant’s basement. Each 30-gallon can is filled to the brim with yarn. That’s 120 gallons of yarn.

It’s that surplus of material that has sustained her hobby of crocheting for nearly 20 years. And though she has honed her skills by knitting afghan quilts for her grandchildren and by winning numerous blue ribbons at competitions in Douglas and Hutchinson counties, it’s not enough. In fact, she said she doesn’t even keep the ribbons.

“It’s not so satisfying anymore, so I thought, ‘I really need something more in my life,’” she said. “I need something to feel good about myself.”

Then it struck her.

The image of a homeless man, shoulders hunched, hands dug deep into his pockets, braving another bitter winter, inspired her to pick up her needles and knit wool hats for Lawrence’s homeless. So far, she has donated six thick hats to the Lawrence Community Shelter, 214 W. 10th St., and hopes to make 14 more by Christmas.

“We all need something to fulfill our lives,” Durrant, 74, said. “At least I can keep their ears warm.”

She began knitting the hats in September; each takes about a week and a half, roughly 15 hours, to make.

Those at the shelter appreciate her efforts.

“They love that stuff. Anything like that is thoroughly welcomed,” said Stephen Elder, a case manager at the Lawrence Community Shelter. “There is always a need for hats and gloves, especially this time of year when the cold creeps in and everybody’s not ready for it.”

The hats are similar to one she made for her husband, Bill, 81. It is big and blue and thick as it folds over itself. As it sits upon his head, it looks impenetrable to winter gusts. Bill, who is active in the First United Methodist Church, donating food each winter, is proud of what his wife is doing, if not overly verbose about it.

“I think it’s a good idea,” he said. “We’ll do our bit.”

Donna Durrant’s hats come in an array of warm colors: blue, green, brown, black, even gold.

“I try to make them in winter colors,” she said. She also aims for a gender-neutral spectrum: “Men don’t want to wear pink.”

She said she was happily surprised to hear that other people in the community are also making clothes for the homeless this winter. Elder said a steady stream of community members donate homemade items, including at least one anonymous donor.

“The more people that get involved, the better it’ll be for the homeless,” Durrant said.

Elder said the efforts of Durrant and others who help support the city’s homeless are priceless.

“People like that, that’s how this place keeps going,” he said.