Touch of Glass Knitting & Crocheting Club Arcade window display
STORY BY STEPHEN VRATTOS
Photos by Dawn Steinberg and Judy Ross According to the beloved MGM classic, one need only “follow
the yellow-brick road” to get to the wondrous Emerald City,
where all your dreams can come true. Of course what they fail
to acknowledge is having to ride a tornado in order to access the fabled
brick thoroughfare to begin with. Fortunately for NST residents, the
magic of Oz and its denizens is a mere elevator ride and short walk
away, nestled in a window display next to NST
Valet. There, observers can see a Lilliputian tableau
of everyone’s favorite characters from the
iconic movie musical, including Dorothy, Scarecrow,
Tin Man, Lion, Glinda and the Wicked
Witch of the West. There’s even a smattering of
Munchkins and Flying Monkeys, as well as the
Kansas waif’s Ruby Slippers and the signature
scene of her house atop the Witch of the East’s
flattened body. It’s all courtesy of the talented
members of the Knitting and Crocheting Club,
specifically Shelley Kossover and Carol Klinger.
For nearly a half dozen years, the Club has been
responsible for creating displays for the space
under the leadership of the Club’s President Judy
Ross, who joined the existing club shortly after
she moved to North Shore Towers 12 years ago.
“It’s a job I don’t mind doing at all!”
Up until about 5–6 years ago, the window was
overseen by a pair of women in the Towers, who
would create perennial displays themed with the
holidays. They were reluctant to cede control of
the display, but persistent begging by Ross finally
led to the Knitting and Crocheting Club getting a
chance to strut their stuff for the Arcade patrons,
albeit for a limited time. Eventually, the ladies grew
tired of the responsibility and handed the reins
to Ross and her creative crew. The window has
been under the auspicious of the Club ever since.
From the start, members have participated in
the ideation and development of the displays,
which Ross changes 3–4 times a year. One of
her first entailed a large branch from the NST
grounds, decorated with knitted and crocheted
leaves and birds. A year ago, she honored the
co-op’s intrepid doormen with large Teddy bears
clad in similar uniforms. “They were so excited,”
Ross recalled of the doormen’s response, no better
evinced than the bear’s each holding a place
of honor in the foyers of each building.
One would think the current stroll down the
Yellow-Brick Road was inspired by the 80th anniversary
of “The Wizard of Oz,” which debuted in
August 1939. According to Ross, however, it was
a serendipitous surprise, wholly coincidental.
“Thinking them up is not easy,” Ross said of
the displays. The ideas often come from scouring
the web for new knit and crochet character
designs. Often, the patterns are not accurate,
leaving Ross’s team to adapt accordingly and
embellish them, as was the case with the sequins
on Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers. “My people are very
talented and committed. I just hold it together
a little,” she said.
brings whimsy and a smile to NST Residents
According to Ross, the Club’s members have always been involved
with creating blankets and other useful knit and crochet items for those
in need, beginning with a battered women’s shelter in Far Rockaway.
Word-of-mouth led to connections with making baby blankets, caps
and such for single moms at Jacobi Medical Center in The Bronx and
mothers of our heroic military at St. Albans VA Hospital. Ross can be
reached at (347) 235-4509 to answer your questions, sign you up to
the club or receive monetary donations or donated yarn and knitting
needles.
Somewhere over the Triborough
Thank you NST Workers
An early display featured photos of some of
the wee recipients of the Club's generous
donations
Happy Holidays 6 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ February 2019