10 Ideas for Charity Knitting
As the Knit for Food Knit-a-Thon nears, many of us are starting to plan the projects we’ll be working on for those TWELVE hours of crafting. This has become a big topic of conversation over in the Knit For Food Facebook Group!
Recently the idea of charity knitting came up, so we decided to put together a list of organizations for anyone interested in using their needles for good.
I also want to say that I support anyone knitting for whatever reason they want! If that is charity, great! If that is to make yourself a sweater, great! If you are knitting something for one of your donors, awesome! How ever you decide to use your time is the right way. Being a part of the knit-a-thon and spreading the word is already commendable work!
If you want to donate your handwork, there are so many ways to do that!
Below is a list of organizations we are inspired by:
1. Loose Ends Project
Loose Ends is a global network of volunteer finishers who step in when a handmade project is left unfinished due to a loss. Handmade items hold so much love, and when a project is left undone, that connection can feel lost. Loose Ends matches skilled handwork finishers with these projects, ensuring they’re completed and returned to their loved ones as originally intended. It’s a beautiful way to turn unfinished stitches into lasting legacies.
2. Lasagna Love
Laura's Da Love pattern is free... knit one and share it with a Lasagna Love chef near you!
3. Think local!
There are places in every community that accept donations: the NICU at your local hospital, Cancer Resource Centers, homeless shelters, mutual aid groups, etc. Call around and ask your local knitting guild or LYS… they are sure to have a list.
4. Knit the Rainbow
At least 40% of homeless youth in New York City identify as LGBTQ+. Knit the Rainbow works to empower and protect these youth by providing them with handmade knit & crochet winter clothing accessories.
5. Foster Care to Success Red Scarf Project
The care package program is an opportunity to give a little that means a lot. The Red Scarf Project sends handmade scarves each winter to a college student from foster care.
6. Project Linus
Project Linus sends new handmade blankets to children in need. Blankets are lovingly made by adults and children from all walks of life and many different sources.
7. Warmth For Warriors
8. Knitted Knockers
Knitted Knockers are special handmade breast prostheses for women who have undergone mastectomies or other procedures to the breast. Traditional breast prosthetics are usually expensive, heavy, sweaty, and uncomfortable. Knitted Knockers on the other hand are soft, comfortable, and free to those requesting them.
9. Mother Bear Project
Mother Bear Project is dedicated to providing comfort and hope to children affected by HIV/AIDS in emerging nations by giving them a gift of love in the form of a hand-knit or crocheted bear.
10. The Magic Yarn Project
The Magic Yarn Project crafts character wigs for children with medical hair loss. Their mission is to bring magic into the lives of children battling cancer and to inspire volunteerism to make a difference.
11. Welcome Blanket
Handcraft makers (knit, sew, quilt, crochet, weave, felt, etc.) are invited to make Welcome Blankets. They include notecards with stories important to their families about immigration/migration/relocation to create symbolic and practical gifts of welcome for new refugees coming to the United States.If you have any other charities you love to knit for please do comment below!
Thank you knitters! Your generosity of spirit is inspiring!
xoxo, Laura
Two others that I've contributed to, in addition to the fabulous groups above: https://alicesembrace.org/
ReplyDeletehttps://hugsthroughshrugs.org/
Many churches have a Prayer Shawl ministry, and they give handmade shawls to women who need comfort.
ReplyDeleteThere is also Knit Your Bit, which accepts scarves to distribute to veterans through V.A. Hospitals and other veterans organizations. Their Facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/35427872496
I have contributed to Christmas as Sea (a project of the Seaman's Church Group), which provides warm hats, scarves, and other items to men and women mariners who work the ships that bring us our stuff. This program can only accept certain designs, but they offer several free patterns, including the popular 1898 Hat. Free patterns can be found here: https://seamenschurch.org/programs-services/christmas-at-sea/patterns-publications/ (scroll down for links to patterns.)
ReplyDeleteMy plan is to donate the blanket I'll be finishing during the knitathon to the Welcome Blanket project. Also, double check on what Knit the Rainbow wants right now... they recently requested a switch due to the seasons shifting.
ReplyDeleteI have donated to The Children of Pine Ridge Reservation. They have a Ravelry forum with all the information if anyone is interested in more info.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.ravelry.com/groups/for-the-children-of-pine-ridge
My "pet" knitting charity is Knit-a-Square, benefitting orphaned children in South Africa. https://www.knit-a-square-southafrica.com/about.html
ReplyDeleteWool-Aid, with its vibrant Ravelry community, sends warm woolen items globally for children in places like the Himalayas, Syrian refugee camps and Afghanistan.
ReplyDeleteDuring the first knit-a-thon I finished a blanket that I donated to Welcome Blanket (welcomeblanket.org) and I will be doing this again in 2022.
ReplyDeleteKnitting4Peace.org has a variety of crafted needs, including super fun and quick finger puppets and Peace Pals, as well as requesting hats, baby blankets, mittens, etc.
ReplyDelete