Knitting is a rewarding, relaxing and deeply satisfying hobby, but what does a devoted knitter do when her drawers are stuffed with scarves and mitts and the new baby in the family has all the booties and blankets she needs? Why not knit for charity? There are many charitable organizations that continually solicit hand-knit goods such as hats, shawls and more for those in need.
How to Find a Charity That Needs Hand-knit Items
Lion Brand Yarn features free patterns for charities. including hats for chemotherapy patients, blankets for homeless people, caps for premature infants, and hats for the "Ships Project," which supports American troops in Afghanistan. Most patterns are simple and the supplies are inexpensive. Some patterns found on the website include information on the organization in need, while for others do not.
However, visitors to the Lion Brand Yarn website can search for a charitable organization by their area of interest (for example, if a knitter would like to knit hats for chemotherapy patients, she can enter "chemo hat" into the search field and a list of appropriate charities, complete with contact and shipping information, will come up).
KnittingforCharity.org provides information on knitting for charity in Canada (where it seems there are fewer opportunities for knitters wanting to help); among the charities the site mentions is Blankets for Canada, which donates hand-knit blankets to those in need across Canada, KnittingforCharity.org also suggests that Canadian knitters who can't find a charity to knit for "think outside the box" and donate their hand-knit goods to local hospitals, homeless shelters and chlidren's charities.
Project Linus: Knit Blankets for Children in Need
Project Linus and Project Linus Canada are non-profit organizations that donate hand-knit blankets to local children in need. Their website states that it is their mission "to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets... lovingly created by volunteer 'blanketeers.'" Knitters are invited to donate their hand-knit blankets to their local chapter (listed by state or province). Blankets in child-friendly colours of any style (e.g. afghans, quilts, receiving blankets. etc.) are accepted, but the site also offers suggestions for patterns.
Project Linus was established in 1995 and now donates over 350 blankets a month. Beyond knitting, anyone wishing to help can also volunteer at their local chapter or make a tax-deductible donation.
Knit-a-Square: Knit "Squares" for AIDS Orphans in South Africa
Knit-a-Square was established in 2008 when South African founder, Ronda McDonald, visited her family in Australia and told them of the devastation faced by the AIDS/HIV orphans who are also living in poverty in Johannesburg. Ronda's niece and nephew, Sandy and Roger McDonald, began the Knit-a-Square project, which asks knitters to donate single 8-inch squares that will be used in blankets.
The site provides instructions for knitting the squares, and, as Sandy and Roger point out, the pattern is simple enough for children to follow. Knitters are encouraged to use scraps of yarn, but the size and weight of each should be as consistent as possible, so it is best to follow the pattern provided.
Possibilities for Knitting for Charity are Endless
The above are just a few suggestions for getting started with knitting for charity; really, there are countless non-profit organizations in need of hand-knit items. The satisfaction and joy of knitting can be deepened by donating your time and creations to people in need, and knitting for charity will keep those needles clicking all year round.
Kim Downey - Kim Downey graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2005. She is now a part time freelance and creative writer and a full time ...
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