Knit for Charity - Find Knitting Projects for Good Causes

Sands  (Stillborn and Neonatal Death) – Sands helps to support people after the devastating      death of a baby during pregnancy or after birth.  Their local branch in Bath has created  Precious Memory Boxes in remembrance of a lost baby and require knitted blankets to go in the boxes with other cherished items.  If you visit the website you will find a pattern for a blanket along with other knitted objects.

Charity Clowns - Charity Clowns are part of the charity, Hope and Direct

To quote from their website:

“Founded in 1999, Hope and Aid Direct is a 100% voluntary, humanitarian aid charity whose team members raise their own funds, obtain donations of aid,  transport that aid in convoys of lorries twice a year, and give it out  directly into the hands of the people who need it the most.”

The knitted  clowns (and squares for blankets) bring comfort and happiness to children in  Kosovo and Syria, and other devastated regions. Visit their website here.

Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP)

This organisation is particularly keen to encourage people over fifty to join their knitting programme. They need  various knitted items, including clothing for premature babies, trauma  teddies for children in distress, knitted squares for blankets, and other items of clothing for those in need wherever they may be.

RSVP believes  that the housebound and those in sheltered and residential accommodation   would benefit from involvement with this knitting project. They have groups all over the country.  Find out more from visiting their website.

Ray  of Hope – Ray of Hope is a volunteer organisation based at Leighton Hospital in Crewe that provides knitted clothing for premature babies. They require  volunteers for their own hospital, but also encourage knitters to contact  their own local hospital premature baby unit to find out if knitted    garments are required. Their BBC website provides a long list of free  knitting patterns especially suited for vulnerable babies on ventilators.  If you go to this website you will find a wealth of information plus lots of free knitting patterns.

Loving Hands  – Loving Hands  is a really friendly charity which sends knitted  items to various charities, including the Linda McDonald Foundation which takes containers of goods to orphanages in Bulgaria. They also need knitted hats for the British and International Sailors’ Society and blankets for animal shelters.  They have a forum which is great for building friendships and you can find out more from their website. 

Like anything new, learning to knit can be a bit of a struggle at first, but once you get into the rhythm you'll find it the most relaxing hobby ever - almost like meditation.  Knitting for charity is great because you can begin your new hobby by knitting simple squares.

Heres some books that might be useful:

Knitty Gritty: Knitting for the Absolute Beginner by Aneeta Patel  (30 Jul 2008)

Knitting For Dummies by Pam Allen, Tracy Barr and Shannon Okey  (3 Oct 2008)

My First Knitting Book: Learn to Knit - Kids by Alison McNicol

And don't forget, there's loads of  free information on the internet too, including video instructions.

Here are a few examples of American websites which charity knitters can contribute to:

Afghans  for Afghans   – This charity sends hand-knitted and crocheted blankets, sweaters, vests,     hats, mittens, and socks to the people of Afghanistan.

They have  Afghan-themed knitting patterns for sale. Those outside the USA can help this charity by buying the patterns from their website.

Check out the work they do here.

 Knitting  and Giving – A Connecticut-based charity, they provide free knitting patterns for warm      items which are distributed to local hospitals, homeless shelters, and  similar. They also send donated items to vulnerable people throughout the  United States and abroad. You can find out how to donate your knitted items by going to their website.

Steven’s  Comfy Toes/Cindy’s Tiny Tootsies – A charity based in the White Pine County area of  Nevada, which can experience cold days and nights.

They provides slippers,  hats, mittens and scarves to children aged from birth to 12 years whose  families may not be able to afford to keep their children’s feet warm.    

Donated items are accepted all year, and distributed in winter.

Find out more at their website.

Knitting for Charity - This is an organisation that donates knitted items to a number of charities in the US.  In their own words:

"Do you love to knit? Are you passionate about knitting for charity? Or, you would like to know more about knitting for charity -- worthwhile charities to knit for, free patterns you can use for charity knitting projects, great new techniques, information about yarn or supplies, and so on?

If so, you have come to the right place!"

They look like a really enthusiastic set-up!  Find out more at their website.

Keep On Knittingis an excellent website that will take you through the basics of knitting from casting on to more complex knitting variations.   They also have a section devoted to knitting for charity and would like to hear from your about which charity you knit for and your knitting projects. This seems like a friendly website that really wants to encourage you to take up the needles!  You can find them here.

Knitting wool can be expensive, it's true.   But there are plenty of good quality, inexpensive knitting yarns that are perfectly acceptable for your charity knitting projects.  You won't be skimping on quality by using them.

Search the stalls at your local market, check out thrift stores such as Wilkinson's and Poundland in the United Kingdom or Walmart in the United States.

Ask for donations of spare wool from your friends and neighbours, or if you belong to a registered charity try and see if you can get sponsored by local businesses to go towards the cost of your wool.

These charities are just a small sample of the charitable organisations found on the web that are keen to receive knitted items. It’s the perfect opportunity to not only get those knitting needles clicking, but to make a really useful contribution to some excellent, hardworking and dedicated charities.

Why not start a knitting group with friends and neighbours?  It's a great opportunity to make friends, have a good chat and learn new skills.

But most importantly, your efforts really will make a difference.