Knitting for Good: Helping Others with Your Crafts

Admittedly, sometimes (a lot of times?) sitting on a mountain of warm things just waiting to be purchased feels like a waste. And while I know that most of it is stock for a business and not just a dragon’s hoard, it feels good to be able to give away things that won’t/haven’t sold and or to make something for someone who truly needs it.

Giving is good for you, too! Numerous studies have linked giving – either with time, money, or in-kind goods – is linked to:

increased happiness and feelings of well-being
decreased stress and anxiety
improved physical health
stronger social connections and sense of community
spiritual growth and transformation

If you’re a person of faith, the Bible also says a lot about giving. “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over . . . for with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38. Giving monetarily, called tithing, is a Christian practice that demonstrates a trust in God’s faithfulness to provide what we need as well as showing gratitude for everything given to us. Because of this, I have made it a goal to give 10% of money earned through Knifty Little Thing to charities that help others both abroad and at home.

Over the years I’ve come across a few different ways to give back with your craft and have assembled them here – it’s my goal to check a few of them off my list this coming year! It is really important to check each organization’s guidelines for what they need – they know the people they serve and their needs the best!

World Vision – Knits for Kids

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people in need, of any faith or none. Their knits for kids program provides patterns, yarn suggestion, and distribution for knits that you send in.

I have sponsored children through World Vision for years, and when I went to update some account information the other week I found this site! I love that they are able to use knitted items and that they have suggestions and free patterns to help you get started, and ensure that the items sent are helpful for the people they serve.

Knitted Knockers

From the Knitted Knockers website: “Knitted Knockers are special handmade breast prostheses for women who have had breast cancer and undergone mastectomy or lumpectomy. Traditional breast prosthetics can be hot, heavy and sticky. They typically require special bras or camisoles with pockets and can’t be worn for weeks after surgery. Knitted Knockers are soft, comfortable, beautiful and when placed in a regular bra they take the shape and feel of a real breast. They are adjustable, washable and can even be worn while swimming. Our special volunteer knitters provide these FREE to those requesting them.”

My grandma knit for them after experiencing a mastectomy at 86 years old and we found a number of finished ones among her things when we cleaned her apartment.

Loose Ends

From their website: “Loose Ends is a non-partisan, non-religious, everyone-is-welcome movement that aims to ease grief, create community, and inspire generosity by matching volunteer handwork finishers with textile projects people have left undone due to death or disability.”

I just filled out a profile for this today and would like to do one or two projects in the coming year. It was really easy to get started and then apparently I’ll get a text when there’s one that could be matched to my skills and preferences!

Local Nonprofits

Local nonprofits often have boutiques that give out items to people who need them – but having worked in nonprofits for 8 years now, the main caveat is you need to ask them if they need what you have first. Or better yet, ask them what they do need! Some will be overflowing with blankets but could use hats, or maybe if you’re in a rural area they need anything and everything! Homeless shelters can often use hats, socks or mittens while pregnancy resource centers can use blankets, hats, or other warm items. Just, please, ask first and use soft and/or warm things, making items that you would want to use. At both nonprofits I’ve worked for we’ve gotten things dumped on the back door and it’s always frustrating because our organizations and the people we serve aren’t dumpsters. If it belongs in the dumpster…just throw it away, don’t make someone else do it.

Homeless Shelters – Homeless shelter directory to connect you with local shelters
Pregnancy Resource Centers – offer education, material resources, support, and more to women for free as they navigate pregnancy and early motherhood.
Domestic Violence Shelters – provide shelter, support, and more to women escaping or surviving in abusive relationships

In a local pregnancy resource center, I’ve heard from many clients that they felt so loved and appreciated with the thought that someone took the time to make a blanket for them and their baby – it’s definitely one of the favorite items included the the baby items they receive!

Neonatal Intensive Care Units / Hospitals

Knots of Love

Knots of Love is a nonprofit founded in 2007 with the mission to provide lovingly hand-knit and crocheted beanies to people going through chemo and NICU blankets to babies in neonatal ICU incubators.

As with other nonprofits, they have guidelines for what material they are able to accept and what patterns they need. Find these here.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Madhatter Knits (@madhatterknitsfoundation)

Mad Hatter Knits

“Madhatter Knits is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to supplying knit hats for premature babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and empowering pregnant women. Our goal is that critically ill infants and their families in the NICU will receive our love and support through their fragile beginnings.”

While not in every state, they have a lot of hospitals that they work with and include patterns or instructions for how to learn to knit – and they’re global!