Why should I craft for charity?

There are many charities worldwide that rely on the generosity of donations to help raise the funds and awareness that is vital to making an impact. There are many ways to get involved with charities, whether it be volunteering your time or  contributing a monthly donation, but how about getting involved through  your knitting? Donations from knitters help in various ways including raising funds, providing warmth and comfort to individuals in need or even just putting a smile on someone’s face who is going through a tough time. Whatever you create, crafting for charity is a great way to give back to the community.

But what should I craft?

What you make depends on the charity you’re looking to support. Some charities may be seeking specific goods, for example a premature baby unit will require plenty of bonnets and baby garments, whereas  another charity may look for blankets to distribute to homeless individuals. Think about what you enjoy making and how you want to make a difference. When you marry the two ideas together, you’ll be able to figure out how best to support your charity.

5 Charities To Craft For

AGE UK

Join The Big Knit campaign to help raise funds for Age UK. This campaign asks knitters and crocheters to create hats to go on top of innocent smoothie bottles. For each bottle sold, 25p will go to the charity helping to fund support groups and care for older people with no one else to turn to. www.thebigknit.co.uk

KNIT FOR PEACE

Knit for Peace is an initiative of the Charities Advisory Trust and asks for people to knit for those in need. Whether you’re donating garments for adults or babies, toys or blankets, this charity regularly distributes goods to over 200 outlets to support those in need. www.knitforpeace.org.uk


KNITTED KNOCKERS

Knitted Knockers are special handmade breast prosthetics for women who have undergone mastectomies or other procedures, providing them with an affordable, soft and comfortable alternative to traditional prosthetics. www.knittedknockers.org


KNIT FOR NOWT

Knit-for-Nowt is a charitable service based in Yorkshire. It appeals to crafters for knitted, crocheted, or sewn hand puppets and “worry monsters”, which are used by therapists to help children suffering from abuse, neglect, bereavement or other serious problems. There is plenty of inspiration on their site! www.knitfornowt.org/donate-knits


KNIT A SQUARE

Since 2008, Knit-a-square has distributed over 90,000 blankets to warm and comfort the cold, orphaned or vulnerable children of South Africa. Head online for knit and crochet patterns, their fundraising shop, and an active social media community. www.knit-a-square.com

How do I get involved?

Hundreds of charities are looking for crafters to support them, and you may decide on who to support based on how you can get involved. There are plenty of ways to get involved, but here are a couple of ideas to get you going:


• Craft as a group - Many local knit and natter groups support charities. Find out from your local group how they’re supporting the community and get involved. If you don’t have a local crafting group, why not start one?
• Sell your makes - Use your finished makes and patterns to help raise funds for your charity. Whether you sell online or through a local yarn shop, donating proceeds from your makes is a great way to show your support.
• Host an event - Bring the community together through a fundraising event. Why not offer your skills and knowledge to the local community? Host a coffee morning and teach new members of the community how to knit or host a knit and bake sale where all
proceeds from the day are donated.
• Join a campaign - Some charities run yearly campaigns and ask members of the public to get involved in a specific way. Speak to a representative from your chosen charity or check them out online to see if they have any initiatives you can join.
• Still not sure? If you’re still not sure where to start, why not check out the UK Hand Knitting Associations list of charities seeking support. Find the full list at
www.ukhandknitting.com/knitting-for-charity and download a variety of free patterns too

Don't forget to share your makes with us on CraftWorld!

Happy knitting,

Jo