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Every Stitch Makes a Difference. Join Us For a Special Virtual Event

July 16th, 2009 by Zontee

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For Lion Brand, charity is a part of what we do and we know it is part of your lives as well. Instead of the regular knit and crochet-alongs, this summer, we have decided to try something different — we want to encourage you in joining us in giving back to others in a charity knit & crochet-along.

In the next five weeks, join us as you:

  1. Pick a charity and gather materials
  2. Set your goals
  3. Share your progress with yarncrafters around the world
  4. Send off your finished contributions

Please comment on this post and make a promise to make something for charity by the end of this summer. When you name the charity, please tell us why they have touched you. If you need help finding a local/national/ international organization, click here to use our Charity Connection.

Join us next Thursday, and every Thursday for the next few weeks, for new ideas, stories shared, and more.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 16th, 2009 at 11:02 am and is filed under Community, Crochet-Along, Crocheting, Knit-Along, Knitting, Lion Brand Yarn Studio, Lion Staff, Tips & How To . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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  • http://www.newbornsinneed.com/ Rosemary Lazetera

    I found the website for Newborns in Need on Lion’s website, and was able to make and send several pairs of booties, a couple of sweaters with matching booties, and a baby hat.
    It is a great organization, and I encourage others to make baby things and send it to them.
    Whatever we can do to help little sick babies is great!

  • Nancy Burk

    We have a knitting group at Rice University in Houston, TX. we started 7/31/08, doing neck gators and scarves for our soldiers. Since May, we have been knitting 6×9 rectangles for The Handmade Afghans to Thank Our Troops Project that we read about on the Lion Brand Newsletter. We have 50+ rectangles and will continue until HAP’s next PTE (put together event) this fall. We celebrate a year as a group of knitters and crocheters next Thursday, 7/30, here at Rice U. We’ll have sweets to eat while we show our various projects (personal and for HAP). Thank you, Lion Brand!

  • Karin Perkins

    I find Lion Brand’s Charity Connection a great thing. They matched me up with Afghans4Afghans – a great group of people. This year I decided I would do one project a month for a new charity. In addition to A4A, I have done a scarf for the WWI Museum project, hats for the Seaman’s Church, a couple of sweaters for Guideposts, hats for Knit for Noggins (but not 100+ like Judy), hats for the Ships Project, preemie hats for Save the Children. For July it’s the Linus Project. and for August…hmm a cotton bunny rug sounds mighty tempting.

  • Cathie Anderson

    I think this is the greatest!! I crochet baby hats and sweaters for Stitches from the Heart and also crochet hats for preemies at St. Mary’s NICU in Duluth, MN. So far this summer, I have 74 hats that are almost ready to go. I usually deliver them on the Feast of St. Nicholas in December. My only problen is finding places that will donate yarn for charitable crochetings. Good luck everyone on your stitching and congratulations to the charities for all the donations yet to come! I, myself, am hoping to have between 125 and 150 hats (if not more) before I deliver them in December.

  • Marna

    Probably 80% of the knitting I do is for charity. Mostly I do preemie stuff for our local hospital, prayer shawls for the hospital’s chemotherapy unit, hats for chemo patients through my Hat Huggers group, and hats and socks for the Ships Project, my pet project. I always have something with me to work on.

  • Lulu

    My passion is crocheting for charity…I do prayer shawls, baby hats, scarves and baby blankies…I donate to different places, where ever i hear there is a need..I recently found a charity not far from home through the Lion Brand charity conection..
    Its a beautiful way to spread the love and joy..

  • Carol Mattson

    On the very same day that I read about your charity knitting opportunity, I stopped in at Creative Urges in Auburn, Ca. and the owner told me she was starting a group to knit helmet liners for the troops! We have met once, and will be adding knitters as the weeks go on. Not only is this a warm cozy something to send to our troops, but I have already met some new friends, will soon be learning how to make a face hole in the middle of a hat and can support others who are knitting along unselfishly!

  • http://beanies4buddies.com/ Linda

    I have just begun to knit for Beanies 4 Buddies (beanies4buddies.com). They make hats for kids going through chemo in Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. The organizer is in Fillmore, right here in Ventura County! She gets beanie babies donated and a hat is made for a child, and another one is made for the beanie baby, which the child receives as well. It is a very cute idea, and a worthwhile cause!

  • Lydia Krueckeberg

    I think this is a wonderful idea. I have been crocheting since I was 5 years old and have used it for therapy my whole life. I make hats, scarves,and blankets for the Ronald McDonald House and for homless shelters. When I got the Lion Brand Newsletter with the Give Back project I stareted to think: What can I do for people in my area? I called the Family Safety Nework. They work with families of domestic abuse. I have made a commentment to them and myself of 30 hats and 30 scarves by the end of October. I can’t wait to go through my yarn stash and start stitching.

  • Ellen

    In the past I’ve knitted preemie blankets and hats for the Beth Israel Hospital NICU project in NYC. My daughter is now learning to sew in order to help out a friend who is making infant burial wraps and blankets, and I’ve offered to knit hats to go along with those. I have 13 hats ready to donate to the Care Wear project in the Albany, NY area, where I presently live, and have a ton of stash to use for that purpose. I’ll be making 2-3 hats a week. I’ve also made red scarves for the Orphan Foundation of America.

  • Julie Sparks

    This is great to get more people involved. I have been knitting for Knit-for-Kids for about 2 years with some friends – to date our group has contributed at least 250 sweaters. Another friend introduced me to Knots-of-Love and I’ve made several chemo caps, both crochet and knit – they need to be of very soft yarn. I also have almost enough squares to finish a blanket for Warm-up-America.

  • Meg Murray

    I’m in Scotland and have just finished some charity projects. I sent some premature baby clothes to the unit in England which looked after my sons when they were born and received a lovely reply on Wednesday.
    On the same day I took 21 lap blankets, 18 baby blankets, 5 scarves and 3 children’s jumpers to a local charity which distributes to Eastern European countries. The blankets and scarves were made from squares which had been sent to me to sew together – this is not a task I anticipate completing again at anytime in the future!
    My current project is to knit hats, balaclavas and gloves to send to the Seaman’s Mission on the Falkland Islands. The sailors arrive on the islands dressed for warmer climes in flip flops and shorts. So the Mission likes to have emergency packs of warm clothing available. My husband worked there for 3 years so this is a personal challenge for me although I have had help from a couple of fellow knitters.
    My aim is to have 50 hats and 50 pairs of gloves by the end of the year – the totals so far are 15 hats and 4 pairs of gloves.

  • Mac

    This is a wonderful idea, to provide a place where kind souls can gather doing what they do best. I have been crocheting blankets for Project Linus for years, as well as being a gopher between the coordinator and the shut-in ladies who want to help but have no way to deliver their beautiful work to the collection site. The latter activity has been the most satisfying thing I have ever done because I get to visit with these dear people, most of them seniors, who still have so much to share. Afghans4Afghan is another of my favorite charities to crochet for. They are helping the children of this war-torn country not only by the garments they send but by spreading the good-will of the American crafters.

  • Jeanne

    Thank you Lion Brand for this program and your wonderful Web site that allows us to find these organizations. Thank you all of you knitters and crocheters who use your loving hands to make things for so many people. I have crocheted lapghans for the veteran’s hospital programs for http://www.soldiersangels.org/. This program is great because they will send you addresses of VA locations in your state to ship your items to. I have also made baby hats for World Health Ministries programs. I think I will make more hats for a local group in the SF Bay Area. Happy creating everyone!!!!

  • Dee

    Every year I “adopt” a child or two off the Salvation Army Angel Tree at Christmas time. I try to get girls who are Barbie age and then I purchase a Barbie and knit a wardrobe for her. I knit on Barbie clothes all year round, so I have a good supply come Christmas. The more I have finished, the more girls I can adopt off the tree. Of course, I also try to buy the girls an outfit and, if I have the time (sometimes the trees don’t get put up until just a few days before the deadline to turn in gifts) I try to knit a scarf and mittens or a sweater or vest for the girl too.

  • Dorothy Petry

    Due to health issues my husband makes stocking hats on a loom for the local Crisis Center and I crochet baby afghans~blankets and make baby hats. We make as many as time allows us during the year. Have about 300 hats and 4 baby afghans~blankets ready for this fall and time to make more before the snow flies. I think it is wonderful what others do to help those in need.

  • Vanessa

    As soon as I saw the Baby Love Diagonal Baby Blanket, I had to make it. I pulled out two skeins of a nubbly, fuzzy, super-soft yarn I had bought on clearance (about 170 yds. each), and when I got almost to the end of the first skein, I started the decrease so I could use all the yarn with no leftovers. It’s not at large as the pattern, but it’s a good size for a car seat or stroller blankie. I’m almost finished, and it will be dropped off at our local battered women’s shelter. It breaks my heart to think about wives leaving their homes with their children and few possessions, and whenever I can, I like to drop off something new. Also, once a year I send a box of caps to Arkansas Children’s Hospital. I have a daughter with disabilities and she has been there several times. It’s great to “give back.”

  • http://betsypratt.wordpress.com Betsy Pratt

    Hello,
    I have chosen to knit/crochet preemie caps and booties for Blue Bonnet Babies, a San Antonio organization that coordinates donations for preemies in various hospitals here.

    Thanks for spurring me on!!
    Betsy

  • Kathy

    I crochet caps for chemo patients and donate to the Wellness center in Redondo Beach Ca. While undergoing chemo myself, the nurses at Kaiser said I had to donate to them also. My church now sponsors a crochet hour before Wednesday night service to crochet hats. I would like to make sure everyone who makes chemo hats understands the importance of using 100% cotton yarn and including a tag with washing instructions. Bald heads are very sensitive and cotton just keeps getting softer with washing. I have also made items for preemies. During the school year (I teach 7th grade prealgebra) I make a cap or two a week. In summer I make more involved projects as I have time, but I can usually make 1 hat per 2 hour plane ride When going on vacation. My next followup appointment is Aug 4 and I have 8 hats ready.

  • Dana

    I know most crafters prefer giving their items away, but this is a great reminder to stop for a moment and really think about others. I have done Stitches from the Heart and Warm up America. I am going to join the ships project and eager to get going!

  • TRACIE

    I have knitted and crocheted for charity in the past. I am anxious to start a sweater or two for Guideposts Sweaters for kids. I have donated more than five in the past and am ready to start again. I donated hats to Caps for kids many years ago, but lost contact with the charity. I’m not sure it still exists. I think this will be fun to do together with everyone.

  • Robin

    Denver Public Library has an ongoing project of Knitting for Our Troops in partnership with the USO. Last year, they had a knitting/crocheting marathon weekend and many businesses (not just LYS) participated, providing space and snacks and support as we knit for hours. Our goal was to donate 5280 (we are the mile-high city so we use this number for lots of stuff) and we exceeded that number. I knit half a dozen hats for them then but haven’t made any this year. So I pledge to make and donate at least three hats this summer to them.

  • Alice Kimble

    I knit for charity every day. I make baby hats to donate to the local hospital and baby items for a pregancy crisis center. During the cooler months I make hats, mittens and scarves to donate to the local homeless shelter. My husband also knits and has made several items to donate to the local homeless shelter.

  • Helen

    In January of this year, Redeemer Lutheran Church, Penndel, PA started a knit and crochet ministry for Community Outreach with the support of Carewear.org. Our “Stitching Angels” group is amazing! Almost 200 garments (baby items: hats, mittens, booties, blankets, kimonos, burial gowns, sweaters; chemo hats; one prayer shawl) were made in about 10 weeks. Our Pastor had a Blessing ceremony in March. At that time, Pastor presented a member of the church with the prayer shawl. The baby items were then distributed to NICU and maternity units at three local hospitals. We meet at a local Panara Bread and use their Community Room. My son airbrushed a poster for us, which we have on a chair at the door to the Community Room. We invite all to join us.

  • Ellie Rosen

    Sounds like most of us knit for charities anyway! But it’s nice to know that others are knitting as I do, smiling at the thought of bringing a little sunshine into someone’s life. I knit for three chemotherapy infusion centers and for MUST Ministries, a local charity. My goal is to make 200 hats this year to give away.

  • Mary Ramsey

    I knit blankets for The Linus Project and also knit blankets for the dogs in shelters. I would like to work on a prayer shawl for my next charity project.

  • http://www.halosofhope.org Pam Haschke

    Personally, I knit and crochet at least 5 chemotherapy caps each week. These are given to Halos of Hope, a charity that distributes chemo caps throughout the Central States Region. Over 100,000 people in this area have to go through chemo each year, so they always need hats.

  • Carol Dowell

    Yuma Yarn Artists meet once a month. It is fun to see all the items made and brought to the meetings! Our project at the present is to knit/crochet hats and mittens for each child attending pre-school in our town. We also knit Chemo Caps for Denver Children’s Hospital and Premie Hats and Booties for North Colorado Children’s Hospital. Our Prayer Shawl Ministry group meets once a week to make shawls out of Lion Brand Homespun.
    Ask any local hospital or pre-school in your town and I am sure they would happy to receive your handknit or crocheted items!

  • birgit1040

    Hi! What fun! I am a member of Crafty Angels. I knit and crochet, although crochet is my first love. Currently I have washcloths baby bats scarfs and some other stuff to send out. I will be making scarfs for men since we are always short on them. My goal is as many as I can make and still have a clean cup for coffee. :]
    Have a great day everyone!!!!

  • Sherry P

    http://www.rectangle6x9.org/

    I started looking for charties to knit or crochet for and I found the rectangle 6×9. You knit or crochet 6 x 9 rectangles from acrylic, 4 ply worsted weight yarn and send the rectangles only they then have volunteers put rectangles together to make an afghan. Check out the web site above for additional information. I have made several rectangles so far and while I was making them I prayed for the person that would receive the rectangles after they are put together into an afhgan, their families and the people that are taking care of the wounded.
    As of July 21, 2009, they have delivered
    2,572 handmade afghans to wounded military personnel to thank them for their sacrifices to our county.

  • sue moszak

    I am knitting and crocheting “chemo hats”. As a ten year survivor of breast cancer this is an important service for me to be able to perform. There is a group of us who meet once a week for coffee, prayers and conversation while doing the hats. We have a team for our annual relay for life which is held in June each year and we give these hats away to anyone who wishes them. Those that are left we donate to the locate cancer centers. I carry some with me so that I can hand them out where ever I am if someone is in need. Love your site and this is a great way to spend the summer.

    Sue

  • Dealonnia Alberson-Cook

    It seems everything that I knit or crochet is for someone else. So making something for charity is pretty much what most craftors do…we hardly every make anything for ourselves. I have tons of yarn in plastic binds that needs to be used and I feel the fast way to do this is to join an afghans project. While the afghans usually take longer to make at least I have the yarn eager to be used. God Bless to all

  • Margot

    I’ve crocheted snuggles for a local animal hospital who has kittens for adoption, caps for the capital, stuffed toys for a hospital and scarves for the Special Olympics.

    I’d planned on knitting a scarf to be auctioned for the local wildlife rehab center for next year. But I’ll do it this summer instead. Maybe I can have two ready for next year’s auction!

  • Letha Cross

    I’ve been thinking about contacting a charity to help support our troops overseas — we always have them! This is just the kick in the pants I’ve needed. I’ve contacted American Angels and my plan is to make helmet liners, gloves, and blankets — pretty much anything crocheted that they can use.
    I’m an Air Force veteran and know how it feels to be far from home. Anything that will help them to know we care will be appreciated.

  • Kathy

    I have been making 8 inch squares for Knit-a-square, an international organization that sends the squares to orphanages and shelters in South Africa, which are then stitched together and given to the many, many AIDS orphans there. These ladies work so hard and they always email back with gratitude, update on their progress, etc. They also have a great e-zine that you can view to follow along.

  • Stephanie B.

    This is great. I just finished another blanket for a neighbor of mine who is having her second girl and decided to do a hat for her which I also finished. I then decided to use the rest of the yarn to make as many baby hats as I could for a local hospital so I will continue on that mission. Last year I made a bunch of hats and gave them to our local library who distributed them to those less forutnate. I plan on doing that again through the fall as time allows.

  • Jan

    I have made numerous things for charities over the years and was thinking it was time to do it again. This sounds like a great project. I am going to read through the listing and see what might be close to me in PA.

  • Lee Revis-Plank

    I am knitting afghans for the homeless in Elkton MD. I actually live in DE, but go to church in Elkton. My husband is passionate about our church ministering to the homeless. I am called to do what I can for them, too. Like most knitters, I have a stash of wool left from other projects or wool that I just liked the looks of, so all I am really putting into each afghan is love and time. I plan to put each one into a box and giftwrap it with a big bow … how many beautiful gifts do homeless people receive? Maybe I can give them a festive day, a touch of God’s love, and lots of warmth for the next winter. Last year I knitted helmet liners for troops in Iran. God only knows what I will do next year, but I am sure I will continue to knit for some wonderful cause. You know, knitters are not able to sit and even watch the news without keeping our hands busy!!

  • Donna B

    I’ve been knitting and crocheting for years – usually gifts for family and friends – and only recently have I started knitting for charities. I’ve done three baby sweaters for the church project of a friend, numerous 7 x 9 squares for Warm Up America, and scarves for the homeless. I think I’ll be doing more for Warm Up America, though. I belong to a group that has their annual convention in a different U.S. city each year. They’ve taken up the Warm Up America thing over the last couple of years. Volunteers knit or crochet the squares during the year, then the squares are collected and sewn together during the convention and the finished afghans are donated to a charity in that city. Whipping out the squares is super easy and quick, and it’s a way to use partial skeins of leftover yarn. Maybe, someday, my stash will dwindle to manageable proportions. :-) Right now, it’s taken over a good portion of the basement.
    Thank you, Lion Brand, for promoting charity knitting and crocheting! We all need to remember to pay it forward.

  • Claire

    I have just started crocheting hats, mittens and scarves for Link Romania, a charity which asks people to make a Christmas box full of lots of things for a whole family, and delivers them to Eastern Europe once a year. I really like the idea that along with pencils, soap, combs and little toys the very poor people there will be receiving something homemade, with love. I am also encouraging my two girls aged 5 and 9 to crochet (or help) something to donate too. This is a great idea!

  • Roberta

    I have been making hats for kids with cancer, and for the pediatric and neonatal unit at our hospital for about the last 9 years. i love making the hats and booties for the kids. I also belong to Angels for Hope We send angels, butterflies and smiley faces free of charge to anyone who is sick or has lost a loved one. We also send to families of fallen soldiers and a 100 year old birthday club Visit

    http://angelsforhope.org/

  • pat

    For the lady who makes hats and blankets for stillborns-yes they do hold on to them. We place them in a memory box along with footprints and a lock of hair, if possible,and we used to take a polaroid picture also. If anyone is making hat for term newborns their heads are anywhere from 12 to 14 inches in diameter. The bottom band should be stretchy. Even we nurses go to pick a great hat for our newborns and love to find a great color, and themed hats. A few years ago I made candy corn colored hats and pumpkin type hats. I have started on my pound of love hat and hope to find time to make more. I’d like to do some hats for the chemo center. I just finished a prayer shawl for a coworker and she loved it. I love reading all the clips.

  • mary Mora

    What wonderful giving people, i am sure you will find that this project will surely snowball. i am with a group from the Holton Community Hospice and we are Knitting and crocheting Prayer Shawls or Comfort Shawls for our local hospice group. Thanks for allowing me to share.

  • JUDY DUNFEE

    Karen, I volunteer for the local Relay For Life with the American Cancer Society. I know that the ACS takes hats and scarves for cancer patients. They are given out to those in need at no cost. Our local office keeps the hats there and also at the local Cancer Center. This is also true with wigs. There is no charge for them either. Just contact your local ACS office and they can help you find an outlet for your hats. As a volunteer, I want to thank you and the others who help with the Amercian Cancer Society. Without you they would not be making a difference in the lives of cancer patients. Again, THANK YOU to all who help!!!

  • birgit1040

    Letha Cross. I belong to a charity group on yahoo. I know we have military links in our place. you would have to join to look at them but hey its free and fun. Heres the link:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CaringHeartsCharityCrafters/
    I have started the first scarf today!
    Have a great day
    Birgit

  • birgit1040

    Donna B, LOL, never going to happen.
    I find myself in the yarn section, just to look! And my stash keeps growing. LOL Did you do the baby hats? I got hooked on those.
    Have a great day!
    Birgit

  • Gail P.

    On Nov 5, 2008 by father past away. He was in a va nurseing home. For the month of July I have been crocheting scrafs for the ventriens at the home. I will donate them in his name. I picked July because on the 15th she was dead 31 years. So i am doing it in both there mereny

  • Nancy Pawlowski, WY

    I have crocheted afghans for a local charity (Seton House) for the past 2 years. My sister has crocheted afghans for them for several years. We used to give them about 20 (one per kid), but they recently doubled in size (over 40 kids) so I found a quick pattern with bulky yarn and P hook that works up in 15 hours. My sister likes to experiment with new designs and stitches so her afghans are all different while mine are just different color combinations in bulky yarns.
    Seton House is a women’s shelter that takes in homeless single mothers and their children to help them get back on their feet.
    We have also donated to kids’ names from our church’s christmas giving tree each year. I’ve also knit and crocheted hats, scarves, and teddy bears to donate.
    I recently found out about the wool helmet liners for the military at the local “All That Yarn” shop and made a tan one to donate.

  • Riki

    This is a GREAT idea! I do a lot of knitting for a hospital in Cincinnati – a good friend is a social worker there, handling all the deaths and they have a great need for little burial outfits for the fetal demise families. I knit a bunch while here in Thailand – and then take them to the US when I go – this time it will be in September. I love knitting for others – and this I call my ‘tithe’ knitting!

    No need to find materials … my house is buried knee deep in yarn!

  • Lee

    My grand daughter calls me the “knitting machine”. I am always knitting something. I found this email from Lion to be so interesting and inspiring that I called my mom in Florida, who is 92 and LOVES to crochet. I emailed her a pattern for the chemo hats and preemie caps and she already has plans for an afghan/blanket to send to disabled vets. I am am goig to send out some chemo hats and have decided to make two scarves for Project Red. It was so awesome to read about all the differnt ways to contribute. Thank you so much!

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