Knitting for Charity: Easy, Fun and Gratifying

What is the Preemie Project? It's a great way for knitters to show their compassion and help premature infants and their families. You can't go wrong when you're helping the world's littlest children through those tough first weeks and months. Better still, it takes no time at all to charity knit such tiny projects. You can easily whip up a few blankets in a very short time.

So what is the Preemie Project and what's it all about? Read on for more information on this tiny but awesome charity.

Posted by Kitty Doyle at 1:11 PM | Permalink

Speaking of fun, have you heard about knitted taxidermy?

When I heard about this I thought, "Surely that doesn't mean covering a dead animal with knitting and displaying it in your living room, like some kind of yarn bombing, mummifying, crafting gone terribly wrong?"

I soon discovered that I was right in my assumption. (Much to my surprise) The knitted taxidermy is basically a hunting-trophy cozy. Underneath the cabled wool is an actual deer head trophy.

If you're anything like me and are interested in the idea of knitted taxidermy, but are horrified at the idea of yarn bombing Bambi's dad, then I have this DIY idea I think would work, and doesn't require animal remains.

You knit a trophy animal head as you would a toy, stuff it with foam, and then mount it on your wall as rustic home décor. You can embellish the knitted taxidermy by using a pattern stitch, cable stitching, and color.

Alternatively, if you really want the full accuracy of the taxidermy look, taxidermy suppliers sell trophy head forms for almost every game animal imaginable. If you don't mind spending a little money, you can order a trophy head form and cover it in your own knitting.

It's a cruelty-free suggestion even PETA would approve of...

Posted by Kyla at 10:13 AM | Permalink

Calypso's Ocean is a fairly unique charity in the world of infant knitting. There are many charities dedicated to preemies, to stillborns, to SIDS, and the like -- but not many who target neonatal death.

Neonatal death refers to babies who are born prematurely and, despite their best efforts, can not survive. This process is completely agonizing for the parents who have to watch their tiny infants struggle for every breath, often for weeks on end, before they finally succumb to death.

Posted by Kitty Doyle at 5:21 PM | Permalink

Someone once said that if you stop learning, you're dead. That's something I really love about knitting. No matter how good you get, there's always something new you can learn. And if you're a beginning knitter, don't get overwhelmed: instead, think of the whole world of exciting discoveries waiting for you.

This week, I've found all sorts of fun instructional resources for you to enjoy! So if you're starting to get bored or just want a challenge, check out something fun and new and learn something fantastic.

Posted by Kyla at 10:02 AM | Permalink

One thing that we knitters often have plenty of is leftover yarn. You know, all those bits and scraps of yarn from projects we've tackled in the past. If you're like me, you've held on to it, because it seemed wasteful to simply throw it away - especially if there was a good handful or more left.

On the other hand, you may sometimes wonder, "is there anything I can do with all this leftover yarn?" That's a particularly pertinent question if you're on a strict yarn budget and would appreciate being able to use the yarn you already have rather than spending limited funds on more yarn.

Fortunately, the answer to this question is a resounding YES. There are many wonderful ways you can use leftover yarn - from baby hats to washcloths and many others in between. Below are a wide variety of patterns that will allow you to use up the leftover bits in your stash and have fun doing it!

Posted by Kyla at 9:30 AM | Permalink

Hats for Hunger is an extraordinary knitting charity. What makes it so special? Many things, but especially the fact that a nine year old boy started it up. We've featured articles about kids and knitting for charity before, but I never get tired of seeing how very young kids can make a difference in the world. It inspires me to keep knitting for charity -- after all, if a nine year old can do it, so can I!

Posted by Kitty Doyle at 5:16 PM | Permalink

Don't be afraid to try new things -- have fun with your knitting. Spring is in the air and I'm having a blast knitting light spring sweaters, fun toys, decorative scarves -- you name it! Don't ever let anyone tell you that because the cold weather is over, the knitting season ends. There is no knitting season -- it's an all year activity.

With that in mind, check out the gorgeous shrug that is today's featured pattern, and take a look at some of these great knitting charities, too

Posted by Kyla at 9:01 AM | Permalink

For some people, knitting needles are a world of confusion. I'll never forget the novice knitter who gazed at me in frustration and asked, 'But why are they all different sizes? What do they do?' It was then I realized that knitting needle sizes were not clear to everyone -- far from it.

With that in mind, here's my easy guide to knitting needle sizes.

Posted by Kitty Doyle at 5:11 PM | Permalink

Usually I focus my charity knitting efforts locally. It's hard not to when you see the need in your own city or hear of the need in your family's neighborhoods and hometowns.

But lately I have found it equally impossible to ignore what has happened to the beautiful country of Japan and its proud, dignified people and culture. In fact, my heart has been completely broken as Japan has been ravaged by earthquake after earthquake, devastated by a tsunami, and further felled by nuclear disaster. From my comparatively perfect, comfortable, and well-protected home, I could only wonder, "whatever can we possibly do?"

At first the answer seemed to be "nothing." As knitters we want to knit blankets and hats and mittens to help in times of disaster, but when natural disasters strike so far from home, that isn't the kind of assistance needed. It's far more difficult to get such items to where they are needed, for one thing; for another, what relief organizations such as the Red Cross, Save the Children, and Doctors Without Borders need right now are monetary donations.

But knitters and those who serve us -- creators of yarn and patterns -- seem to be, by nature, an incredibly generous breed. They have stepped up in big ways to allow us to use our craft to raise money to help this beautiful, disaster-torn nation get back on its feet.

Posted by Kyla at 8:37 AM | Permalink