Do you love to knit? Do you have a deep desire to make the world a better place? So do I! I’m Nicole Haschke, and I welcome you to Knitting for Charity. My mission is to encourage knitters like you to “knit given.”
If you would like to know more about charity knitting — programs to knit for, free patterns you can use, new techniques, information about knitting supplies, and more — you’ve come to the right place!
Let’s Talk about Why You’re Here
I don’t believe in accidents… I think you’re here for a reason.
- You love to knit. Maybe you’ve been doing it for years, or maybe you just started and you’re hooked.
- You also love to help people. You don’t feel like all is right in your world if you’re not making a difference somehow.
- Maybe you don’t have a lot of extra money lying around, and you’d really like to do something rather than just throw money at problems.
- Speaking of money, you’d really like to save money on your knitting supplies — especially great yarn.
- You think you might want to knit for charity, but you don’t know how to get started. You don’t know what is needed. You don’t know where to donate your knitting. You don’t know how to get involved locally, or nationwide, or internationally.
- You want to make sure your knitting goes somewhere where it’s really wanted or, even better, needed.
- You want your knitting to support a group of people (or animals!) that are close to your heart for any reason.
I’m here to help YOU!
I love knitting, I love knitting for charity, but what I really love is helping people. And that’s why I’m here! I want to give you the information you need to knit what you love and make it really worthwhile.
It doesn’t matter whether you’ve just started knitting, you’ve been knitting for years, you’ve never knit anything for charity, or you’re a pro at charity knitting… I work hard to get you the answers you need to make your knitting endeavors rewarding and enjoyable.
A Little about Me
Yeah, this gal here with the wild hair is me, Nicole!
You might know that Nellie the Knitting Nut and her friend Kitty originally started this website. They took on Kyla Quinlan, who then took over the website.
I was a member of Kyla’s team for a few years. She decided to move on to other endeavors, and she asked me to take it over. That’s how Knitting for Charity became my adopted baby!
About my charity knitting journey:
I’ve been knitting for almost as long as my younger daughter has been alive! When she was about 4 months old, a fellow knitting friend sent me a gift. She sent me a box full of yarn, needles, and a cute little “Learn to Knit” book.
I gave it a try one day while baby was napping, and I was hooked immediately!
My first project was a little change purse with a button. Then I made a small bag. Next I made myself a scarf. I couldn’t stop knitting!
A year or two later, I discovered charity knitting. I was so happy to find a way to combine my newest obsession with a way to help people. I especially loved it because it meant that I could use my meager resources to do something I not only loved, but that could also help make the world a better place.
A few years later I joined Kyla’s team, and the rest is proverbial history.
Fun facts about me
- I now live in Oklahoma after living most of my life in Ohio.
- I’m married, and we have two beautiful girls. — a collegiate and a middle-schooler.
- Our family is rounded out by our dog, Winnie, a black terrier mix who loves nothing better than to lick my hands and try to stand on my lap while I’m trying to knit! (I love her anyway, though.)
- Aside from knitting and writing, my hobbies include tennis (both watching and playing), reading, hand-lettering, social media, and dyeing my hair crazy colors.
- I enjoy volunteering, and I teach children’s Sunday school at our church.
What Others Have Said about Knitting for Charity:
I just want to thank you SO MUCH for this website/blog. I started a prayer shawl group in my church. As of now there are only 3 of us. We are small but mighty and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. We have been able to give 2 shawls already and it really is the best feeling in the world to be able to wrap someone going through a difficult time with this hug. I received a prayer shawl several years ago when I gave birth to my son at 26 weeks gestational. This shawl has meant so very much to me and has been such a comfort. I sleep with it every single night and wrap up in it on days I am feeling a little stress or anxiety. So THANK YOU for doing this and Bless you for “paying it forward” in this way!
Erin
I’ve only been at this less than 4 weeks and you have easily solved all the obstacles I have encountered so far. I am so blessed to have found you.
Lynell
How to Get What You Need Right Now
You’ll find answers to many of your questions about knitting for charity right here. You’ll learn about the great need, the variety of projects you can get involved in, what kinds of yarn to use, how to save a ton of money knitting for charity… and much, much, more!
I have a handful of terrific freebies to get you started. All of them are free with a subscription to the Knitting Nuggets Newsletter. This is my free e-newsletter that offers my latest blog posts along with the best nuggets about knitting from around the Internet. You’ll get it once a week, alternating Fridays and Mondays.
If you wish you could save some money on knitting, had more time for knitting, or had a bit more expertise on knitting (or this whole charity-knitting thing), subscribe below to receive my free eBooklet, “5 of Your Charity Knitting Struggles Solved in 5 Minutes or Less.”
New to charity knitting? Subscribe below and you’ll start receiving my free e-mail course, Getting Started with Charity Knitting!
And if you’d like to jump into charity knitting with some free patterns? Take a look at my free eBooklet, “Quick Charity Knitting Wins.” Fill out the form below to subscribe and get free patterns!
My Philanthropic Vision
One thing you might not know about me is how passionate I am about giving back.
When I began knitting for charity, my husband and I had just filed for bankruptcy. We were basically re-starting our lives together (along with our two young children) from scratch. Charity knitting was a way for me to contribute to the world around me when we had next to nothing to give financially.
Fortunately, we’re now in a position where we can give both with my charity knitting efforts and with our finances.
Every month, I contribute a portion of my business earnings to charities that support causes I’m especially passionate about. These include refugee assistance, building impoverished communities, and fighting modern-day slavery.
In addition, when I’m able, I like to donate financially to knitting charities. Knitting charities are usually run on shoestring budgets, and all the packing and shipping they often do doesn’t come cheap!
My husband and I also enjoy looking for ways to help out friends in need of financial assistance.
While I’m a little embarrassed to talk about these sorts of things (I personally believe that it’s kind of tacky to tout how generous you are!), I do think it’s good to let your customers know where their hard-earned money is going.
So I want you to know that every time you make a purchase from me – whether it’s one of my own products or one of my affiliate product links – you’re helping to support greater causes.
Thank you so much for your support!