Put Your Knitting Scraps Towards A Good Cause

Underneath my couch, there is an ever-growing mass of yarn.  Leftovers from old projects, yarn I bought on sale and then decided I didn’t really like the colour of, or didn’t go with anything else. Lately, my ever-expanding yarn stash is threatening to spill out and take over the whole living room.
 
So, my New Year’s resolution is to use my stash for a good cause. There are organizations that accept everything from blankets to hats and scarves and baby items. A hat and pair of booties for a newborn doesn’t even require a full ball of yarn, so it’s perfect for using up leftovers. Stripped or patchwork blankets can be made from different bits of leftovers. If you don’t have any spare yarn around, some organizations can provide you with yarn donated by other crafters. 

Crafting handmade items is a more meaningful way to get involved in a good cause than just donating money. It can be done on your own time, and can help you build a new skill. That being said, you should make sure you are confident in the quality of your work before giving it away to others.

Think about the type of yarn you are using. Giving away that spare ball of angora to charity may seem generous, but it may not be practical. Choose a machine washable yarn that feels good against the skin, and will be durable enough for whatever use it is being put towards. For example, socks and slippers need a more durable yarn, whereas a scarf needs to be softer because it comes in closer contact with your face. 

Also, consult with the charity you want to work with to find out if there are any rules about fibre content.  Some individuals are allergic to animal fibers, so non-allergenic yarns such as cotton or good quality acrylic may be preferred.

Of course, you also want to check with the organization for any rules regarding sizes or construction details on knitted or crocheted garments. Check the bottom of the page for a basic baby hat pattern. Baby hats are a great place to start because they require very little yarn (great for scraps!) or time. It’d also be a good pattern for a beginner who’s gotten sick of making scarves.

Some Charities for Crafters Include:

Canadian Red Cross, Canada wide:  Check in your area under “Community Initiatives.”  Many communities have a program to collect knitted items.  <http://www.redcross.ca/ >

Project Linus, Canada wide: Accepts all styles of quilts or blankets for seriously ill and traumatized children. Find a local chapter, or send your completed item to national headquarters. <http://pages.videotron.com/danielp/plcanada/ >

Blankets for Canada, Canada wide:  Accepts knit and crocheted blankets for shelters and families in need. <http://www.blankets4canada.ca/ss.htm >

Warming Families, Canada wide: Accepts a variety of new, handmade items for distributions to shelters.  <http://www.warmingfamilies.org/ >

Teddies for Tragedies, Canada wide: Collects handmade toys for distribution to children in 3rd world countries.  <http://www.teddiesfortragedies.org/ >

Hats off for Canada, Canada wide: Accepts hats for kids with cancer.  <http://www.hatsoffforcancer.com/index.html >

Angel Hugs, Mississauga, Ontario: Accepts knitted and crocheted afghans, baby sets, hats, scarves, mitts, shawls and knitted or crocheted toys. Items go to seriously ill individuals and families in need.  <http://www.angelhugs.ca/ >

Caring 4 Canadians, London, Ontario: Accepts a variety of knit, crochet and sewn garments for preemies and Canadian Forces members serving overseas, and others.  <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/caring4canadians/ >

Basic Baby Hat Pattern

Choosing a yarn:  Any yarn that knits up to the correct gauge (shown below) will work. However, a stretchier yarn will provide a better fit. 

Choosing needles: Work up a gauge swatch in the yarn you want to use with the needle size suggested on the ball band. Adjust needle size to obtain correct tension. Whatever size needles you choose, you will need 4 double pointed needles.

Gauge: 22sts and 30 rows = 4 inches/10 cm

Size: Newborn (0-3 months), other sizes (3-6 months, 6-12 months) given in brackets

Dimensions: 13 inch diameter (14 ¼ inches, 17 ¼ inches)

CO= Cast On, Rnd= Round, K= Knit, P=Pearl, 
Skp= slip one, knit one, pass the slip stitch over, K2tog= Knit two stitches together

Begin Pattern:

CO 72(80, 92) sts, and distribute evenly around 3 double pointed needles.  Join for working in the round, being careful not to twist stitches.
Rnd 1:  *K2, P2* repeat until end.
Repeat this round 7 more times, to form ribbing.
Rnd 9: *K18(20,23)sts place marker* repeat until end
Repeat this round 14 (20, 26) more times.

Decrease Rnd:  *Knit until 3 stitches before first marker SKP, K1, slip marker, K1, K2Tog*, repeat 3 more times.
Work decrease rnd every 3rd rnd once, every 2nd rnd 2(2, 3) times, and then every rnd 12(14,16) more times.  8 sts should be left on the needles. 

Break yarn and thread yarn through eight remaining stitches. Fasten off and weave in ends on underside of fabric.

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