Knitting for Charity
Knitters are very generous people. We know that many of you already knit for charity and that there is a need for more promotion on knitting for charity. We have received many enquiries asking which charities need knitters and we hope to let you know, but we do need your help.
If you know of any fundraising activities which involves knitting, please let us know so that we can keep everyone informed
Click here to tell us of any charity you are knitting for that would welcome help from other knitters
Here are some projects currently involved in raising money through Knitting for Charity
Early Angels Project
Raynor Gellatly runs a charity set up to encourage knitters to knit for premature babies at their local hospitals. They are looking for new volunteers to send knitted baby garments or small soft toys.
Click here for full details on their website
The Royal British Legion
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| Remembrance Day Poppy |
Click here if you would like to knit a poppy and raise money for The Royal British Legion
The Children's Society Launch Their 'Biggest Christmas Stocking Challenge'
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The Children's Society Launch The
Big Knit |
Helping to Knit Squares During Tea Break |
Helping to Knit Squares With Friends |
World Record Knitting For Childhood
Be part of our Guinness world record challenge! We need 7500
red knitted squares to create a huge 20 metre long Christmas
stocking and we're asking you to help us by knitting and
sending us red squares, whilst also raising vital funds to give
children back their childhood. Once completed, the stocking will
be filled with presents, which will then be distributed among the
children we work with.
Criteria For Breaking The World Record
All squares must be knitted with RED
WOOL. Any shade of red, any stitch and any type of wool will
do (but we recommend double knit or thicker).
All squares must be approximately 20cm or 8 inches square
(roughly 30 stitches depending on the wool).
All squares must be sent to us at the address below by 3rd
December 2007.
The Big Stitch World Record
The Children's Society
FREEPOST LON14784
London, WC1X 0JL
Click here for further information
The Baby Pack Project, Burundi Bears, Blythswood Care, Preemiesuk and Boobs for Breastfeeding
Loving Hands Charity Knitting Group was formed after a very succesful 24 hour Charity Knitathon which took place in the Volunteer Centre in Kirkcaldy, Fife to celebrate National Volunteers Week. The event went so well it was decided to start up a group to continue the great work started during the Knitathon. We have a blog site and have now got members from all over the UK who knit and crochet for various charities. We also have a group who meet up every Monday afternoon in the Community Centre, Kelty from 1pm to 3pm - all welcome! As well as the main charities, we make blankets for the local animal shelters and prem baby clothes for the local hospitals.
New members are always welcome as are donations of yarn, needles, patterns, toy stuffing etc.
Click here to contact Lou if you can help their group
Click here to read more on Lou's blog
Carmarthen Special Care Baby Unit
Angela Cook has written in to say why she is hoping to raise funds for the Special Care Baby Unit at Camarthen:
"On the 9th of May my friend Mel went into early labour. She had a baby girl, Tia, who was born at 2.45. Sadly Tia passed away at 3.30, so we are trying to raise money for a local hospital in Carmarthen for the special care baby unit. My good friend Mel was devastaed as exspected so her mother is knitting bedding for the unit and we are doing fundraising events in our local community and we hope to get a good response."
Click here to contact Angela if you would like to help.
Community Clinic In Kampala, Uganda
Juliet Hutton-Squire has recently returned from a trip to Uganda where she was working as a missionary. She has committed to raising funds for a community clinic there:
"On a recent missionary trip to Uganda, I stayed in the home of a dear woman, Margret, a midwife who has a heart for caring for people.We were in the midst of deep poverty and there is a great need for care. Margret has started to build her own clinic, offering healthcare facilities for men,women and children who are too poor to look after themselves. I felt motivated to do all that I can to raise funds for Margret so that her good work may continue in Kampala. I am organising a series of events to raise money including an exhibition and coffee morning. I would be so grateful for knitters to help me knit tea cosies."
Click here to contact Juliet if you would like to help. Juliet will provide a simple pattern and yarn and pay postage costs
Shelter
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Origins stores invite you to knit mini scarves to decorate their ginger essence jars and help raise money for Shelter
Click here for more details
Click here for Shelter website
Breakthrough Breast Cancer and Cancer Research UK
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Wendy Else is hoping that as many knitters as possible will help her raise funds for Cancer Research by knitting miniatures for keyrings. Wendy writes:
" The idea is to produce miniature knitted sweaters and handbags similar to the ones shown. I would provide the basic pattern and the split rings for the items – we ask you to provide the small bits of wool and ribbons etc to knit, sew and decorate the handbag or sweater as you wish and then return them to myself to be fitted with the final key ring."
This campaign has now closed (December 2007) with over £2000 having been raised.
Click here to contact Wendy
St John's Ambulance
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St John's Ambulance Knitting Logo |
Laughing Hens Pattern For You To Knit |
St John Ambulance seeks 5,000 knitted tea cosies to help raise vital funds for their life-saving work
Grab your knitting needles and cosy on up by getting involved with St John Ambulance’s BIG tea cosy! The BIG tea cosy is the charity’s national fundraising day on November 30th 2007 where friends and workmates will be encouraged to have a cuppa for St John Ambulance. The charity is also appealing to knitters to donate their very own BIG tea cosies, with an initial target set for 5,000. These will then be sold nationwide to raise additional vital funds for their life saving work. St John Ambulance has teamed up with Laughing Hens to provide you with a fun and bright tea cosy pattern to get you started
Seasoned pros are also encouraged to send in their own designs – the crazier the better; you may even win the website’s coveted Tea Cosy of the Week
Click here for patterns and knitting advice, and for more information on how to hold your very own tea party
Ray Of Hope
Christine Cooper, coordinator of Ray
of Hope has written in to offer patterns for
low birthweigh babies and also babies who sadly do not
make it.
If you use any of the patterns, please let Christine
know that you saw her generous offer on this website.
Click here to use any of the tried and tested patterns on the Ray of Hope website
Age Concern Norwich
Richard Symon tells us that he looking for Knitters in the Norwich area to get involved with fundraising activities, to help raise funds for our work with and for older people in Norwich:
"We are holding a 'knit and natter' coffee morning here in our offices at Boardman house on Wednesday 22nd August from 10.30am, So join us with your needles and wool and we will supply you with tea coffee and cake in return for your bobble hats!"
Click here if you can help and would like further details
PreemiesUK
Shelley Mitchell is the founder of PreemiesUK and would like as many knitters as possible to help her knit or crochet items for premature babies.
Click here to contact Shelley if you can help
Click here for more information on Shelley's website
Breast Cancer Care
Yarn-in-Notts as part of their continuing support for Breast Cancer Care are holding a couple of 'get togethers' to raise funds for this charity as part of their 'Strawberry tea fortnight'. On Wednesday 4th July 10am - 12noon and Thursday 5th July from 2pm we will be serving strawberry scones, tea and coffee (for a donation please!).
Click here for more information
The Baby Pack Project, Knitting for New Born Babies in South Africa
Click here for more information
Click here for website with details of project
Click here to contact Alison if you would like to help
Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal, Dorothy House Hospice and other charities in Wiltshire
Do you live near Melksham in Wiltshire? Jenny has written to tell us about her new group who are busy raising money for several charities:
" Craft Chat & Coffee is a new group started in January at Bowerhill, near Melksham in Wiltshire. We meet fortnightly on a Friday afternoon at Bowerhill Village Hall 1p.m to 4p.m. £1.50p entrance fee which includes refreshments. All crafts are encouraged which incudes knitting, crochet, quilting, cross stitch, beading, sewing etc.. Apart from the social aspect of this new group we will be supporting Operation Christmas Child shoebox appeal, Dorothy House Hospice and other local charities with our craft items or just raising funds for them. At the moment we are averaging an attendance of between 20 to 24 ladies but have room for a few more."
Click here to contact Jenny if you would like to help
Paul Sartori Foundation (Hospice Care in Pembrokeshire, Wales)
Catriona Buchert has just launched a weekly knitting club at Pembrokeshire's first 'Knit Cafe' 14-18 High Street, Fishguard.
"Come and join like minded knitters at the new ‘Fish-Knits’ group. Knitters are invited to come along and make items for Paul Sartori Foundationwhich can be sold through the charity to raise funds for the Hospice service provided. Knitters can bring their own yarn and knit for themselves or there will be some available at the venue."
Whether you are local or on holiday, come and join in with the knitting every Wednesday morning from 10.30am
Click here to contact Catriona if you can help
Age Concern
Saturday 9 June is Knit In Public Day: At John Lewis Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, haberdashery department and a marquee in the Centennial Gardens Welwyn Garden City Hertfordshire, they will be knitting hats for Innocent Smoothie Bottles to raise money for Age Concern.
10.30 am - 4pm, refreshments will be provided.
Click here for more details
Algerian Action
Algerian Action is a small 'not for profit' project
who provide gift parcels of clothes and toys to needy children
in Algeria.
We are currently running a campaign called 'Get crafty'. We
are asking people to make cushions which can be then sold and
the profits used to buy toys and clothing to be included in our gift
parcels. The cushions can be made of any type of wool or fabric
and may be adorned with ribbons,beads and other trimmings.
In addition we also require knitted baby and toddler clothes
that can be added to our parcels.
Click here to contact Emma if you can help
Click here for more information
Alzheimer's Society
The Doncaster Branch of the Alzheimer's Society is organising a sponsored Knit/Crochet to raise funds during Alzheimers Awareness Week, 1st - 7th July 2007
Click here for more details
Click here to contact Jill if you would like to take part or offer support
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| Noni Flower |
This very special knitted flower has been designed in memory of all the women across the world who have fought and won or lost the battle with breast cancer.The Noni flower is a symbol of love and hope for all women. The aim is to celebrate the lives of those courageous and beautiful women whose lives have been taken but also to raise funds for continued research. Although 2/3 of women survive the disease, it still claims more than 12,000 lives per year in the UK and about 41,000 worldwide. Proceeds from the sale of patterns for the Noni Flower will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation in the US and Walk the Walk in the UK.
Dorret Conway will be taking part in the Edinburgh Moonwalk on June 17th 2007, in memory of Helen, her lifelong friend who lost a 3-year battle with the disease in February 2007. She will be decorating her bra with the Noni Forget-me-not for Breast Cancer Research
Click here to find out more about the Edinburgh Moonwalk
Click here if you would like to knit a flower and send it for Dorret to wear in memory of a loved one on June 17th
Click here to view Noni Forget Me Not Flowers. On LHS find 'Embellishments' then click on (next entry underneath) 'Spring 2007'
Wallace and Gromit Foundation: The Great British PicKnit
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| Shaun the Sheep © 2006 Aardman Animations Ltd |
Aardman Animations are working together with the UK Hand Knitting Association, Simply Knitting magazine and ICHF exhibitions to organise The Great British PicKnit, a fabulous project which will also raise money for the Wallace and Gromit Children’s Foundation (The foundation raises funds to improve the quality of life for children in hospitals and hospices throughout the UK.)
Click here to read all about joining The Great British PicKnit
Click here for Hints and Tips for holding your very own PickKnit
WaterAid: 'Knit Xstream' at the Eden Project update
Carla Wentink from The Eden Project writes with news of World Water Day:
"Yesterday (22.03.07) was Knit Xstream's last day, as it was also World Water Day. The project was a great success and Knit Xstream will certainly flow & grow again later this year, when we hope to raise awareness for the Edge: the dry tropic biome we hope to build. For Eden the Knit Xstream project has proven itself a wonderful and warm means for dialogue and education in the widest sense of the word."
Click here to learn more
Cancer Research: Stitch and Bitch London, Update on Lion Scarves
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| Members of Stitch and Bitch London with scarves |
We now have over 150 metres of Lion Scarf (over three
times the height of Nelson's column) from 15 different countries.
Over £1800 has been raised so far and the fund total
goes up almost daily.
A Lion Scarf Social is being held on the 14th
of March at the South Banks Queen Elizabeth Hall Terrace
Bar from 6 pm for people to bring along their final knitted
patches to.
The Lion Scarf Event will be held in Trafalgar Square on the 20th
of March at 11.30 am. We would love as many knitters as possible to come along and join us
in making the Lions warm for the lion-hearted people who fight cancer every day.
We are expecting quite a few members of the press, as Cancer Research UK will
send their press release next week.
Click here for Lion Scarf blog and latest details
WaterAid: 'Knit Xstream' at the Eden Project
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The Eden Project |
Helping to Knit a River |
Carla Wentink from The Eden Project has written to tell us of their new venture involving knitting and how with your help they aim to raise awareness of the great importance of water throughout the world:
"WaterAid has asked Eden to give our project a new
title, because our aim
is to raise water awareness in the widest sense of the word,
not
campaigning specifically for water aid. So we now title it
'Knit
Xstream' and rather than asking people to send us a knitted
square, we
ask our visitors to come and knit a big river with us in
the month
leading up to World Water Day on 22 March.
We will probably also run the project this summer as part
of our
'Climate Revolution' theme, in which droughts and water are
returning
subjects. Public can come and knit a stitch in time, do some
purl diving or learn
the skill while visiting the Eden Project. I have lots of needles on the
go and each pair has some 25 stitches on them, so we can knit long long
streams of water that I will put together in time to make one big river."
How you can help:
'Knit Xstream'
will take place every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and
Saturday from 1.00-4.00pm. Visitors should double check
in advance by
phone for further details Tel: 01726 811911
Click here for
more details from the Eden Project website
Click here if you
would like donate any blue(-ish) yarns
Remember: "Every drop helps."
Burundi Bears, update
Gren Burgess has sent us a further update to tell us how much more they have achieved with the help of funds from the sale of Brundi Bears:
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Photograph 1 |
Photograph 2 |
Photograph 3 |
"As
you know, we completed the first 6 classrooms in time
for the start of term last September - the first school
facility ever built in the area. You can see some of the children
who are now attending school on the first photo.
Photograph 2 shows the Administration Block, which has only been completed in
the last couple of weeks. This block provides offices and toilets for the
headmaster and the school secretary, as well as a waiting area for the parents.
Photograph 3 gives you an idea of the layout of the site. On the right
is the newly completed Administration Block and on the left the first 6 classrooms. The
small building in the centre is the first of two toilet blocks which will be
provided.
In the background are the mountains on the border with Tanzania.
Work has just started on the second block of classrooms, which will be followed
by the second toilet block. We will send further updates through, as the
photographs arrive.
Thanks to everyone who is involved, for your support for the project."
Click here for pattern and to read more about the project
Click here to contact Gren Burgess for details of where to send your completed bears
The Peace Hospice, Watford
The Peace Hospice is knitting its way through one of its most ambitious projects to date by asking people to help knit gigantic scarves which will be wrapped around the hospice building and also Watford Football Club. The two scarves will measure over 1200 metres in total! Once completed the scarves will be sent to an independent, humanitarian agency with the specific purpose of individual and community development and disaster relief, to distribute to those in need in third world countries.
Click here to contact Gill Crowshaw if you can help
Click here for more details
Cancer Research: Stitch and Bitch London, Update on Lion Scarves
The deadline for sending in your knitted contribution is 28th February
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Knitting Scarves for the Lions |
Length of Scarf Parts |
Rolls of Scarf Parts |
Scarf Parts |
The Lions have been measured and we need 16 metres per scarf. That is 64 metres altogether. Sewing began on the 11th of February. We have measured the scarf parts so far and we currently have 38 metres of scarf. Countries knitters have sent parts from are: England, Wales, Ireland, Holland, USA, Canada and Australia. We have been promised parts from New Zealand, France, South Africa and Spain. There are also parts coming in from all over the UK and USA and Canada. Most of the parts have stories to them. Some parts are being knitted in memory of those we have sadly lost from cancer, some are being knitted by cancer survivors, and some are from people who are knitting to support others who are fighting the disease. There are also many parts from kind-hearted people who just want to be part of something amazing.
Click here for Lion Scarf blog and latest details
Feed The Children
Gill Kendal knits for Feed The Children in her spare time from home. Brightly coloured jumpers, hats, gloves and scarves are needed which are sent to children around the world. (Please avoid white as in parts of Africa this is associated with mourning.)
Click here for patterns from their website and information about how you can help
BISS (British & International Sailors’ Society): Woolly Hat Week to run from 4th February - 10th February
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Woolly Hat Week 2006 produced such a phenomenal response that the Society has been able to provide an additional 7,000 woolly hats to seafarers in need. This response has enabled the charity to not only provide additional Christmas parcels and hats to seafarers visiting the UK, but hats are now being sent regularly to BISS Port Chaplains in Antwerp, Russia and the Ukraine for distribution.
B.I.S.S. is now launching Woolly Hat Week 2007 which runs from 4th – 10th February and hope that more knitters will knit hats for seafarers and more organisations, groups and companies will take part in Wear Your Woolly Hat Week to raise money for the charity.
Seafarers are a largely invisible and vulnerable group of people who travel the oceans bringing our goods. With 95% of the world’s trade travelling by ship each one of us benefits from their work. Often separated from loved ones for weeks if not months, the Society’s Port Chaplains help to provide practical help (your woolly hats) and spiritual care whenever and wherever needed. Sometimes all that is required is transport to a telephone or to an Internet café or Seafarers’ Centre. At other times the need is to talk to a trusted friend or to pass the time of day in a native tongue. Port Chaplains have the time to help them regardless of their nationality, background or relgion.
If you would like to help seafarers by knitting hats or taking part in Wear Your Woolly Hat To Work Week for please contact Jan Webber British & International Sailors’ Society at 350 Shirley Road, Southampton, SO15 3HY. Tel: 023 8051 5950 email:woollyhats@biss.org.uk
Click here to find out how you can help, patterns will be sent through the post on request
Feed The Children
The Tyne and Wear branch of The Knitting and Crochet Guild will be knitting squares for Feed The Children in the Metro Radio Area at The Pins and Needles Craft Show 15 - 17 March 2007.
Click here to contact Diane if you would like to help
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Cover Girl Katie Knitting |
UnRavel Event |
Rotterdam S'n'B |
'Knit a River' |
Gerard Allt of I Knit London has written with the latest information on progress so far:
"Knit
a river is an awareness raising campaign for WaterAid.
I Knit London have been collaborating with WaterAid,
an International NGO, on the biggest, most unique knitted
spectacle ever! We have been asking for knitted
blue squares to be sent in order that we can sew them
together to form a knitted river which will then be used
for at rally, demonstrations and WaterAid campaign events.
The response to the campaign call has been amazing. Since June 2006 we have received
thousands of blue squares from all over the world. We even received over 1000
from a school in Doncaster. We have sewn together about a quarter
of the 25,000+ squares we have received thus far. We are going to use the river
in an awareness seeking/raising stunt in February. When we have used the river
in several planned events for
2007, we will dismantle the river and offer a significant amount to homeless
charities and disaster emergency agencies, a portion of the river will remain
with WaterAid for future campaign activities and events."
Click here for more information
2007
Do you live in Surrey?
The Richmond Unitarian Church Knitting and Storytelling Group meet on the first Wednesday of the month. Their crocheted, knitted and quilted gifts are given to six charities: The Princess Alice Hospice, Cuddles, Ray of Hope, Friends of Poland and the Linus Project
Click here to contact Jo if you would like to join this group
Help Knit a Scarf for a Trafalgar Square Lion for Cancer Research!
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Here we are with the lion at Trafalger Square |
Stitch
and Bitch London, knitting the scarf |
More of the group knitting the scarf |
Stitch and Bitch London are attempting to knit a gigantic scarf for one of the rather chilly-looking Trafalgar Square lions. The scarf will be raffled off after being presented to the lion, and one lucky winner will get a 43.5 foot scarf to wrap around their armchair/tree/house/partner. All proceeds will go to Cancer Research.
If you wish to begin knitting your part of the giant scarf at home, we suggest the dimensions are 10 inches (25.5cm) by however long you can knit. Please use the most hideous or bizarre yarn you have!
Knit your bit! The scarf will be presented to the lion in the New Year so you have plenty of time to knit it. We would like as many people as possible to knit a piece of it. You can knit the smallest, teeny tiny part or a huge chunk, in whichever yarn you fancy
Click here for an address to post your part to
Click here to see all Lion Scarf progress so far
Burundi Bears, update
Gren Burgess has written to tell us how much they have achieved with the help of funds from the sale of Brundi Bears:
"We
are delighted to report that Phase 1 of Muzye School,
near Rutana, Burundi has been completed and is operational.
On September 25th, children from the area began school - many
of them for the first time ever! The
children, their parents and even grandparents are
thrilled to see the school up and running, as it is
the realisation of a much longed-for dream. We are now starting
on Phase 2 and, if funds continue to come in, we would
expect to see the whole project at Muzye completed
during the early part of 2007.
The Burundi Bears have been a great help in providing funds for this school
and each day more bears arrive at our office. Thanks
to everyone, who has knitted, sewn, stuffed and embroidered faces. It is
amazing that so many 'individual' Bears can be created from just one pattern! Thanks
also to those who have 'sold' bears to family & friends, or at coffee mornings
etc. We really
do appreciate the effort you have made on our behalf. If you feel the urge,
please keep on knitting through the winter months, as when we have finished
Muzye School, we will still need 'Burundi Bears' for our next school challenge.
Thanks again for all you have done."
Click
here to see photographs of the first 6-classroom block and some
of the children are available on our website
The Children's Society 'Knit It' Campaign
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Start knitting for a great cause, The Children’s Society, with a range of fantastic patterns to help raise money for children across the UK. The Children’s Society’s ‘Knit It’ campaign aims to raise vital funds for the charity plus help people across the country fall in love with knitting.Knitting is enjoying a huge revival with celebrities like Cameron Diaz, Kate Moss, Stella Tennant and Sarah Jessica Parker joining in. Knitting is a major craft of our culture and heritage going back to the 14th Century, with the first favoured items being knitted socks!
It only takes a couple of hours or an evening to create a mini knitted masterpiece, which will show your creative side. And the money you raise from your sponsored knit or by selling your mini masterpieces will help fund the charity’s work with 50, 000 children in 60 projects across the UK and campaign to help thousands more. The Children’s Society works in partnership with communities, schools and families. It helps: children at risk on the streets; children in trouble with the law; young refugees; children with disabilities.
Click here for information about how you can help
Thanks again to all of you who have knitted and crocheted such beautiful blankets, bears and babywear for the project.
Click here for website with details of project
Click here for blog with latest news
Oxfam
Oxfam is looking for competent
knitters who can make blankets
and/or accessories such as hats and scarves. Donations
of knitwear will either be offered for sale in selected Oxfam
shops or will be saved for the charity’s increasingly popular
stalls at Glastonbury, Reading and other music festivals.
Accessories: Some
Oxfam shops are now selling fashionable hats and scarves
knitted by local supporters from a pattern kindly donated
by Rowan Yarns. They are currently looking for new patterns
in order to expand the range of hand-knitted accessories – and
hope soon to be adding bags, berets, mittens and tank tops
to their repertoire.
Blankets: Knitted and crocheted blankets are
now best sellers at the summer festivals, and donations – the
more colourful the better – can be taken to any Oxfam shop. Some
may be sold in the shop itself; the remainder will be forwarded
to our depot and kept for the start of the 2007 festival
season.
The money raised from knitwear, like all money raised in Oxfam shops, will be spent wherever it is most needed. As well as providing emergency aid and support to people affected by conflict and natural disasters, Oxfam also carries out long-term development work with poor communities, helping people to provide for their families, send their children to school and gain access to services that we take for granted, such as clean water and basic healthcare.
Click here or phone 0845 3000 311 to find out which Oxfam shops are currently selling hand-knits
Click here for Oxfam's website
Oxfam: Sherwood, Nottingham
The Sherwood Oxfam shop has a knitting group which meets on Saturday mornings. They make hats, scarves, dolls clothes and other saleable items. In the run-up to Christmas the group will also be using their crochet skills to make tree decorations.
The group welcomes new members, and is always in need of donations to keep the knitters in business – if you have any odds and ends of wool that you are not going to use please drop them into the shop.
If you can help, please contact John on: 0115 962 5813. Shop: 650 Mansfield Road, Sherwood, Nottingham, NG5 2GA.
Poole Hospital, Dorset: Little Angels
Marina Kohler works as a nurse at Poole hospital and has recently formed a group of volunteers who knit and crochet for premature babies and for babies who have passed away. If you would like to help, please use pastel coloured baby wool in 2ply - dk.
Click here to contact Marina if you would like to help and for details of where to send completed items
Click here and here for free patterns
Help The Aged and C.H.A.S.
Wendy, from Perth in Scotland is raising money for charity through a World Record Attempt on the World's Longest Scarf.
During National Knitting Week, from October 14 to 21, Wendy hopes people will drop in to the shop to help sew pieces together while having a coffee and a chat. ('Loose Threads' in St John’s Place, Perth)
Click here for details of how you can take part
Click here for details of progress so far
NSPCC
Members of Big Knit Out, North Star Cafe, 108 Queen Margaret Drive, Glasgow invite you to knit a pair of fingerless mittens for charity. The next meet ups will be: Wednesdays, Sept. 6th & 20th, 7-9 pm
All of the mittens will be on sale at the Oct. 21 Miso Funky Market, Hillhead Library, Byres Rd. Glasgow G12.
All proceeds of the sale will go to the NSPCC.
Click here for more details and pattern
Candle International
Vicky from Dalkeith, Midlothian is busy encouraging locals to knit for orphans in Belarus. During National Knitting Week, 14 - 21 October, there will be a collection box outside her wool shop.
"Nezabudka
(which means 'Forget Me Not') is an orphanage in Belarus
and through Candle International we're planning a big
charity knit (or crochet) for the orphanage and the hospital
baby unit (clothing, blankets or toys) It's a great way to
get rid of all those 'bits' of
wool.
Get those needles clicking!"
Click here to contact Vicky if you would like to help
Alison Tracey is the Northern Ireland Co-Ordinator for the Baby Pack Project. This is how the project came about:
"Gill lives in Kwa-Zulu-Natal, South Africa. Upon learning that newborn babies at Ntabeni clinic were sent home wrapped in newspaper, she sprang into action. The Baby Pack Project has grown out of that seed of compassion sown by Gill Richardson back in 2005. The Baby Pack Project now make “baby-packs” for both the Ntabeni and Murchison clinics in Kwa Zulu Natal, to give to every mother of a newborn baby when leaving the clinic. Our aim is to supply all babies leaving these 2 clinics with a pack containing two cloth nappies/diapers, 1 pin and waterproof pants, a towel, soap, hat, booties or mittens and one babygro, a matinee coat or cardigan, a bib, small blanket & a little soft toy.
Will you help us? Become one of our dedicated knitters - blankets & baby clothes are so desperately needed. Spread the word about the Baby Pack Project, post us your unwanted baby clothes, towels, blankets or any other items that can be used in our baby-packs. Organise a fundraiser. Do you belong to an online community or forum, a local community centre or church where other folks might help? Has your own wee baby outgrown their newborn clothes and you don’t know of anyone who needs them. If you can spare something or make an item for us then please post it to the address shown below. Whatever you do will be so very much appreciated and will of course make a huge difference to these poor babies’ and their start in life."
Click here to contact Alison if you would like to help
Burundi Bears, update
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Click on the image to read the latest information |
Click on the
image to read about the school that you are helping
us to build |
We are so grateful to all who are taking part in the project - giving their time and effort - to help bring real change into the lives of the children of southern Burundi.
Click here to find out more about the project
Great Ormond Street and North Devon Hospice
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Alison's hand painted Gingerbread House |
Details of the interior |
Mini version |
Help
us knit our Giant Gingerbread House
Alison
Murray organiser
writes:
"Last
year we raised over £10,000
for North Devon Hospice knitting our 25 foot Christmas Tree. This
year we are raising money for both North Devon Hospice and
Great Ormond Street Hospital for sick children by knitting
a Giant Gingerbread House. The
house will be about the size of an average living room and
will be set in a knitted wood. The knitted interior of the
house will also be on view. As this
is a much larger project we plan to finish for June 2007 with
the finished house on view at Atlantic
Village for the summer 2007 and then on to London to raise
more funds for our charities. We need squares, sweets, cakes,
cookies, leaves, flowers and gingerbread men."
If
you would like to help please send £2
(cheques payable to North Devon Hospice please)
together with a S.A.E. to: -
Giant
Gingerbread House (BHK), Atlantic Village, Clovelly
Road, Bideford, North Devon, EX39 3QU
In your pack you will receive
knitting patterns and more details.
Click here to contact Alison
Bonnie Babies
Debby Lamont is one of a growing number of knitters who makes premature items and burial outfits for UK Special Baby Care Units.
"We are a voluntary organisation, currently sending our parcels to about 40 UK Hospitals and a children's Hospice. Many bereaved parents are put in touch with us through SANDS."
Click here to contact Debby if you would like to help knit items
Click here for website to learn more about this organisation
Shoe Box Appeal for Children in the World's Poorest Countries
Lisa Reeves from BBC Radio Leicester is launching an appeal now to collect as many shoe boxes as possible in time for Christmas 2006. Items requested are knitted hats, gloves, scarves, pencil cases, and puppets.
For patterns phone the CSV Action Desk at BBC Leicester: 0116 201 66 44
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| Click on image to enlarge |
Click here to contact Lisa if you can help
WaterAid: Help needed to Knit A River
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We want to Knit A River - that is we need as many knitters as possible to send us knitted blue squares so we can put them together and make a river, which is to be used as a campaign tool to demand attention and make sure that issue of water and sanitation stay firmly on the global political agenda.
Click here for more information
Click here to contact Gerard if you would like to help
The K9 Rescue Knitting Club
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This new club was launched early in 2006 by the ladies of the Ellis Garden Community Centre in Middlesburgh. Using donations of wool, they create unique designs for dog coats which are then sold for the benefit of Dog Rescue Centres. This great venture has gained support from other dog-loving knitters around the country via the internet and a virtual knitting club has been created.
Click here to visit website for more information and if you have any wool you would like to donate to this cause
The Children's Society 'Knit It' Campaign
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Get together with friends and raise money to
make a positive change to the lives of disadvantaged children
with our Knit It appeal. A sponsored knitting event or a
bring and buy knitting sale will raise vital funds for us to work
with the most deprived children across the country. We have
fantastic patterns from designers such as Rowan and the BHKC.
Take action today and use your talents, time and creativity
to help The Children's Society give these children the
chance they deserve.
£5 can
enable a child – being bullied
in the school or community – to have their first 20-minute session
with one of our specialist workers. The worker will listen
and work together with the child, the school, and often the
bully, to find a practical way forward
£15 pays for a Big Bag (containing essential
items such as toiletries, warm clothing, and a coin for the
telephone) for a young person living on the streets
£30 pays for two disabled children to visit
the seaside in specially equipped vehicles
Click here for information about fundraising or call 0845 600 8585 to order a free Knit It pack
Knit baby socks to be donated to charitable organisations and take part in a World Record attempt for The Longest Laundryline
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Opal Yarns in Germany began this initiative back in January and can accept socks up to 30th April.
Click here for more information and patterns
Knitted teddies needed for babies in South Africa
" My friend Gill and I are in the process of setting up a new registered charity www.babybearproject.tk . Gill lives in kwa-Zulu-Natal in South Africa, and upon hearing at her local church, that babies in a clinic were sent home wrapped in newspaper, moved us into action. We are now collecting babypacks for the clinics, to hand out to each mother of a newborn baby. The idea is, that every newborn baby will have at the very least the most basic of babysupplies. We have a small number of dedicated knitters, but as the donations are pouring in, they can not keep up work to knit our bears. We want to include one knitted bear in each babypack. Blankets and knitted babyclothes are also desperately needed. We are nearing our £1000 funds to become a properly registered charity... I was hoping, that you can help our plight to supply these poorest of families with the basic baby items they so desperately need."
Click here to read more
Click here for knitting patterns
Click here to contact Nicky if you can help
Schools wanted to join in knitting for African Aids Orphans
Last autumn Diana Wood from Lymington organised knitting sessions at her school and managed to complete 13 blankets which were delivered to Soweto in South Africa. This year she hopes to coordinate a national effort involving as many schools as possible.
Click here to read more
Click here to contact Diana
Do you live in Richmond, West London and could spare a few hours each month to knit for charity?
Rev Jo Lane is the co-ordinator of the group "Stitches and Stories". They meet on the first Wednesday of the month between 1 and 3 pm at the Richmond Unitarian Church, Ormond Road, Richmond, West London. They knit, crochet, sew, quilt, cross stitch and embroider and tell and listen to traditional stories throughout the world. All the garments go to charity, including Cuddles, Ray of Hope, Princess Alice Hospice, Friends of Poland, Project Linus and Oxfam.
Click here to contact Rev Jo Lane for further details
Knit For Oxfam
John, who works in the
Sherwood branch near Nottingham, is interested in hosting
a knitting group Wednesday mornings from 10am-12noon. He
is asking for donations of wool and is looking to have them
turned into scarves, hats, dolls clothes or other saleable
items. The items will be sold at the Sherwood branch. If
you're free between 10 and 12 on Wednesdays and would like to knit
for Oxfam please come along to the Sherwood branch.
If you have any odds and ends of wool that you're not going
to use, donations would be appreciated
Oxfam: 650 Mansfield Road,
Sherwood, Nottingham, NG5 2GA
Tel: 0115 9625813
FacilitAid is a UK charity building schools in the central African country of Burundi. As part of their activities, they have launched 'Burundi Bear' - a programme to generate interest and funds for the schools. The 'Burundi Bear' is a small knitted toy (about 10cm x 10cm), which volunteers knit using their odd bits of wool. The completed 'Bears' are sold for £1, which provides 4 bricks in one of the schools.
Click here for pattern and to read more about the project
Click here to contact Gren Burgess for details of where to send your completed bears
Sarah Shires: 'Big Knit' Knitting for Charity
Sarah is currently organising knitted/crocheted hats for people undergoing chemotherapy, brain surgery or head injuries, who have temporarily lost their hair
Click here for more details and click on Headhuggers
Do you live in Lancashire and could spare a few hours each month to knit for charity?
Gael Finch runs a knitting group in Leyland, Lancashire on the last Saturday of each month from 1pm - 4pm. At the moment they are supporting the charity Project Linus UK
Click here to contact Gael for further information
Click here to read more about Project Linus
Crochet for Cancer Care
This pattern has come from Monroe in America. If you are crocheting these Chemo Care Caps for your local hospital, please let us know.
Click here for newspaper article and pattern
The Children's Society Celebrate Valentine's Day as part of their 'Knit It' Campaign
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| Knit A Heart and Raise Money For Disadvantaged
Children |
To celebrate Valentine's Day this year, The
Children's Society has teamed up with Rowan to give you an exclusive
free downloadable Valentine's pattern. Also on these pages
there are special patterns for knitted chocolates and flowers, kindly
donated to us by Magknits.
All of these patterns can be used to raise
money for children that are vulnerable, isolated and abused across
the country. You can knit as many chocolates as you can and sell them
or you can knit flowers to make friends feel special and donate the
money you would normally spend on them. Whatever way you choose to
do it, your knitting will really make a difference.
Click here for patterns
Pure Wool Socks Needed For The People of Pakistan - This appeal has now closed
Anyone wishing to continue to knit socks should send
them to 'Feed the Children', who will be
delighted to receive them
Click here for more information
Pattern
Use Aran weight or double DK, and 4.5mm needles Cast
On a multiple of 6sts, you need 36 for a child.
K3, P3 for 10 rounds ( you can use any kind of rib but this
is the suggestion)
make a marker at the beginning of the round
11th round P1, K3, P3 do this for 4 rounds
then P2, K3, P3 do this
for 4 rounds
then P3, K3, P3 do this
for 4 rounds
and so on until sock measures 10 " - 12"
shape toe....
round 1 K
round 2 K1, K2tog all the way round and keep going until
there are only 9sts left, then draw all these sts together
and secure.
Remember the right coloured socks will go to the right person, that's
just the way these things happen.
Oxfam
Oxfam is currently running a knitting project through selected Oxfam shops in the North and East midlands of England. Supported by Rowan Yarns, who are supplying the pattern, hats and scarves are knitted and then returned to the shop to be sold. This is a pilot knitting project, which is being tested before being made available nationwide. Later this year it is hoped to have a wider range of patterns available through all Oxfam shops - these will be publicised on the website.
Click here to request further information
2006
Crisis
Update on World’s Largest Christmas Stocking knitted before Christmas 2005 by staff and shoppers at MetroCentre
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Staff helping to knit World's Biggest Stocking |
Staff helping to sew up World's Biggest Stocking |
The stocking has now been measured and the details submitted to Guinness. When everything has been confirmed the stocking will be made into blankets and given to the charity Crisis which helps homeless people.
Click here to learn more about Crisis
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Sonia from 'Innocent Drinks' is raising money for Age Concern and Extra Care: " You see, we’ve worked out a way to knit little woolly hats which fit on the top of our innocent smoothie bottles. These hats keep our smoothies warm in the fridge and for each bottle sold in EAT cafes and selected Waitrose stores across the UK from 28th November, 50p will go to Age Concern and ExtraCare. We’re aiming to raise £45,000 for these charities in the coming weeks." Future events are planned for the Midlands area
Click here to visit website
Cuddles
Cuddles provide blankets, burial gowns and hooded wraps to hospitals. They're used for little stillborn babies or those who only live a short time. The parents are then given the blanket as a memorial for their little one.
Click here to learn more
Friends to Seniors
Friends to Seniors provide knitted blankets made up of squares and quilts made up of cross-stitched squares to elderly people who are on their own.
Click here to learn more
Shoppers at MetroCentre are being urged to join the Centre’s world record bid by participating in the latest celebrity trend - knitting! Throughout the Christmas period MetroCentre management are asking shoppers for their help to knit the World’s Largest Christmas Stocking and enter the Guinness Book of World Records.The current world record stands at just under 36 feet long and 17 feet wide (10.97 metres long by 5.18 metres wide), made in Virginia, USA. Any willing knitters are being asked to join the bid by knitting a twelve inch square of red wool which will then be sewn together to create the stocking.It is estimated that over 600 squares will be needed to make the giant stocking.Knitting is one of the latest celebrity trends to sweep the glossy magazines with celebrities including Russell Crowe and Julia Roberts spotted picking up their needles.Lisa Scott-Lee, star of the Totally Scott-Lee reality television series, and ex-member of pop band Steps, launched MetroCentre’s campaign during a recent visit and was only to willing to ‘cast on’ for the Centre’s charity bid. After Christmas the stocking will be given to the charity, Crisis which helps homeless people and made into blankets for those in need. Joining the bid is Sirdar, the leading producer of branded yarns and designs for hand knitting in the UK. Sirdar have kindly provided all of the wool, so we are looking for people with lots of enthusiasm who can help and can collect their wool from either of the Centre’s Customer Services Desks.
Instructions for Hand knitted Squares
To knit a 12” square cast on approximately 35 stitches and knit for approx. 96 lines (or 1 foot in length). Click here to contact Jane Holmes, Public Relations and Promotions Manager at the MetroCentre
Click here to learn more about Crisis
Ray of Hope (November 05)
Christine Cooper is the co-ordinator of a charity set up in Cheshire who knits for the Maternity and Neonatal Units at local hospitals.Click here to read about the Ray of Hope Charity (Click on 'Who we are')
Click here if you would like to contact Christine for further information
Trauma Teddies (November 05)
Wendy McHugh from Bovey Tracey in Devon has written to tell us of her 'Teddy Gang'"Through my church (St. John the Evangelist) several of us are knitting Teddies (All done to same pattern but in all different colours) to send all over the world to children who have lost everything. They have lost all their possessions, their families, their homes, absolutely everything. The smiles on the faces of these children who suddenly realise they have something to call their own is evidently a sight to behold...The pattern is the same for everyone so that when they are given out no-one gets more, or more importantly less than anybody else. Click here if you would like to help Wendy and her 'Teddy Gang'
Click here if you would like to know more about Trauma Teddies and how to join a local group
The Big Knit is a charitable project run by Sarah Shires in Shrewsbury (September 2005)
The Big Knit hosted a ' Make a Difference Day' event on 29 October in Shrewsbury to make blankets for Feed the Children .Click here to read about the event and click next to " Blankets for Pakistan"
Click here if you would like to contact Sarah and join The Big Knit, a new charitable knitting organisation
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SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society) (September 2005) SANDS is calling on all knitters to donate knitted items to this charity. Click here for patterns
Click here to contact Maria for information of where to send knitted items
The Children's Society has launched this year's fundraising extravaganza 'KNIT IT' (September 2005)
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The Children's Society joined forces with the British Hand Knitting Confederation, Knitting magazine, Simply Knitting and cutting edge knitting group Cast Off to launch KNIT IT from September 2005. This is a fantastic fundraising opportunity for you all to develop your skills and help disadvantaged children to face the future with confidence.
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Needles at the ready... Unique patterns... |
Get Knitting! |
Click here to take part and order a fundraiser pack
Click here to access fundraising patterns
Links
eParenting lists over a dozen ways you can knit for charity Knitting for Orphans, American website with free patterns
© ukhandknitting.com 2005