Need a little dose of inspiration? Learn from these lovely ladies and get inspired to knit for charity
Would you like to help others but think you just can’t knit well enough or need a group’s help to knit for charity? If that’s the case, follow these examples. By yourself or with a group, you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish when you set your knitting needles and mind to it.
Operation Warm Head Start
Beverly Hyde knows what knitting for charity is all about and so do the 150 babies and their families that she helps. Through the grapevine, Beverly once heard that the newborns at the Women’s and Infant’s Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island needed hats to keep their little heads warm and toasty.
Beverly jumped right in and helped. The hand-knit hats she provides are part of the Operation Warm Head Start Program which focuses on preventing hypothermia in newborn babies. It makes Beverly happy to provide hats for the babies and she likes knowing that babies are staying warm because of her.
Although it takes about two months to make 150 hats, Beverly says she isn’t through. She plans to also make booties for babies in need and will keep on working to keep babies warm.
Crazy Cozy Day
Koalas, sheep, and frogs can’t help raise money for breast cancer support…can they? The answer is yes, if they happen to be tea cosies inspired by Loani Prior, author of Wild Tea Cosies. Loani may not have known what she was starting, but she inspired knitters in Australia to join together and knit crazy cozies.
Following Loani’s lead, CWA president, Shirley Marshall set up the Crazy Cozy Day competition. Together with donations and earlier sales, the CWA raised $15,000 to support women with breast cancer in rural areas so that no matter where a woman lives, she has access to the best medical care.
The competition took place in the Exeter Village Hall and a capacity audience showed up to view all of the creations. Together with knitters and knitting charities from as far away as Canada, USA, France, Scotland, England, and France, there were tea cozies made in every shape imaginable. Fun was had, friendships were formed, and breast cancer patients were supported. All told it was a great success.
So you see, it doesn’t matter whether you take on a knitting charity project all by your lonesome or you gather together a few hundred people, the important part is knitting for charity helps others, warms your heart, and brings a smile to your face.