For Beginning Charity Crafters

Hats for the Homeless

About a week ago, someone commented, on one of my Charity Crafting posts, that she had just found my blog and that it inspired her to begin charity crafting. She had been searching for free patterns and found one of mine. I have several now, all quick and simple.

This is important because once you have been bitten by the charity crafting bug, you want to churn out lots of things to comfort those in need. It becomes an obsession but a warm, fuzzy one.

I decided to do a series of posts for those who are just starting out. Most charity crafters crochet, knit or sew. This is because most things donated to those in need are what I call "soft goods."

Our Friday morning charity crafters, for example, concentrate on hats, fingerless gloves and scarves for the homeless, on preemie caps and blankies, and on shawls and lapghans for a nursing home.

Our particular group, in my senior mobile home community, is now 3 years old. I started it to honor a dear old friend who passed on before she could get involved herself. We now have 8 ladies, and one of those is based in Florida but sends cartons of things to us every few months. We concentrate strictly on local needs and we do not have huge expectations. We are few in number but we prefer it that way.

In spite of this, we have made and donated the following, during our past three years:  Shawls -168; Lap Covers - 111; Hats - 380; Fingerless Gloves -203; Scarves - 175; Preemie Blankets - 115; Preemie Caps -283.

I share these numbers not to brag but to show what time and love can accomplish. We began by just using our leftover scrap yarn from our own personal projects. Once bitten, however, we needed more and more yarn. Word got around and folks began donating yarn.

My point tonight is this - if you want to do it, do it. If you stall and fret over details, time and motivation will get away from you.

So, grab some leftover yarn or fabric, a hook or needles, and just start. Do a few stitches while you wait to put the wash into the dryer, or while you are waiting to turn the meat for dinner, or while you are waiting for that contractor to show up. Just begin. Now.

Over the next few Charity Crafting posts, I'll cover what to do if you want to ship your things to a national group versus donating locally. I'll cover individual crafters versus a group. I'll share what we learned about how to "grow" a group. And, of course, we'll talk about patterns, what works and what doesn't, for those in need.

Mostly, I want you to be excited about what you are doing and to avoid letting details smother your joy. We'll cover all those petty little details, don't worry.