Crafts for Charity – you can touch a NEEDY but THANKFUL heart
So you want to get involved in Crafts for Charity?
Nothing in this world beats the satisfaction to help someone out of their misery – regardless of how small your gift of giving is! Crafts for Charity can be what gives you some purpose and opportunity to share kindness!
Crafters are in a very unique position because if you are not creating to sell, you are creating to give away. Right?
What is the use of a cupboard full of finished items?
If you have a craft room full of ‘makes’ and no one to give it to, you may find a charity somewhere, desperate for your offerings!
Don’t have anything to give?
You can always offer your skills to educate others.
I have discovered that most people are eager to give but face the following:
- they don’t know where to begin
- don’t know how to find charitable causes
- some are introverts who are too shy to approach and reach out and
- often they think that it’s no good because what they have is not enough or is not good enough to share
Did you notice that I did not include – they don’t have time to get involved in charity…
We all have the same time in every day, it is no excuse.
Crafters for Charity
What is Charity?
Wherever there is a need and
wherever there is someone so touched by the suffering of others
you’ll find a Charity.
TYPES OF CHARITIES
Regardless of legal requirements, here follows a list of known types of charities where crafty people can get involved:
- Knitting and Crochet Project to warm up someone
- Sewing up something special to tell you care
- Handmade comforters for animals in shelters
Think outside the box:
- Old-age homes will be thrilled to receive Fidgety Quilts or Boards for their dementia and Alzheimer patients
- Or activity books and boards for handicapped children
You may even warm up somebody just by cleaning out your cupboard for a change!
crafters for charity – knitters and crocheters
CHEMO CAPS
KNOTS FOR LOVE offer over 50 knitting chemo cap patterns for free;
SCARVES AGAINST THE COLD
Be the change you want to see in the world is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers NEWS that matters and UPLIFTING and POSITIVE stories to MAKE A DIFFERENCE in the world.
This idea is making Scarves for random people on the streets by tying the Scarves to tree’s or other such places.
The poem attached is:
“I am not lost!Presents are optional;you may not, or may,It is the love in our stitchesTo help make your day.
If you are cold,or feeling blue,wrap me around,and feel my love to you.”
Socks for soldiers
American soldiers deployed in other countries love receiving gifts from the heart.
I can’t put it better: “When we knit a pair of socks for one soldier we are sharing part of ourselves. We ask for your assistance in this mission of love. If you cannot knit a pair of socks, we also have room for volunteers and donors to cover the cost of shipping. “
crochet octopi for preemies
Research shows that the arms of the crocheted octopuses remind premature babies of the umbilical cord in their mommies’ bellies and make them feel safer.
Type octopus for preemie into the search bar of Facebook and you will find a support group all over the world.
Patterns are also available on the following websites:
Spruttegruppen – Danish Octo project and
knit or crochet a Square
Knit or crochet 8″ (20cm) squares to warm up orphaned or vulnerable children in South Africa.
The project started in 2008 and received a staggering 1.5 million squares from 60 countries!
Links on the home page take you the free patterns.
CRAFTERS FOR CHARITY – SEWISTS
OPERATION SMILE
Operation smile is a charitable organization that provides surgical repair of cleft palettes for children around the world who would otherwise have no access to these procedures.
Make a recovering patient smile by sewing:
- SMILE BAGS, simple drawstring bags that are given after surgery and are filled with small personal care items;
- QUILTS, BLANKETS and AFGHANS made from lightweight fabric with a little batting;
- SMILE SPLINTS, to help keep cleft palate patients from pulling at their stitches in the crucial 24 hours following surgery;
Full instructions and lists provided on their website.
DOLLS OF HOPE
“…Dolls of Hope are striving to bring hope & joy to children one doll at a time… because every child deserves a toy to cherish.
We believe there is something special about receiving a handmade doll. And there’s something special about making a doll to give to a child, especially to a child who has nothing.
We are always looking for individuals to sew dolls and teddy bears as well as donate new toy matchbox cars.
If you would like to join us in our efforts to bring dolls and teddy bears to children in refugee camps I would love to hear from you.”
Find more about the organization and where you can find the patterns here.
little dresses for little girls
Make pillowcase dresses that will be distributed the poorest of the poor in Africa.
The pattern is available here plus some tips on how to size the dresses.
Little Dresses for Little Girls
Facebook – Little Dresses for Africa
make cage comforters for shelter animals – NYC
Cage comforters are simple, small quilts placed in the cages of shelter animals.
“Anyone who can thread a needle can create a cage comforter, and help get a Little New Yorker adopted! “
Instructions and recommendations on site.
If you don’t live in New York, why not start sewing and donate to your local animal shelter?
capes for kids
Most privileged adults have not endured in their lives what some children had to survive in a few years.
Enchanted Makeovers shares the endearing story of how she came up with the idea to make capes for kids.
Turn on the magic and please start sewing (pattern on site)!
DAYS FOR GIRLS
This is a charity that touched me deeply.
“Around the world, girls and women resort to using rags, mattress stuffing, banana leaves, feathers, and even cow dung to manage their menstruation.
Days for Girls provides a safe, beautiful, washable, and long-lasting alternative — along with vital health education.”
Get involved as a Solo Sewist or become part of a team or chapter.
Be someone who makes someone smile today – search for a local charity or start your own!
Keep giving…