No-one is too small to make a difference!
We give our items free of charge to any needy person (or animal) with no discrimination. If someone is in need and we can help in any way, we do so.
In August, 2004, Pamela Tatt started a Yahoo Group to offer her crafting skills to help others in Australia. We have since migrated to a more user friendly platform called Groups.io
Since then she has been joined by many others and in December, 2009 the group was granted Incorporation as an Association by the Australian Government.
Membership of our online Group,
which now constitutes our list of volunteers, has grown to in excess of 1000 like minded crafters, who all self fund their work and post the
finished items to various centres around the Country as per our current
Charity of the Month Calendar.
Volunteers also support charities privately, within their local community. Some of us go out with Food Vans and personally hand out items to those in need, which is a very humbling and heartwarming experience.
Our Volunteers are the most wonderful, generous knitters, crocheters and sewers from across Australia and around the World. Each and every one supplies their own materials and gives freely of their time to make the most beautiful items. Most of them are also more than willing to post items to our Charity of the Month projects all at their own expense.
The
aim of the Knit4Charities Inc. is to share ideas and patterns, give
support and friendship to fellow volunteers, and together source needy
charities around Australia.
Many friendships have been formed both on
and off the Internet. Regular meetings, or Knit and Natters as we call
them, are starting up in various areas. The list of charities we are
supporting is continually growing!
There are many, many organisations who benefit from donations of knitted, crocheted and sewn items - check the list of Charities we have helped
Charity donating can be done anywhere, at any time, and so our principles can be applied to any country in the world. We welcome interested people from all over the world to join our group. We are happy to share our ideas to get you started donating within your own community and to share stories, patterns etc. with you. At present we have members in the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore and South Africa -- all helping to make a difference!
We now have 3 dedicated State Branches who support local charities and have a wonderful network of helpers. I welcome everyone to join Knit4Charities main group but if you live in South Australia, Western Australia or Tasmania you may also like to join those State groups.
Contact details of these State Managers can be found here
We Aim to.....
- Give back to our community by using our crafty skills
- Form friendships, both online and in person, by sharing our ideas.
- Provide an outlet for Knitters, Crocheters and Sewers to give their garments to people/animals in need.
Love to knit, crochet or sew?
Have no-one to give your garments to?
Would you like to join us?
Find out how HERE
Help us to continue to give to those in need by making a Tax Deductible donation ...... thank you!
CURRENT PROJECTS AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
HAWKESBURY HELPING HANDS (NSW) - Servicing the homeless in the Hawkesbury Area http://www.hawkesburyhelpinghands.org.au/
mittens, fingerless gloves, beanies, bed sox and blankets. Mostly men but some families as well as teenagers. Also 25cm knitted or crochet squares which will be sewn into blankets.
MISSION TO SEAFARERS (NSW)
Knitting received is made available at the Sydney port centre and the seafarers are very grateful. Also, port chaplains take supplies on board when ship-visiting. Seafarers can take whatever they need to help see them through the long, cold days and nights spent on the open seas - often they are leaving our warm shores at this time of the year and sailing to much colder climes in the northern hemisphere. The knitted items bring warmth and comfort to men and women who supply us with things we use every day and are a token of our appreciation.
beanies and balaclavas, neck cowls, fingerless gloves/mittens and scarves - 8 ply acrylic, any colour. seafarers include women these days, so there is no restriction on design or pattern - please do not add pompoms to beanies, and no fringes or tassels on scarves - these can get tangled or caught as seafarers move around the confines of a ship, causing harm and injury.
Teddies and other toys up to 30cm tall including comfort dolls are urgently needed for children.
CAT PROTECTION SOCIETY (NSW) - Open until further notice
NEWS FLASH - we are now an Ice Yarn Reseller !!!
The yarn is still sent to you from Turkey but Knit4Charities receives a small discount that helps our fundraising.
The following link will take you to our yarn shop
http://knitforcharities.yarnshopping.com/
ITEMS MOST NEEDED ALL YEAR ROUND.
All items can be Knitted, Crocheted or Sewn - following is a list of items that are always wanted...
- BEANIES - larger sizes and dark colours for men - women's and children's are needed but in lesser numbers.
- CHEMO HATS -- Soft, seamless hats with no lacy pattern over the head (must not be able to see scalp) for both women and men - no green colours please.
- SCARVES or COWLS - dark colours for men at least 180cm long or cowls
- FINGERLESS GLOVES - child to adult sizes
- BLANKETS or SQUARES - single bed or throw rug size blankets in darker colours for homeless people. 25cm squares for making up blankets.
- TOYS - Teddies, or any other toys you like to make
- DOG COATS - all sizes
- ANIMAL BLANKETS - all sizes
- CAT TOYS
Statistics
2006 1,537 items
2007 5,820
2008 7,492
2009 8,481
2010 7,893
2011 9,674
2012 8,661
2013 10,459
2014 10,334
2015 11,209
2016 11,082
2017 12,705
TOTAL = 105,347
2018 = 8,340
*Donations for the current year can be added here
2006/7 5,413
2008 10,162
2009 9,488
2010 19,385
2011 12,793
2012 16,192
2013 17,264
2014 21,066
2015 11,812
2016 10,003
2017 25,119
TOTAL = 158,877
2018 = 15,793 (to date)
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS (CHALLENGES)
2015 4,005
2016 3,057
2017 2,740
2018 4,022
STATE GROUPS Combined
2015 = 13,842
2016 = 18,470
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 2,003
TASMANIA 96
TOTAL DONATIONS OVERALL = 381,462
This website updated 30 Nov 2018
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Sponsors
Sponsoring our 2018 Annual Conference are....
BENDIGO WOOLLEN MILLS
http://www.bendigowoollenmills.com.au/
YARN OVER
http://www.yarnover.com.au/
Skein Sisters
https://www.skeinsisters.com.au/
Individual Donors -- C Sanders, D Jones, J Hinton, J Chiplin, S Mooney, D Peck, L O'Neill, S Chappell, R & B McCurry, C Hicks, M Kelly, H Mitchell, L Evans, Sylvia v d P, M Pearson, K Wanstall, P & D Tatt, R Foot, T Lynch, C Sullivan.