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
A BETTER LIFE FOR FOSTER KIDS (VIC)
Knitted/crochet blankets 1.2m x 1.2m and 1m x 1m . Pjs and white singlets. Knitted/crochet toys and teddies. Hand knitted baby clothing. Toiletry Bags - size 23cm wide by 29cm deep.
LISMORE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GROUP (NSW)
Bedsocks for Adults - Male and Female. NO LACES!!!
NATIONAL HOMELESS COLLECTIVE (VIC)
https://www.nhcollective.org.au/ items will be handed out through The Period Project, Sleeping Bags for Homelessness and Black Packs. Info for the projects can be found on the page under "projects".
ST JOHN OF GOD MIDLAND - NEWBORNS (WA)
Beanies/ hats, jackets, cardigans for newborn to size 000/ 00 (we don't have premature infants)
blankets, anything between 30 x 30cm square - 40 x 40cm is ideal but any sizing that sort of size fits. For toys the knitted balls are the best or little knitted or crochet toys like mice, as we have to wash them between cat use.We have been running a challenge for CPA continuously for the past few years and they really appreciate all of the wonderful donations we give them. The toy list this year is a little different and there are patterns on the CPA website https://catprotection.org.au/craft-club/
25cm Squares and whole blankets - the squares need to be made with single 8ply KNIT OR CROCHET and will be made into blankets 100 x 175cm (28 squares in each one)
INDIGENOUS BEANIES FOR CHILDREN and ADULTS (NSW) plus 50 beanies and scarves (black, brown, navy or grey) for Adults
FOOTPATH LIBRARY PERTH (WA) - INDIGENOUS BEANIES FOR OLDER TEENS AND ADULTS - Open until further notice.
Red/Yellow/Black Indigenous Beanies - standard sizes for older teens and adults
soft toys, e.g. teddies, for newborn to 3 year olds - must be of safety standard - embroidered eyes, no ties, no loose attachments etc.
warm socks/bedsocks, kneerugs, scarves, beanies, fingerless gloves, and in particular twiddle muffs or sleeves. Items are for elderly people
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
TOTAL = 126,360
2020 = 5,405
*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
TOTAL = 202,745
2020 = 11,924 (to date)
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS (CHALLENGES)
2015 4,005
2016 3,057
2017 2,740
2018 4,048
STATE GROUPS Combined
2015 = 13,842
2016 = 18,470
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 1,197
TASMANIA
TOTAL DONATIONS OVERALL = 494,711
This website updated 1 AUG 2020
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Sponsors
A HUGE THANK YOU to STORAGE KING, KENNARDS SELF STORAGE and TRANSDIRECT for providing packing boxes and transport to get many of our donations to BUSHFIRE SURVIVORS in the Batemans Bay area of NSW
BENDIGO WOOLLEN MILLS
http://www.bendigowoollenmills.com.au/
Skein Sisters
https://www.skeinsisters.com.au/
Individual Donors -- C Sanders, D Jones, J Chiplin, S Mooney, D Peck, L O'Neill, S Chappell, M Daniels, H Mitchell,
S van de Peet, K Wanstall, P & D Tatt, M Ludgate, J Tyack, L Bean, K Moreland, D Gluer.