Are you looking for more ways to spread the holiday cheer? We have put together a list of our favorite charity yarns and patterns – perfect for stitchers making gifts for those in need. Crafting for charity is an excellent way to do what you love while give back to your community. With the weather cooling down, things like hats, blankets and mittens are essential items for staying warm and cozy during the holidays. Our Favorite Yarns for Charity Projects When knitting or crocheting for charity, there are a few important things to keep in mind. Since charity gifts are cherished for many years, we want to avoid using yarns that are rough, split easily or bleed through the wash. Choosing yarns that are great for long lasting projects, will be very beneficial. Selecting yarns that come in a large skein will also allow us to create more projects with fewer skeins of yarn. This means there will be more gifts to go around! TIP! Acrylic yarns are great choice for charity projects. During manufacturing, acrylics can be easily made to various specifications, including color. Because of this, acrylic yarns come in a wide variety of colors, giving you endless shade options. Acrylic yarns are color-fast, which means that their colors aren't prone to fading or washing out. We recommend the following yarns for making charity gifts: Caron One Pound and Jumbo : These yarns are perfect for stitchers who are making many charity gifts. They have excellent yardage, which means you can keep projects economical and make gifts of a large group. You can stitch four scarves with just one ball of Caron One Pound! These yarns offer a wide range of colors, plus they are machine washable and dryable, perfect for easy care. They are also 100% Acrylic. Bernat Baby Sport: This the perfect yarn for stitching charity projects for babies, as it is light weight and super soft. Baby Sport comes in a large range of shades and in an economical big ball size. Baby Sport is Oeko-Tex certified, proven to be safe for a baby's sensitive skin, plus machine washable and dryable. This yarn is 100% Acrylic. Caron Simply Soft: This is a worsted weight yarn that is super soft to the touch. Simply Soft has an economical price, making it great for crafting beautiful gifts at a lower cost. It is a very versatile yarn, perfect for all projects - from baby to winter accessories to home décor. Caron Simply Soft comes in a large shade range and is conveniently machine washable and dryable. It is 100% Acrylic. Bernat Softee Chunky: This is a super bulky weight yarn perfect for winter projects. As weather gets colder, charity projects made with a thick yarn like Softee Chunky are very beneficial. This yarn stitches up quickly, making it ideal for fast projects where there is stitching for a large group. Softee Chunky is also machine washable and dryable. It is a 100% Acrylic yarn. Charity Gift Projects for the Holidays Before choosing which charity projects you would like to make, choose the charity, hospital, or community you will be giving your projects to. Charities will provide a list of items they are looking for - making it easier to plan what projects to work on. Stitching for Baby Our favorite charity projects for babies include hats, baby blankets, and toys. Aneeta's Crochet Baby Hats are adorable and super easy to make with Bernat Baby Sport. One ball can make several hats – bringing comfort to many babies. Pattern sizes range from preemie to toddler. The Bernat Cable and Lace Baby Blanket makes for a gorgeous baby gift, plus all you need to make it is one ball of Bernat Baby Sport yarn. Studies have shown that babies who cuddle a toy octopus in their incubator are less likely to pull at their monitors and tubes. Give a comforting gift to a preemie, with the Red Heart Preemie Crochet Octopus. Stitching for Comfort Our favorite charity gifts for comfort include blankets, afghans, and handmade socks. The Bernat Reversible Lap Blanket is super warm and cozy – it will be treasured by anyone who receives it. Made with Bernat Softee Chunky, this project works up quickly with only two balls of yarn. The Caron Race to Finish Lapghan is also a great project. It is a beautiful three panel afghan made with Caron One Pound yarn. You can easily adjust this project by making the panels shorter or longer, allowing for more customization. Work up the Caron Cozy Knit Cabin Socks as a thoughtful and comforting gift. They are made with one ball of Caron Simply Soft yarn, plus this pattern includes a variety of sizes – perfect for charity gift giving. . Stitching for warmth Warmth is super important around this time of year. Gifting projects such as hats, mittens and scarves, is sure to bring many smiles. The Caron Men's Basic Hat and Scarf Knit Set is the perfect two for one project. It only requires two balls of Caron Simply Soft yarn to make a matching two-piece set. If you are a knitter and crocheter, you may want to try the Bernat Basic Ribbed Family hat, as this pattern is available in both Knit and Crochet. The family hats are made with Bernat Softee Chunky yarn, making them a super quick project. With the The Caron Basic Family Knit Mittens and the Caron Hands Full Crochet Mittens you are sure to make a large group in need very happy. These patterns make almost 10 mittens with just one skein! It's a holiday miracle, thats is sure to please many. Now that you have yarn and patterns in mind – it’s time to choose your charity! There are many charities and communities in need of gifts around this time of year. If you are looking for charities, here are a few of our favorites: Binky Patrol: Provides handmade blankets to children with chronic & terminal illnesses and those who are in foster care or experiencing trauma. What to Make: Handmade blankets Care Wear: Resources for volunteers to make items for local neonatal intensive care units. What to Make: Preemie and full-term hats and booties, small blankets Christmas at Sea: Provides handknit items to mariners working on boats away from their families. What to Make: Patterns provided by the group for items such as hats, scarves, and socks Crochet for Cancer: Provides crochet hats and other items to cancer centers across the US. What to Make: Crochet hats, scarves, blankets, and prayer shawls in soft yarn Feel Better Friends: Handmade dolls custom made to match a child with an illness or disability, complete with wigs, leg braces, glasses, etc. What to Make: Doll matching a child in need (contact organization to get started) Halos of Hope: Provides knit and crochet hats to cancer centers across the US. What to Make: Knit or crochet hats in soft yarn Hat Box Foundation: Provides knit and crochet hats in individual "hat boxes" to cancer treatment centers. What to Make: Knit or crochet hats in soft yarn Prayer Shawl Ministry: Resources for making and distributing prayer shawls. What to Make: or crocheted prayer shawl Project Linus: Provides handmade security blankets to children who are "seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need". What to Make: Handmade blankets Red Scarf Project: Provides knit and crocheted red scarves in a care package to college students who have aged out of the foster care system. What to Make: Red (any shade) knit or crocheted scarves 60" long x 5-8" wide (items accepted Sept 1-Dec 15 annually) Warm Up America: Provides patchwork blankets, hats, scarves, and other needed items to schools, hospitals, homeless shelters, etc. What to Make: knit or crochet rectangle(s), 7"x9", to be assembled into blankets; hats & scarves Don’t forget to share your charity projects with us by tagging @Yarnspirations on social media or hashtag #YarnspirationsCharityProjects. Happy holidays & happy stitching! Charity Gift Projects for the Holidays Before choosing which charity projects you would like to make, choose the charity, hospital, or community you will be giving your projects to. Charities will provide a list of items they are looking for - making it easier to plan what projects to work on. Stitching for Baby Our favorite charity projects for babies include hats, baby blankets, and toys. Aneeta's Crochet Baby Hats are adorable and super easy to make with Bernat Baby Sport. One ball can make several hats – bringing comfort to many babies. Pattern sizes range from preemie to toddler. The Bernat Cable and Lace Baby Blanket makes for a gorgeous baby gift, plus all you need to make it is one ball of Bernat Baby Sport yarn. Studies have shown that babies who cuddle a toy octopus in their incubator are less likely to pull at their monitors and tubes. Give a comforting gift to a preemie, with the Red Heart Preemie Crochet Octopus. Stitching for Comfort Our favorite charity gifts for comfort include blankets, afghans, and handmade socks. The Bernat Reversible Lap Blanket is super warm and cozy – it will be treasured by anyone who receives it. Made with Bernat Softee Chunky, this project works up quickly with only two balls of yarn. The Caron Race to Finish Lapghan is also a great project. It is a beautiful three panel afghan made with Caron One Pound yarn. You can easily adjust this project by making the panels shorter or longer, allowing for more customization. Work up the Caron Cozy Knit Cabin Socks as a thoughtful and comforting gift. They are made with one ball of Caron Simply Soft yarn, plus this pattern includes a variety of sizes – perfect for charity gift giving. . Stitching for warmth Warmth is super important around this time of year. Gifting projects such as hats, mittens and scarves, is sure to bring many smiles. The Caron Men's Basic Hat and Scarf Knit Set is the perfect two for one project. It only requires two balls of Caron Simply Soft yarn to make a matching two-piece set. If you are a knitter and crocheter, you may want to try the Bernat Basic Ribbed Family hat, as this pattern is available in both Knit and Crochet. The family hats are made with Bernat Softee Chunky yarn, making them a super quick project. With the The Caron Basic Family Knit Mittens and the Caron Hands Full Crochet Mittens you are sure to make a large group in need very happy. These patterns make almost 10 mittens with just one skein! It's a holiday miracle, thats is sure to please many. Now that you have yarn and patterns in mind – it’s time to choose your charity! There are many charities and communities in need of gifts around this time of year. If you are looking for charities, here are a few of our favorites: Binky Patrol: Provides handmade blankets to children with chronic & terminal illnesses and those who are in foster care or experiencing trauma. What to Make: Handmade blankets Care Wear: Resources for volunteers to make items for local neonatal intensive care units. What to Make: Preemie and full-term hats and booties, small blankets Christmas at Sea: Provides handknit items to mariners working on boats away from their families. What to Make: Patterns provided by the group for items such as hats, scarves, and socks Crochet for Cancer: Provides crochet hats and other items to cancer centers across the US. What to Make: Crochet hats, scarves, blankets, and prayer shawls in soft yarn Feel Better Friends: Handmade dolls custom made to match a child with an illness or disability, complete with wigs, leg braces, glasses, etc. What to Make: Doll matching a child in need (contact organization to get started) Halos of Hope: Provides knit and crochet hats to cancer centers across the US. What to Make: Knit or crochet hats in soft yarn Hat Box Foundation: Provides knit and crochet hats in individual "hat boxes" to cancer treatment centers. What to Make: Knit or crochet hats in soft yarn Prayer Shawl Ministry: Resources for making and distributing prayer shawls. What to Make: or crocheted prayer shawl Project Linus: Provides handmade security blankets to children who are "seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need". What to Make: Handmade blankets Red Scarf Project: Provides knit and crocheted red scarves in a care package to college students who have aged out of the foster care system. What to Make: Red (any shade) knit or crocheted scarves 60" long x 5-8" wide (items accepted Sept 1-Dec 15 annually) Warm Up America: Provides patchwork blankets, hats, scarves, and other needed items to schools, hospitals, homeless shelters, etc. What to Make: knit or crochet rectangle(s), 7"x9", to be assembled into blankets; hats & scarves Don’t forget to share your charity projects with us by tagging @Yarnspirations on social media or hashtag #YarnspirationsCharityProjects. Happy holidays & happy stitching!
