A generous spirit is the thread that binds the craft community together, and we continue to take inspiration year after year from the many ways stitchers put their needles and hooks to good use by contributing their time, love and talent for charitable causes. Whether it's newborn caps for hospitals, winter accessories for vulnerable communities or blankets for pet shelters, we can count on knit and crochet enthusiasts to mobilize and work together to meet a need. We love to recognize all the ways charity stitchers give back! Last summer we put a call out for submissions to be considered for our 2026 Community Spotlight. Between January and April, we'll be highlighting six local stitch groups that knit or crochet for charity and warm up the world in more ways than one. We're excited to introduce you to them and celebrate their amazing contributions. Be sure to revisit this page as it updates with the featured groups! We'll be spotlighting two each month. Read on to learn about their work, their projects, and their favorite Red Heart patterns for charity makes. The Philadelphia Drunken Knitwits Philadelphia, PA The Philadelphia Drunken Knitwits is a group of young crafters who meet weekly to knit and crochet over dinner and drinks in Philadelphia, PA. In 2024, the group completed its first public art exhibition, showcasing more than 500 nautical-themed pieces at Cherry Street Pier. The community's support for the project ignited a passion for yarn bombing, leading to a holiday installation at Fitler Square Park and two more extensive installations at the Singing Fountain in South Philadelphia. "Bringing joy to the community through fiber arts is the best part of what we do!" says Allison Cover, The Head Knitwit. The Drunken Knitwits recently created a Halloween installation featuring local statues dressed up in handmade costumes. “Bringing joy to the community through fiber arts is the best part of what we do!" says Allison Cover, The Head Knitwit. The Drunken Knitwits recently created a Halloween installation featuring local statues dressed up in handmade costumes. Originally founded in Oxford, England, in 2012, the Drunken Knitwits now span three continents with over ten groups.” charity pattern picks Looking for charity project ideas? We’ve pulled together the top Red Heart pattern picks from Clarkson Stitch to get you started! View Pattern Shop yarn WhalesofYale New Haven, Connecticut WhalesofYale is an anonymous student organization at Yale University. Started in the fall of 2024, the small team of crocheters swim ever onwards towards one single goal: spreading joy across Yale University. Each weekday, the group hides an amigurumi whale somewhere on Yale’s campus and post a picture on their Instagram @WhalesofYale. Anyone has the chance to find the whale and take it home! Past weekly themes have included movie characters (with Shweck, Whelphaba, and three Winions), Christmas (with Rudolph, Santa, and candy cane whales), or eclectic assortments of funky little guys (in imitation of flowers, pumpkins, or peaches). Their initiative is not only about the whales themselves, but also the experience of finding them. The choice to remain anonymous supplements that spirit: they focus on a sense of mystery, surprise, and community-wide participation. Keeping their identities confidential adds to the magic of the whales, allowing them to be seen as simple acts of kindness and care, rather than tied to specific individuals. Humble as ever, the group is quoted as saying, "Of course, this isn’t a monumental project of any kind. But at a school like Yale, where busy schedules, academic pressures, and everyday stresses reign supreme, we believe in the power of small moments of joy and care. Our goal is to add a spot of brightness to students’ days, and we’ve been absolutely blown away by the response to our project. Students message us saying finding a whale is on their graduation bucket list, or that a whale had been a much needed pick-me-up during a stressful period. We feel proud and grateful to be this kind of comfort for many on campus." In addition, the group also partners with on-campus and local organizations to support charitable causes. In 2025, through a Valentine’s raffle, they raised over $600 for LEAP, a New Haven organization that provides after-school and summer programs in low-income, systemically disinvested-from neighborhoods. They’ve also provided whales for on-campus raffles and fundraisers, assisting causes such as refugee relief, housing and food security, and mental health awareness. “As we grow our team, we have our sights set on more opportunities like this. Our long-term goal is for our whales to not only be a source of joy for students on campus, but also a pathway towards awareness of and involvement with good causes – in and outside of Yale.” - The Group, WhalesofYale. charity pattern picks Looking for charity project ideas? We’ve pulled together the top Red Heart pattern picks from Keep me in Stitches to get you started! View Pattern Shop yarn
