charity stitchers: community spotlight

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 2025 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.


clarkson stitch

Ontario, Canada

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Clarkson Stitch has been a pillar of the Mississauga community for 11 years and began with a simple desire to connect. New to the city and in search of a local stitch group, Carmalina Balsano started her very own, with help from the local library and their senior librarian Lucy. The group has gathered at Clarkson Library every Thursday without fail ever since - through library breaks, come rain, shine or snow, and even found ways to keep the group connected throughout the COVID-19 lockdowns. Since 2014, the group has donated to a number of causes, like making sweaters for penguins following an oil spill, teddy bears for children in crisis, caps and preemie octopuses for local hospitals, and warm winter accessories and pet items for Comforting the Cold. More than just a collection of crafters, the group provides a close-knit community and support system to its members.

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“We’re friends, family, and support systems. Whether it's new moms looking for a break, retirees seeking social interaction, newcomers to the country, or those grieving the loss of a loved one, our group provides a space of belonging.”

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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!

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crafters care

Manitoba, Canada

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Crafters Care began when group of former colleagues transitioned their work-time volunteer hours to a retirement passion project after receiving a request for knitted and crocheted chemo caps. Many friends were brought on to fulfill the ask, producing an overwhelming number of caps that far exceeded the request. The women enjoyed themselves so much and saw a great need for items from other charities so they opted to continue, and a group was born. Crafters Care makes hats, scarves, mittens, shawls, afghans, lapghans, baby clothes and blankets for a variety of charitable / non-profit organizations including Chase The Chill, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, personal care homes, inner city schools, Villa Rosa, Palliative Manitoba, The Humane Society and many more. They also take partially finished projects and complete them, for a fun additional challenge. The group continues to look for opportunities to contribute and members are quick to get their needles and hooks out and get busy!

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“The women in in our group vary in age but we have a few things in common; a love of crafting and a desire to make a difference and help others where we can..." - Marianne Niesink Heeb, Crafters Care

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charity pattern picks

Looking for charity project ideas? We’ve pulled together the top Red Heart pattern picks from Creafters Care to get you started!

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Friendship Collective Crochet Moms

Washington, USA

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When the kids go to play, the moms will crochet! The Friendship Collective was created by a group of homeschool moms in Washington looking to establish more of a community for their kids through group activities, park meet-ups and sports. The gatherings were great for the kids, but they also offered a space of connection and bonding for the moms, who began to crochet to keep themselves busy while the kids played. The Friendship Collective Crochet Moms saw an opportunity to use crochet as a tool for outreach and channelled their love of this shared hobby towards making a positive impact on their community. They got to work making items like scarves, hats and lap blankets to donate to local homeless shelters and encampments, along with nursing homes and hospitals. They eventually taught the kids to crochet too, bringing the skill to a new generation and modelling how to use your passion for the good of others.

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“It was a wonderful opportunity to do something we could all bond over while also helping to do a little bit of good for our children and our community with some of the projects we have done together." - Christine DePaola, Friendship Collective Crochet Moms

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charity pattern picks

Looking for charity project ideas? We’ve pulled together the top Red Heart pattern picks from Friendship Collective Crochet Moms to get you started!

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