'Thoughtful Thursday' Helpful Tips When Knitting For Charity

I think one reason we all knit for charity is because the need is literally everywhere. The need for charity knitting is as far away as the other side of the world, and it is as close as our own downtown areas and even our own neighborhoods. 
 Do you find, either occasionally or more often than not, that you would like to touch members of your own community with your charity knitting? I know I do. 
Knitting for someone else who has a greater need than yourself often helps put your problems in perspective. Many knitters enjoy knitting for charity, but if you've never done it before you may not know where to start. 
 I want to offer you some options to consider when you would like to donate your charity knitting projects a little closer to home. 



Stuffed toys: Make stuffed toys such as teddy bears, monkeys, and dolls, and offer them to places such as fire houses, hospitals, social service departments, and police departments. Such toys can be genuine godsends for children in traumatic situations, such as long-term illnesses, fires, and cases of abuse and neglect.

Hats and scarves: Most towns have homeless shelters, and I have yet to hear of one that will turn away a box of knitted hats and scarves. Particularly in areas where winters are extremely cold, these are a tremendous help to shelter residents. Domestic violence shelters will often take them, as well. 

Blankets: Afghans can also be donated to homeless and domestic violence shelters. Lap blankets and baby blankets can be donated to hospitals, where they may be used for babies, especially preemies, and those recovering from amputation surgery. 

Chemo caps: Hospitals of all kinds, especially those with cancer centers, will always be glad to accept donated caps for people who have lost their hair from chemotherapy. 

Premature baby clothing: Any hospital with a labor and delivery floor will likely be thrilled to accept hats, layette items, and blankets sized to fit preemies. 







Remember, before you take a trip to a local shelter, hospital, or fire/police department, be sure to call them ahead of time and ask if they will accept whatever you have to donate. Some may have guidelines; others may not be able to accept the items in question for one reason or another. Most, however, will be very glad to accept whatever you have to offer!

Another thing to keep in mind is that the need for garments or knitted items is all year round and not just in the winter time. Shelters and hospitals are often overwhelmed with donations at the holidays, but still need items throughout the year. There are nunerous international organisations who require knitted items and may have a local Office near  you or a collection point not too far away. 


Links to other 'Thoughful Thursday' posts you might like:

'Lily' Love In the Language of Yarn
Knit A Square
Military Heros
Sands Stillbirth and Neonatal Death
Cure Caps
Hugs for Homeless Animals
Loving Hands
Teddies for Tragedies
The Mending Hearts Project
Knit With Love
Keeping cancer victims warm
Lisas Stars
Bridge and Beyond
Strickpate
Oxfam
The Pink Slipper Project
Click for Babies
Upon Butterfly Wings
Recovery Buddies
Purple Stitch Project (PSP)

Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness

When a child looses his parent they are called an orphan. When a spouse looses her or his partner they are called a Widow or Widower. When a parent looses a child there isn't a word to describe them.' Ronald Regan

Yesterday (oct 8^th) marked the start of Baby Loss Awareness week which ends on the 15th with the Wave of Light.

There are many people whose lives have been touched by the loss of a baby before or just after birth.

Understandably, it can be heart-breaking to deal with such a loss.

The Baby Loss Awareness Campaign recognises how alone and alienated bereaved mothers often feel. This is why they are encouraging people to try and understand pregnancy and the depth of the devastation experienced. Baby Loss Awareness Week was set up to coincide with International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day on 15 October.

British and US studies have shown that the psychological impact of losing a baby can last for many years. And considering one in five pregnancies result in a miscarriage, it just conveys how important it is to spend time on caring for affected mothers.

Throughout the week, volunteers around the world will be hosting a number of events so that parents who have lost a baby know that they are not alone and that there is help available to help them with their grieving.

Hopefully, it will also show them that they have the support of other women who have experienced similar trauma.

You can show your support by taking part in the 'Wave of Light' on 15 October, which is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. The idea is to light a candle at 7.00pm and let it burn for at least an hour in remembrance of all babies that have died during pregnancy, at, during or after birth. People will be taking part across the globe to create a 'Wave of Light' to recognise the memory of the babies who lit up our lives.

A poem for three special angels – Lily Iris Gibson my grand daughter, Michael James Jones and Andrew Jones my two sons, And for all angel babies.

For all the babies we have lost

Now sleeping up in heaven
Taken from us early
Not permanently given
We think about you every day
You're always in our heart
We'll always share a special bond
Formed at the very start
Although you weren't allowed to stay
We'll always remember you
Forever in our hearts and minds

Until our days are through

Goodnight to all the sweet babies until we meet again.

By the end of today 34 babies will have died already this week in the UK through stillbirth alone, numerous more not included in these figures will have passed through neonatal loss, miscarriage, SIDS and other illness, that's a lot of babies in 2 days just in the UK! 1 in 4 women are affected! Look around you, how many people do you know who've experienced the heartbreak?

Sending all of those who this week effects massive hugs and love.

Join the wave of light here:
Lisa's Stars
Upon Butterfly Wings
Bear for an angel

'Thoughtful Thursday' Upon Butterfly Wings

Founded in October 2011 - in memory of baby Bobby Franks (03.07.09) and his Friends - Upon Butterfly Wings is a voluntary not-for-profit organisation, which provide support to parents whose babies have sadly died, either in early miscarriage, due to premature birth, stillbirth or during the neonatal period, right across the UK.

Upon Butterfly Wings provide this support in three ways - - - 
- - - By supplying hospitals and funeral directors with premature to full term handmade baby blankets, teddies and toys, burial clothing including dresses and boys outfits, buntings, specially designed wraps and pockets, handmade cribs, full term and preemie wicker moses baskets and casket linings via the'Knitted Wings Project'.   

- - - By donating 'Care Packages' direct to newly bereaved parents in time for baby's burial or to take to the hospital if it is known the baby will be born sleeping.

- - - By donating 'Beanies' to parents who wish to have a simple keepsake in the form of a hat and poem presented in an organza bag. 
As both of the above are provided by UBW FREE of charge, thet are always in need of volunteers who wish to help make a difference. Those who can knit, crochet or sew and those who are unable to. There are many ways you can help. For more information go to their web site Upon Butterfly Wings or their facebook page

How to Help

If you are able to help, simply post your donations to  PO Box address PO Box 49500, London SE20 9BJ. Please include your name and address within your package so they know who you are. All donations received at the PO Box are collected, photographed and added to their website and Facebook page twice weekly on a Wednesday and Saturday.

Most needed items for September:

All of the items listed have a pattern should you need one, of which can be found on their website www.uponbutterflywings.org under the patterns and guide page.

1: Blankets, Blankets, Blankets – A4 sized and A3 sized as standard, but also are now getting a lot of interest from hospitals for full term blankets. There is a size chart within their guide for all of the blankets should you need some help.

2: Dresses – They now have non left ! Dresses are needed in a range of colours (including blue, boys need dressing too) and they can be left plain or embellished.

3: Hats – Due to the new keepsake service called Bobbys Beanies (please see  website for more information) they are now in need of hats of all sizes and colours, including hats as small as a thimble.

4: Buntings and All in Ones –  always in need of a great range of buntings and all in ones and these are especially needed for the tiny babies (buntings) and baby boys (all in ones).

5: Pockets and Wraps – Along with the dresses these are the most donated and most used items. These are required both in sizes very small to large as they are used across the board of gestations.

6: There is a possibility that they may be asked for a rather large donation of handmade cribs in September.

7: They have no Teddies or Pocket Angels left at all. L Teddies ranging from 4 inches to 8 inches in height are the ideal sizes, there is both a knitting and crochet pattern for the Pocket Angels on the website.

Please Help If You Can!