Giving and Knitting Go Together

I am a knitter and pet lover with bags full of yarn awaiting my nimble fingers creativity and needle skills turning quantities of yarn, insufficient for a sweater, into squares for a blanket. Hating waste I never throw away the last remnants of yarn.

Donating knitted items to homeless, needy, unfortunate people, is such a rewarding, gratifying experience. Utilizing your skills with knitting needles and wool, create a special gift for the needy. Choose a charity like the Red Cross to support or your own favorite from the list of charities needing knitters in Knit and Style Magazine on the internet.

Pet rescue centers often need donations of pet blankets, contact them to check out their requirements. You could meet a new four, legged friend. Knit-blanket-for-rescue-dog has a colorful easy pattern available for all knitters regardless of ability.

Knitting simple hats, scarves, mittens or blanket squares would keep me busy during long winter evenings. Quick and easy items, I could make while watching television, mixing colors and textures of yarn for unique designs. The style and colors would not matter, the warmth making a big difference, on a frosty night. Banish rainy day blues knitting squares for a multicolored blanket.

Scarf

A simple scarf, knitted on pins suitable for yarn type. Use the following lengths as a guide.

3ft for young child 3-8 years 4ft for child 9-12 years 5ft for 13 year-adult

Scarf/Hat

Fold the scarf in half end to end and sew a seam from fold edge 4 or 5 inches long depending on age of child. Turn the seam to middle. Place on head and loop ends to secure around neck. Add a tassel if liked.

Mittens

Cast on 40 stitches. Work in knit until work measures 7 inches. Bind off. Fold length ways and sew seam for 21/2 inches, leave an opening of 2 inches for thumb and seam to end and across the top.

Note – Leave top open if wished.

Blanket Squares

Knit squares 4 inches by 4 inches. Join each square together to make a patchwork blanket. Makes good use of your tension, gauge, squares.

Sources

http://www.knitnstyle.com/knitforcharity/ a list of charities needing knitters

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/mar/13/knit-blanket-rescue-dog