Paired Up: An Introduction

Feb 3, 2016


One of the questions I get asked quite often is if someone can knit for charity if they get their yarn from big box craft stores. And if so, what can they make, and where can they send it? The answer, of course, is that you can CERTAINLY knit for charity using yarn found at big box craft stores, and there's TONS of things you can make, and just as many charities to send your items to!

It doesn't always feel that simple though, does it? And so I'm starting a new series here on the blog, called Paired Up. I'll be matching yarn you can find at big box craft stores with patterns I've found FREE on Ravelry, and then pairing those items up with charities I know will accept them. My hope is this will make it simple enough for any and everyone who wants to make something to give away to be able to do just that. Because it truly is just that simple.

I've got a few ideas all ready to go, but I want to hear from you as well! What yarn do you have in your stash that you're not sure what to do with? What yarn do you purchase most often? What shops are closest to you? What sorts of people do you want to help with your donations?

(Yarns pictured: Caron Simply Soft, Vanna's Choice, Paton's Classic Wool, and Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick N Quick)

10 comments :

  1. I mostly do 100% wool or superwash wool from LYS or recycled from unravelled sweaters, since I knit for places where acrylic can be problematic (fires = melting, not as warm in the cold if it gets wet).

    I always like ideas for sets- hat and cowl, hat and mitts, etc. Especially for yarns I only have 1 skein in each of several colors. Also ideas for places that take donations of small items- i.e. baby mittens and socks made from leftover sock yarn.

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  2. I buy and knit almost exclusively 100% acrylic yarn. Usually it's Simply Soft or Soft yarn. Impeccable makes good hats too although I think it's a bit less soft. I'll knit with most any yarn people give me though.

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  3. I was ready to donate a pile of hats when I realized that they were all 100% wool. I emailed the charity I was planning on donating to and asked if they would take all wool items. They said no. They, with good reason, only accepted acrylic washable items. Makes sense. I am looking forward to your new series. Thank you for doing this. I haven't done any charity knitting yet and really want to.

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  4. This is a great idea! While I would love to always knit with 100% wool for the charities that request it, you definitely get more "bang for your buck" with acrylic yarn (although those coupons come in handy for wool yarn!) In the northeast where I am, we have Michael's, Hobby Lobby, Joann's and AC Moore for big box stores.

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  5. i love heartland for adult hats, its soft and acrylic..i use only acrylic for my charities...baby hats i make them with bernat softee baby..

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  6. Great idea! I have a small knitting group at my church and we get most of our yarn from donations, mostly worsted weight acrylic. An amazing amount is white. If I knit with wool I label it with fiber content and washing instructions. I usually cut up tyvek mailing envelopes and write with a pigma micron pen, punch a hole and attach to the hat.

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  7. A great idea indeed. I am very bad at matching different yarns to patterns.

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  8. Several years ago I was given multiple bags (unopened, same dye lot per bag) of wool blend sock yarn. The local agencies I knit for do not want any wool clothing and the one I mail to only wants heavy weight wool socks. I have at least enough Kroy sock yarn to make 25 pairs of socks and am looking for somewhere to donate wool blend socks knitted with standard "sock" yarn (ie. 28sts = 4in on #3 needles).

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  9. This is a wonderful idea! I hope you will proceed with it. I have recently read your ebook and am inspired (with your ideas) and overwhelmed (by my stash). I've been trying to match up charities and their requirement/restrictions (which are many it seems) to determine what-to-knit/where-to-donate with what I have available in stash...which is some of every weight...mostly in quantities suitable for small projects, as scarves/hats are my preference. I'm stalled on the "pairing up".

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