Three Ways to Change the World with Your Knitting

Knitting has long been an art of giving. Many of us imagine the stereotypical image of a mother giving her children her tacky, itchy sweaters with reindeer dancing from sleeve to sleeve when thinking of knitted gifts. Knitters of today, though, know that beautiful and thoughtful gifts can be made with their hands, ones that won't be stashed away out of sight. And what better gift is there than the one that can make a deep impact in someone's life? Here are three easy knitting projects that can help change the world around you!

Knit Hats for Newborn Babies
When babies are first born, they are very vulnerable in their environments. They come from a warm, dark womb, to a brightly lit, cold hospital room! This is why hospitals hand out hats to newborns whose parents don't bring them caps of their own. Knitting baby hats is such an easy task. I have been knitting hats for babies at a local hospital for the past few months, and it's extremely rewarding knowing that a little infant's head will stay warm because of you! The pattern used at the hospital I volunteer at is very simple; straight knitting and purling, and then decreasing at the crown of the hat. Once you cast off from that, you just stitch it together with a yarn needle. The hats only take a few hours, too, and the pattern is easy enough that you can watch TV while knitting. Check with your local hospitals in case they have any special requirements for the yarn or pattern that they use for baby hats before you start knitting them. It's so easy, so rewarding, and so cute to give back with your knitting by making baby hats!

Knit Washcloths for Battered Women Shelters
At many women shelters, there is always a need for care baskets for battered women and their children. When escaping abusive homes, the last thing many women think about will be their toiletries, and so shelters do a wonderful job of providing women with the necessities like soap, shampoo, razors, and other personal items like washcloths. While you could just run out to the store and buy a pack of them, it is more personal and more rewarding to knit the washcloths that you will donate. When a woman washes herself with one, she will know that another woman cared enough to make her something that she can keep with her for longer than her stay at the shelter. Washcloths, like baby hats, are simple to make, with basic knitting and purling. These can also be made while participating in other activities, but the patterns are usually a little more challenging to keep track of. While you may have to put a bit more time into it, you will be impacting women who have faced horrible challenges, and showing them that you care through a piece of knitted work!

Knit Scarves for the Homeless
With winter upon us, homeless people are in desperate need of staying warm. Any little bit can help those whose home is the streets, especially if they are unwilling or unable to make it to a shelter. Scarves are the easiest thing I can think of to knit, so even if you are the most novice of knitters who can only do a basic knit stitch, you can still help out someone who has fallen on hard times! Just cast on as many stitches as you'd like to make the scarf thick, and just do a basic knit stitch until you can wrap the scarf around your neck a few times. You will probably want to make the scarf a little thicker and longer than usual, because homeless people will be needing extra coverage. If you want, you can even use bigger needles than you're accustomed to, to make the project go faster. This is also a great way to use up scrap yarn to make patchwork scarves! When you're done, you can take the scarves to a homeless shelter, or keep some in your car in case you ever see someone who looks like they will need one. However, always practice proper precautions when dealing with someone who may look distressed or may pose a threat to you.

These are only three ways to make the world better with your knitting. Be creative, and maybe you can think of even more ways to change the world through your knitting!