One thing that I've appreciated since I joined the House Cup is seeing how much time my fellow crafters devote to charitable knitting and crochet. I've tried to knit and crochet for charity since I learned to knit, since there are so many great causes willing to accept our handiworks. Through one of my housemates in that group, I learned about Bundles of Joy, which crafts for the residents of the Pine Ridge Oglala Lakota Native American reservation in South Dakota. Poverty on the reservation is extensive and BOJ helps provide infants in the OB ward and children in foster care with warm clothing and blankets. When a recent challenge in the group asked us to craft for charity, I knew that I wanted to donate squares for a blanket for the OB ward.
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These are pretty small squares (only about 3" on each side) that will be joined with squares of all sizes made by others for a great blanket (or a few!). I made them with Lion Brand Vanna's Choice, which I don't really like for knitting (it hurts my hands), but love for crochet, which makes it seem soft and easy to use. I've made two other charity blankets and one for a friend with this yarn, so it was a fantastic investment and I really like the way the colors coordinate. For a few hours work (I'm a novice hooker and this was the first real crochet pattern I've followed without a step-by-step tutorial, so these took awhile), I'm so excited about what I can share with a new baby at Pine Ridge.
Are there any charities you love to craft for? Tell me about them, since I'm always on the look-out for something new and great.
