Getting radically crafty

[anthrogirl]

About a month ago, I was at the Union Square Knit-out in NYC. I noticed that there was a table giving away info on making baby's hats for charity- preemie babies in many non-western countries need hats to protect their adorable little heads. More recently, there wasa poster in the NYC subway, extolling the love of volunteer work- it showed a woman who sews and makes items for the homeless.
Many of us here talk about making things for ourselves, our families, and our friends. Yet perhaps we should start sharing ideas on how to make items for various causes. Maybe a new cause could be chosen every two months, and people can send needed homemade items to the appropriate places in their home towns or countries, but all under the rubric of 'GetCrafty'. For instance, I'm in the middle of a big crafting project for which I'm getting paid, and then I have to finish my winter gifts- but I'm already gathering yarn with which I can make hats for preemies all winter. What I want to do is save them and send them all out at once. I also want to start making items like gloves, scarves and socks for the homeless and people in hospitals, particularly children's hospitals. Many of those children get no visitors at all. The same goes for older people in old age homes.
Instead of concentrating on the trendiest 'new' crafts, wouldn't it be fun and positive to maybe start groups that go into old age homes and learn from older women how to better our skills, while helping them to feel useful and wanted? Wouldn't it be wonderful to take scraps of fabric and make quilts for sick children and babies? How about starting crafting groups that teach the mentally ill, prisoners, and the economically disadvantaged how to make things for themselves- not so much for sale, but for a sense of accomplishment and self-worth? I'm curious as to whetherthere would be any people in the NYC are that would like to get together maybe once or twice a month to chat, make fun things for a cause at a time, and send those items off to people in need, or to arrange to help others learn how to craft themselves? But not just in NYC- how many of you are willing to help create what might be called the 'Get Crafty Ladies Volunteer Brigade' and put the radical idea of helping others while helping oneself into action?
While some of this could happen in person, it could also work like a swap- we could do many of these things without even meeting each other. We ould put links to patterns and groups in need up on the forum, and share info on the best way to tackle a project. It could be that this is already happening and I'm not aware of it- I doubt I'm that original a thinker. But if it's not happening, what would be the best way of doing it?

[Getcrafty.com!]

[craftfetish]

I think that a lot of people are probably making crafts for charity, but acting individually.

I have seen various knit-a-longs for charity projects and some knitting guilds probably incorporate charitable knitting.

But I like the idea of working together - that my one small project would be a part of a much larger get crafty donation.

Sorry, I can't make meetings in NYC - but I like the idea of using the forums.

Maybe something as simple as a stickied thread on charities that could use crafty donations.

Charities that want knitting and crochet projects are fairly easy to find (cold people need warm things).

I wonder what other groups may be out there that could use other types of crafts. Crafts may not help meet urgent needs like food/clothing/shelter (although sometimes they do) but I think that a beautiful object or something made with love can be a huge comfort to someone going through a difficult time.

I would think that scrapbookers/book binders/journal alterers would be a good match for programs that work with foster kids aging out of the system.

Or holiday ornaments or decorations for programs that work with people who lost their homes due to fires or floods or storms.

Or collages or paintings or other decorative items for programs for the recently homeless. (Habitat builds houses - does anybody decorate them?)

Anybody know of those sorts of programs?

My sister does a lot of work with Hope Closet - a group that provides prom dresses to girls who can't afford them in metro Detroit. I know that they could use fancy costume jewelry and accessories. And I know that there are programs similar to Hope Closet in other cities.

I bet Dress for Success could use jewelry and accessories too (although it would have to be business-wear appropriate).

Hmmm. I intended this to be a quick reply and here I have gone on and rambled. Oops.

[brdgt]

I know a lot of people participate in Supernaturale's scarf drive every year:
http://www.supernaturale.com/glitter...ic.php?t=25785

In addition, I have to give a shout out to Craftivism: http://www.craftivism.com/

And right here on Getcrafty, the Craftivism Blog has a TON of resources: http://www.getcrafty.com/blogs.php?u...sm%20organizer

And here's a thread from 2004 about what Getcrafty was doing as far as Holiday Craftivism:
http://www.getcrafty.com/viewtopic.php?p=12187

[janaka]

i do lotsa knitting for charity. chemo caps, baby blankets, preemie caps/blankets, doggie blankets, there are so many programs to choose from - it's a wonderful thing to do - and one of the women in the atlanta knitting guild ONLY knits for charity. we also have women who do one square each to make a big ole blanket.

[danielepea]

I was going to post a link to the Craftivism site, but I see brdgt beat me to it.

Also, my mom has been doing work with Knitters without Borders. She's doing a project with the kids in the high school she teaches at to knit toys for kids in refugee camps.

http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/tsffaq.html

[h_pets360]

anthrogirl, thanks for giving me a reminder to get my ass in gear.
sometimes i get distracted by the stupidest things.

[craftfetish]

anthrogirl, thanks for giving me a reminder to get my ass in gear.
sometimes i get distracted by the stupidest things.

Seriously. Maybe I can finish that basket weave throw I started in the spring in time for Christmas. (I made it about 1/3 of the way through only to discover that basket weave is achingly dull to knit for an entire blanket)


But if anyone knows of charity projects that are not knit, crocheted, or sewn, I'd love to hear about them. The closest I came with a google search were places to buy your craft supplies or instructions where proceeds go to charity.

[athena]

i've been making hats for save the children's caps to the capital:

http://www.savethechildren.org/capst...ital/index.asp

(sorry it's another knitting charity, craftfetish!).

you might be able to find listings on craigs list for stuff like art supplies for grammar schools or requests for craft teachers for kids on volunteer match.

[yardenxanthe]

There's Ugly Quilting for those who like to sew: http://www.uglyquilts.org/

[CraftinFool]

I will add the links mentioned here to the gc craftivism blog.

Are there any other links folks may have for that blog that haven't yet been included?

Thanks!! - Jen

(also, please let me know if you know of any of the sites I link to in that blog are no longer around, I will delete the links to them).