As knitters, we know that a single stitch can carry meaning, no matter the size of the project. A hat worked in the quiet hours of the evening, or a blanket built square by square, and a scarf that travels from your hands to someone you may never meet are small acts of making that become powerful acts of care. Once again, The Knitting Guild Association (TKGA) invites knitters everywhere to channel that spirit of generosity into our annual Charity Knitting Drive. We started September 1 and will continue until December 1, 2026.
Whether you knit every day or pick up your needles only when inspiration strikes, this drive is your chance to turn your craft into comfort. You don’t need to be a TKGA member to participate, and you don’t need to commit to a large project. Every hat, square, blanket, or scarf helps meet a real need in a real community.
This year, TKGA is partnering with several remarkable organizations whose missions reflect the heart of charity knitting: Warm Up America!, VCU Health Hospice at Home, Common Man for Ukraine, Delaware Head Huggers, and Iris House Cork Cancer Support. Each group serves people experiencing vulnerability, transition, or illness, and each relies on handmade items to offer warmth, dignity, and connection.
Charity knitting is more than making an item and sending it off. It’s a way of saying you matter to someone navigating hardship. Devoting your knitting time on an object for a charity drive often also feels different from knitting an item that you will gift to someone you know. Charity projects offer a grounding sense of purpose. They are also a change to practice skills, make good use of your yarn stash, and support a community effort.
Meet the 2026 Recipients
Each charity serves a different base, so we hope you find one that speaks to you.
Warm Up America! Located in Carrollton, Texas, this national nonprofit organization delivers handknitted items to provide warmth and comfort to vulnerable communities. Since 1997, they have provided over 1.5 million handknitted and crocheted blankets and clothing made by volunteers to people in need. Needs: adult and child hats, mittens, scarves (6”x60” or 6”x70”), all sizes of blankets, and 7”x9” sections (with tails woven in), which will be sewn into full-size blankets by volunteers.
VCU Health Hospice at Home by BAYADA Located in Richmond, Virginia, this compassionate care organization is dedicated to supporting patients and families during the end-of-life stages. They believe that dignity, comfort, and care are not luxuries; they are essentials. Needs: They are looking for red, white, and blue throw blankets and lap blankets for their veteran’s initiative.
Iris House Cork Cancer Support Located in Cork, Ireland, Iris House has been a safe space since 2012 for anyone impacted by cancer in Cork. They offer more than just services—they offer connection, care, and a community that understands. They are focused on building a supply of comforting, handmade pieces, which are always deeply appreciated, for clients undergoing cancer treatment. Needs: full-size or lap blankets, and knitted squares which will be joined by volunteers into larger blankets.
Delaware Head Huggers Located in Felton, Delaware, this group strives to bring some comfort to those undergoing chemotherapy by providing stylish handmade caps to lift their spirits and keep them warm. Needs: chemo caps for both adult men and women in all colors and styles of hats to satisfy a variety of personal tastes.
Common Man for Ukraine Located in Plymouth, New Hampshire, this Rotary-sponsored initiative has sent 15 convoys of humanitarian aid to border towns in Ukraine. They work in partnership with Rotary in Poland to identify orphanages and safe houses for delivery of goods. In December 2026, they will send another convoy filled with hand-knit and crocheted socks, mittens, and hats for orphans, displaced children, and families affected by the war. Needs: adult and child socks, hats, and mittens.
How to Participate in the TKGA Charity Knitting Drive
Participating is simple and every knitter is welcome. Gather your yarn, choose a pattern, knit your item, complete an entry form, and mail your donation to the charity of your choice before the deadline.
Key steps:
- Visit TKGA.org/charity to view needed items and yarn requirements.
- Print the entry form and include it in your package.
- Mail your items directly to the charity you’ve chosen.
- Send your items before December 1, 2026, so they arrive in time for Giving Tuesday.
TKGA will hold a random drawing of entry forms, and one participant will receive a Bundle of Craft Books from Search Press as a thank‑you for contributing.
Pattern Resources
TKGA’s Free Patterns page includes many designs ideal for charity knitting, and TKGA members can access hundreds more through Cast On magazine.
Knitting for Community, Connection, and Care
When you knit for charity, you join thousands of makers who believe in the power of handmade kindness. Whether you knit one square or ten blankets, your contribution matters. Your stitches carry warmth, dignity, and hope to someone who needs it. And in a world that often feels rushed and digital, charity knitting offers a grounding, analog way to connect. We know that fall is a busy knitting time, and we really appreciate every single knitter who is able to knit for someone in need.
We love to see your projects and encourage you to tag us when you snap those photos for Facebook and Instagram!
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