Why I knit for charity?

Someone asked me why I knit for charity. Well there are 2 main reasons that I knit for charity. 1. I've had items knitted for me in the past when I've been through some rough times. It's always nice to receive something in a time of need. To be reminded that people do care about me even when I feel like noone does. So therefore I want to return the favor, or pass it on in a sense. 2. I know it's important to give to charity. We aren't poor but we certainly aren't rich. We don't really have the money to donate to charity, but I feel like donating my time/resources and skills is just as important.

I also enjoy the time I spend knitting items for charity. I knitted some squares for the victims of the Virginia Tech shooting. I was never a student there, but I did spend some time on the campus as I dated a guy there and did apply to be a student there. I felt I needed to donate a couple squares to help wrap those that needed in love and healing for the blankets. It goes without saying that the oddball projects are important. I've knitted on 2 oddball blankets and I hope that when they are complete they will really wrap someone up and provide warmth and love. Maybe a battered women's shelter or a halfway house.

The baby/preemie blankets I knit b/c I love babies. They are so innocent and many times are brought into this world with nothing. But then there are also the ones that come into this world, only to leave us. I, myself have lost a baby. At 14w5d I gave birth to a stillborn. Yes it was only 14w but the baby did have eyes, arms and legs. It was a baby, it was MY baby. So knitting blankets is something I can do to give back.

The prayer shawls I knit for church are just that. We give shawls to those that need it within our church and in our community. We have given away 7 shawls so far, one of which was given to me during the lose of my baby. I've crocheted one so far and in the middle of a 2nd.

So if you ask my why I knit for church, I might ask you, well why not? Haven't you ever been given something at just the right time or someone said or did something for you when you needed it most. It's the same thing :) I knit with my hands but it comes from my heart!

~danielle~