Crafty Tips Arts & Crafts Directory
Where crafters share their favorite websites and crafting tips!

Crafting For A Cause

Crafting For A Cause

Crafters as a group are some of the most giving people I've ever met. Put out the call for supplies, help or even finished goods and they come running. The sites listed here are doing great works to help others who are in need or need a bit of support to get through the day.

All the website owners have also included their favorite crafty tips on the craft their group specializes in making.

Great Crafting For A Cause Websites

Toasty Toes - Hendersonville, NC Chapter

This organization provides crochet and knit items for American servicemen and women overseas. The Hendersonville, NC chapter is always looking for volunteers, yarn and monetary donations. Website also links to other chapters - find the one closest to you to help support our troops.

Crafting for Our Troops Crafty Tip
When creating knit and crochet items for our servicemen and women be sure to use washable and breathable yarns. Use of wool is not recommended as it is prone to shrinkage and can cause skin irritation.
 
 
Care Wear

Care Wear started in 1991 as a personal project to provide apparel for premature and low birth-weight infants who were patients in several hospitals in the Washington D.C. area. Care Wear has grown steadily and has expanded to also provide chemo hats with braids for teens/preteens, afghans for patients of all ages, medical dolls to explain surgical procedures, toys for children in ER's and anything else that the various participating hospitals see a need for. Many of the items they regularly provide are included among the wonderful selection of sewing, knitting and crochet patterns. The site also contains a listing of hospitals and organizations that Care Wear is already assisting. Addresses, phone numbers, points of contact, and specific item requests are listed.

Crafting for Babies Crafty Tip
Pattern sizes are approximate. When knitting or crocheting items for Care Wear or any other group helping infants, keep your tension loose so the garments will have lots of stretch.
 
Home of the Brave Quilt Project

It began with the Citrus Belt Quilters Inc. of Redlands, CA. They wanted to offer some measure of comfort to military families of fallen soldiers who were buried at Riverside National Cemetery or were from the greater Inland Empire area. The quilts were replicas of those made during the Civil War by the U.S. Sanitary Commission. Their idea has spread to all 50 states and the US Territories and the group is endorsed by the US Department of Veteran's Affairs. Visit their website to find contact information for local chapters.

Crafty Tip
The U.S. Sanitary Commission was staffed by women volunteers during the Civil War. Self-funded, the group met many of the needs of the soldiers including bandages, clothing, medicine and quilts. The original quilts were 48 X 84 inches (the size of a standard military cot) and could also be used as bedrolls. It's believed the ladies made between 150,000 and 250,000 quilts. Sadly, only four are known to have survived one of which is housed in Smiley Library's Lincoln Shrine in Redlands.