Sharing your talents with others when they are in need is such a satisfying gesture for me. Many times people don’t know where to go to donate items to those that need it or how to figure out what the guidelines are. Let’s start today to find the charity that speaks to our heart and help others in need with our gift of knit or crochet.
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Who is Knots of Love:
Christine Fabiani, started Knots of Love in 2007 after being inspired by family and friends. In June of 2007, after completing her second term as President of The Adoption Guild, Christine started Knots of Love out of a spare bedroom in the family home, in Newport Beach, California.
Christine first learned to crochet from her grandmother Genevieve, at age six. The first piece of inspiration for Knots of Love came from her son Geoffrey, who encouraged Christine to make caps and start a charity of her own. Christine immediately began looking for a place to donate all the caps that she had made… but she couldn’t to find anyone providing people undergoing chemo with free hats — so she decided to start doing it herself — and thus Knots of Love was born on June 24th, 2007, with the mission of making and distributing chemo caps, at no charge, to those in need of some loving warmth.
The first batch of 25 cozy caps were made, packaged, and delivered to local cancer patients and survivors who had lost their hair. The response was overwhelmingly positive! People who received the hats couldn’t believe they were free and handmade by someone who cared. The loving act of making a cap for an unknown friend was almost, if not more impactful, than the physical warmth and style the caps themselves provide. Christine remembers feeling so good while making and delivering the caps that she thought other crocheters and knitters might like to make them in their spare time as well.
The mission at Knots of Love is to warm the hearts and heads of those experiencing traumatic hair loss. Volunteers lovingly hand-knit and crochet caps for those struggling with treatment-induced hair loss and tiny Neonatal blankets for fragile new lives in incubators. Knots of Love caps and blankets server as a constant reminder to the patient and their loved ones that they are not alone. All Knots of Love handmade creations are distributed free of charge to hospitals and treatment centers throughout the country — and most importantly at no cost to the patient receiving the caps.
Facts about Knots of Love:
♥ All caps & neonatal blankets are given away 100% FREE of charge.
♥ Since Knots of Love’s inception in June 2007, we have donated over 330,000 caps.
♥ Knots of Love currently donates to over 550 treatment centers, infusion centers, hospitals and oncology offices across the the USA.
♥ Knots of Love currently donates over 4,000 caps and blankets per month.
♥ Knots of Love is a non-profit 501(c)3 public charity, based in Southern California.
♥ Knots of Love provides an exclusive gift…Our primary goal is to brighten the lives of those in need with kindness and love.
♥ Caps provide a fashionable way to cover hair loss and help to restore self- esteem.
♥ Knots of Love is dedicated to creating hand-made, heart and head warming knitted and knotted (crocheted) chemo caps for people transitioning through the effects of chemotherapy and other life threatening illness and blankets to fragile new lives in incubators.
♥ Knots of Love currently has over 1,000 dedicated and passionate members who donate their time and talent by hand-making caps through the art of knit and crochet.
♥ Knots of Love brings volunteers, patients and families together. Our organization equally helps those making the caps and blankets and the patients who receive them.
♥ Our gift is simple, human warmth and kindness to someone in need. People of all ages are in need of love, kindness and support as they wage the fight of their lives.
How to Donate to the Knots of Love Charity:
There are two ways that you can donate to this charity. You can work on hats and blankets or you can make a monetary donation to help them run the organization.
Hat Guidelines:
• Must be new.
• Thinner, seamless, non-lumpy caps are good for sleeping and increased comfort.
• No see-through caps. (Patients don’t like to see their bald heads through the caps.)
• Yarn must be fragrance-free, smoke-free and pet hair-free.
• Must be washable.
• Must be made with yarns from our guidelines/approved yarn list.
Distribution Locations:
Knots of Love currently has 568 active locations. Below is an image of where they are currently located.
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Hi Marly! I learned to knit late last year by watching your videos, once my sight was restored after going legally blind, specifically to knit for our local NICUs. It has been the most rewarding thing and I recently knit a set of 8 caps for preemie twins on the east coast (1lb. 6 oz. and 1lb. 8 oz) I mail them out today. Thank you for sharing your talent and knowledge. I appreciate you!
Oh Debbie, that warms my heart. God Bless YOU and thank you for all you do! xoxo ~ Marly
I love creating for charity, thanks for sharing this!!