Knit For Peace

This is my favourite free quick-knit hat pattern. Sideways Bobble Hat from Woolly Wormhead. Of course, you don't have to add a bobble.

The picture is from the pattern.

www.woollywormhead.com/blog/2007/1/10/sideways-bobble-hat

As the name suggests, it's knitted sideways with short row shaping. You can seam it or graft if you prefer seamless.

The yarn in the pattern is an Aran weight but two strands of DK held together works well too. The sideways garter stitch construction makes the hats nice and stretchy.

Add more stitches if you'd like the hat to be long enough to fold back.

Thanks for the Seamen’s Charity info. I have quite a lot of colours in my stash that won’t do for the children’s therapy items - bright colours needed! - so that’d be a good way to use some of them up.

Franbern

My knitting group, when I was in London produced items for Knit for Peace.
One of the knitting groups I go to in Weston super Mare makes knitted hats for the Seamans Charity. Can always take and use as many as we can make. These can be knitted on two needles and sewn up or on four (or a circular needle_ with no sewing). Evidently many working sailors on boats arriving in UK do not realise how cold it can be here, and really like these knitted hats.

My Inner Wheel group knitted hats and scarves for a Seamen’s charity, especially those who are on fishing trawlers. . It’s not only the cold weather conditions here, but also they are often stranded in Britain for a while if the weather is bad in the winter and they cannot go back to sea.

My knitting group, when I was in London produced items for Knit for Peace.
One of the knitting groups I go to in Weston super Mare makes knitted hats for the Seamans Charity. Can always take and use as many as we can make. These can be knitted on two needles and sewn up or on four (or a circular needle_ with no sewing). Evidently many working sailors on boats arriving in UK do not realise how cold it can be here, and really like these knitted hats.

mrsgreenfingers56

I do think there is a "good feel factor" for charity knitting and you really think you are helping and want to help but the garments not needed really. I have come across this so much in the charity work I have done.

Re Oxfam, the staff were not kept informed and I did make some blankets for them which of course takes a lot of yarn and time but then found so many were just thrown in the mud at the end of a festival and who wants that happening to their hard work and effort?

I think Samaritan's Purse shoe box appeal and Blythswood charity in Inverness are always appreciative of knitted goods.
I check now with a charity before I do any knitting as sometimes they have loads of hats but not enough gloves and find out what they really need before I go ahead.

The first reason I like knitting for Knit for Nowt is that the items (for children’s therapists) really are much in demand - there’s always a huge waiting list.

The other reason is that there are lots of fun, interesting items to knit - I was frankly getting very bored with scarves and blankets, though they’re still very good for mindless TV knitting - I still have a blanket on the go.

I do think there is a "good feel factor" for charity knitting and you really think you are helping and want to help but the garments not needed really. I have come across this so much in the charity work I have done.

Re Oxfam, the staff were not kept informed and I did make some blankets for them which of course takes a lot of yarn and time but then found so many were just thrown in the mud at the end of a festival and who wants that happening to their hard work and effort?

I think Samaritan's Purse shoe box appeal and Blythswood charity in Inverness are always appreciative of knitted goods.
I check now with a charity before I do any knitting as sometimes they have loads of hats but not enough gloves and find out what they really need before I go ahead.

I will look up knitting for peace as i love doing the 10 stitch blanket pattern but none of my family are interested in having one so now i can continue to make them . Great info , thankyou

I have knitted blankets for Knit for Peace for several years now, and was delighted to recognise one of them on a photograph taken in a new hostel for homeless people. Knitting helps to keep my arthritic hands moving and passes the time when the long dark evenings are here.

That must have been upsetting Maggiemaybe and I hope a homeless person was delighted to find such a lovely blanket rather than just some grotty old clothes.

This unfortunate Maggiemaybe and probably a case of local volunteers not being aware of what goes on nationally.

Oxfam run festivals shops at all the big festivals - 2024 list here

festivals.oxfam.org.uk/this-years-festivals/

I’d drop a line to them [email protected]

Draw their attention to this:

www.oxfam.org.uk/donate/more-ways-to-donate/knitting-for-oxfam/

Tell them of your experience, when and where, ask them to confirm what current policy is, where saleable knitting goods should be sent to and why local shop branch managers are not informing staff of what is on the national website.

Primrose53

When my Sister in Law was terminally ill she knitted about 20 beautiful beanie hats at her adult daughter’s request. She is involved with a church that helps refugees and she said they needed them.

We went to see her and this big pile of hats were on the side. I said I thought they had all gone to refugees and she said her daughter brought them back saying they did not like them! She was so upset and felt she had wasted her time and money.

That’s awful, Primrose. But I do wonder why the daughter didn’t just say the refugees loved them and pass them on to a charity shop herself (well out of town, so her mum wouldn’t spot them!). A little white lie would have been forgivable in the circumstances.

I’m a very basic knitter. I have managed a lot of hats and little jackets for preemies since, but my first project was a blanket made of squares as the Oxfam site said they sold them at festivals. When I took it in the staff at the Oxfam shop had never heard of this scheme, said they weren’t in demand, and that they’d put it out the back with the old clothes they left for homeless people to help themselves to. As soon as I got home I regretted leaving it with them.

This looks great! Thanks for sharing

I and several friends in u3a knit 12 inch squares which another friend crochets together into blankets of various sizes and then sends on to a charity for Operation Orphan. It's a great way to use up odd balls of double knitting left over from other projects. We knit from corner to corner as it is easier to get an accurate measurement that way - start of with two stitches, increase one stitch at the beginning of each row until the side measures 12 inches, then decrease one stitch at the beginning of each row. It's best to knit one and then knit two together to decrease as this gives a firmer edge.

Thankyou so much for this info. I have the Flax pattern and lots of yarn in my stash and I would really like to see it going to good use. That’s a horrible response to kindness Primrose and very hurtful, I hope it doesn’t put people off though.

This is such a good idea. Thanks for the link.

I remember you posting about this before Witzend. It prompted me to make ten of these scarves using up a ton of Stylecraft Special DK oddments.

I made matching hats and gave the sets to the local hospice charity. They run a regular knitted goods stall outside their shop in the city centre.

The charity send out regular letters to tell donors how much money has been made from their donations. I was delighted learn the sets had made £100 plus gift aid.

I've just had an email from KfP saying that People's Friend magazine have named them their Charity of the Year for the second year running. They are asking knitters to take part in Make Do and Mend by knitting these scarves.

The pictures are from the email as is the pattern.

Tools and Equipment

Any wool of similar thickness.

For DK you can use 4mm needles, long needles or circular needles.

Method

• Cast on 280 stitches, leaving about 4” of yarn at the end for the fringe.

• Knit across, then cut the yarn, leaving another 4” of yarn for the fringe on the opposite end.

• Join another colour, still leaving 4” at the end for the fringe. Knit across.

• Continue working like this to create 7” width in garter stitch (for a 7” scarf).

• You can make a scarf wider or narrower by adding or reducing the 7”.

• To make a blanket, keep adding to the 7” until the desired width is achieved.

• Each row is knitted in a different colour yarn.

• Remember to leave approx. 4″ of yarn at each end of each row to tie into tassels.

• All rows are knit

The best sizes for blankets are:

Large

80×90”/200x230cm or 70×90”/180x230cm

Medium

60×70”/150x180cm or 50×70”/130x180cm

I made my scarves longer with 400 stitches. I cast on using the crochet chain method which makes the long edges look identical. Nice easy TV knitting.

I used to make blankets and scarves for Knit for Peace*, until I discovered Knit for Nowt during the first lockdown.

*Theres a great scarf pattern on the K for P website for using up oddments - you do need a long double pointed needle, but it’s all just garter stitch, a different colour each row or 2, ends knotted and later turned into tassels and trimmed. So no sewing in of ends!
If you’re a little bit selective with colours they can look amazingly good.

There’s also a lovely pattern for a little mini teddy, knitted all in one piece. I did modify it slightly - added a little scarf (securely stitched on at the neck) to cover the start and finish of the facial feature stitches, otherwise it was impossible to hide them.

A nice idea.I used to enjoy knitting for my twins when they were younger, until they said ‘Mum can we have a shop bought jumper like all our friends’😩
I don’t have the time now for knitting and yarn is too expensive.

FarNorth

Perhaps the people felt that the hats would mark them out as refugees, if they were similar & people got to recognise them Primrose.
Very upsetting for your sister, all the same.

Each one was different. She used up all her odd yarns.

Great news Chardy.

Perhaps the people felt that the hats would mark them out as refugees, if they were similar & people got to recognise them Primrose.
Very upsetting for your sister, all the same.

Thank you FarNorth for this thread. Our group has contacted Knit For Peace (they are very efficient) and we are planning things for autumn. The website has a lot on it, including a list of local charities who want knitted and crocheted articles.
knitforpeace.org.uk/knit-for-peace/donate-knitting/

FarNorth

That's such a shame Primrose23.
Did the hats find a good home eventually?

My daughter and I had one each and the rest went to the MIND shop. She was very upset and didn’t think people who supposedly have nothing, can be so fussy.

That's such a shame Primrose23.
Did the hats find a good home eventually?

Thanks for the info about knitting sweater all in one. I don’t enjoy sewing up so a good idea to avoid that.
I’ll have a look at the pattern and see what I think.
I’ve got quite a bit of Aran wool which you say is what the pattern says.