Where to Donate Crochet Items? (Hats, Scarves, Blankets)

If you’ve ever wanted to donate your crafts to a good cause (or just have too many to manage in your house) there are options for you! Many organizations and charities accept crocheted items, so check out the list of recommendations below.

1. Knit Your Bit

Knit Your Bit is hosted by a World War II museum in New Orleans. The program was started in 2006 and gives crocheted (and knitted) scarves to veteran centers, hospitals, and other service organizations across the United States.

Knit Your Bit only accepts crocheted scarves that are 6″ X 60″ or longer, so make sure that any scarves that you donate to this organization are either just as long or longer than 6″ X 60″, and make sure that your ruler or measuring tape is measuring the scarf accurately, or they may not accept it.

When you crochet a scarf for Knit Your Bit, make sure it can be washed in a washing machine. They prefer scarves that are crocheted with gender-neutral colors or colors crocheted in a patriotic pattern because they donate to many different people as well as veterans.

Before you donate a crocheted scarf to Knit Your Bit, make sure to sew all loose ends so they don’t get caught and unravel the scarf. If you do not sew all loose ends, they may not be able to accept your donation. Knit your Bit allows you to add a personal message to the scarf you are donating by putting it on a card that they attach to the scarf, but they ask you not to pin anything to your donations.

If you would like to donate to Knit Your Bit, click here.

2. Project Linus

Project Linus is a non-profit organization that accepts crocheted blankets. They began accepting blankets in 1995 and have continued accepting blankets since then. All of the donated blankets that they receive go to children who are ill or who have been through traumatic events. The donated blankets are meant to give comfort to children who are suffering.

Project Linus accepts blankets of all sizes, but each chapter of the Linus Project has different needs. If a project chapter does not need a blanket of a certain size, they may send it to a different chapter in the United States that does need a blanket of that size.

If you would like to donate crocheted blankets to the Linus Project, click here.

3. Binky Patrol

Binky Patrol is an organization that accepts crocheted blankets. They give the donated blankets to children that are sick, in foster care, and have experienced or are currently going through traumatic events.

Binky Patrol does not have any strict requirements for the crocheted blankets that are donated, but there are many different patterns that you can use and base the blanket that you are planning on donating on.

If you would like to donate a crocheted blanket to Binky Patrol, click here.

4. Hat Box Foundation

The Hat Box Foundation is a non-profit organization that donates crocheted hats to men, women, and children that have cancer and are going through various cancer treatments. They do not have any strict requirements for the crocheted hats that are donated. In fact, they want hats of various sizes, colors, and styles, but they should be able to keep people’s heads warm.

However, the Hat Box Foundation has temporarily stopped accepting all donations because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They are planning on accepting donations again after the pandemic, but this may change depending on how long it lasts.

If you would like to find out more information on the Hat Box Foundation and find out when they begin operations again, click here.

5. Operation Gratitude

Operation Gratitude is a non-profit organization that sends crocheted scarves and hats to soldiers that are fighting overseas.

Operation Gratitude does not have any requirements for hat sizes, but they do want the yarn that you use to make the hats to be a muted color and be able to match a soldier’s uniform.

However, they do have semi-strict rules for the scarf sizes that they can accept. All donated scarves need to be 4″-6″ inches wide, and no wider, and they can’t be longer than 50″ long. The scarves also need to be neutral or darkly colored so they match the soldier’s uniforms and do not make the soldier that receives them stand out.

If you would like to donate a scarf or hat to Operation Gratitude, click here.

6. Warm Up America

Warm Up America is a non-profit organization that accepts donated crocheted blankets. The blankets that are donated should be the size of an average throw blanket or larger, but there are no strict rules for what donations Warm Up American can accept.

If you would like to donate to Warm Up America or view their current list of needs, click here.

7. Snuggles Project

The Snuggles Project is a great place to donate crocheted blankets. They donate crocheted blankets to cats and dogs that are in shelters. The cats and dogs then get to keep that blanket when they are adopted or fostered and get to bring it to their permanent or semi-permanent home to enjoy and snuggle with.

The blankets give the cats and dogs a source of comfort while they are in the shelter and adjusting to their new homes, which helps prevent many behavioral issues. Having a familiar item can help a lot with stress.

The Snuggles Project does not have any strict guidelines for the blankets that you crochet and donate to them, but they do need to be a decent size so they can cover any size of dog or cat that it is donated to. You may want to avoid crocheting blankets in a yard that is a light color because cats and dogs can get very messy, and a light-colored yarn may get stained quickly.

If you would like to donate a crocheted blanket to The Snuggles Project, click here.

8. Carewear

Carewear is a non-profit organization that accepts donated crocheted hats and other various items. All donations are given to hospital staff or sick patients of hospitals that have said that they are in need of hand-made items.

There are no strict rules for what donations that Carewear can accept, but all donations should be machine washable.

If you would like to donate or learn more about Carewear, click here.