Destash for Charity 2

Yesterday I hinted about my plans to “destash for charity” but I didn’t really give much detail. Today I’m happy to share my thoughts in “destash for charity 2”.

I went through my yarn stash and pulled out the skeins and balls of yarn that are lovely but just not right for the project I had in mind for them. There was less than I though but still plenty to keep me busy.

I’m going to use all this yarn to make beanies for Kogo (Knit One, Give One) this winter.

Charity knitting isn’t a new idea, and it’s not even a new activity for me. I’ve sent bundles of knitted items off to Kogo in the past, but they’ve just been things I felt like knitting in unexciting yarn rather than anything particularly special.

The difference this time is that I’m using what you’d probably call posh yarn – Madeline Tosh, Debbie Bliss, Soysilk and Jo Sharp. I’m also going to be knitting from some nicer patterns than usual. Yes, I’ll be making some ribbed beanies – but I’ll also make some smarter styles with colourwork and texture.

Most importantly, I’ll be making what Kogo need most – beanies for men.

Most knitters are women and lots of women love to make pretty things rather than the plainer, dark coloured accessories that men prefer. This often means men miss out on getting a hat or scarf that they desperately need because men’s accessories can be less fun to make than those for women or children.

I’m really glad that the stash yarn I rounded up is mostly dark colours. There are two skeins of pink and half a ball of coral that I’ll turn into a woman’s hat, but the rest are definitely “blokey” enough for menswear.

I’m going to aim to make one beanie each week – and with all the commuting I do this is an easy goal. Each week I’ll post about the yarn and pattern I’ve selected, and I hope to write a few patterns of my own for this project – focusing on menswear that is more stylish than the typical plain beanie, but not too fancy for the conservative fashion tastes of Australian men.

I like the idea of making something really special for a charity knit rather than just something serviceable. If you’d like to knit for Kogo, please have a look at their website and sign up for the newsletter.

I especially encourage you to knit for men who often get left out. Even if your own “destash for charity 2” project ends up producing pink baby bonnets with bunnies on them, they will be very gratefully received.