Crafting for charity usually brings to mind the skills and talents of knitting, crocheting, and sewing. But any craft can be employed for helping others. And if you have no talent (well, first of all you are wrong because we all have some talent - you just need to find it!), or don’t feel your skills are ready yet, there is an organization that needs you and your friends to paint murals for sick kids.

Paint-A-Mural is an organization that assists communities so that people can come together and turn a bleak hospital wall (or any number of other walls), into something to delight the eye of a child.

One side benefit, is that when these people come together for the Paint-A-Mural events, bonds are created, thus strengthening the community itself. It is a wonderful project for a company to present to its employees, and it would give some nice press coverage for the donating company.

There are various “packages” that can be used by groups. More than one mural is an option if the group is large. There are seven designs to choose from and it will be sectioned off for the number of people that are participating.

Paint-A-Mural does reserve the right to approve of the location of the mural, but the list of possible recepients is quite large. They are also looking for people to help with putting together murals for terminally ill children.

Check out Paint-A-Mural. It could be the perfect crafting experience for you as you donate your time for others. Its fun, easy, and can brighten the day for many, many people.

Paint-A-Mural

Upon first glance, this may not seem connected to reaching out to people through crafting. But it is, and I am going to explain why. If your calling is to reach out to the bereaved, this site will be invaluable to you.

“Bereavement Poems & Articles” is a site dedicated to being a comfort to people who have lost a loved one. Whether it is a widow, a widower, a parent, a friend, family member… there is a poem to bring comfort. They are beautiful and tasteful pieces of poetry that would be a wonderful gift to comfort a grieving person you know… or maybe one you don’t know.

There are two options that I can think of right off the top of my head. And I bet you can think of others that are related to the craft of your choice.

1. Cross-stitching a poem is a beautiful expression of poetry. Find the center of your fabric, space out the poem appropriately in the alphabet of your choice and stitch. Then put a border around it. Frame it and you are done.

2. If you do calligraphy, you can do something along the lines of cross-stitching - perhaps a booklet would be nice with each page a line or two of the poem. I am sure there are endless ideas for use with calligraphy.

People who have lost a loved one are often forgotten. After all the activity of the funeral is over, and everyone goes home, it is over. But it is only over for the people who don’t go home to an empty house. For them, the grief is just beginning.

Present a poem through a craft to someone who has lost a loved one a few weeks or a couple of months later, and make a real difference in someone’s life.

Bereavement Poems & Articles

Berroco, one of my absolute favorite yarn companies, has the best pattern for a chemo-cap that I have seen. It has a matching scarf too! And if you make it in Berroco Chinchilla, it will be the softest chemo-cap anyone ever had!

This pattern also makes a great hat for a gift and the matching scarf make it a very special combination. It only takes two skeins of the Chinchilla yarn, making it an economical choice as well. The pattern, of course, is free and there is also a crochet version provided.

If you make chemo-caps to reach out to others, check out this pattern. I know you will love it.

Knit (and crochet) Chemo-Cap and Keyhole Scarflet

Everyone knows “Guideposts Magazine.”  It is a magazine that can be found in offices, homes, and churches.  It delivers messages of positive thinking and hope to its readers.  “Guideposts” has enjoyed a large readership and unprecedented popularity for over six decades.

Did you know that “Guideposts” has other projects as well?  One that impressed me is called, “Knits for Kids.”  They have been involved in providing sweaters for kids worldwide for over 10 years!  And these sweaters?  They are knit or crocheted by their wonderful readers.

The Web site has several pages devoted to this project.  They explain what and how they do this project.  They have distribution maps and answers to any questions you might have.  But best of all, they have the patterns.

There are four patterns:  The basic T-Design sweater for beginners, the 10th Anniversary edition pattern, the crochet pattern (in 2 styles) and an advanced aran knitting pattern for those knitters who enjoy more challenging knitting.  It is nice to see such a variety of patterns and they are good patterns!  I checked them out myself.

Consider putting your talents to work for “Guideposts,” if you haven’t chosen a charity to knit or crochet for yet.  This is a real world-changing project and they are doing a great job.  I’ve already downloaded my patterns - that aran one I can’t resist and I love the idea of it going to a child who really needs it.

Knits for Kids at Guideposts