Friends: Recently, I told you about Knit the Rainbow, the wonderful new organization that’s collecting hand-knitted and -crocheted garments to distribute to homeless LGBTQ+ youth. Since I’m a meditative process stitcher (read: it takes me forever to make a garment), I decided to make Kind Hearts, like the ones I gave out at Vogue Knitting Live, with messages of love.
When I was a guest on Knit in the Pit recently, I told everyone about this—and everyone wanted to join in. When I mentioned the Kind Hearts Rainbow Pride edition on Instagram, more Kind Heart-ed people started making hearts! This was great, since Knit the Rainbow plans to collect and distribute 2,020 garments by November 2020. That’s a lot of hearts.
Because people are so Kind Heart-ed, and because the hearts are so easy to make, there are now hundreds (and hundreds!) of hearts out there, waiting to share love with others. That’s why there are now TWO wonderful places you can send your hearts!
Knit the Rainbow: Visit their website for guidelines about garments, if you want to make something to send. You can send your hearts to:
Knit the Rainbow
701 W. 180th Street
Unit 47
New York, NY 10033
Soap S.A.C.K.S.: This ingenious organization, launched by Stacy Wiener, provides little sacks filled with soap for people who are homeless, displaced due to natural disasters, at domestic violence shelters, or otherwise in need of soap. (Little-known fact: People cannot use food stamps to buy soap, toothbrushes or toothpaste, or other basic toiletries.) There are free patterns to knit or crochet a soap sack on the Soap SACKS website, and guess what: the little sacks can be used as washcloths! 😀
Stacy says she would be thrilled to attach Kind Hearts to the Soap SACKS. (She has a template for messages of support on her site). There are a few options here: You can send the Kind Hearts you’ve made to Stacy; you can make Soap SACKS, attach the hearts, and send them to Stacy; or you can make Soap SACKS, fill ’em with a bar of soap, attach your Kind Hearts, and distribute them in your area. To learn more about where and how to donate and distribute Soap SACKS, visit the Soap SACKS FAQ.
I can’t thank you all enough for being so generous with your time and kindness. I’ll keep you posted about Kind Hearts for Knit the Rainbow and Soap SACKS!