Crocheters are remarkably generous people. They give their time and talents to friends and loved ones, often just for the joy of seeing a smile on the other person’s face. And there are dozens of charity groups, large and small, that focus on crocheting to help others. Many of those have specific needs and requirements. Today I would like to share some patterns you don’t have to be part of a group to make – but they all promote awareness and activism right in the design! Perfect for fundraisers or just letting someone know they’re loved. A lot of the patterns are pink, but it’s easy to change the color as appropriate. Here are 10 free crochet for a cause patterns! (One warning – one of these patterns contains three quarters of a swear word.)
10 Free Crochet for a Cause Patterns
(click on the name of the pattern, in blue, to go to the pattern page!)
- Autism Awareness Scarf by Issa Garrison, on Kamaa-Nhanda Designs: This Tunisian pattern is amazing and beautiful!
- Breast Cancer Crochet Scarf by Jessica Woofter, a Ravelry download: Filet crochet one in your choice of colors!
- Crochet Ribbon Magic Potholder & Refrigerator Magnet by Donna, on Naztazia: These beautifully designed ribbons stand alone, and the potholder and magnets are a great way to use them!
- Awareness Ribbon Square 8″ or 12″ by Carolyn VanOstran, a Ravelry download: A great contribution to a community blanket, or great on it’s own!
- Ribbon Awareness by Jen Spears, a Ravelry download: This fun illusion crochet bag is fantastic!
- Breast Cancer Awareness Cup Cozy by Bernat Design Studio: Change the color for the cause nearest to your heart.
- Wrapped in Hope Scarf by Heidi Yates, a Ravelry download: A beautiful scarf in any color – and very clever design!
- Crochet Awareness Ribbon Earrings by Megan Denham, on Tampa Bay Crochet: Photo tutorial included! Another great way to show your support!
- Breast Cancer Awareness Slouch Hat by April Draven, on April Draven Designs: Tapestry crochet on a stylish hat that makes a statement!
- Fck Cancer Hat in Tunisian by Vicky Goff, on Adventures of a Craftaholic: Sometimes it just needs to be said, eh?
Have you crocheted items for a cause before? An awareness campaign? Share your story in the comments!
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alisha
September 9, 2013 at 11:16 amI am currently doing awareness for childhood cancer for September by making minion hats but I love this idea better! Will use this now and make it bigger for next year. Plus my page is all about helping children with life-threatening illnesses so this is great. gonna do one of each, except number 10 unless asked for each of the ribbons I know about.
Tamara Kelly
September 9, 2013 at 11:18 am<3 Such a wonderful thing you're doing alisha! #10 is certainly for adults, heh. I have a dear friend in recovery from Ovarian cancer and it's something our support community says a lot (though not around the kids of course) so I had to include it. Thank you for what you're doing! (and from what I've seen, those Minion hats will be a BIG hit this year!)
Vicky
September 9, 2013 at 11:22 amThanks so much for featuring my crochet version of the F Cancer hat! What a great collection of patterns! Happy yarning, everyone!
Tamara Kelly
September 9, 2013 at 5:51 pm😀 Love it Vicky!!
Rebecca
September 25, 2016 at 3:05 pmHi do you mind sharing fighting kids cancer hat , my son Joey is 4 yrs old and has ALL Leukemia and I would love to make a few of these hats for kids at Childrens hospital in Columbia SC
Thanks Becky ,
Andrea
September 9, 2013 at 12:45 pmI’ve been crocheting 8″ squares for Knit-a-Square since 2009, a charity in South Africa that sews the squares into blankets for AIDS orphans and children-at-risk. They also accept hats, sweaters, undershirts and soft toys. It’s an uplifting, amazing organization that uses everything they receive, working on a volunteer-only basis. http://www.knit-a-square.com/
Tamara Kelly
September 9, 2013 at 5:52 pmThank you for the work you do Andrea – and for the link!
Adel / Lizzie Boo Boutique
September 9, 2013 at 2:01 pmThank you so much for this roundup!
I am now planning to participate in the first crochet for a cause of my life (up until now i only crocheted for dogs in need, this is going to be the first for humans). And I’m so looking forward to come up with a cute and original sea creature to raise funds for the hospital treatment of kids 🙂 I’m planning to make an axolotl, as this animal has the ability to cure its limbs by itself, but i’m not sure I will be able to do it, so maybe some funny fish or a lovely lobster… 🙂
Tamara Kelly
September 9, 2013 at 5:53 pm😀 Great to hear Adel! If you need a shark or fish pouch there are patterns right here on Moogly – an axolotl might be harder to find! 😛
Adel / Lizzie Boo Boutique
September 10, 2013 at 12:52 amThank you, Tamara! I really love your Shark pouch – it’s such a great idea 🙂
Yes, I’m fairly sure it’s almost impossible to find an axolotl pattern, so I will try to come up with something and it it turns out well I’ll share it 🙂
terri
September 9, 2013 at 2:25 pmgoing to do several for autism awareness, more needs to be done lot more ,its not know why it affects so many kids but it does. we need to help these kids.
Tamara Kelly
September 9, 2013 at 5:53 pm😀 Thank you terri!
Heidi Yates
September 9, 2013 at 2:43 pmThank you for including my scarf pattern and all of these patterns.
Tamara Kelly
September 9, 2013 at 5:50 pm😀 Thank you again for sharing it!
Cyndy
September 9, 2013 at 5:09 pmI make hats and scarfs for our V.A. Hospital. I would love to have the #10 hat in crochet. My son has a friend that is going thru the great treatments for her cancer.
Let me know if you know of anything like that for crocheters.
Thanks
Tamara Kelly
September 9, 2013 at 5:45 pmThat hat is indeed crochet – just tunisian crochet. If you’re not familiar with Tunisian, it could be done in regular sc intarsia.
Patricia Owens
September 9, 2013 at 5:28 pmOne of my best friends’ cousin in law is hosting a BCA raffle next month and she asked me to make a few things for it. I made a hat for her aunt in law last year (she got diagnosed with BC a week or so before their wedding). I made 2 mug cozies (they work on regular mugs and travel mugs) and another beanie. I also recently ordered some silver ribbon charms for bracelets I’m going to make for several causes (BC, MS, infertility/miscarriage/infant death, down syndrome, spina bifida) that are very close to my heart (several friends whose families have BC, my mom had MS, several friends suffer from infertility/miscarriage/infant death, few friends with SB and besties nephew has DS). I love making things for causes, I just wish I had more money so I could do more.
Tamara Kelly
September 9, 2013 at 5:54 pm<3 It sounds like you do a lot Patricia!
Tracy
September 9, 2013 at 8:31 pmHeidi’s scarf is my favorite
Marrie
October 15, 2013 at 7:44 amsame here….
MarissaFH
September 10, 2013 at 11:46 amWhile I’ve been honing my skills in knit and crochet over the years by making hats, scarves, afghans/blankets and donating them to various charities, friends and family, I thought perhaps it was time that I did something more. Earlier this year, I took the plunge and started the NYC Hats for Hope Initiative in the New York city area. With no physical group (yet), I’m starting small with the wonderful virtual group of knitters and crocheters who are so generous of their time and skills to provide winter items for the homeless and needy poor.
Thank you for the opportunity to spread the word about our cause!
Tamara Kelly
September 10, 2013 at 1:21 pmThank you for doing what you do Marissa! Good for you for rising to a need you saw in your own community! <3
MarissaFH
September 10, 2013 at 2:14 pmThanks, Tamara.
Just realized that the blog link didn’t show up on the post.
May I include it here, please.
http://nychatsforhopeinitiative.wordpress.com/
Thanks again.
Tamara Kelly
September 10, 2013 at 7:53 pmThank you I was hoping you would!
Darlene Lehman
September 13, 2013 at 7:41 pmI just sent out a package for the Pink Scarf Project yesterday! Also did some scarves for charity last winter. And just before that, worked up some Krochet Krystal charity daisy squares from some yarn that was gifted to me by one of my sisters. Truth is, if postage wasn’t so high, I would do much more!! I LOVE to crochet! The feel of the yarn in my hands, the satisfaction of watching something come into being, it’s ALL good! ( And about a comment above, looking for some type of sea-creature: The ” Octopus” pattern from Joann’s summer kids collection was really easy to do.I had only ever done 3 small creatures before, but once I got into it, no sweat!! This I say after I’ve made and given away about 12 of them!!) Keep up the good work Tamara, Love your patterns and your blog!!
Tamara Kelly
September 13, 2013 at 9:43 pmThank you Darlene! And awesome on the charity crocheting! I just sent off a package today – it’s a great feeling!
Carol Cooke
October 26, 2013 at 1:15 amI currently knit and crochet for an organization named Operation Stork. We knit blankets, sweaters, hats, booties etc. for new moms in need. The items are donated to a local hospital to be distributed. The Sassy Corp. also donated items to be put in the bags each month. The group also sews sleepers, receiving blankets and burp cloths.
Tamara Kelly
October 26, 2013 at 6:18 pmSounds like a wonderful organization Carol, thank you!
Nicole
February 20, 2014 at 11:51 pmI absolutely adore these patterns! If you have any more like them I would love to see them! The past year or so I’ve been taking care of my aunt who has lung cancer that went to her brain. A year before I was born my dad had stage 4 malignant melanoma and because of the persistent efforts of my mom he survived. My grandmother passed away before I was born from breast cancer that had spread into her spine and no one knew until it was too late because back then people didn’t talk about those things. My fiancé’s grandfather passed from breast cancer that spread to his bones. A family friends mom passed a few yrs ago from uterine cancer that spread throughout her abdomen. My best friends grand mom passed a few yrs ago from pancreatic cancer. Her aunt was just diagnosed this past month with breast cancer and had her breast removed. A college professors 7 yr old daughter just recovered from cancer of her eye! Cancer is an awful nasty thing and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy! I walk in the NYC revlon walk for women’s cancer and I would love to make some of these things to use to help me fundraise if that’s ok?
Tamara Kelly
February 21, 2014 at 8:01 am<3 I think making these for fundraisers would be wonderful! There aren’t a whole lot of patterns like this out there, these are definitely the ones that stand out in my eyes.
Johanna
August 24, 2014 at 11:04 amI just started selling hats and decided to donate $5 from the sale of each to pediatric brain tumor research in honor/memory of my oldest son. He passed away in September 2013 from an almost two year fight with brain cancer. I’m definitely getting inspiration from your round up! Thank you 🙂
Tamara Kelly
August 25, 2014 at 9:51 am<3 I’m so sorry for your loss Johanna! I’m so glad you are finding some healing through crochet!
Cecilia Ager
February 12, 2015 at 12:07 ami just started learning to crochet. I suffer from a rare incurable progressive brain disease called Moyamoya. It is the narrowing of the major arteries to the brain causing strokes, & the only treatment is brain surgery. I suffered two major strokes within one year back in 2011 at the age of 32. As an active stay at home mom of two young daughters in elementary school, & wife of a basketball coach, this diagnosis was not something that you are ever prepared for. After my first brain bypass done in January of 2012 failed, I continued to have countless TIA’s & seizures. After an exhausting 2 year search for help, I was able to find the best neurosurgeon in the world for Moyamoya at Stanford to help me. I’m currently doing well & recovering from my second multiple procedure brain surgery, I thought that by crocheting I could not only get some fine motor occupational therapy, but selling my scarves would be a good way to help raise awareness for Moyamoya. All proceeds minus the cost of material will be going to The Stanford Hospitals & Clinics for Moyamoya research.
Tamara Kelly
February 12, 2015 at 9:14 amI’m so glad crochet has helped you Cecilia! You sound like a wonderfully strong person, and I wish you a quick recovery!! ♥
Sara
June 16, 2015 at 12:53 amCecilia, your post jumped out at me like you couldn’t even imagine… My hubby’s best friend passed away 5 years ago from Moyamoya and when I read your post my eyes swelled with tears. I’ve been searching for patterns to make things for my fundraising for next years Relay for Life in memory of my mom who we lost to Ovarian cancer almost 4 years ago and just happen to be reading the comments hoping someone had said if this was difficult to do or not. I do hope that if you read this, you are feeling well and that you know someone is thinking of you and will say a prayer for you tonight as I continue my pattern search.
Tamara, thank you so much for posting this pattern. I’m hoping to be able to make these hats decent enough to sell for our Relay next year.
Tamara Kelly
June 16, 2015 at 9:44 am♥
Maggie
September 15, 2015 at 12:17 pmI have to start by saying “Rock On!” to all of you that have devoted the fruits of your talents to so many causes. I hope no one minds, but since I was diagnosed with lupus 14 years ago, and have reached a point where it keeps me restricted from so many things, I have dug up my old crochet hooks from childhood, and changed the color on some of these patterns to purple – the ribbon color for lupus. I’m hoping to refine my old lost skill enough that I can do some donating soon. Winter is approaching. But for now, family is stuck with the various trials of my effort. Y’all that created these, and so much else that I have found on this site: Thank You So Much for sharing so freely. And, Tamara especially, thanks for pulling all these patterns together, putting them in a single spot for searching through. It really helps on a therapeutic level. God bless each & every one of y’all.
Tamara Kelly
September 15, 2015 at 5:06 pm<3 Thank you Maggie!