Wool-Aid set high goals for 2013, but our wonderful knitters and crocheters met the challenge!

Shown below are the goals set by Wool-Aid for 2013 and the number of each item shipped to help warm children around the world this winter:

Item: Goal / Number of Items Shipped

Hats: 2500 / 2689

Socks: 1200 / 1163

Sweaters: 800 / 654

Vests: 650 / 672

Mittens: 650 / 595

Blankets: 75 / 115

TOTALS: 5875 / 5888

Warm woolen clothing and blankets were sent to children living in Mongolia (1034 items), Afghanistan (2238 items), Tibet (2238 items), and Kazakhstan (378 items).

Heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who helped make these goals a reality, warming children who live in the coldest climates and have the least access to resources! You’re truly making a difference in so many children’s lives. Thank you!

Join Wool-Aid as we continue to focus on specific items this summer in order to maximize the number of items that are needed most when we prepare the big shipments to our recipient organizations in late fall. All Wool-Aid focus items — hats, socks, vests, sweaters, mittens, blankets — are always needed and always welcome, but from time to time we focus on specific items in order to boost their numbers. In addition to focusing on Sweaters by September!, we are looking to add to the number of pairs of socks we can send to help warm the cold feet of children and teens this winter.

Focus: Socks! All sizes are good, but let’s focus on socks in the larger sizes — 8″ to 10″ foot length.

Dates: July 2013

Guidelines:

1. 80%+ wool or animal fiber content. Wool is warm, and it stays warm even when it gets wet.
2. A warm, dense woolen fabric is important. Recommended patterns typically call for worsted weight or worsted weight + a sock yarn that has no more than 25% nylon. You may need to use a smaller needle size than is usually recommended in order to produce a dense enough fabric.
3. The leg of the sock (cuff to bottom of foot) should be as long as the foot (back of heel to tip of toe).
4. No tube socks!
5. Please tie the pair together at the cuff.

Recommended pattern: Double Yarn Socks for Charity, available on the Wool-Aid website.

We’ve added three new patterns to the pattern page on the Wool-Aid website. Every pattern meets Wool-Aid guidelines as written, with no modifications needed. Items created with these patterns should be knit with 80%+ wool yarns.

Each pattern that appears here was designed by a member of the Wool-Aid community on Ravelry and is included with permission. They are free for charity, non-profit, and personal use. They are also featured in our Wool-Aid Pattern Store on Ravelry, which can be viewed by guests.