• About
  • Start Here!
  • Knitting for Charity Mosaic Bookshop
  • Nav Social Menu

Knitting for Charity

Knitting for Charity

Everything you need to knit patterns you love for people you care about

  • Charity Knitting Solutions
    • Knitting Charities by Donation Item
    • Knitting Charities by Recipient
    • Knitting Charities by Location
    • General Charity Knitting
  • Free Knitting Patterns
  • Knitting Solutions
    • Knitting Instructions, Techniques & Tips
    • Knitting Supplies
    • Frugal Knitting
    • Answers to Your Knitting Struggles
You are here: Home / Free Knitting Patterns / How to Best Knit for the Elderly: Tips & Free Patterns

How to Best Knit for the Elderly: Tips & Free Patterns

Afghans and Blanket Squares, Afghans/Blankets/Squares, Free Knitting Patterns, Knitting Charities by Donation Item, Knitting Charities by Recipient, Senior Citizens

Advice and tips from experts, plus free knitting patterns

How to Knit for Elderly

Do you want to knit for elderly folks but aren’t sure where to start?

Over the years, I’ve been heartened to hear of the many knitters who enjoy knitting for people in assisted living facilities, for elderly neighbors, for folks suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia, and more.

Knitting for senior citizens is one of the most loving ways I can think of to thank generations before us for all they’ve done for us. I find it especially gratifying because so many of them spent a lot of their own years knitting for people in need.

However, senior citizens often have special needs that you should take into consideration before you get started.

To help me spread the word about the best ways to knit for elderly folks, I turned to experts!

Sue McGorie ran the knitting charity Sunshine International Blankets of Love, or SIBOL.  Bev Q runs the website Bev’s Country Cottage, featuring all kinds of knitting for charity.

So read on for some great tips on knitting blankets for the elderly, and then take a look at the links to some terrific free patterns!

Knitting Blankets for the Elderly

(Note: SIBOL is no longer running, but her tips are still quite valid!)

Sue’s tips:

1. Elderly residents love bright colors. So if you have some bright yarn colors in your stash that no one else seems to want because they’re “loud,” those would be great for blankets for the elderly!

2. Lacy patterns are not terrific for nursing home residents because their fingers tend to get caught in the “holes.”

3. However, any other visually interesting stitch pattern is encouraged. As Sue points out, “They sit for hours with nothing to do and it’s nice to have textured square patterns which have raised stitches.”

Any kind of geometric interest is a great idea. Basketweave, herringbone, even moss or seed stitches would add interest. (If you have a stitch pattern library, this is a great excuse to go wild!)

4. For an extra-practical touch, sew a simple pocket (just a little square) on one side of the blanket. This makes a nice storage spot for tissues.

Bev’s tips:

1. Most nursing facilities appreciate small afghans/lapghans (36″ x 45″ or so), shawls, gloves, wheel chair and walker totes, and slippers or handknitted socks.

2. Handknitted slippers need to have some kind of skid-resistant paint, or material on the bottom for obvious reasons.

3. Nice soft yarn is wonderful for aging, fragile skin, and lovely bright colors are terrific to brighten their days!

Thank you, Sue and Bev, for the great tips! Now, how about some patterns?

Free Knitting Patterns for the Elderly – Full Sized Blanket Patterns

First, I would be remiss if I didn’t link to Bev’s Country Cottage’s fantastic page of patterns for seniors. This is probably the best set of links I’ve seen.

Next, here are some beautiful full-sized blanket patterns you can knit:

Ten Stitch Blanket: this results in a gorgeous geometric design and is a fantastic stash-busting project.

  • Ten Stitch Blanket
  • Photos: Frankie Brown

Eleventh Hour Blanket: I will always find this pattern enchanting. The textured stitches are gorgeous, and I love the border. If you’re looking for quick and simple, look no further!

free blanket knitting patterns
Sutter’s Mill Throw
Photo: Lion Brand

Sutter’s Mill Throw: This beautiful Lion Brand pattern pops with gorgeous cables. Since you create panels that are then sewn together, it makes a more portable project. (Scroll down to the buttons next to the photo to find the “download free pattern” button.)

Quilt and Cable Blanket: This blanket features some of the most unusual cables I’ve ever seen. It looks far more difficult than it really is and produces a quilt-like fabric.

Ten Stitch Zigzag: By the designer of the Ten Stitch Blanket, this produces a striking textural zigzag pattern.

  • scrap yarn
    Ten Stitch Zigzag
  • scrap yarn

    Photo: Frankie Brown
Basketweave throw
Red Heart Basketweave Throw
Photo: Yarnspirations

Red Heart Basketweave Throw: I knitted this afghan myself a few years ago and loved it. The afghan it produces is so warm and cozy!

Universal Yarn Afghan Knitalong: This is actually an afghan knitalong collection of many different squares. You can take whatever squares most appeal to you and include them in your own afghan, then sew them together at the end. This is a great portable and stash-busting project!

Color Block Blanket: Another portable project that you can work in individual pieces and then sew together at the end. You can make this blanket as small or as large as you wish.

Another great way to knit for seniors: twiddle muffs! Get free patterns here.

Free Knitting Patterns for the Elderly – “Lapghan” Patterns

Finally, here are some “lapghans” — small afghans to place over your lap to keep your legs warm, especially great for wheelchair-bound folks. While these are technically baby blanket projects, they are actually the perfect size for a lapghan.

Sunny Blanket: Here is a wonderfully square-textured pattern with lots of visual interest.

PomPom Cuddle Blanket: Be forewarned, you may find knitting with the pom-pom yarn this project requires tricky. However, if you’re up for the challenge, I think you’ll find the results are worth it. It creates a fabulously squishy-textured lapghan.

Honeycomb Stroller Blanket: Did someone say “visual interest”? This blanket is absolutely packed with it. The gorgeous honeycomb stitch pattern is positively eye-popping!

Fluffy Brioche Baby Blanket: This fantastic small blanket pattern features a brioche stitch that produces a gorgeously rich waffle-like texture.

Heart Baby Blanket: As you might have guessed, this lovely blanket features textured hearts.

Four Corners blanket
Four Corners Baby Blanket
Photo: Rina Shaikh-Lesko

Four Corners Baby Blanket: Finally, this blanket uses simple miter squares and purl ridges to create interesting textures that look a lot more difficult than they are.

Armed with these tips and patterns, I hope all you wonderful knitters are ready to dive into charity knitting for the elderly!

Want more free knitting patterns for charity? Click here for your copy of "4 Quick Charity Knitting Wins" and start making a difference today!

Share

Share
Pin
Tweet
Email
132Shares
  • Bio
  • Get Your Free Guide

Nicole

I believe there's someone who needs what you love to knit. If you'd like to knit patterns you love for people you care about, I can help!
Get your free guide, "How to Get Your Handknits to Local People in Need: What You Need to Know" with your subscription to the Knitting Nuggets Newsletter! When you join this community, you'll receive resources & inspiration to knit patterns you love for people you care about.

Last Updated: September 2, 2020 · 2 Comments

About Nicole

I believe there's someone who needs what you love to knit. If you'd like to knit patterns you love for people you care about, I can help!

Previous Post: « How to Get Your Yarn Stash Under Control
Next Post: Part 1 in Learning to Knit with Double-Pointed Needles (DPNs): Tutorials »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Elsebe Vetten says

    September 22, 2017 at 8:34 am

    I so enjoy your emails when they come. Living in Afrca is somewhat isolating, and it is great to see what others are doing. Thank you for your time in getting the emails Oglethorpe and sending the, to us.

    Reply
    • Nicole says

      September 22, 2017 at 10:05 am

      I’m so glad you enjoy them, Elsebe. 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Get your copy of Swaying with the Wind: a Charity Knitting Pattern Collection here!

I’m Nicole, and I believe there’s someone who needs what you love to knit!

Footer

Disclosure Policy

Privacy policy

nicoleatknittingforcharity

I believe there's someone who needs what you love to knit. I'm here to help!

Nicole Haschke
Are you missing your in-person knitting nights? If Are you missing your in-person knitting nights? If so, let me tell you about a virtual knitting event you won't want to miss! 

The great folks at Knit + Escape are holding a Galentine's Day virtual celebration from Feb. 4 to 6. A $10 ticket will give you access to vendor virtual booths and a whole lot of free content that includes fiber demos and lectures, farm tours, charity knitting, and much, MUCH more. 

And here's a bonus that I hope you'll love: your Marketplace Ticket includes access to the Friday Evening CHARITY KNIT NIGHT, an exciting event led by Kristy Glass, where I will be a special guest. We’ll have several opportunities for participants to ask questions and celebrate the spirit of giving!

I'm going to be talking about creating Bonding Hearts and how these wonderful little creations can help preemies and their families through an amazing organization called Mighty Miracles Foundation. 

I would LOVE to see you there, so I hope you'll join us! You'll find a registration link to this event in my profile.
(Please note: the following has nothing to do with (Please note: the following has nothing to do with charity knitting. But I can't be silent any longer. If I - and Knitting for Charity - am going to be for making the lives of others better, I have to speak up.) I've been wanting to say something for well over a week. But I felt like it wasn't my place to talk. This isn't my experience. I should be listening. 
But I want to make something clear. 
Systemic racism is not a theory. It's not a kooky idea. It's a fact of life. And whether white people feel like they've benefited from it or not (I'm sure most of us feel like we haven't)... we have. 
Sure, slavery is no more. Sure, Jim Crow laws are no more. But racism? It's still very much here. And it pushes down our brothers and sisters of color every. single. day. It makes them fear for their lives, no matter what they're doing. It makes their very existence a risk. 
And I've finally realized that it's not enough for me to believe these things in my heart and go on with my life as if there's nothing more I can do. It's not enough to be proudly "not a racist." By my silence, by my inaction, I'm perpetuating a system that feeds off black and brown human beings. 
So: this is my first step. 
I discovered Brownicity.com. And there, I discovered this book. It's a workbook, actually - kind of like a course in book form. Here's what the page says about it: "This journey guide was designed to lead the ‘beginner’ through an enlightening and introspective first steps of race/ism analysis and healing. It can be used to support a group or individual’s study." I've dived in and I'm already getting an education. And I can't wait to learn more. 
We're not going to change the world in a day. Or even a week. But each of us can start taking steps to unlearn racism. (Yes, even a proud "non-racist" like me has racism to unlearn.) This doesn't have to be your book or your path. But do *something* to start listening. In the barest glimpses of social media, you're bound to find lists of books, movies, documentaries, podcasts, and so on. I've already seen more of those than I can count. (Cont'd in comments)
Proof that I've been in quarantine waaaaaay too lo Proof that I've been in quarantine waaaaaay too long. Check out the paragraph above the divider line. This is from the newsletter I sent out today that goes to over 7,500 people. 🤦
My first sock knitting lesson is LIVE on YouTube! My first sock knitting lesson is LIVE on YouTube! Link is in my profile. Comments are very welcome! #learningtoknitsocks
Spent some time this weekend recording the first v Spent some time this weekend recording the first video lesson of my spiral rib tube sock knitting class. It will be releasing very soon... who's excited? #charityknittersofinstagram #learningtoknitsocks
I've been so inspired by all the people releasing I've been so inspired by all the people releasing free help during this time of crisis. Zoos and aquariums and nature livecams all over... Broadway offering free videos of their shows... musicians offering free living room concerts...and so on. 
So I decided to offer my own kind of help. 
If you're a knitter, I want to teach you how to knit socks!

Visit my profile for the link to my video explaining what I'm teaching and why, and the supplies you'll need. 
You can subscribe to my YouTube channel for notifications, or you can subscribe to my newsletter to get email notifications of new videos. The link to subscribe to my newsletter is also in my profile. 
#charityknittersofinstagram #sockknittersofinstagram
How is everyone doing? I've got a set of socks goi How is everyone doing? I've got a set of socks going on my new Hiya Hiya Sharps, so I think I'll be good to go for a while. How about you? Are you staying home as much as possible? And, of course, what are you knitting? #KnittingTogether
So this happened. 😭 Thank God for Friday nights So this happened. 😭 Thank God for Friday nights in which there's nothing going on, so we can drive to the nearest yarn shop (40 minutes away). #SockNeedleCrisis
We voted! (Well, technically we shared a vote. Sad We voted! (Well, technically we shared a vote. Sadly, owls can't vote...even if they're hand knitted. 😆) #SuperTuesday
Just finished a very special project: creating the Just finished a very special project: creating these pocket prayer cloths for our community's Blue Christmas service. This is a service for folks who, for myriad reasons, don't feel merry or joyful as they think they ought to. Praying that these cloths will remind them of God's love and constant presence. #charityknittersofinstagram #prayerclothknittersofinstagram

Copyright © 2021 · Nicole Haschke, Knitting for Charity

This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you agree to its use of cookies. Find out more.