General Guidelines for All Items:
We are grateful to you for your interest in sharing your talents with us and our community partners. As you create, please remember the following guidelines which allow us to quickly and efficiently distribute requested items to those in need.
1. Before beginning, check the website for specific sizes and materials for the items we accept. It is quite difficult for us to distribute items that our Community Partners do not request, or those that are not standard sizes or use standard materials. Our most requested items are hats, scarves, mittens, Peace Pals, finger puppets, and baby blankets. Please do not send preemie items.
2. Ask yourself-Is this an item I would be proud to give to a family member or a friend? Is it handmade and fully finished, with yarn ends sewn in?
3. Avoid pet hair, smoke, or perfumes when creating. We do not have facilities to wash items before we distribute them and we do not want to expose individuals who might be allergic to pet dander or odors.
4. Do not add tags to items as they need to be removed before we distribute them.
5. Please do not send store bought or used items as we are not able to distribute these. We encourage you to consider donating store bought or used items in your local community.
6. We love to see photos of your creative or unusual items but please do check with us before sending them in as they are often quite challenging to distribute. Our community partners have standard requests for hats, scarves, mittens, blankets, Peace Pals, and finger puppets. They typically do not have an easy way to distribute other items.
7. Remember to sew in your yarn ends and do not send in partially finished items. We will not be able to use them.
How you incorporate 3 in your item is up to you! Perhaps you can choose to incorporate:
- Use of 3 colors in your design
- A pattern based on 3s such as k3, p3; or a number of cast-on stitches or rows divisible by 3
- Fringe with 3 pieces of yarn
- Use of triangular shapes
Peace Pals are automatically a 3 with the head, torso, and legs. There are many possibilities! See how you can creatively weave in your element of three to symbolize these loving connections.
Our Patterns
We welcome handcrafted yarn and quilted items (knit, crochet, woven, etc.) that align with our community needs. The items listed below have been specifically requested by our constituents and we try to adhere to their wishes. K4P welcomes all items in your favorite patterns that meet these guidelines. We cannot accept store-bought items. If you wish to make something not listed below, please send us a note first to see if we can accept it.
We try to update our items as needed based on changing requests from our community. If you don’t see an item that was historically listed, please let us know before sending in case that item is no longer needed.
The Element of 3: Many of our makers and Peace Pods choose to incorporate an element of 3 in a creative manner. This element of 3 represents many aspects of what we do. Firstly, it represents the trifold connections among the creator of the item, the recipient, and the Spirit of Life that creates and unites all of Creation. It also symbolizes the importance of the three Abrahamic faith traditions -- Judaism, Christianity, Islam -- to global peace: because these three traditions represent 2/3 of the world’s population, there is virtually no chance for global peace until our Abrahamic Family is knit together in a tapestry of respect and commitment to compassionate coexistence. The element of 3 also represents our work of crafting three essential elements of life: hope, healing, and peace. The element of 3 can mean everything to you or it can simply help you choose 3 colors. It’s up to you!
Project Resources
Please carefully read our General Guidelines above before you start your project.
Use our GLOSSARY for an alphabetical list of abbreviations and terms used in our patterns.
When you use donated or left-over yarn and can't figure out what its weight category is, here's a helpful way to figure it out: Handy Hints: Determining Yarn Weight.
If you want to easily check your gauge, check out 30 Stitch Swatch Magic method.
Our tangible knitting & crocheting is an outward & visible sign of our inner dedication to mindfully knit together our Community. Please send love for each individual and/or family who will receive the item you create, & for a future in which all parents can raise their children in peace.
Questions about patterns? Needle size? Yarn? Email our resident expert, Arna! She is ready and willing to help you create with Knitting4Peace.
Community-Approved Items
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Baby Blankets
EASY TO INTERMEDIATE
We deliver baby blankets locally and globally, supporting new parents and their infants. Baby blankets can be knitted, crocheted, or quilted, in all colors.
PLEASE NOTE: We accept 2 sizes of baby blankets:
1) Small baby blankets are sent to NICU units and to international programs serving young infants. They should be between 26" and 30" on all sides. Please do not send in blankets smaller than 26" in length or width.
2) Regular baby blankets are requested by many different programs and sizes are flexible, typically ranging anywhere from 30" to 52"."
TRY A PATTERN!
Try the Crochet Rainbow Ripple Baby Blanket Pattern
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Finger Puppets
INTERMEDIATE
Finger puppets are our newest and smallest item, added in response to a request by the UCH Guatemala Global Health program for use in their infant wellness clinics. Finger puppets are also being used in a language development study with new babies at the University of Colorado, and are included for children in other international deliveries. Finger puppets can be of animals or people. Size to fit on an adult finger.
In addition to the links below you can also find free patterns on Ravelry.
TRY A PATTERN!
Try the Crochet Finger Puppets
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Mittens
EASY TO INTERMEDIATE
Mittens are given to children, teens, and adults living in poverty and in areas where temperatures can be cold and warm clothing scarce. Having warm hands in the winter can make a huge difference for a young student or for an unhoused adult. We need a variety of colors, suitable for all genders. Sizes needed: for ages 2 and up.
Please use a piece of yarn to tie pairs together. Do not use safety pins as these must be removed.
TRY A PATTERN!
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Peace Pals
BEGINNER TO INTERMEDIATE
Peace Pals (formerly Pocket Peace Pals) were developed by Knitting4Peace volunteers to create comforting companions for children in global areas of conflict. They’re loved and appreciated by all ages, and are our most-requested item. Make Peace Pals’ faces in realistic skin, eye and mouth colors. The Pals are more than toys; they are companions in coping with stress, and building children’s self-esteem. Peace Pals’ faces need to be friendly!
To hear more dos and don'ts check out our Peace Pal Panel on YouTube!
Please see close-up photos and instructions below for easy ways to make cheerful eyes and mouths. You can also see a step-by-step tutorial video on our YouTube channel.
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Hijab for Peace Pals
Hijab for Peace Pal
INTERMEDIATE
This pattern for hijab was developed by Carrie Lynn Richardson, a former Board Chair in Denver, Colorado, in 2021.
One way to make a Peace Pal that reflects a child's identity is by adding a hijab. A hijab is a head covering worn by some Muslim women in the presence of any male outside their immediate family. Women wear hijab for religious reasons, as a reminder to remain pious, modest, honest, and generous. In many parts of the world, it has also become a symbol of national or ethnic identity. While a hijabi's headscarf may require quite a bit of styling skill, these knit hijabs are one piece for easy on and off.
You can use this hijab pattern to add to Peace Pals you’ve made or to make hijabs to send to us to be added to Peace Pals for deliveries requesting this item.
TRY A PATTERN!
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Scarves
We deliver scarves in global impoverished areas where temperatures can be cold and warm clothing is scarce, and to underserved communities in the U.S.A.
Sizes: 4-8” wide, 45-80” long, or warm cowls. We need a variety of colors, suitable for all genders. Warm, not lacy, stitch patterns are most useful for the people we serve. We can still accept narrower scarves, for a few of our community partners who request these. We receive many more requests for warm winter scarves and cowls.
TRY A PATTERN!
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Hats for Infants, Youth & Adults
We create hats for children, teens, and adults living in poverty and in areas where temperatures can be cold and warm clothing scarce. To modify the size of a pattern, check out the Simple Hat Calculator. Please note infant hats must have a circumference of at least 13”. We need a variety of colors, suitable for all genders. Warm, not lacy, stitch patterns are most useful for the people we serve.
Making hats using a loom? Use bulky yarn or double up thinner yarns. We can use loomed hats if they are warm, but not if they’re net-like or “holey”.
TRY A PATTERN!
Try the Three By Two Ribbed Cap Pattern
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Booties
MODERATE BEGINNER TO INTERMEDIATE
Baby booties go to a number of community partners with programs supporting new parents and their babies, in the U.S. and in other countries.
Colors: Bright colors are appreciated by families in many different cultures. Pastel, white and cream colors also work well for this item.
Fiber: Any soft and washable yarn. Cotton is not recommended for this item, as it will shrink when washed.
Size: Please make booties 3” or longer from heel to toe.
Please use a piece of yarn to tie pairs together. Do not use safety pins as these must be removed.
TRY A PATTERN!
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Quilted Sleeping Mats
BEGINNER TO ADVANCE
Please mail quilted sleeping mats directly to our community partner American Foundation for Children with AIDS, Attn: Tanya Weaver, 1520 Greening Lane, Harrisburg PA 17110.
Knitting4Peace does not have the ability to mail your sleeping mats to AFC Aids.
From there they’ll be sent to people in various countries in Africa, at AFC AIDS medical clinics.
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Washcloths
Washcloths should be a minimum of 7" in width and length, cotton only. Round is fine as long as they are 7" in width.
Thank you to Ravelry and Stacy Wilkinson for the pattern and photo!
TRY A PATTERN!