Frequently Asked Questions
How does it work?
- Knit or crochet one or more 8″ blocks. You can do this alone or with your local knitting group – the more squares, the more people we can keep warm together! For details and square guidelines and specs, visit our Knit With Us guide.
- Mail in your blocks to us at 2038 19th Ave, San Francisco, CA 94116.
- We stitch them together into warm and beautiful blankets for the unhoused in San Francisco and distribute them directly to individuals and families in need.
We also have local meetups and make-alongs here in SF! You can keep up with our adventures by following us on Instagram, joining our Facebook group, or joining us in the #charity-making channel of the SF Fiber Friends server on Discord.
Why don’t you post photos of blanket recipients?
We distribute blankets all over the city to all kinds of people, and are committed to protecting the privacy and dignity of our neighbors. For us, this means avoiding exploiting them for views, content, or engagement. Additionally, many of our recipients are disabled, escaping situations of abuse, or otherwise vulnerable in ways that warrant additional consideration for their privacy for safety reasons. Occasionally, we may post a recipient photo or story only with their enthusiastic consent – otherwise, we tend to stick to photos of our beautiful handmade blankets and squares.
I need a blanket/I know someone who needs a blanket. How can I receive one?
You can sign up for our blanket list here. Note: we do ask that you only request a blanket if you or the recipient are unhoused or experiencing housing insecurity (e.g. staying in a shelter, vehicle, tent community, etc.) and are local to the SF Bay Area.
I don’t knit or crochet, but I want to support this work. Can I donate money?
Currently, we only accept blanket squares, but some folks have occasionally sent us unwanted yarn (from relatives who have passed, etc.) and that is always appreciated and used for blankets as well! We do not currently accept monetary donations.
Why don’t you just buy and distribute mass-produced blankets? Wouldn’t that be cheaper and faster?
Yes, it probably would! And there are many wonderful organizations that do that and do it well. But we believe there is something different and special about a handmade item that everyone should get to experience – not just makers, their loved ones, and those who are able to pay for high-end handmade goods. We focus on putting our hands in together so that those who are often overlooked and forgotten can feel seen, loved, and warm.
