k2tog 2013 featured charity project: Monster Love!

Leila, Lydia, and Lucas the Momma and Baby Monsters from The Big Book of Knitted Monsters

600 Monsters began as project by a small knitting and crochet circle in response to the Dec 14 elementary school shooting. They created a Ravelry group, the media picked it up (here is the Huffington Post article) and word spread. The group is currently in the works to become a full Non-Profit Organization, with a goal of “bringing friendly handcrafted monsters to children in need worldwide”.

We at K2Tog strongly believe in “Think Globally. Act Locally.” In that spirit, we will be collecting lovingly made monsters throughout the year to give to police and fire departments, and social service agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area to be given to children after trauma.

Monster Pillows from Knit a Monster Nursery

Why monsters? Monsters can represent protection, strength and security for kids in need. Plus they are adorable, easy to make and as individualized as the kids who get them. We recommend Rebecca Danger’s books Knit a Monster Nursery and The Big Book of Knitted Monsters (both carried in our store). Also, via Ravelry, Rebecca has a free pattern for Monster Chunks.

Monster Chunks

Cascade Yarns has a free pattern for a monster made out of Cascade 220. The Pockets&Parking Garages blog has a free Adorkable Monster pattern. A pattern for Ziggy can be found at Qulity’s Corner. Hungry Monsters are based on drawings by 1st graders.

We encourage you to have fun and be creative! These are great for using the partial balls of yarn that inevitably occur after making a project. Also a great way to try out new yarns and funky colors.

Give some MONSTER LOVE!!