Let's end the year talking about quick knits and helping displaced people. Read other entries in this series here as they are available.

I love knitting hats. In fact, the primary reason I became obsessed with knitting is when I realized that I could finally make cute hats sized correctly for my larger than average head (in commercial hats I am usually a Men's M/L). Hats are quick knits, take a reasonably small amount of yarn, come in every type of pattern from a basic stockinette tube to an elaborate cabled or colorwork helmet, and can be completely practical, completely fashionable or something in between. 

I have also always wanted to be a knitter that knits hats for charity. Unfortunately, I am not a terribly quick knitter - if I have evenings free for a couple weeks I can get a simple hat done if I do no other activity at all - so while I will sometimes contribute a hat or two to an organized group effort, I am not able to make as regular donations as I would like. 

This is also a year in which my spouse and I have been lucky enough to purchase our first home, in a new city which has become home so quickly.  I am very aware how privileged we are to have been able to do this, and how many people around the world and in my own city of Chicago are displaced, without housing, and in need of support. 

So I am rounding the year out with FOlio Fest, 12 blog posts over the next four weeks which will combine both my love of hats with an attempt to bring awareness to nonprofit organizations helping displaced and/or unhoused people.

Each week I will feature three hats and one nonprofit, with every post including a little about the finished hat and information about that nonprofit’s initiatives, along with a link to donate.  These are all nonprofits I have personally donated to and if you have the ability to donate or share this information with others, it will hopefully help these organizations continue to run their programs, many of which provide crucial aid to people who otherwise have few, if any, other places to turn for support.

If you’re coming to this series a little later, you can access all currently available blog posts by clicking the FOlio Fest 2023 tag in the lower corner of this blog.  I hope together we can have a little fun talking about hats and maybe do a little good in the process.