Fiber artists rally to donate hand-knit breast prosthetics for cancer survivors & raise tens of thousands for life-saving research in breast cancer fundraiser

MONTREAL, QC, CANADA, October 14, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — Fiber artists around the world rally to donate hundreds of hand-knit breast prosthetics for cancer survivors and raise tens of thousands for life-saving research in “Knit for the Girls” fundraiser.

Last year the community raised over $40,000 for breast cancer research. This year, they’re determined to surpass $50,000 in donations and hand-make 1,000+ breast prosthetics for Knitted Knockers North America and Australia’s Boobs for Breast Cancer.

Thread and Maple, a Canadian women-owned small business, have once again teamed up with Australia’s indie yarn dyer Karina Moore of Louie & Lola Yarns and the Grocery Girls Knit for their 3rd annual breast cancer research fundraiser event. Yarn dyers, yarn shop owners and knitwear designers have donated hundreds of yarn skeins, books and accessories for raffle prizes to campaign donors.

This October, the fundraising team are also hosting a worldwide knit-along for breast prosthetics and selling knit-a-knocker kits – with 100% of profits going to the North America’s Knitted Knockers and Australia’s Boobs for Breast Cancer. There are over 50,000 mastectomies each year in the US alone. Prosthetics are expensive, hot and heavy, requiring a special bra; Knitted Knockers are soft, lightweight and huggable, taking on the look and feel of a real breast when placed in a regular bra. As 2023, over half a million hand-knit/crocheted breast prostheses have been given to women for free thanks to initiatives such as this.

The fiber arts community is massive, with over 30 million knitters and crocheters in the US and Canada alone. It is comprised of a diverse array of needlecraft enthusiasts brought together by local yarn shops, knit groups, social media, and massive fiber festivals throughout North America & Europe. It’s hard to find a member of this tight-knit community who hasn’t been impacted by breast cancer, be it personally or through a family member or friend. And their determination to show support to this important cause is evident in their continued outpouring of donations.

The fundraising team have created a special Knit for the Girls Bundle, featuring a limited-edition Thread & Maple pink knitting notions case, hand-dyed Louie & Lola yarn from Tasmania, and beautiful hat and cowl knitting patterns newly designed by Tracie Millar for the occasion. Also part of the bundle, are ‘Knit for the Girls’ pins, custom created by Virginia-based designer ShelliCan and a faux-fur rose pom-pom handmade by Canadian maker Yarn Boler. Bundles go on sale at threadandmaple.com, louieandlolayarns.au, and grocerygirlsknit.com Saturday, October 21st, with $25 of each sale going to Breast Cancer Canada and the National Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Australia. Raffle prizes, comprised of donated indie-dyed yarn and accessories from the community, will be awarded to fundraiser donors daily, with several grand prizes drawing on October 28th. The prize pool this year is incredible, hundreds of indie-dyed skeins of yarn, books and accessories are up for grabs. Every $5 donation is a ticket into that day’s raffle, so the community is doubly-motivated to contribute to this worthy cause.

About Thread and Maple

Montreal-born Thread and Maple creates small-batch handcrafted knitting accessories from natural materials such as leather, cork, maple wood, and cotton. They are most known for their revolutionary Needle Binder, the first ever truly customizable knitting organizer, accommodating the most popular needle sets and tools all in one beautiful storage solution. For more information, visit www.threadandmaple.com, check them out on Instagram: @threadandmaple, or contact them at [email protected].

Olga Paskalenko
Thread and Maple
[email protected]
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