Help Japan Relief Efforts Through Knitting
Today is Make a Difference Monday...
Usually I focus my charity knitting efforts locally. It's hard not to when you see the need in your own city or hear of the need in your family's neighborhoods and hometowns.
But lately I have found it equally impossible to ignore what has happened to the beautiful country of Japan and its proud, dignified people and culture. In fact, my heart has been completely broken as Japan has been ravaged by earthquake after earthquake, devastated by a tsunami, and further felled by nuclear disaster. From my comparatively perfect, comfortable, and well-protected home, I could only wonder, "whatever can we possibly do?"
At first the answer seemed to be "nothing." As knitters we want to knit blankets and hats and mittens to help in times of disaster, but when natural disasters strike so far from home, that isn't the kind of assistance needed. It's far more difficult to get such items to where they are needed, for one thing; for another, what relief organizations such as the Red Cross, Save the Children, and Doctors Without Borders need right now are monetary donations.
But knitters and those who serve us -- creators of yarn and patterns -- seem to be, by nature, an incredibly generous breed. They have stepped up in big ways to allow us to use our craft to raise money to help this beautiful, disaster-torn nation get back on its feet.
Here are a few of the ways you, as a knitter, can help Japan:
1. Buy benefit yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts will donate a portion of the proceeds of its sales of its hand-painted colorway Knitters Without Borders to Doctors Without Borders
A yarn shop in Iowa, Stagecoach Yarns, is donating all the proceeds of the sale of its limited-run "Cherry Blossom" hand-dyed colorway to benefit Japanese relief efforts.
You can also purchase yarn manufactured in Japan, as stimulating the Japanese economy will help the nation recover as well. Two such yarns include Noro Yarns (available at yarn shops all over the country) and Pierrot Yarns.
2. Buy benefit patterns. Many pattern designers have stepped forward to offer beautiful patterns for sale and will be donating the entirety of the proceeds toward Japanese relief efforts. It would be impossible to list all of the designers who have done so, but here are four popular patterns, available for purchase via Ravelry download:
Mitered Crosses Blanket for Japan
Comfort Slippers for Japan
Checking Ravelry is a great way to discover additional patterns you can purchase with proceeds going toward Japan relief efforts, as many designers are selling their patterns as Ravelry downloads.
3. Create your own fundraisers. The beautiful work of our hands can mean multiple opportunities to raise money for Japan relief efforts. If you belong to a knitting group, for instance, you could hold a raffle or a silent auction, pooling your combined finished projects to raise even more money.
If you belong to any kind of online community, you may be surprised at the untapped resource at your fingertips! I recently decided to poll my friends on Twitter to find out who might be interested in participating in a raffle for an afghan I would knit, with the proceeds going to Japan relief efforts. I was shocked not only at just how many of my followers were eager to participate in just such a raffle, but also at how many of my fellow crafters wished to donate their own handcrafted items as well.
And just think -- if you combine all three of these, by purchasing benefit yarn and a benefit pattern, and then holding your own fundraiser, you'll be funneling even more money towards Japan relief efforts!
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Today's Featured Product:
The Prayer Shawl Companion: 38 Knitted Designs to Embrace, Inspire, and Celebrate Life by Janet Bristow and Victoria Cole-Galo
Prayer shawls are a popular form of charity knitting. Throughout the ages they have offered comfort to their recipients through times of trouble and hardship, and for their knitters they have provided a focus to prayer and an outward expression of love and remembrance. Today prayer shawls are given in celebration as well as condolence, and the patterns offered in this beautifully designed and illustrated book run both ends of the spectrum. In addition to patterns, the book also provides suggestions for making the knitting experience itself a more restful and restorative process, mostly through creating a more pleasant knitting environment. For the knitter who enjoys creating prayer shawls or has ever considered doing so, this book is one you'll want to have on your shelf!
