Charity Craft Volunteer Network Needs You!

Ann Randall of the Stitching Studio just dropped a note to let everyone know that Austin has a new resource for charity crafting:

I wanted to let you know about our new non-profit, Charity Craft Volunteer Network, is now up and running with a brand new website. Allyson Lipkin designed the logo for us and we are really happy with the progress this year. We supply handcrafted items to local hospitals, treatment centers, transitional family housing, hospices, breast cancer patients, even the local Humane Society and we want to invite everyone to join us in producing these gifts for those in need in the Austin area. Most of our projects are for sick children and the elderly but we have a bit of everything for lots of different crafters. Please visit the website to get the full picture and scope
of what we do.

We need you to help fulfill the vast commitments we have in the local area. We provide the materials, projects, workspace and equipment – you provide the time and talent and heart to get them done. A lot of people would like to use their skills in sewing, knitting, crocheting, embroidery and scrap booking but don't know what to make or where to donate it or can't afford the materials it takes to produce these items. We've been established informally in this area
for years and have projects and recipients waiting. Please consider donating your time for this very worthy effort.

We're also brand new – we got our tax exempt 501(c)(3) status in January of this year and we could desperately use donations of cash and materials. A few of our volunteers provide the majority of our materials, equipment and workspace and the burden is getting heavy on
them. We are applying for funding from various sources but that takes a lot of time and effort to see results so we are asking for individual donations to help get us through. If you have a stash of craft materials – fabric, yarn, etc. - that you've been meaning to clean out, please consider donating it. It's tax deductible and it will get used for non-profit purposes. We especially need cotton wovens with juvenile prints.


Drop them a note through the site, or send me an email if you'd like to be put in touch.

Interview with Miriam of Crafter By Night

I really admire people who maintain vast resources on their web sites. The Craft Calendar is really an homage to people like Miriam of Crafter By Night because these resources take time and are no easy thing to maintain. I would eventually like to make Craft Arsenal a better resource, but then I though why bother when Crafter by Night is such a GOLDMINE of indie shops and craft charities. By day Miriam works for the People's Community Clinic in Austin, TX (posted a couple of weeks ago), which works to provide individual and families with high quality medical services at a reasonable cost. Not too shabby huh? I got a chance to interview this keen lady and talk about her perspective on the intersection of indie, craft and charity.

I guess I should start by addressing the fact that I posted about a benefit for an organization you work for AND contacted you for an interview about five minutes later, without knowing that you worked there. It makes the world feel like such a small place, but then the craft community is kind of like that.

It was fun to see my workplace referenced when I went to look at your blogs. The world in general is a small place - 6 degrees of separation! Cause for Drinks was pretty successful, too, by the way.

Tell me about yourself...your crafts, your blog.

I've been a crafter forever … I enjoy figuring new things out, and I enjoy the process. Most of the time I like the end result, too. It's been fun watching more and more of what I make take over my house. But mostly, when I find something to do that I enjoy, something that really captivates me, I can get lost in the feeling of creating, and I love that feeling.

I blog for a lot of reasons. Mostly I'm something of a computer nerd and I love writing. I write about crafting because it just makes sense … it's what I do. The idea of "craft" is a big part of my life in many ways, aside from the obvious – the crafts I make. But it's also the idea of learning a craft, of honing a skill. Craft as artistic expression. A craft as someone's professional pursuit. Also randomly, the Arts & Crafts movement, which I love.

You write about and work for charities. Can you tell me a little about your causes, professional and personal?

Yes indeed … my professional "cause" is the People's Community Clinic, where I work in development – fundraising, public affairs, etc. The Clinic provides healthcare to people in central Texas without health insurance. It's really an amazing place to work. I'm impressed every day with the dedication and compassion of the people I work with. Our patients get better care than many people who have insurance. It's definitely work I'm proud of, and committed to.

Despite that, thinking of myself as a "cause" person is funny – I don't think of it that way. I do this work because in my life, what I do has to have some kind of meaning. I am not a person who can work only for a paycheck. Leaves me feeling empty, burned out and depressed. Maybe it's my background? My family has a number of social workers and teachers in it.

I choose the nonprofits I work for carefully - not all are great. I find that working at places that are really making a difference in the world spreads the enthusiasm for that kind of work to all areas of my life – my blog posts, for example. Being around passionate people is incredibly inspiring, and it lets me hold onto the idealism and passion that, I think, too many people lose. The people at the Clinic believe they can help relieve suffering and care for people in their community. Being in an environment like that makes me believe that anything is possible, and that cynicism is just giving up, accepting the way things are, accepting your own limitations and your own lack of ability to make a difference. What fun is that?

What's the best thing about what you do? And the worst?

Making myself be creative at work and at home, every day, all day – that's the best AND worst. Sometimes I just want to be a vegetable. Sometimes I get burned out. Sometimes it's too much work. But I think I'd go nuts without so many outlets for creativity, probably start making trouble! I like being busy and having so much stuff in my life that means something to me.

I love your Index of Indie! Suuuuch a good resource. You write on that, "Indie means lots of things, but mostly it means being out there on your own, doing it yourself, being creative, doing what you love, and if you're lucky, doing it for a living."

Supporting indie crafters/artists/designers/etc and supporting charity causes seems to go hand in hand. Certainly people have been knitting socks for the troops for quite some time, but lately there seems to be a proliferation of these craft for charity opportunities. How does Indie figure into all of this?

Let me see, indie and charity is not the same thing, obviously. How do they go together? First, I think lots of crafters like to support charity … don't know why! But it's true. Look at the Crafters for Critters website, for example, or Etsy for Animals …

For me, they go together because my interest in charity work and my admiration of independent artists both stem from an unwillingness to accept the status quo, and the belief that anything is possible. Independent artists, crafters and designers are following their dreams, they're doing the impossible thing. They're out there on their own being one woman/man creating, producing, selling, managing machines. It's impressive to even do it, much less succeed at it.

So, that's what the Index of Indie is about – supporting the artists. The Index was a natural sort of development as I got into being a consumer of handmade creations. I plan to keep working on it, making it better. I originally put it together because I had a hard time keeping track of stores and resources …

Really, "indie" anything can be overwhelmingly confusing and intimidating, whether that's indie art, crafts, music, film. With independent artisans, all the sales venues are decentralized, there aren't huge marketing budgets to appeal to consumers, and there are a huge number of artists and makers involved. To the casual observer, getting into buying indie is overwhelming. Maybe I can provide a resource to help wade through it all, maybe help encourage people to purchase from independent artists and designers. That's the idea anyway.

Cat Mazza Interview

There is GREAT interview with Cat Mazza of microRevolt up on We Make Money Not Art. Go read it and catch up on sweat shops, micro revolt, and her various projects: the Nike Blanket Petition, Stitch for Senate, Hackers and Haute Couture Heretics, and general crafty activism.

Cat is big craftivism hero of mine mainly because she's better at keeping up with the things I wish I was better at keeping up with, ahem, politics. But projects like the Knitoscope Testimonies, are more within my realm of knowledge and completely floor me with neato-ness. Knitoscope make video look like sweaters by lowering the resolution, pixelating, and translating the pixels into stitches that look like knitting. It's kind of like microRevolt's knitPro, but cooler and all the testimonials up on the site right now are from activists against sweatshop labor.

More Craftivism

Causes with crafty efforts behind them are near and dear, my dears. This weekend, put your needles together for the Sock-Monk-a-Thon, and make a monkey for a South African child:

Saturday January 12th is the Second annual Sock-monk-a-thon, a craft- for- a- cause event where you can learn to make a sock monkey and donate your firstborn to a small South African. All materials are provided- though donations of materials are always appreciated! Funky socks, stuffing, buttons and embroidery thread are all ingredients for monkey making. Join us from 1-4 pm for good crafting and great karma. For more info, please contact lindsey@operationsockmonkey.com or check out www.operationsockmonkey.com.

Visit the Facebook event.

ABOUT OPERATION SOCK MONKEY

Operation Sock Monkey is an initiative created to raise money, support and awareness for Clowns Without Borders South Africa, (CWBSA). CWBSA is an organization providing laughter, hope and healing to children in South African communities affected by HIV.

Handmade sock monkeys are sewn with love and sent on a trip to South Africa where they will find new homes in the arms of orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV /AIDS.

OSM needs help in the form of crafters and sponsors- the more monkeys made and sponsored, the more smiles will be sent across the miles. If you’d like to make a sock monkey to send, please contact lindsey@operationsockmonkey.com for upcoming workshop details. If you’d like to sponsor and send a sock monkey, or for more information, go to www.operationsockmonkey.com.

Image above is of therealgiganator's Craftster challenge winning monkey.

Football: over and out

That's right. I'm talking about football. I'm really going to miss knitting through a football game once the season is over. Knitting is to football, like chili is to mac'n'cheese. Last year, we heard about the DIY Network's Knitty Gritty Knit In to benefit Warm Up America with Vicki Howell which aired during the Super Bowl. (Technically, last year this time, we didn't have cable, so actually watching was out of the question.) But this year we won't have the chance. Here's the scoop from Vicki's blog:

I just got word that DIY nixed the Knitty Gritty marathon (aka the Knit In), 2008 in favor of a bathroom renovation they're calling, the Toilet Bowl. Soooo, I know I told a lot of people that the KG special would air on Superbowl Sunday but that's apparently no longer the case. I'll keep you posted on any new developments but in the meantime, if you're looking for more Knitty Gritty love and want to tell the network(s) about it, here's where you can send your comments:
DIY Network Viewer Comments
HGTV Viewer Comments

Toilet Bowl? That's inspired.

Another problem is that the Warm Up America project has concluded. [correction: NOT concluded. the only thing that concluded was the baby hat project.] In any case, there are obviously a lot more projects to donate your Super Bowl sit in projects to. The San Diego Wild Fire Blanket Project is still going strong as I mentioned yesterday and I am encouraging you all to send a square there. Since there are still a lot of play off games, why not knit a few up before then. Not into football? Just flick on the TV. You've probably already noticed, there are plenty of inane shows to put on in the background.

Witch Fire Project updates for 2008

It's about time we started setting some goals around here. Personal, ahem and for the Witch Fire Project. What with the holidays and everything, I've been a little lagging both in the shop and on this here blog, so while I am not a resolutions person, I am still going to tie a little string around my finger and promise to step things up this year. New projects which have been on the back burner will be shoved front and center.

First off the shop needs a little refresh. I will be posting new items in the next week. As I post them up I will be entering the gracious donor into the raffle and kicking that back into gear.

Next it's off to the writing cave, where I will be working on a short book about crafters and how crafting currently and historically is used to benefit communities in need. A lot of those ideas will be bounced of the lovely readers here and on Marimello, so keep your eyes peeled and let me know what you think.

I was perusing other similar projects over the break and was happy to see that San Diego Wild Fire Blankets has been doing really well. To date they've done 73 blankets and this year they're launching a whole new Web site to reach their goal of 1588. They've so far reached everyone in my home town, Poway.

Seeing the efforts of other projects always makes me happy, so this year I'd like to team up with some other similar efforts and see if we can't start a disaster awareness/preparation awareness type effort for crafters and the people who support them by buying handmade. If you're interested comment or email me marimellodesign [at] gmail

2008 looks like it's going to be a good year. The Witch Fire Project made news of it's own this morning when Naik Fur's Pom Poms were featured as an Etsy pick in the newsletter. If you didn't get it, that's ok. Go check them out right here.


So happy January! Keep spreading the good word.

I do other stuff you know

...once in while anyway.
Go check it out. My name is in print and not just on the web. Even if you don't like me, CROQ is a FAB zine and you should read it anyway.

You can purchase at Etsy and various shops. But only if you live and cooler area than I do. Sob.

Knit a Square, Any Square

Here's a good weekend project for you knitters from lys Yarning for You. I'm going to do it. Heck I'll probably watch so much football this weekend, I'll have a whole afghan done.

Hello Knitters,

Please help us in our newest charity project:
Re-Covering San Diego!

Hundreds of fiber artists are helping to make blankets for the San Diego 2007 Wildfire victims. Would you like to join in the effort?

We have complementary yarn for this project thanks to our vendors. Yarn has been donated by Plymouth yarns, Berroco yarns, and The Skacel Company.

Here are the details along with a pattern…

1. If you want to participate come by the shop, sign up and receive your complementary yarn.

2. One ball of complementary yarn will yield TWO squares.

3. Knit or crochet a 9" by 9" square using any machine washable yarn. It can be made in any stitch pattern or yarn as long as the square is 9" by 9".

4. Please return your squares in roughly 2 weeks to Yarning for You, 1001 West San Marcos Blvd., Suite 180, San Marcos CA, 92078.

5. Volunteers are needed to assemble the squares into blankets. Want to help? Just let us know!

PATTERN:
An easy 9" x 9" square knitted with donated yarn (one ball makes two squares).
· Size 11 needles
· CO 30 sts
· Knit for 9" in stockinette, seed, garter or the stitch pattern of your choice.
· BO. Weave in all ends.

Call us if you have any questions at 760-744-5648.

Thank You, Sandy & Debra