Crafting for good craftalong 2020

How about a quarterly craftalong for a charity of our choice? Or it could be certain much needed items that we can donate to our local community. We could take a poll to decide what we would like to work on. For example, right now we could knit or crochet hats and scarves and donate them locally. Thoughts?

Edit: It looks like we’ve more or less decided we need to craft for the animals in Australia :slight_smile:

First Quarter (January - March)

Animal Rescue Craft Guild (Australia) - Sewn, knitted, crocheted and loomed items
We will be working on joey pouches, bird/rodent nests, flat bat wraps, hanging pouches, 3D pouches, animal beds, etc. to send to the Animal Rescue Craft Guild (ARCG). These items will be used to aid in their rescue efforts. Their facebook page has pattern links on how to make these much needed items in a variety of ways - knitted, crocheted, loomed and sewn. It also has information on types of recommended materials, etc.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/arfsncrafts

When you’ve finished your items, you may either send them directly to their location in Australia, or you may send the items to your nearest hub.

Let me know if you need any other information, and let’s get crafting! :slight_smile:

NOTE:
As of January 11, 2020 the guild has requested that folks finish up what they have and pause crafting while they reassess their needs.

Latest update on requests by the guild

Small Things Matter (USA) - Bookmarks for children
Small Things Matter (STM), a student-run 501(3)c nonprofit, is founded on the idea that small acts of kindness can make a big impact on someone’s life. They are committed to helping others in need through literacy, crafting for charity, and food rescue programs. Through the Books for Bedtime literacy program, free books are distributed to at risk-children at food distributions. At these events, the children are given a new book of their choice to take home to keep and read. STM also hosts school-wide distributions of brand new books at low-income Title I schools as well as “preloved” books at regular public schools. At these special distributions, students are also treated to a handmade bookmark of their choice.

Bookmarks of all shapes and sizes would be appreciated. In general, they are approximately 2" wide x 7" long and use cardstock. Please note that bookmarks should not have content that might be deemed offensive (e.g. sex / religion / politics).

Here’s a link to bookmarks made from fabric paper (inspired by Magpie/craftylittlemonkey):

smallthingsmatter.org
Paper-Fabric-Bookmarks-Instructions.pdf

Bookmarks can be sent to:
Small Things Matter
14516 Bauer Drive
Rockville, MD 20853
USA

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I do like this idea & have seen posts here & there about knitting for the animals in Australia. I think if you post it, they will come. And I also mean me :).

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Given that I have close friends living in NSW, this is definitely a cause that I feel compelled to give to.
I would be happy to have that for our first quarterly theme.
In one of the news articles, they mentioned joey pouches and koala mittens. So much can be done.

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The Animal Rescue Craft Guild has a list of items they need, and they have pattern files for said items too.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/arfsncrafts/

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I’m so in!

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I didn’t see this post and I made this one. It has a couple of different places to donate. It’s not only knitters but sewers as well. It is so horrific what is happening to all those animals! Breaks my heart.
https://forum.lettucecraft.com/t/crafting-for-australias-animals/1730

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@gozer
I’ve looked at several patterns. It seems as if sewing items (pouches) are in greatest need. I was trying to plot for where I could get the most amount of fleece, for the least amount of monies. I think sheets sets might work (just for sheer cost to yardage). Unless Joanns is having a coupon applicable to clearance as well.

The site “that shall not be named” had a post that had a LOT of different places that accepted handmade items for charity.

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My friend sent me this link and I thought I should share it here. It’s about using our craft skills to help the animals effected by the fires in Australia.

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@gozer
I think this ties in with @loves2experiment suggestion here: Crafting for good craftalong?

I also suggested it to our guild last night. I checked the material listing and the safest looks to be cotton/fleece/bamboo.

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Oh! Thank you. I had no idea where to really post this. I just wanted people to know about it.

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No worries…it looks like we’re kindred spirits and wanted to do something to help.
It’s so upsetting to see all the images of animals who have lost their homes and who have been hurt by the fires.

I have moved the posts in the topic you started to this thread so that we’re all on the same page :slight_smile:

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It looks like the ARCG has listed the following as the most needed items for their cause:

  • joey pouches
  • bird/rodent nests
  • flat bat wraps
  • hanging pouches
  • 3d hanging pouches
  • animal beds

They have suggested pattern files on their site for sewn, knitted, and crocheted versions of the items.
For those of us in the US, they also have a list of hubs where we can send the finished items to (if you do not wish to send them directly to their address in Australia).

I started knitting a nest this evening from one of their patterns and will post when I’m done.
If you need me to help you find the nearest hub to send your finished items to, I’m happy to do that.

Awesome! Let’s do this!

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Does your local store have a section for end-of-bolt cuts and returns?
I often sandwich fleece or flannel when I make zip pouches and I find them at pretty good prices there.

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I will have to check. They have clearance stuffs.

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I spent the day with my grandmama and I happened to mention that some of us were planning to craft pouches, etc. for the animals in Australia :slight_smile:
She asked if she could help. The same day, we raided her stash of fabrics and completed 5 pouch exteriors. We also worked on cutting out a bunch of them so that she has a stack ready to sew this week. It totally warms my heart to see her sew again…and I am so thankful that she taught me how to sew and didn’t mind me messing around with her treadle sewing machine when I was a kid.

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And because I was up too late, I finished my first bird/rodent nest.
It was knitted with 3 strands of yarn, and didn’t take too long to complete.

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This is so great. I have my second pouch on the needles right now!

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Feel free to share pics if you like…I would love to see them!