Works With Her Hands

"She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands." (KJV Proverbs 31:13)

"Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber." (NLT Proverbs 31:19)

Proverbs 31, the woman's ABCs of conduct.  Two of my favorite verses in this chapter and the foundation for my little business and this blog:

Works With Her Hands

To me, the art of thread work; whether it be sewing, crochet, knitting, cross-stitch, embroidery, and quilting,without the need of a machine, is fading into history and something told from stories of old.

This blog will be craft related. Different projects I am working on. New designs I want to share. The call for arms to save our ABC's for the next generation and generations to come. To make things that mean something and will last. To create something that can be touched and smell the love of the hands that created it.  

How do we change that? Well, as of right now: with one disaster and a call for help. A fire that has sparked a movement.

                                   (photo credit: bbc.com)

We all know about the fires in Australia. We know about the lives lost, most recently 3 American firefighters who died in a airplane crash. Hundreds of lives lost, millions of acres burnt, and an estimated billion animals have died in this fires. 

There was a call for crafters from around the world to send items. They needed koala mittens, joey pouches, birds nests, blankets, beds, etc. Everything was handmade. 

Now, I want to pause for a second and give some cliff-note versions of what has happened since the first call. I could link Facebook pages and posts, five you the names of organizations, etc. But I am not. Here is what has happened: Facebook pages popped everywhere. Loving and willing people have poured their hearts into getting items to Australia as fast as they can. People emptied their wallets and have been working their fingers to the point of almost bleeding and aching uncontrollably. Then personalities to over from the principal of the call. Australia received so many items they asked that the shipments stop, if for nothing else, just for a little while. Crafters Guilds were overworked, being bullied, and some people were taking advantage of the heart of the people. Ties were severed, new people took over, people still fighting (sigh). In one group, the new administrator has only been in the group for a few weeks, and her posts were so unprofessional and downright rude, I had to leave the group. I may not be the most professional and polite (meek and timid are NOT in my DNA) personal but I was so disappointed in their representation, I had to walk away. And there are many other groups like that and it is killing the movement. 

Back from the rabbit trail: So many of us turned own focus on local animal help. Our local wildlife rehabilitation people were left on the sidelines, with a desperate need of their own and for our own ecosystem.   I personally have a dear friend who is a wildlife rehabilitation expert and her and her group needs alot of help. For us crafters to take the burden off, they can focus their time and money on food, shelter, education material, did I mention food and shelter?

Is wildlife the ONLY help we can give to? Absolutely not. I will be working on and  designing some items for other organizations. I have friends who work with cancer wards in our local hospitals who need hats, and shawls, and lap blankets; NICU items; Alzheimer patients and those with severe anxiety, autism, trauma survivors who need something to keep their hands busy called twiddle muffs (another post, I promise).  It's coming. I promise. One project at a time. 

First project: animal hammocks.  See you in a few! 

 

Keep Your Hands Moving!

Wendy