Crafting for a Cause . . .

*waves hand for attention*

*jumps up and down a few times*

*pulls out soap box and steps up so that she can be seen*

*mutters, “It stinks being only five feet tall”*

*clears throat and straightens tiara*

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And right about now, you are thinking what the Slytherin does that have to crafting, right? In so many ways, crafting has EVERYTHING to do with it. Or at least it could have everything to do with whatever cause you support. Just think about it for a moment. What does awareness have to do with crafting? It involves US. We make a difference in what we do when we fight for the causes we believe in, and we make a difference when we craft.

So, what’s your cause, if it’s not breast cancer? Perhaps you focus on childhood cancers? Or maybe you’ve taken up the helm for your local Autism Awareness group. Or you’ve donated to Easter Seals or United Way since you were in high school. It’s even when you toss a few coins in the red buckets for the Salvation Army at the holidays. Whatever your cause, you can help with crafting too!

Many cancer organizations collect handmade caps for chemotherapy patients. Elder care causes are always happy to receive homemade blankets for senior citizens. Also, I would think nearly all of the transient housing and homeless shelters would be grateful to take in any handmade scarves, gloves, hats, blankets, or any other cold weather protection that can be provided. One of our former Crafty Witches, Ofenjen, works with an organization in her area, The Linus Connection, that does their utmost to provide blankets to any and all children and teenagers who are at-risk or in crisis situations. Even the armed forces will usually take up some kind of crafting drive to help out the less fortunate, or even the soldiers stationed in areas with less than hospitable weather.

So, yeah, perhaps that’s focusing mostly on yarn crafts. What can I say, I blog about what I know. But that doesn’t mean you can’t help in your own way. Got a great sense of humor? How about making up a bunch of self-designed T-shirts to give to a teen safe center? Are you really good at making up nifty toys and games? I’m sure there’s a local Rec Center or YWCA that could use new games. Don’t have more than a couple of hours to give? Perhaps you could take a box of supplies and donate your time and talent to teaching a Boy/Girl scout group what you know so they in turn can help others.

Still feeling uncrafty? Hmmm¦well, maybe check in with your local crafting groups and see if you can provide supplies, delivery services, help out with the collecting of finished projects. If the organization you support isn’t local, offer to ship packages. The adage that every little bit helps is SO true.

And as the Northern Hemisphere prepares for the coming winter months, you can bet you will find more people bundling up, adding layers, doing what they can to stay warm. That means the crafty community will be working full force to make hats, scarves, blankets, and other warm wear for the next few months. I’m positive there are a few out there that donate part or all of their proceeds to a cause you can get behind. They are crafting for a cause and you can help them¦and get some cute winter items for yourself or for gifts with the holidays coming up sooner than any of us would like to admit.

I firmly believe that each and every single one of us can make a crafting difference. You just have to remember how to look at it. We all have a way to help craftily. For some of us, it’s just diving in and whipping out a few projects to hand off to a good cause. For others, it’s about helping the crafty lot in whatever way you can, either by providing supplies, services, or even funding the crafters in their endeavor. So get out there and be aware! CONSTANT VIGILANCE!!!!

*steps down from soap box, shoves under table and heads off to crochet*

Princess hp5freak