Craftivist & Save the Children Race Against Hunger

If you scroll down, you will see that I've added a new worth a look badge thanks to Hilary at Craft Blog UK.  She emailed me earlier about a campaign being run by Craftivist in aid of the Save the Children Race Against Hunger Campaign called I'm A Piece.  I'll leave it to her to explain:

"Our campaign focuses on malnutrition which effects economies as well as cutting short millions of childrens lives at an astonishing rate of 300 children dying every hour of every day from preventable hunger related causes - that's about the same number of children dying *every hour* as are in a typical local primary school. It just seems so ridiculous to say a statistic like that in the 21st century - so any small thing we can all do to change this, I think we should.

We're asking for creatives and crafters all across the UK to create jigsaw pieces (on their own or with friends / craft groups) which will be brought together in an impressive art installation next spring - I'm getting addicted already, feels great to be making something that has real meaning!  Each piece will be embroidered or painted with a positive or provocative message about the issue.  Crafters are encouraged to make 3 pieces -

• One to keep to remind them to be part of the solution and not the problem. 
• One to send to be a part of the big jigsaw puzzle, so we can make a huge impact when they are all put together. 
• One to send or give to their MP, because the fact is hunger is a political issue with a political solution.  Contacting your mp can seem a little daunting and you might not know what to say - but we have help from the experts at Save the Children so just ask if you'd like a bit of advice, you can simply click reply to this email.

By asking your mps to urge our Prime Minister to really tackle this issue at the G8 next spring we could potentially be saving millions of lives as well as helping to eradicate the long term need for aid in some areas. Campaigning really works to raise awareness and this is what we need to ensure David Cameron does what's needed when he hosts the G8 and talks to all the worlds leaders in 2013 - the conference is being held here in the UK in the Lake District, so we can show the world the British public are passionate about seeing changes to global food injustices."

How to get involved:

#imapiece - the hash tag for getting involved - everything tagged with this on twitter / instagram / linked in etc will be shared in our hub web site.

Events - if you don't want to stitch alone, join one of these events, or host an event yourself! (I'm having a few friends around for a stitching session)

Craftivist 'I'm a piece' HQ - the hub site where we can see who's talking about the project and find out all the info and links

Craftivist Collective website - in case you want to know what craftivism is

Downloadable jigsaw template (they all need to be the same size (140mm x 200mm) so that the big art installation works)

I'm a piece instruction video - worth a watch as it has tips on using things like bondaweb to stiffen the jigsaw pieces

Ideas for what to stitch on your jigsaw piece - you could also use fabric paint.

A story to reflect on whilst you are stitching - This is a pdf you can cut into 4 in order to pass to any friends stitching with you."

Can't argue that this is a great idea! 

I grew up being encouraged by my Mother and Grandmother to make things for charity and have strong, wonderful memories of the time spent, sat with them, making knitted patchwork blankets and jumpers for the children caught in the famine in Ethiopia in 1984, quilts for the earliest sufferers of HIV/AIDS and also for the Romanian orphans found after the fall of Ceausescu in 1990.  It was easy to see that each was item was beautifully made with bright, bold colours and just humming with love.  

By encouraging me to get involved in making things for charity my Mother and Grandmother taught me the value of making your time part of the act of giving.  Too often charitable acts can be done too quickly and without a great deal of thought; it is easy to hit the donate button, drop the coins in the collection box, sign the petition and move on.  Don't get me wrong, any act of charity, however small or quickly done, is a great and good thing: but, taking the time and creating something as part of a charitable movement is a  powerful thing.  It gives you an opportunity, in the making, to truly contemplate the nature of the work, for it to permeate your subconscious and to resonate within you.  As with all things, charity is learnt and there is no better way to be taught that than in making something beautiful in aid of someone else.  I am going to see if the 11yr old would like to make some jigsaw pieces with me.

The Elizabethan Gown = one pile of cut fabric pieces ready to sew

So, three hours, 18 metres of fabric and one aching back later, the pattern pieces for the gown are all cut out.  The sewing machine is back out on the table, threaded and plugged in.  We are all ready to go.

Roll on one weekend, 48 hours of not a single plan made and one gown... sewn?  Gotta love the optimism!

The beginning of the end of an era, Wordless Wednesday 17th October 2012

I did the unthinkable...

I packed away the Elizabethan dress at the weekend. 

Its been an extremely stressful few months at the day job, home is busier than ever.  Weekends are caught up with random, unplanned jobs.  I can't believe that we are mid-way through October and I've not got a thing sorted for Halloween apart from a some delivered invitations and a partly made costume, though no one elses!  All in all, I've lost my Hallowmojo.

Last Friday ended on a dire note, awful news kept me late at work and the evening spiralled out of control from there.  The weekend didn't progress any better.  When the shit hits the fans, I clean and during the cleaning (when I wasn't smashing a hole in the toilet's cistern with a large decorative lump of quartz...) I decided to pack the dress away.  Getting it finished for the party was becoming such an "must do" issue that it was a relief to just put it away.  All very cathartic....

....for all of 48 hours!  Call me fickle, but there is nothing like saying I'm not ("not, Not, NOT") going to do something to make me really rather want to do it.  The downtime was invaluable in just clearing my head, letting go of the expectation (if it's not done, there's enough done to still make a good costume) and repriortising (if the dogs don't have pumpkins costumes for the party I really can't see them minding too much!)  I also realised that the sheer size of the gown's pattern pieces felt daunting, they are just huge.  The pattern piece for the sleeves is wider than, and half the length of, my dining table, which comfortably sits 12.  As for the skirt/train pieces, I'm not entirely sure how to work with them!  With everything sat on the table, patiently waiting for me to get sewing, there was just too much clutter to work properly.  Clearing the space was also important in making it feel easier to manage these pieces... wearing it all though could be another matter entirely.

So, last night, the Elizabethan gown and I broke the ice.  If I'd stopped to take any real photos I probably would have found an excuse to go slouch in front of the TV, but I took a quick one this morning. 

I have cut out the bodice pieces in the wool top layer and a black cotton flatlining.  I've also added a layer of interfacing to the plastron pieces, and the binding and plaited string needed to pipe it.  In the instructions the plastron is made right at the end, but I will get that all sewn together now.  One piece done will be a good start.  It does, of course, mean that I need to unpack everything again (d'oh!) but I'll get the bodice ready for fitting before I do and go from there.

The Star Wars Card

One little sideline project this last week has been a card for my very good friend GG.  I'm a Star Wars fan; of a certain age, aren't we all?  I watch the movies, could maybe even indulge in a movie marathon day, will discuss the pros and cons of episodes 1-3 and would love to have my own Yoda (he could sit with E.T.) but don't come anywhere close to GG.  He is a Star Wars Super Fan; a my perfect b'day present would be..., change my religion to Jedi, hang out with Darth Vader, hug a Storm Trooper fan!  He just LOVES Star Wars and everything about it.  This pattern from weelittlestitches on etsy (I love their stuff) was just perfect.  I didn't use the colours that they suggested (I raided the stash instead), C3PO underwent a couple of alterations and I didn't have time for a coloured background (it was a real last minute thing) but I'm pleased with the result.  Even better, so was GG... the pic says it all :o)