The earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and the subsequent devastation are on all our minds. We feel helpless, but we want to help. A monetary donation is the quickest way to do it. Our household is donating money to the relief effort through the Red Cross. (Knitters, don’t knit something to send to Japan. Getting it there is expensive and won’t help right now; distribution channels are shot.)
What else can I do? Send more money! All proceeds from now until April 30 from online sales of my Pacific shawl pattern will be donated to the Red Cross. I’ll pay the Ravelry and paypal fees myself; 100% of the purchase price will go towards disaster relief. I’m hoping the gentle waves on this shawl will help bring healing to our neighbors across the Pacific.
And here’s an opportunity a little closer to home…Fifteen years ago, the Great American Afghan was created by 25 designers for Knitter’s Magazine. I remember waiting impatiently for each issue of Knitter’s to come to my mailbox so I could see what the newest squares would be. My favorite is still Joan Schrouder’s twirly square. (next to bottom row, center)
(photo used with permission, thank you, Benjamin Levisay)
In 2007, Knitter’s re-worked the afghan in Cascade 220 for a book, Great American Afghan. This beautiful afghan (not the pattern or the book, but the actual lovely piece of work) is now being raffled off as a fund raiser for Sue Nelson, a long-time staff member at XRX, Inc., the parent company of Knitter’s. Sue has been battling ovarian cancer for the past 3 years, and is now facing experimental treatment because all standard treatment has been exhausted. These treatments will be expensive, and XRX is trying to help Sue with her expenses with this raffle.
You can read more about it, and buy a raffle ticket (or two, or twenty, or…) through XRX, Inc.’s KniTalk site. Tickets are $10 each, and the raffle closes on April 8, 2011 at 5 p.m. central time. I’m in; I hope you are, too. Let’s share a little love both here and across the Pacific.
PDXKnitterati 
Great post. Glad you mention this as most people don’t know how high shipping cost is to overseas. I am offering knitting service to locals and donating all proceeds to Red Cross directly too. Children sweater $85 (Size 0 to 14.) Adult sweater $175 up to Size Large. Children socks or mittens $45. Adult socks $85. Shawls $150. Cost includes material (it helps me too in reducing my stash LOL), no matter how complex the pattern/design may be.
Thank you for mentioning the raffle. Just got myself some for me and my immediate families 😀
And not only is it expensive, distribution to hard-hit areas will be nearly impossible for a while. Best to knit here and send money there.
Sounds like you’ll have some stash reduction soon!