Walter and Lorene: Sew on!

Listening to the news from Haiti is staggering these days. The extent of human suffering and pain is overwhelming. I visited the website of my favorite disaster relief charity (Mennonite Central Committee) and came across this video. This couple has been sewing bags. Lots and lots of bags.

(there is a video if you follow this link, I could not get it to embed.)
Sewing kit bags

These kit bags become useful school supply kits with basic supplies such as paper, pencils, eraser, ruler and colors. They are often distributed to children after disasters such as what has happened in Haiti, it helps children find some sort of normalcy after a trauma and of course the bag is useful. I was struck that this couple are doing something in the shop that really makes a difference. Sometimes something as simple as sewing a little bag can help someone out there.

Here are the directions for making the bag. (They've made 8000?!)  Looks pretty simple. And then they can be dropped off at any of the following locations.

I've heard recent comments from Rush Limbaugh and Pat Robertson about the tragedy. Limbaugh suggested that there was no point in sending aid. Robertson suggested that historically the people of Haiti are spiritually to blame for the devastation. Some people have a lot to say, some of it almost as sad as the tragedy itself. And some people have a lot to sew. Rush and Pat will never get my attention, they have nothing I want.

All over the world there are bags 

Made in a humble workshop

By Walter and Lorene, 

Bags that give people in crisis 

A spot to stash what little they have left. 

That's compassion. 

And as far as I'm concerned, 

That's a beautiful thing!

Want to get involved?

1 - UNDERSTAND: Read more about the work of Mennonite Central Committee in Haiti

2 - DONATE: here's how:

 

* Online at www.mcc.org

* By telephone toll free – 1-888-622-6337 (Canada) or 1-888-563-4676 (U.S.)

* By mail –       MCC and MCC U.S., P.O. Box 500, Akron, PA 17501 or

                         MCC Canada, 134 Plaza Drive, Winnipeg, MB R3T 5K9

3 - PRAY.  Never underestimate the power of compassion and prayer.  (Ok, so this should have been higher up that list.

4 - SEW!  =) 

With a prayer for the people of Haiti and gratitude for all the Walter's and Lorene's of the world,

-Carmen Rose

Rainbow... Green

Ok, so these are starting to feel a little predictable. Next one gets changed up somehow!
Green... in with the rest of them so far. My design wall is full of lots of wonderful color!

Color Play

When I finally got some studio time today, I started by ironing out my freshly dyed colors. All that color, what’s not to love? And when you look up close they have a variety of patterns (this is dyed white on white fabric) plus with the wrinkles in the dye there is a lot to look at if you get up close.

I started building strip color ways… a bit tedious. But thankfully I had company in the studio today. Our exchange students were working next to me in my jewelry studio making fun things. It was fun to see how much they enjoyed making their necklaces and earrings. And who knows, maybe I’ll return to jewelry making when I get a moment. Ha ha!

I sliced them and diced them and this is how they looked. I have paired them with white and a pale taupe, I love the white, not so sure of the taupe. But with the taupe walls in my room, this seems like a reasonable choice.
Sandwich it between chunks of hand dyed fabric? Naaah… not lovin it. I shall have a better idea tomorrow. Right now I'm toast.