I highly recommend full screen viewing

As a NYer, born and bred, with family hard hit in the several areas of NYC, it has been gut wrenching to sit here and know there was little or nothing I could do.

Stressing that all clean useful articles are acceptable I hope you will take a moment to read the announcement of KNITTING FEVER’s Operation Sandy Relief. In the past KFI has “matched” donations for disaster relief here and abroad with the donations made thru its shops. This time its a lot closer to home.

I hope those who can will make cash donations to the charity of your choice,

That you will check with your local places of worship to see if you can aid them

and finally, I hope you will consider contributing to the KFI hope of warming our fellow NYers –
afghans, hats, mittens, scarves, shawls – used but in good repair coats – sweaters – quilts, blankets ALL are needed

With the first named North Easter named Athena, headed their way they need every bit of warmth we can send.

Whether you offer prayers or cash donations, or the work of your hands, all will be much appreciated.

Wheat

KNITTING FEVER’s Operation Sandy Relief

There is NEVER any excuse for creating a atmosphere of hate and intolerance and most assuredly not one that leads to violence.

Nor can we solve today’s problems by turning the other cheek.

It is no secret that I was raised “Terminally Catholic” – Roman and Orthodox with all the twists an turns an ethnically diverse city and neighborhood can provide.


Arizona Gov Jan Brewer signed into law a bill that will allow bible classes in the Arizona public schools.

Certainly the “dark” part of the Catholic history be denied, fortunately we were taught that the inquisition, the crusades and the treatment of the “natives” were more about the flaws of man, than the evil of any religion.

It was the LEARNING about not only the differences but also what we had in common that made a huge difference. Maybe I was just lucky, but I remember the Dominican Nuns who made subtle note of the traditions of every child in their classes – we learned about the cultural traditions of the Irish, Scots, Polish, Ukrainian, Italian, Hispanic (Cuban and Puerto Rican mostly) and of course especially about their unique celebrations of our common religion and yes our common neighborhood (we all walked to school and most lived close enough to walk home for lunch)

Our Neighbors included wonderful examples of their faiths including a Baptist Minister and his family on one side and an elder in his church and his wife who taught me to Crochet at the age of five. Mrs E also will forever be remembered as the Cookie Lady by all who grew up in that neighborhood, largely Roman Catholic but with a diversity in ethnicity, blended into good neighbors.

Looking back, it is obvious the willingness to allow other to hold opposing views comes from the grounding in tolerance provided by my parents and my teachers, and more than a little by the diversity of my “block”.

No question we were also taught that others were misguided in their beliefs, we were never taught to think of them as evil or that those who did not agree should be subjected to torture or worse.

Nor, should we be tolerant of any entity which preaches hatred and murder.

We must take and all appropriate action to protect our citizens at home and abroad. There is no excuse not to do so.

Still, Arizona is right – teaching Comparative Religion could well be a first step to restablishing real tolerance – The United States of America is a nation that was made strong by taking our differences and blending them into a whole while respecting the rights of others to have some different beliefs.

We need to find a way back to creating commonality respectful of ethinicity, but at the same time sharing a “new” culture and language if we seek that

Hmmm….. I wonder if the new versions of either SymbolCro or Stitchworks would allow me to create a schematics to fill in with a crochet chart. My crocs may never be the same

Think Globally – Buy Locally
Everytime someone says something like that in any on line discussion group, it is immediately followed by all sorts of rationalizations why it can not be done, some is even valid.

The painful reality is not everything we need is actually still made here – some jobs are coming home and if we get enough elected representatives who are more interested in our national best interests, perhaps that trend will continue. We will see after November.

So what to do with those things you cannot do without, but can’t find “made here” (Not in the US? Okay, substitute your own country name and this could apply to you too.)

FWIW, I do ship all over the world, often as not first checking to see if I can point the buyer to a seller in their own country – if for no other reason than postage from the US to almost anywhere is high.

Thus, my rationalization is to stretch the phrase “Think Globally, Act Locally” a bit to allow it to be “if it does not create a job in the US other than delivery of an international parcel, I probably don’t need it.” I don’t need $50 plus designer jeans, I am perfectly happy with $30 Buddy’s Jeans made from fabric woven in the USA and sewn in US facilities — My next sneakers will be New Balance

Using Knitting Needles, Crochet Hooks, YARNandTHREAD as an example – unfortunately there are few US Made products to choose from.

On the other hand, while I understand the obvious economics, I also understand that every time some buys “direct” from another country, you cost American jobs,

Does it cost more and possibly mean we must buy less, yes, but if it helps your neighbor – isn’t that of some importance?

There are brands, distributed by US companies that employ US workers at all levels – from shipping clerks to CEO – Muench yarns of California is a master distributor for both Pony & Knitter’s Pride, there are a number of sub-distributors for these Indian and German made products

Skacel is the legal US distributor for Addi’s (and in this case those who ship to the US are violating their contract with Addi by shipping to the USA – add the helping maintain US Jobs, you are also avoiding abetting the illegal actions of the overseas seller.)

Clover-USA is a master distributor (supplier to Retailers and Multi-line distributors) is Clover. Again, their products are also handled thru a number of smaller, regional distributors who employ your fellow citizens.

Between these distributors and the retailers are employees and the families they support from the shipping companies like the USPS, UPS, truckers and more.

Of course there are the owners, employees and other staff of your independent retailers –

It may not always be possible in the words of Singer Songwriter, Toby Keith, who co-wrote “Made In America ” with Bobby Pinson, Scott Reeves

… spends a little more at the store
for a tag in the back that says u.s.a.
won’t buy nothin’ that he can’t fix,
with wd40 and a craftsman wrench
he ain’t prejudice he’s just,
made in America

So we made a business decision (and yes there is some rationalization involved) If a product did not mean US Jobs on its way to us, then we won’t sell it. (we also don’t sell products we would not use when the tool or supply is appropriate to the task)

A few years ago when I had way too much time on my hands, I researched and determined every item we sold in our online store effected the livelihoods of 5 to 500 jobs in the USA.

Isn’t it worth something to improve the economy of the country you call home and the lives of those who choose to work in your home country,

The choices are yours, I’ve already made mine.

Enjoy The Making

Wheat