Helping Hands, Happy Hearts
This has been a strange and challenging couple of months! While we are blessed here at Created by Elsie B to still be able to operate our small business, we're also distinctly aware that the world is a bit upside down. I'm sure that most of you have heard this quote attributed to Mr. Rogers many times, but it is such a good reminder for all of us. "When I was a boy, and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." We have been amazed in our area at how we've seen this play out. People are reaching out, stepping up and giving back, and it is downright inspiring. Maybe we're biased, but it really seems that creative people are showing up to the table in a big way, and it makes our hearts swell. Today, we'd like to highlight a few hands-on ways that you can contribute to your local communities in a very immediate and actionable way. Reach out! We can all make a difference in the world!
Masks
As someone who is plugged into several crafting communities on the web, masks are definitely the top item that I see my peeps creating as charitable projects. If you search Ravelry, you can find several functional options such as this surgical face mask pattern. (Be sure to use a filter in knit or crochet masks!) In addition, there are dozens of free or inexpensive mask patterns for readers that sew. You can find pleated and contour mask patterns all over Etsy. A quick search on YouTube offers free tutorials for both sewn and no-sew face masks. (These videos from a good sewing friend are particularly well done!) In my area, most people are doing this for free and are not only making masks to donate to local first responders but also leaving bins by their house for anyone to pick up for their own use. How cool is that?
Ear Savers
There have been hundreds of local resource pages pop up on Facebook as this crisis has developed, and they have become an invaluable resource to match local needs to the people who have the means to give. Our local health clinics, like those across the country, have found that they need something to mitigate the strain on their ears from wearing masks constantly. Ear savers with buttons are a super easy and fast knit or crochet project. They don't take a lot of yarn and are appreciated by health professionals, grocery store workers or anyone who has to be masked to do their job. Ravelry has several great patterns that you can find here. In addition, many people (like this lovely lady on Facebook) are sharing free instructions so we can get these out in our communities quickly and efficiently.
Organizations We Support
While LeAndra is not one to toot her own horn, I stumbled across an obscure page under our About tab on the Created by Elsie B website and wanted to give it a little shoutout here as well. We regularly support five charities which are a mix of local, national and international projects. To read more about the charities that you contribute to with every Elsie B fiber purchase, check our the Charitable Organizations page. While these are the causes to speak to us, we would encourage you to find those that make your own hearts sing and give what you can, either financially or as a donation of your time. There are so many needs and so many ways to make the world a better place!
It is easy to feel like you're not important, noticed or needed in the world. If this situation has taught us anything, however, it's that ordinary people can take little steps that make a big difference. We are blessed with what we like to call "useful hobbies" that actually create and contribute. It is both humbling and fulfilling to use these gifts for good.
Are you crafting to help fight Covid-19? We'd love to see what you're creating for your communities. If you know of free patterns and tutorials, please link them in the comments as a resource!
