In times of financial worry, charities suffer. The public pull in their purse strings and stop giving. When the living is easy, our money is often given to charity to ease our consciences, to allow us to carry on our day to day lives without having to interact with needy causes and to feel like we're doing something.
But are DIYers and crafters different?
We have skills that we can put to use and make a difference that is not dependent on the free change we have in our pockets.
6th July sees rockpool candy's LET ME EASE YOUR DAY launch. A movement that takes what can often been seen as a middle-class passtime, yarn bombing, and purposes it for the good by providing knitted, crocheted and sewn textiles to the people in our society who might just need a random act of kindness to ease their day.
It could be you.
You may be having a bad day.
You could be sleeping rough.
Your boss may have sacked you.
You could be worried about your mortgage.
You could have lost your cat/your friend/your child.
All these things leave us feeling vunerable.
What if, during your day, you found a small item left for you by a stranger specifically to nurture you. It won't solve all your problems, but it may just put a glimmer of warmth in your chest.
Now, you may argue that LET ME EASE YOUR DAY is still a middle class reaction to human loneliness, but surely, as textile makers, it's a way that we can make a difference.
If you have the time to open your heart and fibre stash. If you have a piece of fabric that could be turned into napkins or a tablecloth for a pensioners' drop in centre, an old sleeping bag or tent that could be the warmth needed by a rough sleeper, a cushion that could provide comfort to someone on their commute, then commit a random act of kindness. Be different. Head over and read the guidelines and rules for LET ME EASE YOUR DAY.
Come over, meet MyTarPit's Monroe, the giant plushie putting humour into the project.
Textiles are powerful!
