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Help Make it Better with Sandy Relief Craftalong

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make it betterIt wouldn’t surprise anyone to know there are a lot of crafting industry types (and home crafters as well, of course) who were affected by the superstorm they called Sandy. And as crafters, we often want to get in there and help in the best way we know how: by making something.

Stitch diva Brett Bara and her crafty pal Natalie Soud, who blogs at A Dose of the Delightful, decided they wanted to help and allow other to help through crafting. Of course a winter storm is now upon that region and the weather is getting colder all the time, so what people need most is those warm things that can bring such comfort — handmade socks, scarves, hats, wraps, mittens and more.

It’s a good thing most of these are really quick projects, because warmth is needed on the double. Crafters are asked to send what they have or to make (knit, crochet or sew) and send items as quickly as possible for delivery throughout the New York City area. Donations are being accepted immediately and for the near term, though you can check the websites listed above for more information on what’s needed and where to send it.

This crafty drive is being called a craftalong because a social aspect has been added to it through a Facebook page and hashtags that will let the world see the good you’ve done. Crafters are also encouraged to spread the word through their own blogs and in their crafty circles.

About this time next week — when my book is finally done! — I’ll be going through my cache of knit objects and finding some things to donate, and I hope you’ll consider giving if you are able as well.

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Knit a Fish Pouch, for Reasons

I can’t resist a pattern that’s both useful and a little silly, and that’s exactly how I feel about the Rybka pouch pattern from the delightfully named Rat and Sea Witch.

I know you’re going to ask, because I did, too. Rybka means little fish in Polish. (And because you’re also probably going to ask, Rat and Sea Witch comes from people’s attempts to say the designer’s name, Ratasiewicz, which if you say it fast kind of sounds like rat and sea witch.)

It’s easy to make a little fish bag in different sizes to suit your needs. The pattern has specific instructions for an Airpods Pro case and a pencil case, but you could change the length easily to hold more stuff, and change the size in general by working with a different weight of yarn.

The pattern calls for sock yarn and mohair held together to make a fingering weight gauge, but you could try it with heavier yarn and see what size bag you end up with.

Whatever size you make it, this looks like a fun project for holding trinkets or everyday items. The mouth of the fish is the mouth of the bag, and it closes with a drawstring that is also the strap. I wonder, too, if you could make one of these with a small clasp frame that could be the fish’s mouth and then you could just work I cord straps that would attach to the sides of the fish.

I could also see stripes, or fish of different colors to use up your yarn leftovers. How about a sunglasses case with a little loop to attach to your bag? Once you start thinking about all the ways you could use a fish-shaped bag in your life, I think you’ll see that you probably need more than one.

If you make one of these I would love to know how it went!

You can grab a copy of the pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Rat and Sea Witch]