Hooray For Moms. And Julia Ward Howe.

The United States observance of Mother’s Day is May 10th. Remember history of Mother’s Day (I had no idea it started as an anti-war day!), that is absolutely beautiful. This Mother’s Day they are having a peace vigil in DC May 9-10, 1pm-1pm. Read more about it over here.





You can read the entire Mother’s Day Proclamation by Julia Ward Howe over here.


After you’ve read the Proclamation and fallen in love with the awesomeness of Julia Ward Howe, you can learn more about her from the following links:
*Julia Ward Howe dot org
*Julia Ward Howe, in Two Volumes, Houghton Mifflin, 1915.
*Open Collections Project, Harvard University
Be sure to check out the links at the bottom for some amazing work, including…
*Women’s Work in American

So when was the last time you hugged your Mother?

Oh, and local folk, I will be doing an event at McIntyre’s in Fearrington Village (Pittsboro) this Sunday, May 3rd, at 2pm! Do come by and say hi!

*I’ve made 6! 2 to go, I need to hurry as they need to be in DC by the 4th!

The Heart Of Craftivism.

“Knitting is a symbol of many things, knitting together things that have been broken, and our society has been broken… knitting is a symbol of hoping that we can bring some kind of unity.” (from the Northern Ireland video from Shannon Airport below)

This morning I was happy to receive a link to Yoko Ono’s “Revelations”, the version remixed by Cat Power for Ono’s 2007 album Yes, I’m a Witch. The link came in the daily newsletter email I get from Danielle LaPorte over at White Hot Truth. I love how some days just what you needs pops into your inbox like magic.

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot what craftivism is, as I’m collecting photographs over at Documenting Craftivism, a project that right now is a loose collection to help define the term. I’ve also been watching some lovely videos that also speak to the heart of craftivism. I’ve been looking into the work of some larger organizations, (Aid to Artisans, Peace x Peace, Women for Women International to name but a few) but there are also some smaller groups speaking to craft + activism as well.

Some of these videos made me cry in their honesty and sincerity wishes for peace and hope, may you enjoy them as much as I did. I don’t always agree with all of the words and banners, but I always agree with the sentiments. Creativity. Peace. Hope. Love.


Granny Peace Brigade.
Knitting for Peace, Times Square, NYC, March 19, 2008.




The Mother Bear Project.
Showing how easy it is to post knitted donations, an adorable short first time attempt at stop motion!



Help Child Soldiers.
Lovely clip from a women’s knitting circle working on knitted donations.




Knitting for peace at Shannon airport in Northern Ireland January 6, 2009 on Nollaig na mban (Women’s Christmas). There is some really interesting Irish and knitting history in here!




And one from a different side of craftivism: helping the world heal itself. The work of Rwanda Knits. Part of the proceeds from Knitting for Good! went to this charity, as I really love the work they are doing with refugee women.

CODEPINK. Collecting Knitted Squares For Mother’s Day.

CAMPAIGN: CODEPINK is collecting knitted squares for a cozy (see photo above) for the White House fence for Mother’s Day as a protest against war. All war.

WHAT TO MAKE: The squares need to be 4″x4″ and tightly knit, in the stitch of your choice. The donations need to be received by May 4th, as the U.S. observance of Mother’s Day is May 10th this year. If you’re a knitter, then you know that your average swatch takes little time, and so will these squares!

WHO TO CONTACT: If you plan to make squares, please email Janna at CODEPINK with the number of squares you plan to make and in what colors.

WHERE TO SEND: Once completed, the squares can be sent to:
CODEPINK House
712 5th Street NE
Washington, D.C.
20002

WHY TO SEND: Because war effects everyone. Even if you or your family haven’t been effected personally, someone you know has a brother, sister, aunt, uncle, husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, mother, father, son, daughter, grandfather, grandmother, cousin or best friend who has been effected by war, either directly or indirectly. I come from a military family. I am an ardent supporter of our soldiers and the sacrifices they make for their jobs. I am not, however, always a supporter of our foreign policy. In the future, I’d like nothing more than to raise my children in a world without war. No one, anywhere, should have to make those choices that are sometimes made in conflict. For a list of current ongoing conflicts and the estimated numbers of casualities, see here.

That’s a lot of chairs left empty at the dinner table and thousands fewer hands to hold. Even if you don’t make squares, consider spending some time this Mother’s Day doing something to make this world a little nicer and a little kinder because we need all the help we can get. In honoring the kinder maternal sides of this world, you are also honoring all Mothers, who all bring their children into the world with the greatest love, the fiercest protection, and more hope than they ever thought possible.

Perhaps with enough little kindnesses, we can slowly begin to reduce the numbers of those effected by war by bringing about a few more smiles and discussions, leading to more open communication and if we’re lucky, a little less strife. We can honor all Mothers throughout the world by perpetuating tiny acts of gratitude and kindness that echo those of every Mother. Their dreams, strong wills and sacrifices made worldwide in the name of creating love, hope and peace in the lives of their children are examples of limitless love and open hearts that we all can learn from, remember and pass on.

P.S. I’ve emailed Janna (at the email address linked above) and will be donating 4 pink squares and 4 green.

“To Not Speak, Is to Fail the Possibility of Humanity.”

Sometimes when I go to the library I feel like I’m dowsing for water. I wander and roam and pick up this book and that book, until something feels right and truly resonates. My most recent library trip led me to James Orbinski’s An Imperfect Offering: Humanitarian Action in the 21st Century. Orbinski worked for Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) for many years, and then later founded Digitas International, an organization that helps people with HIV/AIDS in areas where it runs rampant have access to affordable medication.

I finished the book late last night, and was touched by the way Orbinski included stories of the people he met along the way in places like Rwanda, Zaire and Sudan. It’s definitely worth a look if you’re interested in the politics of humanitarianism and action. At times it’s heartbreaking, empowering and inspiring, but there was one point where I realized why I had been “led” to this book in the library that day. It’s the basic tenet of craftivism on page 290, and includes a quote by Jose Antonio Bastos, who worked with MSF to aid the Rwandan refugees in South Kivu, Zaire escaping genocide in 1994:

“Contrary to what some poets say, all is not fair in love and war,” Jose said. “Even if it is impossible to help the refugees, we must keep trying, and find the truth of what is happening, and we must speak. Sometimes speaking is the only action that is possible. To not speak, is to fail the possibility of humanity. No, all is not fair in love and war,” he repeated. “If we are to remember or even discover what love really is, what peace really is, if there is to be real hope for any of us, we need to be reminded of this.”

When we make crafts that speak to our frustrations, hurts, anger, we are continuing the conversation that our world is not a just one, but one full of hope nonetheless. Your hands give you the freedom to speak even when you don’t think your voice will carry. Just remember that they are important, necessary and truthful as we may live in a sometimes unfair world, but a world where our actions help others speak up and gather the courage to fight as well. Your voice will carry, whether it comes from your mouth or your hands, as it all comes from the heart.

It’s the Thrill Of the Fight.

Growing up in the 80s, there was a lot talk about Rocky Balboa. My dad still breaks into song sometimes and sings Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger.” (No, really. Still.) One year we went to Philadelphia to visit my aunt, and we ran up the Rocky Steps and did this:

I know you weren’t there to see this historic Greer family moment, but let me tell you, we were one excited family once we got to the top. It was the mid-80s and “Rocky” was the coolest dude ever, so it was awesome. Actually, if I was in Philadelphia right now, I’d probably run up the stairs and jump around with my hands in the air, too.

Anyway, a friend of mine once noted that she had this quote (from the original “Rocky” film) on her refrigerator:

Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit.

It’s been on my mind this evening, well, the “moving forward” part, not the “hit” part. Sometimes the easiest of things, like moving forward, seems like the most difficult to keep in mind. And now, as luck would have it, I’m singing “Eye of the Tiger,” too. Maybe I should take a victory run up my townhouse stairs before I go to sleep?


Thanks to all the super wonderful people that came out last night to the Barnes & Noble in Cary to hear me talk! Wow! You ladies were so awesome! I was so happy that there was someone on hand to talk about Project Linus, too! I already have Make-a-Blanket Day on my calendar for February 22 at Marbles Kids Museum!

And thanks, too, to the people who listened to my interview on The State of Things yesterday! (If you missed it, you can listen to me here. Right before I was interviewed, Laila El-Haddad was on talking about Gaza, which is definitely worth a listen.