Twenty-one

The students in my class were introduced to twenty-one clients -- infants, children, teenagers -- who have been taken from their parents because of abuse and neglect.  We learned their names, ages, and a few details about them, like their favorite colors.  Today twenty-one items made especially for them were donated by customers at our fundraising sale.  Over and over again, throughout the day, customers cut a piece of yarn connecting the item they bought from the item that we made for the client -- a hat separated from a hat, a scarf from a scarf, a blanket from a blanket.  And then they put the client's handmade object in the donation box.  Softly it filled.  At the end of the day, our gift box was full, and the generosity of the crafters and the buyers alike was spilling over.  The sum is far more than twenty-one.

For you, for them

Last week, I tucked my gorgeous seven-year-old daughter into bed and said, "Sweetie, I have something important to tell you."

As she always does, she looked at me with eyes open wide, ready to drink in whatever I told her. All her life I have been there for her -- protecting, teaching, nourishing, guiding.  It's what any mom would do, and I never thought I did it particularly better or worse than others.  Never, until now.

"Honey, I heard today about some kids who aren't as lucky as you," I told my daughter.  She blinked, listening.  "Some kids don't have parents who take care of them."

"Some kids ..." she started in, as she always does, processing what I tell her by rephrasing it.  "Some kids' parents don't take care of them because they don't have enough money.

"That's true," I said, sadly.  "But that's not what I mean.  Some kids' parents don't take care of them because they don't want to, or they don't know how."  It was difficult to admit this to her.  How could I explain?  "They neglect their kids, don't clean up after them, don't feed them, don't teach them or provide for them.  Sometimes they might even hurt their kids."

I could see that this didn't make sense to her, but she was willing to believe me. "I just want you to know how lucky you are, sweetie," I explained.  "And those kids that don't have parents who take care of them, we're giving them something to let them know they matter."  I gave her a kiss and turned out the light.

Those kids are in the care of the court, and they are cared for by CASA -- Court Appointed Special Advocates.  A trained volunteer represents the child's interests as they move through the foster care system, towards reunification, adoption, or another permanent placement.

I know about them because the students in my handcrafting class have decided to partner with the local branch, CASA of the 20th Judicial District.  We have a few personal details about a few of their clients -- not enough to invade their privacy, but just enough to make something for each of them that fits their needs and taste.  A hat, a scarf, a toy.  Made especially for them, from us.

Why? Because these kids are the future of my community.  They will live in my town, go to school with my kids, maybe even attend my university if they're lucky.  If they're not lucky, they will work a few miles away from me in a minimum-wage job ... or not, if they're really not lucky.  They will have kids, and if someone doesn't show them love and recognize their true worth, they will abuse and neglect those kids in their turn, and the cycle will continue.

But if a few of us invest time and energy -- material and spiritual -- into these kids, they have a chance.  They have had a bad break to start out.  Their parents didn't deserve them.  But that's no reason to throw them away or just let the chips fall where they may.  Our efforts can change things for them -- maybe even in them.

At the end of the semester, we're going to hold a sale on campus.  It's buy one, give one -- like Tom's Shoes.  A one-of-a-kind handcrafted accessory for you, a made-to-order gift of warmth for them.  In the meantime, we're asking everyone with needles, hooks, and yarn -- or anyone who wants to learn how to wield them -- to join us.  Craftin' for CASA: October 18, 1:30-2:30 pm, on the steps of the Chapel on the UCA campus.  Everyone's welcome.  Spread the word.

They belong

My capstone seminar students have decided to mount an effort to protect the Jewel Moore Nature Reserve in perpetuity.



Building on the work of my second-semester freshman students in 2010, they are educating the campus about the Nature Reserve's benefits and its threatened status.



Publicity will focus on answering common questions and addressing skepticism about the Nature Reserve, with the goal being to help community members recognize the Reserve as a neighbor and fellow citizen of UCA. Our motto is "Nature Belongs," a play on the current marketing slogan for the university, "You Belong."



At today's kickoff event, part of UCA's "Green Day" sponsored by Student Government, we handed out braided bracelets. Wearers show their support with the symbolism of a green strand surrounded by the purple of UCA, the campus embracing the Nature Reserve.



A student signs a petition asking the Board of Trustees to permanently protect the Reserve. When the Biology Department brought a similar proposal last year, the Board opted to guarantee only the Reserve would not be encroached upon for the next five years. This is not enough protection to allow biology faculty to secure long-term grants for research in the Reserve. It is not enough protection to keep the Reserve as a central part of the curriculum in Biology and Environmental Sciences. It is not enough protection for the only remaining piece of unplowed prairie that once covered the Conway area, through which the Trail of Tears once ran.



Many students, staff, and faculty members believe that because the Reserve has a name, signage, boundaries, and official designated uses, it is permanently set aside and legally protected. Not true. The Reserve exists only because the trustees and administration of UCA continue to agree that it should exist. The moment a more compelling use for the property comes to the foreground, the Reserve could cease to exist. Once it is gone, its unique heritage and history are gone forever.



Over 700 signatures were collected today. The campus is mobilizing behind this effort. You can help by liking us on Facebook, by attending one of our future petition drives, by wearing our symbol, by talking to your student government representatives, by contacting members of the administration and trustees, and by spreading the word about the Jewel Moore Nature Reserve's essential role on campus.



Join us from near or far!

Christmas, crafts, and Conway Cradle Care

A pile of more than fifty hats accumulated when we met for class this morning. They were made by the students in the class, the instructional team, and friends around the country who sent hats by mail.




By mid-afternoon, they had been converted into this pile of holiday packages, waiting for their new owners -- the teen mothers and fathers, and their children, served by Conway Cradle Care.




Ella, Natasha, and Anna arrived early and helped the organizers set up for the party.




Adrea's "Raspberry Beret" was a big hit with Sherry.




Crocheted beanie -- just like it was made to order for this little guy.




Lon'dynn loved her girly beanie, made by Christabel.




Kim's dog-eared beanie, modeled by Kaeden, was the hit of the party.






My Urban Jungle slouch hat had many fans, intended (top) and serendipitous (bottom).




Kiran rocked Carol's roll-brim hat with super style.




Kate made this adorable tasseled hat -- a perfect photo prop.




I may have to hire Aaron for my next photo shoot. Who could resist this smile, situated under a twisted-rib knit hat that I made?




Emily knows how to show off this purple slouch hat by Carol of Kansas City.




Ariel's black watchcap couldn't have been a bigger hit with Byron, who opined that it fit his day's wardrobe to perfection.




Marshan put on this green cabled hat from Twitter follower Amy in New Jersey and refused to take it off.




Ella got a fluffy cap crocheted by yours truly.




So did Lydia, but in a more grown-up size and attitude.




Deaira is wearing the very first hat Shannon crocheted -- which came out fantastic, by the way.




And Michael got to take home the hat I wanted to keep for myself -- Diane's gray heather ribbed hat in Cascade 220.




We all felt like Santa for an hour -- giving the gifts we'd made in our own workshop. From all of us (and especially Ella, Ariel, Anna, and Eric) to everyone who gives time and love to the high school families served by Conway Cradle Care, a heartfelt thank you for allowing us to add our small contribution to these lives at this moment. May all of them know how precious and valuable they are.

On the air

Venita Jenkins from the UCA publicity office and her videographer Aaron were kind enough to come out on short notice to film some of our Craft-In a couple of weeks back.  It was so windy that day that the interviews we recorded on the scene had audio obscured by the noise of the wind against the mikes.  So they truly went above and beyond by coming over a few days ago to re-record them inside.

Here's the video from the UCA YouTube channel.  Feel free to share!

If your heart is in your dream

Today's post about humble yarn for special hats is at Toxophily.

Here's the postscript that didn't belong in that little essay about making something beautiful out of the cheap and ubiquitous.

Many aspects of my students' service learning project for Conway Cradle Care are worthy of remark and reflection.  But the one I keep coming back to is the participation of crafters around the country.  People who have heard about the effort have stepped up and committed themselves to joining us, becoming honorary members of our class and augmenting our local handwork with theirs at a distance.



Yesterday I received the first of these extracurricular donations. A member of my silver-medal-winning Dish Rag Tag team sent this beautiful bright cap. Its broad and firm seed-stitch brim, smooth and even stockinette body, spiraling crown decreases, and soft angora haze create something truly gift-worthy -- hat perfection.



The generous knitter, whom I'll simply call G. since I haven't asked her permission to identify her, enclosed with the hat a prayer for the recipient, making that as-yet unknown teen mother doubly fortunate in the warmth of the gift and the intentions of the giver:

Dear God,

I pray for blessings on the young parent who will receive this hat. I ask you to guide them in the decisions the need to make and to show yourself in the people around them.

In Jesus' name,
Amen

And all the people said: Amen.

Cradle, Conway, Craftivism

Today my Craft Wisely students took it out into the yard.



One of our two class service learning projects involves Conway Cradle Care, an organization that helps teen parents finish high school by providing daycare and life skills training.



After three representatives from CCC visited our class, the students coalesced around the idea of support and education.  We decided that it wasn't just the babies who needed our love; it was the parents as well.  So we are planning to give the clients and their children handmade hats for the holidays.



To increase support for the organization, and to educate our campus about teen pregnancy in the local community, we spent three hours on the central courtyard outside the student center, crafting together.



A few students collected facts about teen pregnancy and sexual activity in our state and nation, and we printed those out on slips of paper and pinned them to handmade items hanging from a clothesline. Here's Kate attaching the slips to our knitted objects ...



... and Christabel helping out.



The idea was that people would be drawn to the long lines of fluttering scarves, come over to see, and read the slips to find out more about the Craft-In's cause.







This young man was clearly attracted to the colorful scarves, even if he couldn't absorb the message.



Passersby stop to look at the crafted products and read the information.



They took some literature with them as they browsed.



Meanwhile, other visitors asked for knitting lessons from the assembled crafters.



Crochet instruction was a popular offering.



Ariel (with her back to us, in the blue sweater and hat) led an impromptu crochet workshop for members of our class.



You can see from Sara's hair how windy it was. What you can't see is how cold it was. The temperature may have been in the fifties, but the windchill was brutal.



Lynn wrapped yarn around her hand to form an improvised glove. That's how cold it was.



As the crafters represented their pride and commitment, their work hung in the sun testifying to their skill.



The most frequent comment from those who stopped at our tables was: "Are those for sale?"



On a cold day, the scarves, hats, shawls, and other beautiful accessories drew both the eye and the touch. Their textures spoke eloquently of warmth, hours of pleasure in the stitching, someone special for whom they were made.



Solidarity, skilled labor, giving, support, education. I think our message was plain to everyone who witnessed it.