Craft Hope the book: Handmade Crafts for a Cause & a Giveaway!
I’m so happy and excited that this book is finally out!!! Some of you may already know about Craft Hope but if you haven’t heard of it before, Craft Hope (the blog) was borne out of Jade Sims’ desire to combine her love of crafting and her desire to spread hope to those who have lost hope.
A few years ago, she started the blog and asked crafters to first contribute pillow-case dresses for girls at a children’s shelter, and then handmade dolls for children at an orphanage. The response was massive! And since that time, she has coordinated a number of craft projects, which all go to benefit a charitable cause.
The beauty of the Craft Hope book is that it not only provides patterns for a diverse range of easy projects, but that each project is paired with charitable causes. This means you can take the initiative and be involved in a number of charities year-round, or even co-ordinate efforts in your location.
I was really privileged to be able to contribute 3 easy projects to this book: the Ruby doll, patchwork scarves for adults and kids, and sock monkeys (the hands you see in the photos belong to my 4-year-old, who was eager to help):
The book itself has been beautifully put together. Also, $1 from the sale of every book is donated to Global Impact.
Here are all of the other designers who have contributed to the book: Stefani Austin, Ellie Beck, Amanda Carestio, Christina Carleton, Lisa Cox, Maya Donenfeld, Malka Dubrawsky, Molly Dunham, Celine Dupuy, Cathie Filian, Wendi Gratz, Betsy Greer, Jenny B. Harris, Vickie Howell, Rebecca Ittner, Rebeka Lambert, Kathy Mack, Kaari Meng, Manda McGrory, Aimee Ray, Eren Hays San Pedro, Amanda Blake Soule, Blair Stocker, Amanda Swan, Beth Sweet, Susan Wasinger, Dana Willard, Rebekah Williams and Geninne D. Zlatis!
You can follow Craft Hope on Facebook too; read an interview with Jade Sims over on Lark Crafts; and keep up-to-date on giveaways and designer interviews over at Craft Hope’s Month of Hope.
And speaking of giveaways . . . I’ve got a copy to giveaway to a lucky reader!!! To be in the running to win a copy, please leave a comment on this post, answering the following question: “If you could craft anything for a good cause, what would it be and for what cause?”
Please leave your answer by midnight, Sunday 22nd August (Australian Eastern Standard Time) and I will draw a winner on Monday. This giveaway is open to all readers (Australian and International).
The Craft Hope book was released a few weeks ago and is now available at book sellers worldwide (online and bricks-n-mortar).
August 17th, 2010 at 9:36 am
A lovely book for a great cause with fabulous dolls!
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August 17th, 2010 at 9:45 am
What a great book!
Given a choice, I would make a (very soft) softie for all the refugee children that arrive here in Australia. Bugger politics!
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August 17th, 2010 at 9:59 am
I cant wait to get my hands on this book!
Since becoming a Mum I’ve been really shocked and horrified by some of the attitudes of family members and other parents with regards to gender roles. There was a seventeen month old bashed to death just this past week by his mother’s boyfriend to “make him act like a little boy, not a little girl” which is the extreme end of people refusing to talk to me or making nasty comments because my son owns dresses and dolls as well as trains and cars. It breaks my heart, and I think if we were more accepting of people – starting with children – just being themselves and doing and wearing what things they like, the world would be far kinder and nicer all round.
So I’d love to craft Dolls For Boys (and maybe a sister project, Dinos For Girls?) to promote self esteem and acceptance of all people.
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August 17th, 2010 at 10:01 am
What an amazing book with some amazing contributors too! I like to knit (but am very slow at it) – so maybe knitting something quick and effective to keep people warm when they need it (either here in Oz or overseas). I also like to sew so dresses for little girls and shorts for little boys is always appealing. If only there was a bit more time in the day – so I could sew and knit for my kids and for others too!
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August 17th, 2010 at 10:18 am
I would craft little gifts for the sick babies in the ICU and for their parents. While my daughter was ill in the ICU she received a hand smocked gown, and a handmade quilt (donated to the hospital). It was such a gorgeous gesture and it was so nice for her to have something that someone had spent time making. For a parent it made me ‘feel’ like someone cared about her who’d never met her. Even now although she has passed I can treasure those handmade items as she had them for the 3 days she lived. Parents often don’t get ‘nice’ feelings or memories to take away from NICU especially if their child dies so its nice to have something.
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August 17th, 2010 at 10:52 am
Cute hats for Chemo patients. I am working on some now for my Auntie who is fighting cervical cancer and just lost her hair. It is surprising how little support there really is out there for so many who suffer.
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August 17th, 2010 at 10:55 am
A little over three years ago, my forth daughter was stillborn, We were given a doll size quilt to wrap her in, that was made by a local group of quilters, what they gave me was one of very few precious things that belong to my sweet Abigail, and also an introduction to what has become my most loved hobby, quilting. One day I hope to be able to donate a mass of quilts for the cause. In particular for the parents of late 2nd trimester loss, as it is this stage that is the least supported in the area that I live. Sorry for the rambliness Jhoanna, I still cry at the thought of it all.
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August 17th, 2010 at 10:56 am
What a wonderful book, I would want to help Asylum Seekers in Australia by making toys (especially my lucky owls) for their children.
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August 17th, 2010 at 11:15 am
oh my gosh! congrats….the photos are wonderful. Sounds like the projects are totally worth the purchase too— might have to do it for a focus friday…hmmmm..
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August 17th, 2010 at 11:15 am
There are so many great causes so it is hard to choose just one. But after my 2yo was in hospital recently it made me sad to see so many sick children. So I think I would make softies for someone like the Starlight Foundation
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August 17th, 2010 at 11:52 am
looks like a well put together book for a wonderful cause. i remember your post about it a while ago.
since we have a ‘stray that came to stay’ i would make a pussy cat softie and donate money to the little known association called PAWS. they are a no kill oganistation that rely on gifts of food vacinations and of course adoptive families. i have even heard of a lady who donates the money for desexing which makes a huge difference.
thanks for the chance to win
xxxrosey
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August 17th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Congratulations. The book looks fabulous. I’ve taken part in a couple of Craft Hope projects and have been amazed by what they’ve been able to achieve. I hope the book is a great success! What would I make? I think I’d want to try everything! It’s getting close to softies for mirabel time as well so maybe some more dolls.
x sarah
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August 17th, 2010 at 2:11 pm
*Such* a difficult question since there are just an enormous amount of very deserving charities out there. I knit and crochet a lot for preemies and babies in the neonatal unit, but I also like making softies for children who are homeless due to fire damage. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with all the people and animals that need our help, and feel like I’m not doing enough, but I guess every one single thing helps at least one single person or thing, right? Lovely book.
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August 17th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
As soon as I read this question I knew my answer. I would craft for the Native Americans who are living on reservations here in the US. They live in the poorest towns in our nation. I have wanted to knit something for them for a long time. Just this week I found a Ravelry group that is for just that. Here is the link if anyone is interested.
http://www.ravelry.com/groups/for-the-children-of-pine-ridge
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August 17th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
Gosh, it almost seems overwhelming. There are so many worthy projects, needs, hurts and hopes. How can we help them all? I guess I can’t, but together we can!
I would probably make pillowcases, baby blankets, simple dresses, shorts. Really anything there is a need for.
Hugs,
Gina
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August 17th, 2010 at 4:52 pm
I didn’t realise that you had so many projects in the book – congratulations! I mad one of the dolls for Nicaragua and I think I would have to make more dolls for more kids in orphanages. Or I would make things that I could raffle – like my baby blankies – and use the proceeds to send to charity – the last one was for The Smile Train – cleft lip/palate surgery for children.
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August 17th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
When Robyn died one of the midwives gave me a small, pink, log cabin quilt, about 18x18inches. The local quilt guild up here makes and donates them as gifts for parents who have babies struggling in the NICU or for stillbirths and early neo-natal deaths. I went to one of their meetings and told them all how much I treasured it and they told me that in almost ten years of making them no one had ever contacted them to say thank you. It’s folded up in the bottom of “her box” and every so often I take it out just to look at it. I would love to make quilts to be donated to the hospital for those babies, but every time I even start to think of it I just can’t cope, no fabric or pattern ever seems good enough.
Congratulations on getting three patterns in there, that’s super :)
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August 17th, 2010 at 9:12 pm
I would make blankets for Project Linus or Newborns in Need. I’ve been wanting a copy of this book. I so hope I win.
Fingers crossed,
Melissa B.
mbabecka@gmail.com
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August 17th, 2010 at 9:31 pm
Congratulations Jhoanna on your fabulous book collaboration. The book and your project look fantastic!
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August 17th, 2010 at 9:42 pm
Thanks for introducing me to this cause Jhoanna, and congratulations to you for having those lovely projects included.
Very kind of you to give a copy away.
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August 17th, 2010 at 10:00 pm
OOO, yet another great book! Love the photos and colors! I don’t know if this is actually a charity or program, but I would like to make quilts for kids going to college. I know there is a program for scarves for Foster kids etc. and I would like to send them on to the next stage of their lives with a good quilt to hold them and hug them and let them know that someone cares. There is something extra special about having a handmade quilt on your bed.
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August 17th, 2010 at 10:39 pm
I like doing things for children so the quilts for babies is my favorite.
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August 17th, 2010 at 11:34 pm
Gosh there are SO many good causes! After thinking about it, I’d say I’d choose women’s shelters (for women and their children fleeing from domestic violence, etc.). It’s often a problem we try to sweep under the rug and ignore. So I’m glad there are some (though there are few) places that women in bad situations can go. So I’d have multiple options for donations! I could crochet bright and beautiful scarves for the women. There’s something about having something lovely to wear that instills a bit of confidence and happiness that I think would be much needed and appreciated by them. And also, I would donate my plushies for the children – something to care for and hold on to in a time of turmoil.
Thanks for bringing up such a thought-provoking discussion. And congratulations on the book!
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August 18th, 2010 at 12:29 am
Can’t wait to get my hands on this book and congratulations on having three (3, OMG!) of your projects included!
If I could make anything I think I’d either make some premie hats for the local children’s hospital or I’d make a quilt for Project Linus.
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August 18th, 2010 at 7:54 am
I like making toys every Christmas for children in need, and my next big project is to make some dresses for African children for the litte dresses for Africa organization (a non-profit, Christian based organization which provides relief to the children of Africa)
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August 18th, 2010 at 11:30 am
i knit for K.O.G.O at the minute but would like to get more adventurous and confident and try a softie or two that think is ok to give to them…..
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August 18th, 2010 at 11:42 am
“If you could craft anything for a good cause, what would it be and for what cause?”
I would craft a product to promote awareness of poverty and its effects. Many people in the western world claim ignorance and don’t want to get involved. There are many misconceptions about poverty and they need to be broken through. Issues like foreign aid, human trafficking, malaria and AIDS must be discussed in a public forum.
So i guess i would make patches/stickers/badges/signs and absolutely saturate my community with them – giving them to my friends family and students to wear and giveaway to start conversations with politicians, business people, churches and other influential establishments. The aim would be to get as much attention as possible. I would use a very cute catch phrase and/or logo that people would enjoy wearing/displaying.
Actually, maybe I’ll go start on that now…
http://www.stopthetraffik.com
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August 18th, 2010 at 7:08 pm
What an amazing-looking book Jho! Like many others, I love to make soft toys and put together OCC Christmas boxes for charities to give to children in need at Christmas time.
Being a woman who runs her own small business in a rather privileged society, I am committed to supporting the work of Lydia’s List, a TEAR Fund project which helps women who live in developing countries to escape the cycle of poverty.
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August 18th, 2010 at 11:03 pm
What a gorgeous book – and so inspiring to “just do something”! Like others have said – there are so many worthwhile causes, so it is difficult to decide what to do, and often, I think, overwhelming trying to decide where to start!
I probably should just get up and get going with some simple tunic tops for premmies at our local children’s hospital. They’d be quick and easy to sew, and a good way to put some of the stash to good use!
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August 18th, 2010 at 11:38 pm
what a lovely idea for comments!
I work in special education and know how tricky it is for these kids to spend time in hospital (and how much more difficult it is for them to understand what’s going on. I would love to make quilts for these precious children which they can take into hospital during each visit to make their bed seem a little more familiar!
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August 18th, 2010 at 11:45 pm
I’d love to see the book. The projects you’ve posted here look wonderful.
If I could craft anything for a good cause…. I would knit and crochet hats. Hats make for great small projects with a lot of creative possibilities. I have done this before, for Afghans for Afghans, a group in Minneapolis, and for local hospitals for the preemies.
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August 19th, 2010 at 12:58 am
If I could craft anything for a good cause…I would make fabric flower hair clips and headbands for little girls in foster care of affected by domestic violence. I make the little flowers from left over fabric scraps and buttons, then hot glue or sew them onto clips and head bands. Little girls going through tough times still like to look pretty and it is a nice way to recycle fabric.
This looks like a great book!
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August 19th, 2010 at 6:49 am
I would craft a series of soft toys based on some of our endangered and mistreated sea creatures – dolphins, seals, sharks, penguins etc and support Greenpeace or The Cove.
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August 19th, 2010 at 7:57 am
If I could craft anything for a good cause, I would knit for AIDS babies in Africa. I was over there at the start of the year, and there is such a lot of sadness in that part of the world. http://www.kascare.org/
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August 19th, 2010 at 11:16 am
More beautiful work – well done.
I wish I could craft something small but thoughtful – maybe a brooch? that I could send to each woman caller we get at PANDA. It is hard for these women sometimes to even make the first call, and I think something handmade would show someone really cares about them. AND & PND can be very isolating and make mother’s and father’s affected by it feel very lonely. I am constantly trying to find ways to help with the pain.
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August 19th, 2010 at 11:31 am
My cause would be the reconstruction of New Orleans. I just went to help with recovery efforts and it still continues to be very sad place to live in.
I LOVE YOUR BOOK!!!
Lucie
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August 19th, 2010 at 11:52 am
Hi there,
What a beautiful book. I wish I knew about it a few months ago. For the past 6 months I have been making 102 softies in readiness for my husband to take to Cambodia with him on a “Journey of the Heart”. The trip was in July 2010 and he and 4 other staff members took a group of 18 students. They visited orphanages, land mine victims (where they made 10 houses for them), and also spent a day making wheelchairs for them. I am a member of Adelaide Brown Owls so a few of the lovely girls there also donated a softie for the cause. I, in the meantime, spent every school holidays sewing and stitching 102 of the dear little toys. My 7 year old daughter was the official cuddle tester! Every softie got a special hig from her just to make sure it was filled with enough love for the trip to Cambodia. If I was lucky enough to win the book, I would cetainly be using it to make a whole lot of different crafty things for their next trip in 2012. Many thanks. Susan
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August 19th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
I would craft quilts and blankets for orphanages. I wish I could take all the little ones home with me.
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August 19th, 2010 at 8:16 pm
Hi,
I just spent the afternoon with a group of ladies creating softies for children in Africa. So I would have to say rabbit softies for african children.
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August 20th, 2010 at 4:24 am
I’d craft pj’s for a child in foster care. I’ve been drooling over this book and am going to the bookstore tonight, just so I can peek inside and hold it for myself. I really need a copy for keep though!
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August 20th, 2010 at 11:19 am
Congrats on being published in such a lovely book!!
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August 20th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
Crafters are marvellous at doing great things for charity. I would love to put some of my “too much for one person to use in a lifetime” stash to making quilts for children who have to spend time in hospital. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
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August 20th, 2010 at 8:31 pm
I’d love to make something “homey” for newly arrived asylum seekers, as a way of saying “welcome”. Thanks for contributing to such a great book!
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August 20th, 2010 at 9:46 pm
I adore this book and all that it is about. I would make security blankie toys for sick children in our hospitals as a comforter. If they have siblings i would make them one too. Something soft and warm and colourful.
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August 20th, 2010 at 11:48 pm
I just love the look of that book, and the fact that you can help others making the things contained within. Thank you for the opportunity to make a soft toy for each of the Christmas boxes our church are putting together this year, as many of the children who receive these boxes wouldn’t ever have the opportunity to have a doll of their own.
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August 22nd, 2010 at 5:18 pm
If I could craft anything, it would have to be a softie. I love seeing the smiles that they bring to the littlies (and sometimes oldies) faces!
I’ve made quite a few for the Toy Society, but it’s been a little while. I really need to get back into it.
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August 23rd, 2010 at 1:04 am
i would love to make soft toys one day for kids with special needs
hopefully ill find the time to sew again and do that among my other 100 plans for sewing
thanks for the great giveaway!
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August 18th, 2011 at 5:19 am
If I could create any craft for a good cause I’d have to say it would be handmade cloth clothes for both gender and age alike. It seems to be a practical goal given there is so many piles of unused or outgrown clothes laying around that they could be recycled to cater to all cultural tastes alike and bring hope and a sense of global community to those who have no access to decent clothes. A simple A-line dress is not hard to make given a lot of love and pants or skirt for another person seems a reasonable cause.
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