2 years on...

On the second anniversary of the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, we want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have sent us yarn and needles and hooks and /or have made donations to help us.  Many of you have supported us by buying some of the hand made things that the ladies have made.  We can not tell you how thankful we are for all of the support and love that we have received over these past months.  It has been amazing to watch as the boxes of supplies have steadily come in.  We have had donations from church groups and knitting circles and grade schools and yarn companies and yarn shop owners and university clubs and from countless numbers of individuals.  Yarn has come from America, England, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Korea and of course Japan. It is always fun to tell where the  yarn has come from.  All of these donations really help the women know that they are not forgotten!

Most of the people who lost their homes are still living in temporary housing.  It will be another two or three years before a complex for the elderly can be built.  We continue to meet every week or every other week.  Everyone waits eagerly for the "handing out the yarn" segment!  At first we could not understand how anyone could work through that much yarn every week.  Then we found out the secret!  Many of the women meet everyday to work on their projects!  They talk and laugh and encourage each other as they wait for the next big change in their lives.  Sometimes they make things for themselves, sometimes they make things for their friends and sometimes they make things for Yarn Alive to donate or sell.  They have all become so creative!  it is wonderful to see the joy and happiness in our groups of almost 40 women.  Your kindness has helped make this all possible!  I will never forget what one member told me at one of our Christmas parties, "I have no hope and no future, but I have yarn and I am so thankful!"  All of us at Yarn Alive are so thankful!
ps.... We plan to continue as long as the people want to continue to meet.  We are also looking into starting Yarn Alive branches in other areas.  The need for yarn and needles is on going.  Feel free to pass the word along.  Remember, EVERY BALL HELPS!

たわし　ta-what?

たわし (pronounced ta-wa-shi) is a popular Japanese scrubbing brush to get rid of dirt.  This week we will be showing a few of our different kinds of tawashi crocheted from 100% cotton yarn.  These are scratch-free, and often used for dishes and small cleaning jobs. Tawashi: 1

These will be available for purchase in the UK this weekend.

YA in UK!

Items for sale. That's right U.K. people - Yarn Alive products will be available for purchase!

With the upcoming 2 year anniversary, there will be a number of events running which will help raise money for the continual rebuilding of Tohoku, Japan.

Items available for purchase will be flowers, necklaces, bags, hats, scarves, tawashi (dish scrubbers) and blankets. All proceeds will go towards continuing Yarn Alive operations.

See more details in "Get Involved".