Doubtless you've all heard about Ryan and her Cuzzin Tom's Dulaan Project by now, right? I've got my own feelings about knitting for charity-- I don't. Why? Because I never finish what I start out to knit, it ends up in my stash, eventually becoming something for me or someone else, and there's nothing charitable about it. Therefore, my charity usually takes the form of something else at odd times and generally avoids the mainstream.
However, as I told Ryan last night in person, I am about to embark on a Peer Pressure Project that will just happen to land in the lap of some cold Mongolian child via the Dulaan Project. But I'm not knitting for charity.
When I see so many beautiful things being knit by so many lovely people for such a good cause, I am inspired to knit something myself, but it has nothing to do with the goodness of my heart and everything to do with wanting to be part of a community of creativity. Peer pressure, if you will. Is this wrong? Am I going to go to the Buddhist equivalent of Hell for knitting something for selfish reasons? Will those venerable monks look at the huge box of warmth and goodness, see my PP object and cast it aside, realizing that it can't possibly keep a cold little head warm?
Poor Ryan, I think I upset her at first, but then she came to understand that I believe that no matter how or for what reason (assuming it's legal) a child gets warm clothing, it's a good thing.
And now I have the perfect excuse to try a baby surprise jacket just like Devorah was knitting... or a domino hat just like Katie knit... or something Harloty like Stephanie knits...
Peer pressure. Sometimes its a Good Thing.
To clarify: On the one hand, Sheila's right; I was (only mildly) upset at first. On the other hand, the reason I was upset was because I hated to think she felt pressured to knit for Dulaan, not because she didn't want to participate. In fact, our discussion about the Peer Pressure Hat was a total hoot. We larfed and larfed. A lot. Oh, and the one thing I forgot to tell you, Sheila? Until this project, I had never knit one thing, not ONE, for charity myself. So you are not alone, more than you know (which is a sentence that doesn't make any sense at all...).
Love the post. Looking forward to the hat!
Posted by: Ryan on March 8, 2005 09:04 AMI had knit an entire childsize sweater, finished except for the bands. Did it ever get finished? no.... thus my "Eligible for Knitting for Charity" permit got taken away. But I still have my "Permit to cave in to Peer Pressure Knitting" documents on me!!
Posted by: Sheila on March 8, 2005 12:29 PMSheila, thanks for your honesty. That's just one of the things that I find so refreshing about you - real life, all the time.
Me, I'm not knitting for Dulann because with school (nothing like back to school at 47!) and work I don't have time to knit for myself and my friends, much less for charity. One day I will. For now, good thoughts to all the folks at the Dulann project. :)
Posted by: sravana on March 9, 2005 07:59 AMSheila: Your comment that "it has nothing to do with the goodness of my heart and everything to do with wanting to be part of a community of creativity" is so refreshingly honest! That's precisely why I prefer to call "charity knitting" "COMMUNITY knitting" instead. We're not just doing this for those kids halfway around the world--we're also participating with others to bond with a community of knitters right here.
My prediction is that your first Dulaan item is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg--you will, after finishing it, fall head over heels in love with the idea of warming up the ears, hands and hearts of kids you've never met, and will be so touched by your gift, you will become obsessed with making a second item, and even quite possibly a third.
Mary B
Posted by: Mary B on March 9, 2005 11:41 AMOh, I forgot...
Sheila, be sure to give Sherlock a nice belly rub from his auntie sravana.... :)
Posted by: sravana on March 10, 2005 11:45 AM