Courage for Ukraine (picture below) is inspired by the flag of the Ukrainian people, whose guts, grit, and gallantry have brought me to tears every single day since the invasion began. They remind me in a direct way of what it means to be truly, fully human. And their example is moving me to be more fully human, to act with something of that same courage despite the return of anxiety and fear.
(As I’m writing this on Mar 16, news of the bombing of theater in Mariupol is surfacing on social and mainstream media. )
These last few weeks, I’ve struggled to find an adequate personal response to the invasion of Ukraine. My heart clamors for me to do something even as I struggle with helplessness. I want to shelter to the displaced Ukrainians, comfort their children, feed them and give them clean, warm beds to sleep in. I want to help mend their wounds—the ones we can see, and the ones we can’t. More than that, I wish that their loved ones be returned to them, alive, whole, and happy.
But most of all, I just want Russia to come to its senses and stop the f*cking invasion. And I began to feel powerless and anxious, fearing that I was completely powerless to do anything about it.
Fear Not
In a bid to cope, however, I began to stitch Fear Not. It’s listed as a Karma Charms design “for courage,” one you stitch when Fear and its kissing cousins, Despair and Hopelessness, come to call. It has such cheery colors, the bright blue and yellow of the flag of Ukraine. It felt serendipitous somehow, that stitching this project was a way to stitch in solidarity with its people.
When I showed my latest progress pic to Sue, she pointed out how soothing the message was. And that, in these troubled times, others might find it so, too. I had already been feeling overwhelmed with personal matters when the invasion started. In spite of my best intentions to stay engaged I felt myself pulling inward again, hard. That’s an old coping mechanism, one that leads to “ghosting” if I don’t snap out of it.
Sue’s intervention was timely, and just what I needed to kick my thinking self back into gear. Maybe I can’t go to Ukraine to help, or donate millions of dollars, or even hundreds. But in addition to being a stitcher, I am also a designer. And I can design patterns for others to stitch!
A Thousand Words
Sue and I got together online to chat over how best to proceed. We talked about putting Fear Not on temporary sale then sending the proceeds to a charity. And, as one of the Karma Charms line, this made a lot of sense. After all, Karma Charms are “prayers for your needle” and Ukrainians need prayers more than most. But, she and I didn’t have to get too far into that conversation before I realized it wasn’t quite right. What felt right was to design a more direct representation of the Ukrainian colors, but with a symbolic twist.
Courage for Ukraine, a $5 donation with an out-sized impact
As you see from the preview picture, “Courage for Ukraine” is a tapestry-style design. It features a half-mandala style sunflower in shades of yellow. “Courage” is in simple, dark gold letters, and both are backed by the brilliant blue background. For a quicker finish, just stitch the flower and the word “courage” on light blue fabric! It’s a simple design that’s warm and cheery without being manic or smarmy. It’s also a good way to put all that “thoughts and prayers” energy toward a tangible result in this world. Especially if you donate the finished project to a charity auction afterward.
We’ve chosen to donate the entire amount of each purchase to CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), who are providing direct relief to Ukrainian refugees as they cross the border. And we’ll keep doing that for as long as the refugee crisis lasts.
Thank you for being here, and for your care and concern for the Ukrainian people. Thank you for your donation, and for choosing this project as a way to put those thoughts and prayers under your needle.
I hope you’ll come back soon to share your experiences stitching Courage for Ukraine!
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