If you want to help, here are some ways...
Humans:
-Donate Blood - There are a lot of burn victims who need blood. Contact your nearest Red Cross Blood Bank Ph 131 495
-Donate money to the Red Cross or Salvation Army Bushfire Appeals.
-Donate Clothes, blankets, towels etc can also be donated to Fire Victim Appeals through the Salvation Army and the Red Cross. [they are asking for money rather than actual items now, if you can't afford money & still looking to help, please consider donating blood instead]
- Donations to the Victorian Bushfire Relief Fund can be made at any National Australia Bank. BSB: 082 001 - Account: 860 046 797
Animals/Wildlife:
- You can donate at Wildlife Victoria or WIRES or Help for Wildlife
- Possum Pouches/Joey Pouches - you can either sew or knit* them. There is a downloadable pdf pattern on this page at Long Grass Nature Refuges Blog contact your local WIRES or Wildlife rescue shelter to donate these items.
* pure wool not manmade fibres.
They also need clean old sheets and towels etc but please contact your local wildlife rescue shelter to find out further info on what they need.
ABC Melbourne also have a How can I help messageboard to offer help and to find ways that you can help. There are links to various aid agency appeals and also ways to offer help for wildlife, small animals and agistment to help out fire affected animals.
Pip from Meet Me at Mikes has a lot of info & links for people who are crafty or would like to join the auctions the craft community members are starting. Pip is also accepting any handmade donations you want to make.
The Toy Society is also collecting handmade toys to be distributed to the children impacted by the fires.
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Helping Bushfire Victims
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5 Even Wiser people reply:
Are you still OK Antikva? Keep posting so we know you are all right. More and more bulletins keep coming in on the news.
it all becomes so overwhelming and you feel so helpless but this is wonderful Antikiva....makes you feel like you can help in some small way. jenxo
Hi Helen - Sorry! yes we are fine. Shane is still on call but I think they'll be helping clean up once they can. The cooler weather & the rain we had has helped a lot. There were some small fires here that they jumped on last night.
It's so sad to know 2 people died here because of a lit cigarette butt tossed out of a car. I hope the lazy moron is aware that they are responsible :-(
Jenxo - I wanted to help without getting in the way. It's so hard to sit and not do anything and see all the loss and suffering.
There isn't a possum pouch pattern pdf on that link. Any clues? MP want's to make some.
Hi Dogbait, it's the same pattern but you just adjust the sizes down to be smaller for possums.
I also have these instructions for knitting/crocheting but can't remember where I found them but...
POSSUM/JOEY POUCH PATTERN
The pouches can be any size from
10cm to 30cm (or slightly larger) square. The larger sizes can also be rectangular in shape for Joeys.
Knit or Crochet in a close stitch fabric.
Knit
Using any ply pure wool and appropriate size needles e.g. 8ply and 4mm/No8's
Cast on any number of stitches from about 22(8ply) up to 70 depending on the size you want to make. If using other ply yarn check the tension to see how many
stitches you might require.
Knit 2 or 4 rows then knit an eyelet row (K1, YO, K2tog across the row)
Continue knitting (either stocking or garter st) for the length needed to make a square when folded in half (or rectangle) then finish off with another eyelet row and 2 or 4 rows of knitting the same as you did at the start.
Sew the sides and make a drawstring. Either crochet a length of chain, make a
twisted cord or use fabric tape for the drawstring.
Crochet
Using wool and appropriate hook size to give a nice close fabric finish --
Work enough chain needed for the width of the pouch you wish to make.
Then crochet similar to the knit version.
Knitting Loom
I am making some using the round loom by knitting in the round then leaving an opening in the middle then finishing it by knitting in the round again, then binding off like a beanie.
Also some just done on the loom like a honking huge beanie/bag with a drawstring bottom.
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