Monday's Musing

"If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one." - Mother Theresa

And in that vein, even though I can't help everyone, maybe with your help, my Sakaki pattern will help a few!

Designed to help Japan after their devastating earthquake and tsunami, $5 from the $6.50 purchase price of each Sakaki pattern sold through the end of May will be donated to charities allowing earmarking for Japan. Beginning in June, 2011, $5 per pattern sold will be donated to Doctors without Borders, which does not allow earmarking for Japan but does wonderful work there and throughout the world. Like Brandywine for Haiti, the goal is to sell 10,000 patterns, and I will keep donating until that number is reached! (Which is basically forever). ;) I released the pattern last Friday without any announcement, except in my Ravelry group where group members were stalking the new pattern list. (Isn't that fun?!) So far, I've sold 155 - thank you so much everyone!

Sakaki comes in two flavors: unbeaded with a leaf lace panel:

and beaded with no leaf lace panel.

The lovely green yarn I used is the decadent Sunna from Spirit Trail Fiberworks.

I used one skein of the colorway Acadia, and I used almost all of the yardage (350). (I see she is already sold out of that colorway, but maybe she'll dye more for us!)

If you feel that you are a loose knitter, it might be prudent to have extra yarn on hand and/or to keep close track of yarn usage by using a handy-dandy scale (don't leave home without one).

The incredible red I used is from Alisha Goes Around. (Her Etsy shop should be returning today!)

I truly cannot do this color justice with the camera. Amazingly, it looks good on everyone who has tried it on.

It is an incredibly rich ripe tomato red: her Panoply of Peacocks fingering weight in On the Vine, along with bronze size 6/0 hex cut seed beads.

Sakaki is knit side to side and the method used creates a nicely curved shoulder wrap. Once you have the pattern memorized, it is super fun TV knitting. I knit a lot of it watching my new full Deep Space 9 dvd set. :)

My favorite site explaining the importance of the Sakaki Tree is this one belonging to UCLA's botanical gardens.

Sakaki the shawl was designed as a tribute to the amazing spirit of the Japanese people as they face - with grace and determination - what is sure to be a long recovery. Thank you for helping me help them!