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A Tiny Deed

I haven't knitted in months, not since the baby hats that were supposed to go to Mali but never did. They're still in a bag in my guest room. But the other day while I was visiting my friend at her yarn shop, I picked up a skein of recycled silk and found I could not put it back down. I bought two skeins and went straight home to make a shawl similar to one modeled in the yarn shop. This took two whole skeins and was knitted on size 13 circular needles. I cast on 37 (a random choice) and knitted until the yarn ran out, although I set aside enough for fringe.

Typically, I don't wear shawls, but I just might wear this one. The silk used to weave this yarn comes from discarded saris from India. A company called Mango Moon operates the Sustainable Living Project, employing over 200 women in Bali, Nepal, and Bolivia and providing them with spinning wheels and materials they need to be self-supportive. A few women in Nepal were recycling saris on their own, but now that they have partnered with an American company, their market has expanded internationally, and their ability to survive in a culture that often treats women as less than human has improved.

I recently read an article about widows in India and how they are shunned in some parts of the country and considered bad luck, left to beg and die without family or friends. My buying a few skeins of yarn may trickle down to barely helping one single woman, but if it helps just one, then I think that's something. It's something to start with at least until I can figure out how to do more.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Thats actually a pretty positive post Robyn. In the home of the sati brides anything we can do in the western world to ease their suffering is a great idea. I'm going to go and get some and learn to knit. Great shawl, just what i need for this wedding on saturday.
8:45 AM
dive said…
That's a really good scheme, Robyn.

And the shawl is lovely. I didn't realise there were that many colours in the world.
9:22 AM
Sassy Sundry said…
This is great, Robyn. I used to work for an organization that worked on sustainability issues in Central America. It's a great thing to get involved with. And the shawl's gorgeous.
10:55 AM
Gina said…
It is fabulous that they can do things like this to help people.

And can I just say though, that I wish we could wear saris all the time? They are so beautiful and comfortable-looking.

The shawl is wonderful.
11:21 AM
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