December 2013 – Yarn Alive

2013 アニュアルレポート Annual report

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 20,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 7 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

ヨルダンの報告 Jordan Update

皆さん、楽しいクリスマスをお過ごしでしたか？感謝のシーズンにあたり、私たちのヨルダンプロジェクトのご報告をします。

We hope you had a very Merry Christmas!! This is the season of giving so we thought we would take this time to share an update about our latest project in Jordan.

今夏、私たちが多くの方々から支援され癒されたそのお礼に私たちが支援できる人々がもっと何処かにいるのではないかという想いに至りました。そして、ヨルダンにいるシリアからの難民たちが寒い時期に入る前に、こちらから私たちの手作り作品を送るプロジェクトが始まりました。

In the summer, we really felt that it was time for a new donation project. It helps keep all of our eyes on the fact that we are very blessed and can and should bless other people. Miraculously, it did not take long to form a plan and send our goods to the Syrian refugees in Jordan in time for the cold weather!

支援物をヨルダンに届けてくださった人が、これらは東日本大震災の被災者たちが手作りした作品で寒い季節に少しでも心と身体を温めて欲しいと説明すると、難民の人たちはとても感動したそうです。特に、子供たちは大喜びだったそうです。そして、世界中から忘れ去られてしまっていると思っていたのに、遠い日本の人々が自分たちのことを思っていてくれることを知り、喜んだそうです。

Our representative who took the items shared with us that it was very moving to be able to tell these families that some ladies who survived the tsunami in Japan wanted them to have something to keep warm in the winter. They were so happy! He said that it meant a lot to the children to have one thing that belongs to them. And it meant so much to know that even people in Japan are thinking of them. We know that these people really feel that the world has forgotten them, so this project might have helped in a tiny way to help them know that people are thinking of them.

小さな帽子、スカーフ、セーターなどの支援はささやかな好意ですが、苦しんでいる人々の少しでもお役にたてたことはヤーンアライブのメンバーたちに生きる喜び、目標を与えました。メンバーは難民子供達の写真を見て、それぞれが自分たちの作った作品を見つけて心から嬉しそうでした。こうして、受ける側もあげる側も祝福されるのですね。

In the grand scheme of things our few little hats and scarves and sweaters, doesn’t mean much, but just the act of making something for suffering people has brought great joy and purpose and happiness to these women in Japan. It has been a great thing. It was fun to see them look at the pictures and see that the things they made were on the children. So many people have been blessed all around!

クリスマス配達　Christmas Delivery

いつも一生懸命働く地元の郵便局員にクリスマスプレゼント配達！

A special Yarn Alive Christmas delivery for our hard working local post office friends.

TEDx

TEDx でヤーンアライブが取り上げられました。イベントは成功して楽しかったそうです。高画質のビデオが後々できますが、今なら低画質バージョンがサイトで観れます。ビデオの２５分の場所から３０分の所でヤーンアライプの話が聞けます。

Yarn Alive was shared about at the recent TEDx event. It was a big success and a lot of fun. A high-quality video of each of the talks is coming out soon but in the meantime, here is a rough video that’s on the site now.　Skip to the 25 minute mark to hear the section on Yarn Alive.

http://new.livestream.com/tedx/events/2593805/videos/36618803

5000 枚の写真／Photos

今年はヤーンアライブで5000枚もの写真を撮りました！その内何枚かをプリントしてメンバーたちに配布しました。

This year we have taken over 5000 photos of Yarn Alive! We didn’t print all 5000 but we did give each lady a few photos that were taken throughout the year for Christmas.

写真をアップロードする事によってサポーターの皆様が働きを観ることはとても大切だと思っています。今年の写真をエンジョイして下さい！

We know it is important uploading photos for all of you so that you can see what is happening over here and feel a part of it all. We certainly hope you have enjoyed the photos this year!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year ♪

今週、ヤーンアライブではクリスマスをお祝いし、今年一年に感謝しました。

This week Yarn Alive has enjoyed celebrating Christmas and giving thanks for all that we have experienced this year.

ご支援してくださる方々のおかげでゲームやクリスマスキャロル、民謡など歌い、美味しいお食事を皆で楽しみました。

There was a great deal of celebration with games, prizes (thank you to those who have donated beautiful gifts over the year which we were able to use as prizes and gifts!), carols, traditional songs (minyou), lots of food and laughter.

モミの木の雪だるまさんはもう3年も喜ばせてくれています These snowmen have joined us for Christmas for 3 years now! — モミの木の雪だるまさんはもう3年も喜ばせてくれています
These snowmen have joined us for Christmas for 3 years now!

一人に一つずつヘアバンドとネクタイ Each lady received a Christmas headscarf/neck tie — 一人に一つずつヘアバンドとネクタイ
Each lady received a Christmas headscarf/neck tie

どんなクリスマスのメッセージかしら Christmas message on a pinecone — どんなクリスマスのメッセージかしら
Christmas message on a pinecone

パーティーにゲームは欠かせません Every christmas party needs a few games! — パーティーにゲームは欠かせません
Every christmas party needs a few games!

ビンゴゲームの時間 Bingo Time! — ビンゴゲームの時間
Bingo Time!

ビンゴゲームに勝って大喜び
A happy Bingo winner wearing her prize

この坊やも勝ったんだけど、これ。。。ちょっとかゆいよー He won a prize too but he found it a bit itchy — この坊やも勝ったんだけど、これ。。。ちょっとかゆいよー
He won a prize too but he found it a bit itchy

サーカ・テディーさんの伴奏で歌います Mrs Teddy Sawka, our wonderful piano player leading the christmas carols — サーカ・テディーさんの伴奏で歌います
Mrs Teddy Sawka, our wonderful piano player leading the christmas carols

テディーさんからヨルダンへのヤーンアライブ作品の寄付について写真を見せながら報告。この報告は今後も継続します
Teddy shared about Jordan and the wonderful impact that the ladies made there. Photos from Jordan were passed around. More stories and photos to come next week!

支援者から送られてきたたくさんの毛糸 Receiving yarn for the holidays — 支援者から送られてきたたくさんの毛糸
Receiving yarn for the holidays

そして喜ぶメンバー A happy receiver (of yarn) — そして喜ぶメンバー
A happy receiver (of yarn)

支援者から送られてきたプレゼントを一人一人のメンバーに Gifts were given to each lady which included brooches, hand cream and scarfs and hats that were kindly donated. — 支援者から送られてきたプレゼントを一人一人のメンバーに
Gifts were given to each lady which included brooches, hand cream and scarfs and hats that were kindly donated.

パーティーはおご馳走がいっぱい Lots of delicious food — パーティーはおご馳走がいっぱい
Lots of delicious food

ヤーンアライブの新しい写真家！ We have a new photographer! — ヤーンアライブの新しい写真家！
We have a new photographer!

お料理をしてくださった方々 Our wonderful cooks and friends! — お料理をしてくださった方々
Our wonderful cooks and friends!

メンバー一人一人に星の形の短冊にことばを書いてもらいました。中には、ヤーンアライブで新しい友達ができたこと、再び人が信じられるようになったこと、夫の癌がようやく克服できたことなどが書かれていました。そして、短冊をクリスマスツリーに飾って皆でメッセージを分かち合いました。

One thing we thought to do this year was to give each lady a star to place on the Christmas Tree. Before placing the star on the tree, they each wrote something that they were thankful for and then shared it with the group. Some talked about how they were thankful for the new friends they were able to make through Yarn Alive. Fighting back tears, one lady shared that she was thankful that she could begin to trust people again. Another gave thanks for the good news she received yesterday about her husband being given the all clear from having battled cancer over the past number of years. It was a very special moment that we could share together!

星の形の短冊に今年を振り返って「感謝したいこと」を書いています We took time to write down what we were thankful for this year. — 星の形の短冊に今年を振り返って「感謝したいこと」を書いています
We took time to write down what we were thankful for this year.

そして、それを皆で分かち合いました Sharing with everyone about what we were thankful for this year. — そして、それを皆で分かち合いました
Sharing with everyone about what we were thankful for this year.

最後に、それをクリスマスツリーに飾りました We placed our "thankful stars" on the Christmas tree. — 最後に、それをクリスマスツリーに飾りました
We placed our “thankful stars” on the Christmas tree.

サンタさんたわしもクリスマスツリーの飾りに変身 We had a few Santa tawashi join our christmas tree! — サンタさんたわしもクリスマスツリーの飾りに変身
We had a few Santa tawashi join our christmas tree!

日本国内外からの心温まるご支援に改めまして感謝いたします。皆様一人一人のご支援に支えられながら活動を続けることができました。ありがとうございます。

As a whole, Yarn Alive is so thankful for all the amazing support that we have received within Japan and all over the world. We are so thankful for YOU. Because of you, we have had an amazing year full of YARN, creation and joy.

どうぞ素晴らしいクリスマスと良き新年をお迎えなさいますようお祈りいたします。

We hope you have a very Merry Christmas and that 2014 will greet you with great joy!

火曜日クラスのメンバーからメリークリスマス！ Merry Christmas from Tuesday's Yarn Alive class. — 火曜日クラスのメンバーからメリークリスマス！
Merry Christmas from Tuesday’s Yarn Alive class.

水曜日クラスのメンバーからメリークリスマス！ Merry Christmas from Wednesday's Yarn Alive class. — 水曜日クラスのメンバーからメリークリスマス！
Merry Christmas from Wednesday’s Yarn Alive class.

クリスマスパーティー Christmas Party

今日はクリスマスパーティー
Today’s Christmas Party

More photos coming!

ポンチョ Poncho

あいかわさんのポンチョ。。。なんて素敵なんでしょう！

Aikawasan’s poncho….need we say more?

Fingerless Gloves

どんなミトンにしようかな？思案中。
Trying to work out the new fingerless glove pattern.

ボタンのオーガナイザー Button Organization

いただいたボタンの中から編んでいる作品に合うものを簡単に見つけ出すための知恵をしぼり、手軽に持ち運べてしかも沢山のボタンを入れらるような物をインターネットで探したら。。。

With all the buttons in our collection, we felt it was time for some kind of organization so that the ladies could easily find what they were looking for. We needed something that was portable and could carry a lot of buttons!

このブログのオーガナイザーを見つけました。

After a little research on the internet, the best button organization we could find was from this blog.

このアイデアに加えて、同色同形のボタンを入れるために、名刺ホールダーに使われているプラスチックのシートを貼り付け、和紙のテープで各ボタン小袋を取り出しの開け閉めができるようにしました。

Inspired by this idea, we hunted for plastic sheets that had slips to hold multiple buttons. The best thing we could find was plastic sheets for business cards. These slots allowed buttons to be easily divided into color and style. Yes, that took hours…

Washi tape was then used to hold the buttons into place. Washi tape seemed to be the best option as it can be easily peeled back to remove any buttons from the plastic slips and then placed back onto the plastic and still stick well.

次に、沢山ののプラスチックシートをまとめるこのフォルダーを見つけました。A3サイズのフォルダーが欲しかったのですが残念ながらありませんでした。でも、このフォルダーもハンドル付きで持ち運びが簡単にできるので満足！

The next step was to find a folder big enough to hold the plastic sheets. We came across this filing folder. It is a 2 ring binder that has a clip. The clip clicks out and the plastic sheets fit nicely into the slots. A 3 ring binder would be preferred for more stability but we could not find any. But this folder seems to do the trick of holding all the plastic sheets and making it extremely portable with that handle!

メンバーたちも大喜び。今までのように編んでいる作品に合うような、欲しいボタンを探すのに手こずることがなくなったのですから。フォルダーをめくって見ているだけでもとても綺麗！

The ladies loved this new idea! No more trying to scrummage around multiple plastic containers containing hundreds of different colors and sizes (especially when you cannot find a matching size!) Not only does it work well but it looks great with all the color!

皆さんはどんなボタンのオーガナイザーを使っていらっしゃるのかしら？

For now, this has been our best solution. What kind of button storage or organization do you use?