The 2019-2020 Bushfire Season in Australia has been horrific. At the time of writing, the fires have burned an estimated 168,000 square kilometers, or 65,000 square miles.
image from www.abc.net.au
There has been loss of lives, and hundreds of homes and businesses have been lost.
Of course the Australian bush is home to many beautiful animals, most of them native and unique to Australia. Heartbreakingly millions of animals have perished. Many others have been severely injured. Thankfully, many of the injured have been rescued, and taken to one of the many wildlife rescue centres, most of which are overflowing with injured wildlife.
There have been calls for help for both people and animals, and the response has been amazing! Donations from local, everyday people right up to international celebrities have been given generously. It's heart-warming to see people from all over the globe helping each other, whether it be financially, through donating goods, or volunteering time and service.
There have been calls for knitters and sewers to make and donate pouches for injured animals, like the ones in the picture below.
image from www.kiis1011.com.au
It's been amazing to me how many millions of dollars have been raised by "everyday people" donating $2, $5, or $10 - it adds up quickly! I started to think how I might be able to add to this awesome effort, and was inspired by the handmade pouches, so I designed Smudge - Possum in a Pouch.
Smudge is a baby Australian Brushtail possum. She loves living in trees, but when her home was burnt, she was given a pouch to rest and recover in until her bush home is leafy again.
This is a great scrap-busting pattern that can use an assortment of cotton, felt and plush fabrics. Smudge is 17.5cm (7in) tall.
Until the end of March 2020, I will donate 100% of the proceeds of Smudge PDF patterns in my Etsy store to Wildlife Victoria. My awesome distributor Creative Abundance has jumped on board and will be donating a portion of the proceeds of the Smudge pattern, plus a number of other patterns from other designers to Wildlife Victoria also.
If your feel the need to do some stitching, purchasing one of these patterns will also help injured animals through Wildlife Victoria - a win for you, and a win for the animals!
PDF patterns for Smudge can be purchased through my Etsy store. If you'd prefer a printed pattern, please ask your local patchwork store to order it from Creative Abundance.
Happy stitching,
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