Shanghai Daily news
Sue Ferry learned how to knit years ago, when her ex-boyfriend's mother picked up a pair of knitting needles and taught her how to weave simple balls of yarn into scarves and hats. By the time Christmas rolled around that year, she gave mittens away to everyone.
But later, as life got busy, the Canadian had to set the craft aside. She had research to do for her PhD and her son Tom needed attention.
But now, the knitting needles are back in Ferry's hands every Thursday afternoon, as a group of women sit in her living room and chat over pots of tea, plates of cookies and balls of yarn bought 30 yuan (US$3.61) for a dozen from shops scattered along Ruijin Road.
It has been almost three months now since the launch of the patchwork and knitting guild, and in that period of time, the women from the United States, the Netherlands and South Korea have created much more than the squares of soon-to-be sweaters sitting in their laps. Over the clicks of knitting needles, the women weave together pieces of warmth, charity and goodwill.
Once complete, the quilts, scarves and sweaters will be donated to River of Hearts, a program coordinated by Ferry that collects clothing, bedding and other items for impoverished Chinese.
"So often the expats lead better lives than the Chinese and assume it is right and that it is okay just because their skin is lighter," Ferry says as she loops two strings of cream colored yarn around her knitting needle.
"We lead these incredibly, incredibly privileged lives, and they are supported by a population that doesn't have that," she continues. "It is very easy to write a check or attend a charity ball, but this is practical and it's satisfying."
Through the Shanghai Community Center's River of Hearts program, the participants are looking to give back to the country and the people that have given so much to them.
The charity was established last fall when some women decided to bring part of home to China. After living in Shanghai for a while, they couldn't find anywhere to donate the clothes that didn't fit anymore, the toys that their children had grown out of or the dishes they couldn't move when their time here came to a close. The women were used to living in places where they could drop off their used items at the nearest charitable organization.
"We need places like that here," Ferry says. "Especially when people are given these incredible expat packages and they consume like crazy."
The launch of the River of Hearts program filled that void. Now under Ferry's leadership, volunteers box up hundreds of donated items and ship them to people in Shanghai and throughout the countryside.
"We send the items to orphanages and AIDS victims, people who live in areas of economic distress that are often overlooked but are in a lot of need," Ferry says. "We are always trying to find people to hook up with so that we can trust that the items we are donating are going to those truly in need."
While the program receives hundreds of donations, the shipping costs are very steep, reaching anywhere between 5,000 and 8,000 yuan. Crown Relocation, a moving company, donates packaging materials, but cannot afford to donate the shipping costs.
Ferry is using any opportunity she can to raise more money for more shipments. She and her friend Jennifer Caringi celebrated their 41st birthdays together in June, but instead of accepting gifts, they asked guests to make donations to the River of Hearts. The guests contributed enough money to fund a shipment.
"It was so easy to do," Caringi says as she looks up from the red square she has knitted during her first visit to the guild. "We already have so much and really don't need any more, and this really does good for the community."
The patchwork and knitting guild is another approach used to cover the costs of shipping materials throughout China. The sweaters, quilts, scarves and mittens will be sold at a charity sale, and the proceeds will fund more shipments to the impoverished.
The weekly sessions also allow the knitters and quilters - educated women who often decide to forgo their own career development to follow their husbands to Shanghai and keep their families together - to network and create stronger bonds in Shanghai, their new home, thousands of kilometers away from their home countries.
As the women knit and purl, experienced knitters teach newcomers how to cast on and follow patterns. Their conversations jump from the competition at the international schools to the renovations at Xintiandi and their Chinese lessons to the weight-loss culture in Shanghai.
"It is a good network, a good outlet, but we try to keep the negative energy, the complaining away," Ferry says. "It is easy to wrap a cocoon around yourself and see what is scary and different and focus on that. But we try to talk about what is good, what is exciting, what is an adventure. We really try to talk about what is great about China and emphasize that instead."
Usually about 10 women get together every Thursday afternoon, but attendance plummeted as soon as the city's international schools let out for summer vacation and the women traveled home to visit friends and family during the summer. But even thousands of kilometers away from Shanghai, most of the women are continuing their knitting so that when they return they'll be able to cast on again where they left off.
"The association is very relaxed," Ferry says. "You can come and go whenever you have time. It's very informal, very relaxed and anyone is welcome."
Caringi came to the guild for her first time on a recent Thursday, bringing her red yarn and a pattern of a children's boat neck sweater. She said she was excited about the opportunity to be able to really help those in need.
"It isn't just a social thing. It really is giving back to Shanghai instead of just taking," she says. "I've volunteered in the international schools, but they don't really need the help, not like at home where you have to hold bake sales to be able to go on field trips. This really is giving back."
Caringi started knitting a couple of years ago and said her friends back in Michigan used to laugh at her when she told them that she was taking lessons. But as soon as American actress Julia Roberts picked up the craft, a new generation of knitters was born.
"It's the new yoga," Ferry laughs. "If I didn't knit, I'd go crazy."
"I know," Caringi says. "It gives me a reason to sit in the back seat."
"And knitting is a godsend on the airplane," Ferry adds.
As the end of the three-hour session draws to a close, the women stick their knitting needles into balls of yarn. But their work isn't done. They'll be back next week to keep weaving together the River of Hearts.
River of Hearts
Tel: 6294-2532, 1391-666-7334 (Sue Ferry)
E-mail: sue@communitycenter.cn
Website: www.communitycenter.cn
