This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you that goes towards supporting Fluffy Stitches. All opinions are my own. Full Privacy & Disclosure Policies HERE.
Crochet Koala Coin Purse
Help the bushfire relief effort by making this Crochet Koala Coin Purse. A quick, beginner-level pattern that you can make to raise awareness.
Buy the pattern and it will revert 100% to Victorian firefighting efforts!
Inspiration
The country that I will be calling home is on fire.
I moved to Melbourne in Australia just a couple of weeks ago. I arrived at night and the first thing I noticed when I got out of the airport was the smell of smoke in the air. The next morning, looking out the window, I could see it.
However, this is quite small when we look at the big picture.
The smoke comes from the more than 150 fires burning across the country. At this time, the main affected states are New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia.
As of 10 January, these fires have burned an estimated 10 million hectares (100,000 sq km or 15.6 million acres), killed 27 people and an estimated 1 billion animals.
What can we do?
Looking at the images of what is happening, I feel bound to do something. I want to help! If you fell the same way, here are some ways to do it.
Raise awareness of what is happening
Don’t let this go unnoticed or discarded as “something that happens every year”. Yes, Australia is no stranger to bushfires, but this year the disaster is unprecedented. This situation is not to be taken lightly as it is a preview of what the future could hold for the world and action is needed! Vincent from Knot Bad is also working very hard on bringing awareness to this subject. Check his blog post here.
Contribute with your crafting
Crafting skills have never been so wanted! Crafters can help by making items for animal rescue, such as bat wraps, bird nests, mittens and more! Check the information provided in the Animal Rescue Craft Guild Facebook page. The items needed and the patterns to make them are also accessible from this page.
Donate to the bushfire relief effort
In a situation such as this, one of the best ways to help is donating money. Unfortunately, so many have been affected by the fires that the list of organizations you can choose from is quite extensive. From helping firefighters, helping the wildlife or the people affected by the fires, whatever you decide, it will count!
Check here to know how you can donate to the bushfire relief effort.
The Project
To raise awareness I have designed this Crochet Koala Coin Purse. It is a quick pattern, that you can easily make with a couple of scrap yarn you have around. I have added the koala one of the native animals from Australia that have been largely affected by the fires.
To help out a bit more, whatever the proceedings received from the sale of the ad-free pattern – no matter when it is purchased – will be donated to the Victorian Country Fire Association (CFA) Brigades to help fund the firefighting efforts in Victoria and fund the firefighter work in the local communities.
Join me in making this pattern!
Pattern
- You can buy the ad-free, printable PDF pattern HERE!
- PIN this pattern for later HERE!
- Add this pattern to your Ravelry queue HERE!
Description
The Crochet Koala Coin Purse is a quick, beginner-level pattern designed to raise awareness to the Australian bushfires. Buy the pattern and it will revert 100% to Victorian firefighting efforts!
Skill Level
- Basic
Have in Hand
- 1 skein Drops Safran in Mauve Uni Color 57 (175 yd/160 m) for Color A
- 1 skein Drops Safran in Black Uni Color 16 (175 yd/160 m) for Color B
- US size C-2 (2.5 mm) crochet hook
- 4’’/ 10 cm zipper in similar yarn color
- Sewing needle, scissors
Gauge
- 24 sts x 28 rows: 4”/10 cm
Finished Measures
- Width: 4’’/10 cm
- Height: 3.25’’ / 8.5 cm
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch: chain
- sc: single crochet
- sl st: slip stitch
- st(s): stitch(es)
Notes
- The coin purse is done by making two panels, sewing 3 sides and then attaching a zipper to the top.
- The ch 1 at the beginning of the row DOES NOT COUNT as a st.
- The details are sewn using the grid fabric that results from the sc.
- The schematic for the design counts the columns from left to right and the rows from top to bottom.
- I’ve sewn the purse with the yarn I used for the project, but you can use a different thread if you prefer.
Crochet Koala Coin Purse
Panel (Make 2)
Ch 24.
Row 1: ch 1 (doesn’t count as a st), sc across. <24>
Row 2: ch1, t, sc across. <24>
Row 3 – 24: Repeat Row 2.
Sl st, fasten off and weave in ends.
Koala
The koala is stitched on one of the panels you just made.
The grid and schematics count the columns from left to right and the rows from top to bottom. To match the corners of the panel with the schematics, leave the 2 top and 2 bottom rows unworked, as well as the first 2 and last 2 stitches of these rows.
Using Color B and an embroidery needle, stitch the design according to the schematic. Pass more than one time in the claws and nose to give it more volume.
Assembly
Lay your panels on top of each other with the same side facing out. Use the panel where you made the koala as reference. Using the mattress stitch, sew the two panels together leaving only the top side open.
With the zipper closed, place it so that it is centered with the purse opening. To hold the zipper in place, sew it first with some thread. With the zipper closed, sew one side of the zipper to the edge of the sc. Opening the zipper as you work and making sure that it runs smoothly, sew the other side.
Sources
Here are sources of information I used to write this post. In these articles you can find even more information on what is happening:
- ABC News – Haze over Melbourne city
- BBC – Australia fires: A visual guide to the bushfire crisis
- The Guardian – Yes, Australia has always had bushfires: but 2019 is like nothing we’ve seen before
- The Sydney Morning Herald – NSW Bushfires out of control
- Vox – Australia’s massive fires, as seen from space
- The Washington Post – Australia’s fires intensify as prime minister calls up army reservists to help contain the crisis
No Comments