Free Pattern - Love is Love is Love

It's not often that I use my blog as any sort of soap box.  I prefer to keep my personal opinions about world events and politics separate from my crafting life - in truth, it's very rare that they overlap anyhow.  But every once in a while something awful happens that makes me wish I could do more and the events in Orlando this past weekend are just one of those times.

I was raised in a house filled with love and laughter.  I was raised to accept and respect everyone, even if they were different from me.  I guess that makes me one of the lucky ones because I really struggle a great deal to understand hate like this.  It's such a foreign concept to me that I am absolutely gutted by it.

Like you, I have plenty of friends who identify LGBTQ and the horror and tragedy that community has been subjected to, not just this week but historically, breaks my heart.  I so, so desperately want my daughter to grow up in a world where she feels free and safe to love whomever her heart desires to love without fear and without judgement. And not only do I want that for my daughter and for your children, but I want it now, for everyone, everywhere.  It's 2016 and we are better than this.

As always, when the events in the world get to be too much for me - when they're too big, too scary, too horrible, I turn to my craft.  It calms and centers me and gives me an outlet for my fears and my heartache.  So I did what I am best at and designed myself a pattern to give voice to my sadness and I happily offer it to you too, free of charge (download it here).  Stitch it for your friends, for your children, for yourself.  Stitch it because it's the truth and deserves, no - demands - to be heard.

I honestly, passionately believe that we as humans are here on Earth to create, not destroy. Our hands are meant to hold paintbrush and pen, knitting needle and sewing needle, not guns.

Don't back down my lovelies.  Stand and be proud.  Love is love is love is love.

Want to watch the moment that inspired my pattern?  Check out Lin-Manuel Miranda's beautiful Tony Award acceptance speech here.