Introducing “Hibiscus for Haiti”, a sock pattern by Ramona Carmelly (aka MezzoDiva), based on an original concept by Rebecca Logan (aka ThatLoganChick).

Starting from a toe-up construction (magic loop or 2 circular needles recommended), the sinuous lace motif (a variant of a lace design from Leili Riemann’s Pitsilised Koekirjad) begins from a point somewhat above the toe-box, expands across the instep and ultimately wraps gracefully around the ankles after the heel to meet itself in the back and continue up around the leg. The comfortable arch-hugging heel combines the under-heel gusset increases from Cat Bordhi’s Riverbed architecture with Wendy Johnson’s short-rowed heels to accommodate a high or wide instep.

Note: For this lace pattern, solid or tone-on-tone colours are best. A subtly variegated colour-way may be okay, but too much colour striation will distract from the lace.

About the causes:

Physical and economic insecurity characterize the lives of women and girls in conflict and disaster zones. A constant climate of fear is perpetuated by both threat and the use of violence; discrimination against women and girls underlies the violence perpetrated against them, and the current climate of impunity allows the many forms of gender-based violence, including sexual violence, to flourish.

In Haiti, the levels of violence and sexual violence against women and girls has increased at astounding rate since the devastating earthquake that took place in January 2010. Today, over 1.3 million are still living in makeshift camps, where many women and girls are being raped by armed men and youth gangs roaming the camps after dark. UNICEF reports that the rape of women and girls in post-earthquake Haiti has reached a four-year high. In the DRC it is more dangerous to be woman than a combatant, as women and girls remain targets for violence. Hundreds of thousands of women and girls have been raped since the conflict began. Despite the supposed formal cease of hostilities, several armed groups still use sexual violence as a weapon of war, to torture and humiliate women and girls, and destroy families.

In addition to the severe psychological impact, sexual violence leaves many survivors with genital lesions, traumatic fistulae, severed and broken limbs, unwanted pregnancies, and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. Survivors are regularly ostracized and abandoned by their families and communities. Donations to their Emergency Relief Fund give Médecins Sans Frontières the maximum flexibility to respond directly where it’s most needed in Haiti and the DRC. Donations to V-day support revolutionary national campaigns in Haiti and the DRC, led by coalitions of women activists to address sexual violence through advocacy, safe shelter and legal services.

With the anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti and the ongoing deplorable conditions for women in the Congo, I am going to re-release my Campanula for the Cure & Hibiscus for Hope sock patterns (formerly offered in support of the PMH foundation’s Weekend to End Breast Cancer), as Campanula for the Congo and Hibiscus for Haiti, with all proceeds now going to Médecins Sans Frontières and V-day. I’m getting the patterns a makeover: fixing up their layout, adding more photos, and consolidating each pattern and its charts into one file.

To obtain the pattern(s), simply make a DONATION in ANY AMOUNT at doctorwithoutborders.org/donate or vday.org/donate, or both. Then notify me here on Ravelry and I will send you the pattern(s).

Please Note:
I am not yet set up to distribute patterns on Ravelry (I have to get to that! Not enough hours in the day…). Please send me your off-Ravelry email address and I will send you the pattern ASAP!