This is what I’ve been up to this week: folding paper! Specifically, cranes–for a “1,000 crane” fundraiser at my son Zeke’s preschool for those affected by the recent earthquake in Japan.

Maybe you are making origami strawberries (like this one we bought at another Japan fundraiser at Abe’s elementary school)  

or contributing in another way, but if you are a quilter, Gather Here, the fabric store/stitch lounge at 370 Broadway in Cambridge is offering a couple of novel ways to join the effort for Japan:

• Stock up on your favorite Japanese fabrics (including Kokka, Echino, Kiyohara) and the store will donate 25% of your purchase to Red Cross.
•  Join Gather Here’s quilter’s bee for Japan, the last meeting of which is this Sunday, April 17, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the shop. (Oh, and if you do read this post by Virginia: I am not the “very nice lady” named Margaret that she mentions. I am definitely another Margaret.)

Virginia also posted about an effort by Quilter’s Newsletter to gather quilts from Amerian quilters for those in need in Japan. If you have a quilt (any size, baby to adult) you’d like to send, the information is here. The deadline is April 30.