Needle and ThREAD

Stitching for Literacy Update

A bookmark by Maureen, finished in the Bookmarks 101: Simple, Smart, and Swanky Finishes class at The Stitchers’ Village. This pattern was Maureen’s least favorite of the first batch she did, but I like it. Kids are into everything! I know there’s a bug-lover out there who will love to have this.

You know what this reminds me of? I have an Alaska flower identification book I used as a natural history guide that has oodles of smashed mosquitoes in it. In some areas, I couldn’t open and close the book without trapping several of the things.

I’d way-yonder rather have this bookmark between the pages than all those smooshed skeeters.

The Monday “What have you done lately?” accountability post, where I announce my Needle and Thread: Stitching for Literacy program promotion goal for the week and fess up on last week’s goal.

Last week, my goal was to start gathering current info about events and contests taking place during this year’s Challenge. Thanks to the inclusion of the word “start,” I can call this goal accomplished. I’ve started!

I also wanted to finish the how-to-stitch video tutorial for the readergirlz event. Done! What an undertaking–it nearly killed me! Okay, that’s an exaggeration. Remember all my raving about the three-minute I-Heart-You Earrings video? Well, this video is ten minutes. Yeah-huh. I still need to polish and proof everything, but the hard parts are done.

In other news, I’m assembling posts and guest bloggers for this year’s Challenge. In the past, it’s been my goal to post something relevant to stitching and reading every day during the Challenge. This year, I aim to make it more interesting and fun by inviting others to participate. If you have something you’d like to share–a personal story about learning to read or stitch, teaching someone to read or stitch, an explanation of what happens in our bodies chemically while we stitch…–please email me.

In particular, I’m looking for Extreme Reader and Extreme Stitcher stories and images. These are stories that demonstrate just how far we’re willing to go to enjoy reading and stitching. If you’ve ever done anything kind of nutty just to read or stitch, I want to hear about it!

Send your stories to me at

mail [AT] funkandweber [DOT] com

That address is in the sidebar now, you know.

All right. This week, my goal is to–brace yourselves–create one more video. Uh…yep. It’s true. This one is to kick off the Bookmark Challenge. We’re setting up a new studio for it tonight. I’ll be working on it in the wee hours of morning while it’s dark outside. That’s all you’re getting for a hint. It won’t be all that long before you see it.

Do you realize the Challenge officially starts in seventeen days? Geez-o-pete, who’s running this thing?!

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