I got a call from Jim at The Gentle Art, and not only are they offering a prize for the 2007 Bookmark Challenge (remember, these are prizes for shops, not individual stitchers), but they offered fiber support for outreach programs, including ours. Woooo!

What does that mean? It means Jim will donate Gentle Art fibers to the Make-It/Take-It events we’re holding in October; we’ll give them to participants to use as we teach them to stitch. Can you imagine learning to stitch with such cool fibers?! Criminey, I stitched for years before I discovered overdyed threads.

Aside: The new puzzle pattern uses Gentle Art threads, remember? That project is back on the floor stand now. We will play a guessing game about the subject of the piece as it nears completion. Want an early clue? How’s this?

After talking with Jim, I called Dave at Norden Crafts. He, too, will be supplying a prize for the Challenge. (He hasn’t decided exactly what, most likely a collection of Northern Cross linen, so it’s not listed yet.) AND he’s sending a variety of needles for our Make-It/Take-It events here in Alaska.

The independent needlework world is a small community, active, generous, and mutually supportive. If you’re reading this blog, you’re a part of this community. I hope you’re as proud as I am to have these people and companies supporting our Needle and ThREAD: Stitching for Literacy cause.