Thursday, January 7, 2010

The beginning of a wonderful thing.....

That's right.  I have begun a journey I can't wait to be on.  Yesterday, during my massage, Tonie and I brainstormed to create "Madame Stitch".  For years I've been sure that I was meant to do something good with my crafts.  And now I'm really headed in that direction.

My grandmother taught me to crochet when I was a teenager and from that moment I was hooked (yeah, that's right, I said it).  I was so freakishly obsessed that I would take it to class with me.  I still have my first granny square scarf - and it's good.  When I had my kids I sort of put it aside because I was too busy.  But, as they got older, I had more time and picked it back up.  The rest is history.....

Four years ago I was looking for a service project for my church high school small group to do.  I taught them to knit or crochet and that first year we made 8 scarves and hats for New Bethany Ministries.  The next year, their senior year, we made 21 scarves, one for each resident of Restoration House.  When they graduated I made a campus wide announcement.  Not knowing what would come of it, I set a deadline for drop-off and waited.  That year I collected 101 scarves!  Last year I got 130 and this year 97.  The generosity of knitters and crocheters is mind-boggling.

Fast forward to Madame Stitch.  That's the name of my new internet crafting company that will serve those in need through the making of scarves and the sale of patterns, among other things.  Everything about the website will have some component of giving, whether by making something that's donated or by buying something for which a portion of the purchase price is donated.

I know, I'm not being very clear.  But, as the weeks go by, I hope you'll follow along as this unfolds and develops.  I'll try to keep you posted.

If you love to knit and/or crochet and you want to give something back, this is for you.

Signing off for now,
Madame Stitch!