T-Shirt Quilt: The Return

My third t-shirt quilt for the season was for another Brebeuf Jesuit High School senior. His quilt was a lot of fun because his mom included several of her son’s t-shirts from when he was a little boy. (See the Pokemon shirt on there?) The quilt also embodied a variety of interests from music to skateboarding to sports. Very fun!

Why I Chose The Seed Company as a TOH Charity

Threads of Hope is proud to support The Seed Company, an affiliate of Wycliffe Bible Translators. Beyond the spiritual need that people have, The Seed Company and Wycliffe both acknowledge the overwhelming need that still exists for literacy for millions around the world. This video reminded me of that tremendous need and how Bible translation is part of helping equip mainly women and children with the ability to read. Reading is something we take for granted. Words surround us, but what if they were only black lines? What if there was no logic to them? Reading gives us power, helps us think, and give us a voice.

I love reading — the power of a story, the beauty of a well-written phrase, and even the act of mentally translating symbols into sounds that my mouth makes. Amazing! And unbelievable how privileged I am, how much of a minority I am (especially as a woman) to be able to read. Literacy is still a huge need around the world, and Threads of Hope is proud to be part of a group that is working to equip people with the ability to read.

Coin Quilt Goes Blue

One of my favorite combinations: beautiful fabric and a fun, simple design! I love this Coin Quilt and was so glad I got to use a lot of shades of blue, green, aqua, teal, turquoise, and many with fun sparkles in the fabric! I just love it!

Customized T-Shirt Quilts

Interested in a commemorative t-shirt quilt to remember special events in your life? T-shirt quilts are a unique way to remember sports teams, concerts, plays, races, or other activities of which you’ve been part. I’ve recently made a few for local high school seniors and have been very pleased with how they have turned out! If you’re interested in ordering one (they’re $200), contact threadsofhopedesigns (at) gmail (dot) com.

Why I Chose World Vision as a TOH Charity

Oh this New York Times article is so stinking good I want to post the entire thing here! It’s written by Nicholas Kristof who, along with his wife, wrote the exceptional book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. (I highly recommend this book!)

The article is fantastic for many reasons and you should really go read it right now, but really it addresses why I chose World Vision as one of the charities that Threads of Hope supports. Here’s a quick excerpt:

A pop quiz: What’s the largest U.S.-based international relief and development organization?

It’s not Save the Children, and it’s not CARE — both terrific secular organizations. Rather, it’s World Vision, a Seattle-based Christian organization (with strong evangelical roots) whose budget has roughly tripled over the last decade.

World Vision now has 40,000 staff members in nearly 100 countries. That’s more staff members than CARE, Save the Children and the worldwide operations of the United States Agency for International Development — combined.

…The head of World Vision in the United States, Richard Stearns, begins his fascinating book, The Hole in Our Gospel, with an account of a visit a decade ago to Uganda, where he met a 13-year-old AIDS orphan who was raising his younger brothers by himself.

“What sickened me most was this question: where was the Church?” he writes. “Where were the followers of Jesus Christ in the midst of perhaps the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time? Surely the Church should have been caring for these ‘orphans and widows in their distress.’ (James 1:27). Shouldn’t the pulpits across America have flamed with exhortations to rush to the front lines of compassion? How have we missed it so tragically, when even rock stars and Hollywood actors seem to understand?”

Another book to read is the one referenced here called The Hole in Our Gospel, a compelling call to action and convicting read. I’m happy to support this organization and hope you will consider sponsoring a child with them too!

New Fish Quilts for Kids!

I am so excited about the two new quilts I finished recently! They are both made from Heather Ross’s Mendocino line in Brackish print. The fabric feels amazing and the colors were so fun: orange, brown, and touches of aqua blue. It was so beautiful! I also had a lot of fun coming up with the patterns because I wanted them to mimic fishbowls. The stitching is wavy like water, too. The back of both quilts is made from orange fleece for a soft feel great for a baby. Both quilts are for sale on etsy.com, so check them out!

Stay Put Headbands for Athletic Teams

You’re in the right place to learn more about Stay Put Headbands and how they work for athletic teams. Most girls use prewrap to keep their hair out of their faces when they’re playing sports. But instead of buying lots of that, which just ends up in the trash, Stay Put Headbands are a classy way to keep hair back while showing off school spirit! The headbands can be made in any combination of school colors and with a variety of patterns too. Send an email to threadsofhopedesigns @ gmail dot com to order or find out more!

Ah! So that’s what I am!

I’m reading the excellent book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide and came across this sentence in chapter 3:

Zach is part of an exploding movement of “social entrepreneurs” who offer new approaches to supporting women in developing world… social entrepreneurs create their own context by starting a new organization, company, or movement to address a social problem in a creative way.

By using quilting and sewing, I want to support others in the world, often women and children, through literacy, education, justice, clean water, and spiritual nourishment. I love that this is a growing movement and hope many more people will find their own creative ways to support what they are passionate about.

Merry Christmas!

Stay Put Headbands

I’m excited to introduce new Stay Put Headbands! These great headbands are made of ribbon — bright colored ribbon on the outside to show off to the world and a velvet ribbon against your hair. This little trick keeps them from slipping off your head. Perfect for athletes, runners, yoga classes, or just to wear out every day!

Here are pictures of a few of colors and how they’re worn. More ribbon colors are visible on the Soft Goods page. You can always ask for certain colors and I can make what you need. These are great for friends, sports teams, or for everyday wear.

Visit the etsy shop to purchase or email threadsofhopedesigns at gmail dot com!