“Something that sat wrapped up in a drawer for years and that I couldn’t bear to look at has instantly become one of my most prized possessions.

I have tears in my eyes as I write this."

— Meredith P., Project Recipient

1. Marking the last stitch.

The finisher, having never done brioche stitch, learned and practiced until she felt confident, and then, before diving into the work, she reached out and asked us, “How are people marking the original crafter’s last stitch?” We immediately welled up; it hadn’t occurred to us to ask for this extra, meaningful, powerful gesture.

We left it to her judgment (with the project owner’s blessing), and she added a small duplicate stitch to the scarf where the man’s wife ended her work and where a stranger stepped in to help. Interesting fact: duplicate stitches look like hearts.

Since then, it’s become a tradition, a quiet reminder of where a crafter put down her needle, and where a stranger stepped in to help.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW: SEPTEMBER 2-12

2. We are jumping up and down!!
It’s the Maker’s Mercantile Sample Accessory Auction to Benefit Loose Ends!

Bid Sept 2-12! Twenty three hand-knit and crocheted garments and accessories will be available, offered by the most amazing Makers’ Mercantile, to benefit Loose Ends Project.

Think holiday gifts. Think slow fashion. Think good cause.

3. Finisher Spotlight: Katie Davies

1. We need about 9 more helpers to volunteer at our table at Rhinebeck this year. The event is Oct. 18-19, and we’re hoping to staff some shifts. Volunteering gets you a free pass to the fair! Reach out to info@looseendsproject.org if you’ll be there and want to chat us up.

2. Share this newsletter with a couple of friends, especially the auction bit above.

3. Mark your calendar for Sept. 2 (the day the Makers’ Mercantile auction kicks off)!

4. Do you personally know any crafting celebs? We’d love an introduction! Loose Ends is always looking to connect with stitchers with wide audiences to help us spread the word about our work. Drop us a note at info@looseendsproject.org

5. Make a donation of any amount to help fund our operating costs. Recurring donations allow us to plan.

5. Loose Ends in Numbers

Finisher Count: 34,252
Projects: 4,500-ish
Countries with Finishers: 84
Countries with Projects: 13
Average Hours Donated Per Project: 52

6. The following people had donations made in their honor or “in lieu of flowers” since our last newsletter.

Albertina and Mercedes, Alice Haggenmiller, Amy Donley, Angela Moran Walsh, Barbara J. Rezendes, Betty Gibbs, Carla Reagin Ousby, Carmela, Deborah Hardy, Deborah Weber, Denise Rivas, Eleanor Walters, Elizabeth Wood Postle, Ellen Guenther, Emma Minerva Shewell, Genevieve Lafferty, Gerda Morda, Gladys Heeter, Grandma Friederich, Grandma Root, Grandma, whose knitting supplies went to the local library, In memory of Dorothy Pyle Cochran Stauffer - who inspired me to love others through food and yarn, In memory of my mother Doris Casamento, Jean Grey & Betty Sanders, my models and encouragers, Jeanette Robinson, Jo Williams, Joan King, Jonathan Roussos, Lenora Weckwerth Hatfield, Lorelei Davis, Margaret Wheeler, Mary Ann Mullin, Mary Thomas, my grandmother Nellie Inez Hough DeGrush, My mother, Albina Montione, Rosemary Deering, Ruth Provance, Sherrill Werling, Sue Brandenburg, Susan Borden, Susie Stragnell, Vera Ann Sullivan, Vicki Schwam, Winifred Costner Adams, & Yannis Alimonos

Your donation directly affects the number of projects we can match.
Recurring donations allow us to plan.

7. Special thanks to Dinitale Detective Agency for their expert help.

A reminder to all active finishers, remember to send monthly updates to your project’s owner and your Loose Ends project manager! Take all the time you need to finish, but let us know monthly how things are going. Thanks!