Oh man, crafters. We have so much to talk about this month, and we know there’s a lot going on this time of year as things start up and routines change but bear with us please! We think it will be worth your time.
First, we need to give a huge THANK YOU to Vivien, one of our fantastic staff members at Sew Easy who is leaving us for a new life adventure! She has been with Sew Easy for 7+ years, sewing samples and solving problems all the while. We hope you’ll join us as we wish her all the best in her new undertakings!
This, in turn, means that Sew Easy is hiring! We’re looking for another enthusiastic person who can give great customer service and has a passion for the fibre arts. This is a part time position of three days a week that will involve a lot of helping customers find the right fabric and yarn, answering customer calls, using point of sale software to process sales, restocking, and creative problem solving, as well as a bit of display making, kit building and sample making. If this sounds like the right job for you please email your resume to seweasy@dccnet.com or drop it off in person in store. References are a must and feel free to submit a few photos of your fibre handiwork so we know what you’re into!
We’re also pleased to be letting you know about the first of hopefully a few classroom events going on! Andrew Jackson, local fibre artist, is going to be hosting a drop-in knitting and spinning (drop spindle or wheel) help class on the first three Thursdays of every month from 3:30-5:30 starting September 12th! Andrew is an avid knitter and spinner and has often dedicated himself to cultivating the love of fibre arts in others. We are going to be offering this session as a pay-what-you-can model with the suggested amount of $5 to $10.
We mustn’t forgot to recognize the hours and hours of knitting help that’s been given so graciously by Linda Brooks over the last five years. (and more!) Linda has been an absolute champion to many knitters who’ve been stumped by one conundrum or another. We want to thank Linda for all the time and patience she has given and we look forward to working with her again on new projects!
We’re joining SUBCULTURE Yarn and many other crafty folks to help support True North Aid, a Canadian charity “committed to serving northern Canadian communities with practical humanitarian support”, and we would like your help!
Emjay of SUBCULTURE Yarn and the driving force behind this initiative has worked with the amazing people at True North Aid to come up with a project to create baby layette sets to send to new mother’s in northern and remote communities of Canada. Sew Easy has volunteered to be a drop off location for finished layette sets and to help spread the word!
Items in each layette set can be knit, crochet, sewn, purchased or a mixture thereof, but at least two items must be hand made. The list of items that make up a set can be found here or a printed list is available in store. Now the list is not short, but as Emjay says if you don’t feel you have the time or resources to make a complete set yourself you can “leverage the power of community” and make a set with friends, family, fellow guild members, or sit and stitch groups! Individual items will of course be given a home but the more complete sets we can send, the closer we will be to the goal of 50 sets.
These layette sets are to be gifts of love, welcoming and congratulations! Guidelines have been created with True North Aid to ensure the items sent will be practical for the families receiving them so it’s very important that anyone wishing to participate follow the instructions given. That being said, they are also the “minimal” guidelines and if you or your group would like to put in extras, please feel free to do so! The guidelines can be found here or printed out in store.
Here is what Emjay has to say…
“Like many Canadians, conversations surrounding reconciliation and our shared history within and outside of the fibre community have touched my heart and prompted action. I yearn to do something that shows love, support and concern for indigenous people. Beyond letters to representatives and Government bodies, I need to do something tactile and enduring with this energy and momentum.”
“Many indigenous women in remote northern communities must travel long distances to give birth, often doing so without the in-person love and support of their families and loved ones. As well, the financial challenges of providing for a newborn are amplified in these communities where infant clothing and basic needs like diapers are incredibly expensive. Imagine how comforting a baby layette bag of handmade woolens, a few necessary store bought baby goods and a personal note of congratulations and encouragement would matter to a new mom. Love, support and hope matter. There are many ways you can get involved and together with True North Aid, we can make a difference, one stitch at a time.” (source)
This has all been a lot of reading, remind me how do I get involved?
Create a layette set either alone or with friends and drop it off at Sew Easy! If you don’t feel that you can create a whole set alone but you aren’t acquainted with many crafty folks to work with you, you can of course still participate as a solo crafter. (But do read the guidelines first. It’s just really a good idea.)
We will be announcing the date for a social Craft Together at Sew Easy for people participating in making layette items, so look for that soon!