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2008 November/December

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Editor's Column

From the beauty and grandeur of graceful angels to the fun and humor of an “arctic family” we find that the holidays are already upon us! We know that you will enjoy stitching both of these delightful new projects from two of our most popular designers. In our last issue we “hinted” about a surprise and we are happy to present the “Christmas Kimono” to go along with the beautiful series Seasons of the Kimono from Margaret Bendig. This one is shaped a little differently, but we know that you will enjoy stitching it and adding it to your collection.

I have often said that our feature writers are the backbones of this publication. They continue to amaze and inspire us with their vast knowledge of the art of needlepoint as well as their willingness to share this knowledge. It is a very large commitment of both time and energy. The January/February 2001 issue of this magazine featured a brand new writer with a brand new feature: “Amy”able Advice to the Stitcher” made its debut. The rest is history! With her intense dedication, devotion to duty and keen insight, Amy Bunger brought us ideas and information on a wide variety of topics. Her articles have not only become a great resource for research on needlepoint, but have also inspired countless numbers of stitchers. Amy’s work ethic has been incredible - she never missed a deadline! We are grateful, indeed, to Amy and her wonderful eight years of dedicated service. We well understand her busy schedule, but we will miss her sorely. Thank you, Amy, for your years of service and all you have done to help us maintain our high standards.

We hear you! Response to our article, Joy of the Painted Canvas, featured in the last issue was overwhelming! You want more about stitching on painted canvases. We approached Rosalyn Cherry-Soleil who was most gracious and agreed to author this new feature. We are happy to present to you her first feature article and there will be many more to come. Welcome, Rosalyn, to our esteemed group of feature writers.

This holiday season is such a special time. Usually in this spot I write about all that we have to make us thankful at this time of year. But this year it is time to do something a little bit different. We give so much energy and thought to our gifts for Christmas or Hanukkah. But, how about those people who give all year along? I appreciate your warm response to our “Stitching for the Cure” coverage. I have always maintained that “needle people are the most wonderful people in the world.” How true that statement is! Can you imagine working for no paycheck - working instead for charity? Did you know that there are several needlework shops in America that operate solely for charity? One of those shops is Sign of the Arrow. Each year the nonprofit boutique in Ladue, Missouri, donates its profits, this year totaling close to $60,000 to St. Louis area charities. It is a specialty and needlepoint boutique staffed by community volunteers. The shop was established in 1966 by the St. Louis Alumnae Club of Pi Beta Phi, a national fraternity for women, to provide philanthropic support to the community. Since its inception, Sign of the Arrow has donated nearly $3.3 million to local charities. I have personally visited two other needlework shops operated strictly for charity. They are Family Arts Needlework located in Phoenix, Arizona. This shop was started in 1967 and has donated well over a million dollars to local charities. They also donate Christmas gifts (especially books) to local families. The West, located in Tucson, Arizona, is another exceptional needlework shop that has donated over $1,600,000! Just imagine all of the lives that have been touched by these dedicated volunteers! It makes me proud of this industry and grateful to be a part of it. I am sure that it touches your heart, too, when you hear about those who keep Christmas all year long!

Life gets so busy that sometimes we forget to appreciate our blessings. Take time to do it now because life will end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be. Tell the people you love that you love them. My “little” brother lost his battle with cancer on October 5th and he knew that I loved him. I dedicate this issue to the memory of Philip Wayne Long.

– Joyce Lukomski

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