Follow Up: THANK YOU from Yarnorama!

Hey Y'all,

We knitters hardly need proof of the power of our knitting community-- it's there at the store, in classes, when you knit in public and someone approaches you to swap yarns (pardon the pun). It's there when hundreds of you gather to hear the Yarn Harlot give a talk at BookPeople. It's Just There. And yet, even though we just know it's just there, isn't it nice to get a reminder sometimes? Toward that end, below is a note from Susan at Yarnorama in Paige-- y'all came together to help her community of knitters when they were devastated by the recent fires.

Thanks for all that help! Here's her note:

I just wanted to take a moment and thank you all for your tremendous support and assistance in making the Phoenix Rising event an incredible success… beyond our wildest expectations! The love, generosity and sympathies towards all of our customers who have lost so much has been overwhelming, mind-boggling really. Donations came from all of your shops in mass, as well as from many Houston area groups, and from as far away as Alaska, California, Washington D.C., Florida. I would say that we easily received over 5000 skeins of yarn, 500+ pairs of needles, 200+ crochet hooks, 2 spinning wheels, 1 RH loom, 2 inkle looms, 1 floor loom, drop spindles, fiber, books, 500+ patterns, cross stitch supplies, embroidery supplies, notions, 50 washcloth kits with yarns, needles and pattern, weaving yarns and wefts, toiletry kits, 200+ washcloths, 50+ project bags, I’m sure there is more… There were even more weaving looms offered that I asked them to hold onto until we find a recipient and until some have places to actually put a loom and it’s tools.

I learned a lot from this experience about how to manage the logistics of such a large outpouring and also a lot about my own limits in such an emotionally charged, unrelenting situation. The idea of having people write notes was captivating and helped people feel like they were contributing something positive in an hellacious situation… and they did contribute immensely. The notes bring tears of joy and comfort to those who receive them still. It’s going to take a long time for people to heal and just the thought that a fiber friend who they did not know sent them their thoughts is profoundly meaningful to them.

Again, I cannot thank you enough for all you and your customers did to make this happen.

Best,
Susan