While researching my article "Meeting the Mighty Threadbenders", I came across another fiber arts/crafts group building community through a simple, yet deeply insightful solution to a problem I didn’t realize existed. The Loose Ends Project "aims to ease grief, create community, and inspire generosity by matching volunteer handwork finishers with projects people have left unfinished due to death or disability."
The idea for Loose Ends Project came about "when the founders, Jennifer Simonic and Masey Kaplan, both avid knitters, realized that they had a shared experience: Friends would often ask them to finish blankets, sweaters, or other projects left undone by deceased loved ones." They realized that “when a maker dies mid-project, this tangible, handmade expression of love could get lost, donated away, or thrown out. Or it can be finished as intended and given back to be cherished.”
Proving to be women of substance and action, they created a website to match unfinished projects with volunteer "finishers" who have the skills, time, & desire to complete & return the unfinished projects (garments, blankets, sweaters, accessories, etc.) to the deceased or incapacitated crafter's loved ones. This idea has become so popular projects & finishers participate across several countries!
Many types of projects are submitted & need one or more of the following skills to finish them: knit / crochet / sewing / quilting / tatting / rug-making / embroidery / cross-stitch Tunisian crochet / mending / amigurumi / needlepoint / basketry / turkey work / felting nalbinding / applique / spinning / latch hook / punch needling / weaving.
There are several ways to get involved in this very worthwhile non-profit:
Submit a project that needs finishing. Note that there are some rules around this, one of which is the originator of the project must be deceased, or no longer able to finish the project due to illness or disability.
Become a Finisher one of the submitted projects
Share their concise, well-designed, downloadable two-sided Loose Ends flyer (available in multiple languages) that supporters are encouraged to share with their local libraries, cafes, places of worship, senior centers, fabric and yarn stores, hospices, or any community spaces where project owners or volunteers may see them.
Follow & share the Loose Ends Project on Facebook, Instagram,& Linkedin, or visit them on Ravelry
Subscribe to their newsletter. A recent newsletter included this wonderful 60-second video. Please indulge! You'll be glad you did.
Full Disclosure: Images & much of the text was pulled from the LooseEndsProject.org website. They tell their story perfectly. I just felt the need to get the word out about them.
Thanks Christina! I'm pretty much smitten with it!
This is such a sweet Organization. Thank you for finding and sharing