Sew Kindness–free design

for you–design from Fil Tire’ and Fancywork Frames and Phrases, shown on a greeting card

For some time now, I have been awed by the inherent kindness and generosity of stitchers.  There might be one bad apple in a basket, but the rest of the needleworker bushel is all sweet Honeygold.  The “Sisterhood of the Needle” spreads goodness indiscriminately to friends, loved ones and strangers.

I bet YOU are a good apple, a sweet Honeygold.

Lately, examples of this goodness keep popping up in front of me.  Let me tell you about a few……

I needed a rewritable card for my Brother PE-Design ver. 7 embroidery software.  My “In Search Of” request was posted on the SewItsForSale forum in hopes that I could buy a used one.  The almost immediate response surprised me.

Eliza, at Stitch It Cheap, said she had an extra and would send it to me–no charge.  What!#$%????

Before this e-mail, I had neither met nor corresponded with her.  I was a total stranger.  All she asked was that I return the kindness to someone else, because “What goes around, comes around. “  The card arrived shortly thereafter.  By the way, check out her Stitch It Cheap site.  She has unbelievable low prices and great designs.  And she is so nice.

A few weeks ago, I was 30 miles from home shopping at the nearest JoAnn’s Fabrics for denim to use in the children’s bedroom here at Nana and Granddad’s house.  No need to cut the coupon from the flier, I thought, because I now have the JoAnn’s coupon app on my phone.  Whoopee!!!

But after several tech savvy employees and I tried to recover the coupon, it simply was not there.  The app was, but it showed no coupon for that week.  Groan!   (NOTE to self–bring the flyer, don’t count on the app.)

What I needed was $77.88 worth of denim (6 yds. @$12.98 py), so the missing 40% off coupon was a big disappointment.  I could hardly believe it when a kindly woman standing near the cutting table, just handed me her coupon!  She said she lived nearby and could come back to shop another day with her sister’s flier!  I was so grateful and heartened that a stranger would go to this trouble to help me.

Closer to home, my dear friend Dawn was at the receiving end of another act of kindness from a stranger.   In a life shattering home disaster for which she and her family were blameless, Dawn lost virtually every single thing, including her health.  They left their home with a few papers and the shirts on their backs.

Believe me, she is one of the kindest, gentlest, most loving people I have ever known.  What happened to her and her family was a genuine tragedy.

But sewing is therapeutic.  She had sewn and smocked for her 3 children and was now ready to do the same for her new grandchildren.    So a few months ago, while trying to build up a basic supply of  sewing goods, she purchased a few items at SewItsForSale.

In dialogue with the de-stashing seller, Dawn  explained to that she had almost nothing but a recently purchased sewing machine and would be interested in buying just about any supplies.

For slightly more than the price of the thread she was buying, Dawn was received a huge box packed with Swiss batiste, lace, patterns, notions and more–hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth.  From a stranger.  She was overwhelmed at this generosity.

Of course, you already know about heartwarming organizational, group kindness, such as  Little Dresses for Africa. 

All these dresses were made by Gina Roberson. How precious are these proud little girls?

The sweet things contributed through the Smocking Arts Guild of America’s Wee Care program are a kindness and comfort to parents distraught over their preemie’s fragile health or the loss of their baby.

Wee Care garments made by SAGA members.

Lois, a reader of this blog, has started her own outreach program with Lezette’s Angel Gown.

She wrote, “I would like to sew a few of these precious dresses and offer them to a local funeral home that offers a free service to all these families.  I would sew a couple samples and  then make a visit.”

I remembered Eliza’s request that I return the favor some day.  To my surprise, just last week, an “in search of” post appeared on SIFS, for an old version PE-Design card.  I had one rattling around in the sewing room, so I sent it as a gift to the grateful recipient.

In the spirit of giving, I offer you the Sew Kindness Gather Love design shown above.

Because as they say, what goes around, comes around.

Just leave your request as a comment in the “Leave a reply” box below. I will e-mail the design to you in .pes format.