TNNA’s Needleart Stitch Zone won — not one — but two blue ribbons at the recent Maker Faire in the Bay Area.

Our giant knitting needles, crochet hooks and needlepoint canvas engaged the young and old, big and small alike.  After letting the visiting kids try their hands at the oversized craft, the individual pieces were hoisted (by our volunteers . . . thank you very much!!!) into a display pointing the way to the place to go . . . The Needlearts Stitch Zone

And speaking of volunteers.  This was an amazing group.  We don’t have the entire list compiled yet, so I’m not posting it now . . . but let me just say, each and everyone gave their time and their hearts to share the needlearts with all the “makers” who passed by . . . which we figure exceeded 1200 new stitchers!  They taught crochet, knitting, needlepoint and cross-stitch . . .one at a time, or five at a time, and without a break!

I can mention our core Maker Faire volunteer team.  These people have been working for the last several months to make this all happen.  Jocelyn Grayson took charge of volunteers for the event, and introduced us to Jooners, a new easy, online method of volunteer sign up.

Frederikka Paine (Aurora Yarns) and Cathe Ray (Needle in a Haystack) managed to pull together all the teaching materials for San Mateo and are already collecting materials for Detroit and New York.  Dale Lenci (DJ Designs) helped manage the display set up . . . and did I mention, all of these people also helped recruit volunteers, and were at the event, teaching, helping and doing whatever else needed to be done.  (Dale even taught crochet!)

Materials were generously donated by our members . . . again a list we’ll share once we know we have it all complete.

But we do want to say “thank you” now to everyone who helped make this a great needlearts success.

So we won in more ways than one . . . in fact, we all won in many ways at Maker Faire . . . Everyone had a great time, volunteers and “makers” alike.  Everyone who stopped by the Needlearts Stitch Zone went away with a new passion for fiber . . . and a ball of yarn, crochet hooks or knitting needles, cross-stitch or  needlepoint kits.  Everyone left with a smile . . .  and a sticker letting the world know they had been “in the Needlearts Stitch Zone.”

Check out some of the media about the Maker Faire event at these sites:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/techchron/detail?entry_id=64185

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/enjoy-this/Creative-Wonderland-in-Silicon-Valley-94692389.html