It’s about scale

Let’s see.  Some things that I have learned this week.

1.  Treadle sewing machines are in need.  I think that, to a “T”, all of the teams in AF see the need for them.  They are a game changer.

2.  They would need to be sustainable.  I don’t know about you. but I look forward to a time when there are fewer or little or no US Forces in Afghanistan.  So, local parts, local repairs, local services for the machines will be important over the longer term

3.  There are a bunch of others working on putting more sewing and fiber-related goods into Afghanistan, in support of the CSTs and FETs.  Check here to see. They have a whole other scale of effort underway.

4.  And yes, there are folks looking at the economic aspects of it, too.  Like Thunderbird.  Really — that Thunderbird.

5.  it’s way to hot here.  I went for a run last night, leaving around 8pm, and it was still 107 degrees.  10 miles and some time later, after I’d cleaning up, it was still 97 degrees.

So, that’s what’s weighing on my mind these days.  Bundles, super secret projects (#6 should kick off in about a week), and sewing machines.  Oh, and that work these — there are still some angry / pissed off / violent people here in Baghdad, and we’re doing our best to help our battle buddies in the Iraqi Security Forces as they work to advance the security both of the city and the region.  Never a dull day, never a dull day….

Our favorite places

Some of you have heard me talk about how I seemingly spent my entire youth, playing under the bins at Joann’s Fabrics while my mom shopping for just the right fabric.  I don’t think I’m going out on a limb to far when I say that I think a lot of people who sew, knit and quilt have favorite places for buying their supplies.   (Insert joke about drug users and their favorite drug dealer).

But one thing of which I was reminded while at the International Quilt festival in Houston is that there are some truly awesome vendors out there.  Super awesome people, just as nice as can be, who also happen to make their living selling the things that keep the sewing, knitting and quilting communities humming along.

For some, it’s the place in town.  That certainly was the case when I was growing up.  But today, that can also include online vendors, like my own super-mega-bestest-friends at Sew, Mama, Sew! I suspect that sometimes it’s the people, but sometimes it’s the products or the prices or something else.  But I’d be willing to bet that, more often than not, it’s the people that separate a mere store or business from the places you’d return to again and again.

So, I was thinking.  IBOL3D — let’s invite them in as well.  IBOL I and II had truly awesome support from Sew, Mama, Sew!, but I bet the crew at Love of Quilting in Winterset, Iowa, and the crew at The Quilter’s Garden in Fenton, MI would probably think IBOL is pretty cool and be interested, in some way, in helping out.  It might not be hundreds of bundles that they sell online, but even some local support and activities would be very in line with what IBOL is all about.

With that in mind, I wrote up a page for our friends and heroes who sell all of the great things that you all love to buy.  The page is here.  I hope it’s complete enough that you can pass it to someone, and it’ll give them ideas and spark their interest.  If you’re willing to bring up IBOL when you’re shopping for goodies, the least I can do is empower you when you say, “Let me email you a link.”  So, this is me, helping you to spread the word, and this is us, thinking big.