A huge THANK YOU to the weavers who stepped up to help with patterns for blind and sight-impaired groups. You rock! You embody the kindness, generosity, and inclusiveness that define the potholder weaving community. It’s an honor to be connected with you!
BRAILLE!
This 3×5 card describes the three colors of the potholder it came with.
HOW IT STARTED
On July 23, Schelly Schuett coordinated a call for volunteers through the Thanksgiving Potholder Project (THXGPP), seeking help to develop pattern instructions for weavers who are blind or sight-impaired.
In the first 24 hours, two weavers stepped up to help. Shortly after, two additional volunteers got involved, and by now, as many as six people may be participating.
HOW IT GREW
About two months later, on September 29, Julie Binkly Hue posted an update in Potholder Design Genie about the volunteer project. Oh my gosh! In just two months, the weaving community had contributed 29 potholder patterns — 7 traditional and 22 Pro size. WOW!
What Happened Next
Since then, Jane—one of the blind weavers—generously donated ten potholders to THXGPP, some featuring three different colors. Sighted readers can view them here—aren’t they stunning?!
Each potholder was thoughtfully packaged in a Ziplock bag and included a 3×5 braille card describing its colors. I’ve kept every braille card paired with its corresponding potholder, and at distribution time, I plan to set out a special basket labeled: “For families with sight-impaired or blind loved ones — braille message included.”
Reading Jane’s note filled me with gratitude, hope, and joy. She shared, “
I’m enjoying the challenge of using multiple colors; difficult for a blind person, since I have to do it all by memory rather than vision. I’m up to 3-color potholders now. My next contribution will hopefully contain 5,7, or even a 12-color pattern!”
THANK YOU, Jane, for sharing your interest, talent, and potholders with us. We’ll do our best to honor your contribution and work to get them to families with a blind or sight-impaired loved one.
EXPANDING THE CIRCLE
Thank you all for supporting each other and helping expand the weaving community to include blind and sight-impaired weavers. Your kindness is evident, and your creativity keeps making this project truly special.
MORE ON THXGPP 2025
We’re just starting to share updates for this year’s project, and we already have 367 potholders! Stay tuned for a post about the Goodwill Weaving group in Monkfort, MD, who are gathering at Manor Mill to teach potholder weaving in support of THXGPP. Their efforts are another inspiring example of kindness and community spirit.
In the meantime, please plan to send your contributions so they arrive by November 15 if possible. We’re still waiting for confirmation from a few pantries, but most distributions will happen between November 19 and 27.
Our first major distribution happens even earlier — at a pantry that serves families just once a month — so we’ll be handing out 400 potholders on November 1st!
Follow the project for more stories of connection, creativity, and community kindness. https://thanksgivingpotholderproject.com/
With gratitude for every hand at the loom — and every heart behind it.