The View from a Drawbridge

I’m always quite surprised when people tell me they don’t listen to National Public Radio. I learn so much from NPR, quite often about things I never knew existed before. I’d feel quite cut off from the font of human knowledge without them. This blog would definitely lose some of its luster if I didn’t turn on NPR for inspiration during my daily commute.

Case in point, this delightful little 4 minute story entitled, “Strangers are helping finish craft projects when the original crafter can’t”.

The story is about a nonprofit organization called “Loose Ends”. It started up in September, 2022, when two friends who happen to be knitters discovered that they both had been asked to complete knitting projects for the families of knitters who had passed away. These types of skills don’t always run in families, so I’m sure there are many attics that house these bittersweet crafting memories, undone, but too precious to discard. Being able to have these projects completed would mean so much to the people left behind.

There’s something special about a hand made item that someone was making with you in mind. It allows you to keep that person close to your heart and think of them every time you wear that sweater or gaze upon that quilt. And I suspect it’s much easier to rest in peace knowing that someone is finishing your unfinished business.

With that in mind, these two friends started Loose Ends, a place where you can submit projects that were started by loved ones who have passed, or by those who are still with you but are no longer able to complete these projects due to failing health. Loose Ends will do their best to match these projects with volunteers, called “finishers”, and to date they have 11,000 of them available, all over the US and in 44 other countries.

Hearing that so many people are willing to do such acts of kindness has restored my faith in humanity. Isn’t this a brilliant idea? I’m amazed that no one thought of this in a formal and organized way before!

According to their website, the type of unfinished projects they’re willing to try to match with volunteers include:

• Knitting
• Crochet
• Sewing
• Quilting
• Tatting
• Embroidery
• Cross-Stitch
• Tunisian Crochet
• Mending
• Amigurumi
• Needlepoint
• Basketry
• Turkey Work
• Felting
• Nalbinding
• Applique
• Spinning
• Latch Hook
• Punch Needling
• Weaving

My question for Loose Ends Project is: why stop there? I’m sure these amazing women already have their hands full, but I could see this organization either expanding or creating additional organizations, because it’s human nature to leave unfinished business at the end of our lives.

It would be wonderful if this fantastic idea could be extended to silk screening, fine art, carpentry, writing, genealogy, wood carving, the making of musical instruments, stained glass, jewelry, rag rugs, beadwork, macrame, mosaics, pottery, leatherwork, calligraphy, bonsai, costume design, decoupage, origami, blacksmithing, and on and on.

This could really turn into something even more amazing than it already is! I’m so grateful to know that there’s an organization out there that has started a worldwide movement of creative people to help us all remember that love never dies. Yes, I think we all need a little more of that in this world.

I can’t stop imagining the look in a young mother’s eyes (for example) when she wraps her first child in a baby blanket that was started by her grandmother and finished by a kind and talented stranger. Could there be any greater gift than that? I’d be hard-pressed to think of one.

For countless stories that will bring tears of joy to your eyes, check out the Loose Ends Project Facebook page. After that, circle back around to their website, where you can submit an unfinished project, or volunteer to finish one yourself.

You can also support this wonderful organization with a cash donation. They deserve it, if only for making me look up Amigurumi, Turkey Work, Tunisian Crochet, Nalbinding and Punch Needling. See? NPR taught me something, and then the Loose Ends Project taught me something. May the learning never end.

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