[NFB-Blind-Crafters] New Year - New Mitsy Kit Phase 2 Update

[Tammy Roussell]

Hello my crafty friends!


There have been lots of questions regarding the status of Mitsy Kit so I thought I should provide an update so folks can hear what is going on straight from me. Please feel free to forward this email to anyone else you think may not be included on this email that may want this info.


So...  The bottom line is that I have had to come to terms with the fact that my ability to make a difference through Mitsy Kit is limited by my limitations of time and financial resources.  So I am doing the following for Mitsy Kit Phase 2, to optimize my time and resources in a way that I think will provide the most benefit to the most people:


  1.   I am working on a partnership with a nonprofit in Maine to hopefully have them take over the production, sale, and donations of Mitsy Kit products like pillow, blanket, scarves, and other fleece and fabric project kits that many of you have purchased previously.  The organization is much better suited to provide the Mitsy Kit project kits in the long term, however it will take some time for this to come to fruition so in the meantime Mitsy Kit project kits will not be available to purchase. I am donating some kits to organizations that are local to me in Ocala Florida because I can do this without worrying about shipping - but this is all I will supply for kits at this point.
  2.  My focus for the new year will be to provide more Mitsy Kit phase 2 resources to help those who are blind /low vision impaired that want to become more independent by providing more sewing and quilting teaching resources that are accessible and free. I feel I can make a bigger impact by focusing my time and resources this way.  Please read on to learn more.


Here are a couple of things you can do if you want to keep up to date with Mitsy Kit Phase 2 progress. First - you can go to my YouTube channel and preview some of my videos that provide some tips and techniques for blind and low vision folks. The videos will give you a sense of some of the techniques I teach. For example tools to help thread a needle by touch, picking out precut quilting fabric to avoid having to cut pieces to size, and for those who want to cut fabric an overview of die cutting machines made for cutting fabric into quilt piecing shapes that are easier than rotary tools.  I also provide some examples of how to stitch, and a technique to create half square triangles with folded fabric to make amazing quilt block designs with tactile results.

The videos are a bit old, so I have more tips, tools and patterns that I have discovered more recently so I will create new updated videos soon. Please subscribe to the channel to keep up to date with new videos.

Here is the link: https://youtube.com/@mitsykit?si=EX2nrSIHEW08NIrb

Also - as most of you probably know, I am teaching the ACB Crafters monthly sewing/quilting class and I will continue to do this in the online Zoom call. And I recently created a Sewing and Quilting group on BeMyEyes to provide a way for low vision / blind support specific to sewing and quilting fabric identification, shopping, validation of coordinating colors, etc. There is a limit to the number of members allowed in a group but I have an email out to BeMyEyes support to try and expand this.

Finally, I have started writing a book and or periodicals with sewing and quilting tips, tools, and patterns that are accessible to the blind and low vision through screen readers and audio versions. If you are part of my YouTube channel and or the ACB sewing group you will be notified when this becomes available as well!

I hope this is helpful. Please feel free to reach out with any other questions or comments.

Thank you so much. I love working with this community and hope that Mitsy Kit phase 2 will bring many new opportunities for us to work together in the future. Sending my love to you all!


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