All Together!
Let us double Needlecraft’s subscription-list this
fall – shall we? Oh, yes; we know our
circle is a big one, already – we have every reason to feel proud of it and of
the good, true friends who have steadily aided in extending it. But we do want it to grow even more rapidly
in the future than in the past, and to this end we know every one of these same
loyal friends will lend a hand, freely and gladly.
Because needlecraft is OUR paper, in every sense
of the word; it belongs to us all alike, to subscribers, publisher and
editors. We have worked together to make
it what it is, and we shall keep right on working to make it better, and better
still.
To come back to the doubling of that
subscription-list, it will be the very easiest thing in the world to do. Suppose, for example, you stop a moment right
here, as you read, and call to mind a friend or acquaintance who does not have
Needlecraft, but who would, you feel sure, be benefited by it , no less than
delighted; then do not lose any more time than is necessary in seeing her, or
writing her if she lives at a distance.
Tell her how much you enjoy our paper and what a help it is to you on
your home-dressmaking and fancy work.
You will get her subscription – there isn’t a doubt of it, as we need
not suggest; then all you have to do is to enclose the money – only twenty-five
cents, remember, for Needlecraft until January, 1914! -- and ask for the
beautiful birthday-souvenir, a sterling-silver thimble!
It is easy, isn’t it? You will find the thimble worth more than the
subscription-price – indeed, we very much doubt your being able to buy it for
so small a sum, even at one of those famous “bargain sales”! And do not stop with obtaining a thimble for
yourself. Tell your friend that so soon
as she becomes a subscriber she will be able to have one of these charming,
useful souvenirs for herself, by simply sending the subscription of yet another
friend. So the chain will lengthen until
that list is doubled, and more.
Aside from every other consideration, however, we
want you to do this because you love Needlecraft; because, knowing how helpful
and interesting the paper is to you, you want to pass it along to others. That is the best and truest motive in the world. We are glad to send the souvenir thimble as a
good-will gift to every worker; but we especially like to give it for such
friendly, loyal service. You do not
blame us, do you?
All together, now – let us double Needlecraft-s
subscription-list!
Concerning the Birthday-Souvenir
One good friend writes: “Surely, no nicer souvenir
could possibly have been chosen than that lovely thimble of sterling
silver. I wonder if my Needlecraft
sisters will like to know what I am doing?
You see, I have a large circle of friends whom I want to remember at
Christmas-time, and on other gift-making occasions, and I am always adding to
my gift-box articles that I am sure will be appreciated. First, I sent the subscription of a friend
and received my thimble; it was so lovely – really better, I am sure you will
pardon my saying, than I could possibly anticipate, even though I know our
paper’s word is as good as a bond – that the thought at once occurred to me:
‘Why not secure one of them for my sister?’
This I did, sending another subscription, and tucking the bright little
needlewoman’s helper away in my treasure-box to await the coming of my sister’s
birthday-anniversary, in November. And
then the plan occurred to me to present a year’s subscription to Needlecraft as
a Christmas-remembrance to some friends I know will thoroughly appreciate the
paper, and the souvenir thimble to as many more friends, who will be equally
delighted with that. I couldn’t buy
gifts half as nice for a good deal more money.
I am helping the paper, of which I am so fond, to extend its circle, and
so we are all happy ‘in a bunch,’ as the little folks say, which I think is
very much worth while.”
Indeed it is.
There is just one think which should be added concerning Needlecraft as
“a Christmas-remembrance.” It is more
than that – it is an all-the-year-around reminder. Every month, as the little visitor arrives,
bringing its store of good things, the recipient is sure to think lovingly of
the one to whose thoughtful kindness she is indebted – and loving, kindly
thoughts are of more substantial value than many of us are inclined to allow.
This suggestion is well worthy adoption from every
point of view. Needlecraft, for the
year, is a gift sure to be appreciated and welcomed by any woman, and Needlecraft’s
souvenir thimble is only second to the paper itself in this regard. Do not fail to read the offer on page 24.
That Souvenir Prize
We have been helped to do just the right thing –
as we are always sure to be when we appeal to our readers. You will remember that when opinions as to
the most desirable souvenir were asked for, a prize was offered – to be awarded
the one whose suggestion was adopted. As
it chanced, the vote for a silver thimble was at last one hundred to one for
anything else, although many other articles suitable, unique and pleasing,
where named. And so again we asked
advice as to how the prize might be fairly awarded, in view of the fact that
hundreds of our friends were entitled to it.
The responses to this later appeal certainly justify our faith in the
ability and willingness of our good friends to aid us in every emergency. Here are a very few of them:
“I suggest that the prize to be given to the
oldest subscriber among those who voted for the thimble; or, better still, to
the one who gains the largest number of subscriptions in a specified time, say
one month.”
“The thimble is lovely, and I am going to have
one. It is sufficient rewards for me to
know that it was chosen as a souvenir, but I would suggest that the letter of
earliest date be given the prize.
However, let the majority decide; I for one, shall be perfectly
satisfied with whatever it may be thought best to do.”
“By all means give the prize to the one who wrote
the brightest letter; then let us all have it to read. Often a few words cheer us and are of more
value than money, and not every one can write them.”
“I would suggest that the silver thimble be sent
to every one who voted for it, regardless of the subscription; at the same
time, I know that something for which I make some little return is far more
precious than if it is given me outright.
Why not send two thimbles to each of those who voted for it as a
souvenir – she, of course, to send the required subscription; then she can
present one of them to some dear friend, and so get a double pleasure from it.”
“It seems to me that all who suggested the thimble
as a birthday-souvenir should be treated exactly the same, and that nothing
could be more fair than to extend the subscription of each and every ‘voter’
for one year. We cannot all write witty
letters, however we might like to; and the paper gets to some of us much
earlier than to the far-away ones.
However, I shall be pleased with whatever decision is arrived at.”
And the decision is to extend the subscription of
every subscriber who suggested the “winning souvenir” – surely a winner in
every meaning of the word. That seems
the fairest measure, and it has the commendation of by far the largest number
of our “helpers.” Personally, we like
the ring of the third suggestion quoted – and the first, and, in fact, all of
them! As stated, however, the plan
adopted, has an overwhelming number of “Ayes!” and it is a good one.
The Brightest Letter
Now that we look at it again, we are not quite
sure it is any brighter or more witty than a good many others. It is well worth passing on, however.
“Every woman needs Needlecraft; by the same token
every woman needs a thimble. So let us
have one of these necessary little first aids in sewing, sterling silver, if you
can afford to make it so, and with the inscription “Needlecraft” around the
rim, that every time we see it, as it goes flashing in and out of our work,
whether we chance to be darning socks, putting on patches, or engaged for the
nonce in what I call the poetry of needlework – embroidery – we shall be
reminded of the dearest, cleanest, most efficient and ready counselor woman
ever had – a paper no woman should do without.
Then it will aid us to make more friends for this same paper, and so to
earn many of the nice premiums for ourselves.
You know we women-folks, especially those of us who live in country
districts, often take our sewing and run in to a neighbor’s for an hour or two,
or we go to the weekly sewing-circle, workbag on arm. In that case, having of course one of
Needlecraft’s thimbles, the following conversation is likely to ensue; if it
doesn’t come about naturally, it will be quite easy to turn it in that
direction:
“Mrs. A. – ‘Why, Mrs. B---. What a pretty thimble
you have! A new one, isn’t it? Where did you get it? I never saw so nice a one at the village
store.
“Mrs. B. – (dropping her work and proudly
displaying her thimble). --- ‘Yes, it is a new one – sterling silver, too. I am very proud of it.’
“Mrs. A – (taking the thimble and examining it,
while the other ladies gather around, also looking at the thimble admiringly).
---‘I do not wonder, indeed; really, I never saw a prettier one. And what is the inscription.
“N-E-E-D-L-E-C-R-A-F-T”? What does that
mean?’
Mrs. B. – (smiling). – ‘The craft of the needle –
in other words, the dearest little magazine for the all-around needlewoman you
ever say. I trust all of you take it; if
not, I do hope you will give me your subscriptions. Then you will be entitled to send in, as
members of Needlecraft’s circle, and receive a thimble for yourselves. I have a spare copy here’ (pulling it out of
her workbag) ‘for you to examine.’
“And I will venture to say that, having looked the
paper over, every woman will be glad to subscribe; that, at least, has been my
experience. I never go away from home
without taking one or two copies of Needlecraft to show if I have an
opportunity – and a great many times I make the opportunity if it doesn’t
appear promptly!”
Do you not agree with us that the writer of this
letter really deserves a little special prize?
We mean she shall have it.
Another Prize Offer
Next month we hope to award the “slogan”
prize. The work of assorting, reading
and classifying the letters written in response to that offer has been many
times greater than the most sanguine had
any idea it would be – which only goes to prove, if proof is needed, that
Needlecraft readers never do things by halves!
Here is another offer, which we hope will meet the
same ready approval: Ten of those “crisp
dollar bills,” – or one crisp ten-dollar bill, as the winner prefers! – shall
be awarded the club-raiser who, sending a list of subscriptions, gives us also
the method of securing new subscriptions which
may be adjudged the most original, unique and above all, effective. The number of subscriptions accompanying the
letter will not be considered in making the award, although it may wisely be
accepted as demonstrating the working-value of the method in question.The letters shall be printed, and are sure to offer many valuable suggestions to club-raisers in city or country.
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