In 1995, at the invitation of the Bishop of Honduras, a mission team from St. Mark's Episcopal Church in San Antonio, Texas, conducted a workshop in the town of Villanueva. The team brought supplies to teach the women embroidery, applique, and design techniques. With the great success of this first workshop and the sale of the work produced, several more workshops were held in Siguatepeque.

Threads of Blessing has continued to organize workshops in Honduras, Mexico and Uganda teaching the skills and providing materials and opportunities for women to create fine art textiles that visually record their culture.

The workshops are designed to encourage women to gather as a community; learn organizational skills; and help develop personal esteem.

Women who have benefited from attending a workshop have called the proceeds from their work "blessings" or "gifts." They have used these funds to pay school fees for their children, provide seed for crops, and build homes (mud brick and thatch) for their families. They are also able to provide medical care for themselves, and support for orphaned children in their care as the result of HIV/AIDS, poverty or war.

The finished products are marketed by Threads of Blessing throughout the United States as pillows, bags, on clothing, or simply as pieces of embroidery. All proceeds are returned directly to the individual women who created them.

Threads of Blessing ...

(previously known as Hands of Hope), is an international ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas. We are an inter-generational group of ecumenical women who support and nurture the creative process.

By using each member’s unique talents, Threads of Blessing creates original pieces of textile art. Using appliquéd fabrics and hand embroidery, Threads of Blessing produces fine art banners, wall hangings and clerical stoles designed by group members.

Members work together to create and sell the ministry’s own embellished works of art. The proceeds are then used to support the mission aspects of Threads of Blessing in emerging countries.

Designed, appliquéd and embroidered

by members of Threads of Blessing

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