Please note that the People Mover Knit-Around will not meet again until April 1, 2008
City Knits has lots other social knitting opportunities so join us for one of those!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Shannon LaBruyere
October 29, 2007 (mobile) 248-761-0127


MEDIA ADVISORY AND PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

First-Ever Knitted Stamp Unveiled During People Mover Knit-Around
Holiday Stamp Ceremony Launches Challenge to Charity Knitters

The Postal Service is hosting a ceremony to unveil our newest stamps, “Holiday Knits”. But there’s a twist – the enlargement isn’t a poster, it is a knitted likeness of the stamps, super-sized. The enlargement, designed and knitted by nationally recognized knitting expert and City Knits (www.cityknits.com ) owner Karen Kendrick-Hands, is the only one of its kind in the nation and will be at center stage for this unique event. “When the Postal Service called to see if I was up to the challenge of knitting the enlargement for the unveiling ceremony it was easy to say yes – I’d already started one,” laughed Kendrick-Hands. “As soon as I saw the stamps I knew they would make a perfect afghan and I picked up my needles and started the design.”

And there is no better place to unveil a knitted enlargement of a knitting stamp than during the Knit Around on the People Mover. “Today’s knitters are a lot like today’s Post Office: contemporary and I’d even say cool,” said Shannon LaBruyere, Communications Specialist for the Postal Service and an avid knitter. “The Knit Around brings a diverse group together to socialize, share and connect with the folks around them. They’re the perfect participants for this special event. Knitting isn’t just for grandma anymore – and neither is the Post Office.”

The unveiling will also launch a challenge to needle crafters in the Detroit Metro Area to knit or crochet an item for charity over the next few weeks. "These stamps will spread warm feelings throughout the holiday season," said LaBruyere. "It's just perfect that our ceremony will help inspire others to share the warmth of knitting and crocheting with their community.” For more info go to: http://www.cityknits.com/Kaleidoscope.html.

Where: Millender Center People Mover Platform

When: Tuesday, October 30, 2007
5:45 p.m.

Participants: U.S. Postal Service
Karen Kendrick-Hands
People Mover representative TBD
Kaleidoscope Kids representative TBD

Holiday Knits Stamps
Backgrounder

To obtain a 300 dpi image of the stamp visit:
http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2007stamps/downloadcenter.htm

The four stamps featuring classic wintertime imagery, and were designed and machine-knitted by New York-based illustrator Nancy Stahl, who has previously designed several other stamps for the Postal Service.

Inspired by traditional Norwegian sweaters and knitted Christmas stockings, Stahl said she decided on “something cozy” for this year’s holiday stamp issuance. The images consist of a dignified stag, a snow-dappled evergreen tree, a perky snowman sporting a top hat and a whimsical teddy bear. Stahl used computer software to draw her original designs and convert them to stitches and rows, which she downloaded to an electronic knitting machine.

The machine’s smaller stitch gauge didn’t provide quite the effect Stahl was looking for, though, so she transferred the designs onto punch cards and used a different machine that works like an old Jacquard loom. Stahl scanned the finished pieces to create photographic images, and then retouched them to ensure that the stitches aligned properly. The result is a set of four colorful and “cozy” stamps that will add an extra touch of warmth to seasonal correspondence.

Stahl’s previous projects for the Postal Service include the Art Deco Eagle Stamp in 2001, and the Snowy Egret stamp in 2004. This year, Stahl also designed the Bighorn Sheep and Wedding Hearts stamps.

The Postal Service produced 1.87 billion Holiday Knit stamps, 200 million of which are in panes of 20. The Postal Service also produced 700 million of The Madonna of the Carnation stamps, 50 million Kwanzaa stamps, 50 million Hanukkah stamps and 40 million Eid stamps.


Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/news.

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the nation, 146 million homes and businesses, six days a week. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.

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