New Friend and Program to Teach Sewing and Crafting to People with Vision Loss

Mitsi making and showing crafts including quilt

Over the past year during the pandemic, the American Council of the Blind (ACB), a national consumer group for people who are blind or visually impaired, has held Community Calls where people can connect with one another and often learn something along the way. I’ve enjoyed these calls so much that I learned how to help with hosting them. During one of the calls for crafters, I had the pleasure of meeting  Tammy Roussell and her company, Mitsy Kit. Tammy is a lovely person who is on a personal mission to make crafting accessible, adaptable and affordable for all. She has a calm, careful way of explaining what she provides for blind crafters. She is constantly looking for ideas to convert to her patented tactile guide system. 

About Mitsy Kit

pillow made with simple mitsy kit

Simple Mitsy Kit

Mitsy Kit is an organization with a social mission to provide accessible sewing and crafting kits that reignite creativity and purpose for those challenged by physical or cognitive impairments. These include people who are blind or visually impaired, seniors, those with memory impairment, and others. Their mission is, “to help people of all abilities to remove barriers and participate in activities that provide personal meaning, fulfillment, and life enrichment.” The company provides high quality, beautiful products that are both fun and therapeutic.

Mitsy Kit Products

Tammy has developed a tactile sewing system, which enables those who may have difficulty to sew along an edge more easily.  She provides kits to create beautiful pillows, scarves, bags, patchwork blankets and more with online audio and video training that is easy to follow I was fortunate enough to learn a little about how to complete a project from Tammy herself on one of the ACB Crafting calls.

Seniors, adults and kids alike will love these products and the sense of accomplishment one receives when finishing a project independently or with a friend or loved one. There are currently over twenty Mitsy Kit sewing and crafting projects to choose from, including no-sew fabric craft options.

In her own words, Tammy “…was initially inspired to develop this touch-based sewing and crafting process for my mother, Mitsy, a former seamstress, after she lost her eyesight due to Retinitis Pigmentosa.  After realizing the dramatic improvement this had on my mother’s quality of life, I was compelled to make it into a kit so that others could benefit in the greater blind and visually impaired community. Since then, we have been excited to see broad success by those using the Mitsy kit, in addition to the blind and visually impaired, including those with memory impairment, autism, aphasia, traumatic brain injury, and other seniors and children with or without physical or cognitive disability.”

Tammy recently spoke about her relationship with her mother at a VisionAware webinar called “Vision Loss a Family Matter,” which is available to hear through the webinar archive.

Mitsy Kit products have been used by residential facilities with residents, families who enjoy crafting together, and groups like the ACB Crafters group. Most recently I completed a no-sew stuffed owl that I use as a pin cushion. I truly enjoyed the experience of creating this quick little craft.

What’s even better about this company is that Mitsy Kit donates 100% of profits to charity, and to help employ people who are blind or have other disabilities. In my book that’s a win-win situation!

Other Craft Information

Helping Clients Connect with Crafts Webinar