About Stitch Red

Stitch Red is a national heart disease awareness campaign supported by the Needlearts industry. The campaign is driving efforts to draw attention to heart disease, the #1 killer of women in the United States, help people understand their risk factors for the disease and encourage the adoption of healthier lifestyles to protect their heart health.

A majority of manufacturers and designers throughout the industry are creating and selling Stitch Red products to benefit the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) in support of The Heart Truth®. Local yarn stores across the country are supporting the campaign by carrying these products and hosting Stitch Red events to raise awareness about heart disease.

Additionally, a new book called Knit Red that is authored by Jimmy Beans Wool Owner Laura Zander, is drawing further awareness about the importance of heart health. Featuring 30 eye-catching, red, heart health-inspired garments, accessories and their patterns, as well as personal stories about heart disease from industry greats, Knit Red also provides tips, resources and recipes for heart-healthy living supplied by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and NHLBI's campaign--The Heart Truth®.

About The Founders

Doug and Laura Zander, co-owners of Jimmy Beans Wool, founded this high-profile campaign in hopes of reaching the 98% of women who make up the Needlearts industry with the message of the importance of heart health. They wanted to inform women of the dangers of heart disease, encourage them to lower their risk factors for the illness and help them stay heart healthy. They were able to make this possible by partnering with the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute's The Heart Truth® to launch Stitch Red.

Stitch Red was originally a collaboration between Laura and her friend and marketing mentor Marta McGinnis. At one friendly coffee meeting, Marta shared that she had recently survived a major heart attack. Laura has also been touched by heart disease, as her young and fit husband Doug had recently been diagnosed with high blood pressure. Through these experiences, both women were shocked to learn that heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the United States.

Sadly, Marta passed away in 2008 before Stitch Red ever got off the ground. She will forever be a driving inspiration for the campaign!