Donate Books, Tools & Equipment
Your fiber arts collection has more to give. Donate books, patterns, tools, and equipment to the Fiber Arts Houston library.
Whose Collection Are You Donating?
Your Own Collection
You've learned everything that beginner's guide can teach you. The rigid heddle is sitting in a closet while you weave on a floor loom. Your books and tools belong somewhere they'll be used.
See what we accept ↓A Loved One's Collection
A family member spent decades building a fiber arts collection, and you may not know what's in it. We make it easy: pickups, sorting, valuation, and a home that keeps teaching.
Donate a collection →A Guild or Group Library
Your guild, shop, or studio library has outgrown its shelf. We keep those titles in circulation and findable in our free public catalog.
Donate a library →Your Collection Can Keep Teaching.
Pass the Thread is our donation campaign. It connects fiber arts books, tools, and equipment with the people who need them most, and it’s how the library grows: our goal is 11,000 titles by 2029. You can’t buy a collection like this. It has to be given.
Fiber arts practitioners accumulate. Books from workshops you attended years ago. Patterns you bought with good intentions. Tools that belong in active hands. Looms that deserve to be warped again.
What you donate goes directly into the Fiber Arts Houston library — available for borrowing by members — or into the studio and education programs for student use. Nothing sits in a storage room. Everything finds a purpose.
What We Accept.
Books & References
Fiber arts books, technique guides, pattern collections, and reference works. Out of print, in print, multilingual: all welcome, and each is evaluated against our curation rubric.
Hand Tools
Shuttles, needles, hooks, frames, hoops, netting tools, blocking pins, and other hand tools in working condition. Please contact us before donating.
Equipment
Looms, spinning wheels, sewing machines, sergers, swift and ball winder sets, and other equipment in working or repairable condition. Please contact us before donating.
Frames, Hoops & Accessories
Needle cases, stitch markers, bobbins, stretcher bars, and other accessories in usable condition. Please contact us before donating.
Not accepting right now: yarn, thread, fiber, and fabric.
We don’t have room to store them yet. For tools and equipment, please contact us first so we can make sure we have space.
We accept donations in good condition — clean, complete, and functional. If you’re not sure whether something qualifies, contact us before dropping it off.
Our Curation Rubric: What Makes the Cut.
When the references vanish, the classes, skills, and customers follow.
What’s at risk: titles that are out of print, never published in English, or locked in private hands. Every book is evaluated against this rubric before it is catalogued. It decides what we save first, and it’s a good guide to what to send us.
Relevance
Core fiber arts (embroidery, knitting, crochet, weaving, quilting, sewing, textiles, fibers) plus art and design.
Out of Print
Pre-2000 preferred. Unavailable commercially.
Uniqueness
No duplicates. Variants, such as regional patterns, are welcome.
Condition
Good or better, with no major damage. Repairable is fine.
Diversity
Instructional and cultural or global voices, with inclusive authors.
Exclusions
Non-fiber-arts titles, poor-quality copies, and modern duplicates.
Current in-print books are welcome too. We assess fit once materials arrive, not before you ship, so there’s no need to sort or send a list first.
Three Ways to Donate.
Drop Off
Bring your donation to the studio. The studio is open by appointment, so drop us a note first and we’ll be there to welcome you.
2000 Edwards St, Studio 302, Houston, TX 77007, in Silver Street Studios at Sawyer Yards.
Schedule a Pickup
For larger collections (multiple boxes, equipment, looms, spinning wheels) we come to you. Pickups are available in the Houston metro area.
Schedule at least one week in advance.
Ship It
We welcome shipments from anywhere in the United States. Ship to Fiber Arts Houston, 2000 Edwards St, Studio 302, Houston, TX 77007.
Email us when you ship so we can watch for your package.
Donation receipts are available on request. Fiber Arts Houston is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 42-2979986). Receipts describe what was donated and when.
Where It Goes.
Every gift is valued, and unless you ask otherwise, you’re acknowledged by name in the library catalog. Items are assessed against our curation rubric when they arrive, cleaned if needed, catalogued, and sorted to one of three places.
The library: books and references are catalogued with a full library record and call number, then added to the lending collection, available to members in person and by mail.
The studio: equipment, tools, and materials go into active studio and class use.
Education programs: tools and equipment support students in workshops and courses.
Materials that don’t fit the collection, such as duplicates or off-topic titles, are either sold to fund more book and equipment acquisitions or donated to other nonprofits. If you’d like them returned, just ask (return shipping is at your cost). Nothing is discarded without cause. We treat donated collections with the care they deserve.
How We Handle Your Donation.
Assessed When It Arrives
We assess fit against our curation rubric once materials arrive, not before you ship (unless we're doing a paid valuation project).
Acknowledged by Name
Unless you ask otherwise, every donor is acknowledged by name in the library catalog.
Nothing Wasted
Materials that don't fit the collection are either sold to fund more book and equipment acquisitions or donated to other nonprofits. If you'd like excess materials returned, just ask; return shipping is at the donor's cost.
See what we prioritize in our curation rubric. Tools and equipment: please contact us before donating so we can make space. We are not accepting yarn, thread, fiber, or fabric right now.
More Ways to Help.
Give Funds
Give online through Zeffy, where 100% of your gift goes to Fiber Arts Houston.
Learn more →
Volunteer
Catalog books, help with mail lending, sort donations, or help at events.
Learn more →
All Ways to Give
See every part of Pass the Thread: books, funds, time, sponsorships, and partnerships.
Learn more →
Frequently Asked Questions.
Do you accept yarn or fabric?+
Not right now. We don't have room to store yarn, thread, fiber, or fabric yet. We gladly accept books, patterns, and, after a quick check with us, tools and equipment.
What condition should items be in?+
Clean, functional, and complete. Books should be intact and free of mold. Tools and equipment should work or be clearly repairable; please contact us before donating them.
Do you pick up outside the Houston area?+
Pickups are available in the Houston metro area only. Outside of that area, you're welcome to ship.
Can I drop off without an appointment?+
The studio is open by appointment, so please email us first. We'll set a time and make space, especially for large collections or equipment.
What happens to items that don't fit the collection?+
Materials that don't fit the collection are either sold to fund more book and equipment acquisitions or donated to other nonprofits. You can ask to have excess materials returned; return shipping is at the donor's cost. Nothing is discarded without cause.
I live outside Texas. Can I still donate?+
Yes. We welcome shipments from anywhere in the United States. There's no need to send a list first: we assess fit against our curation rubric once materials arrive.
Should I check with you before shipping books?+
No need. We assess fit against our curation rubric once materials arrive, not before you ship (unless we're doing a paid valuation project). For tools and equipment, please contact us first so we can make space.
How will my donation be acknowledged?+
Unless you ask otherwise, every donor is acknowledged by name in the library catalog. Donation receipts are available on request.
Do I get a donation receipt?+
Yes, on request. We'll send a receipt describing what was donated and when.
What if I have items that don't qualify?+
Contact us first — sometimes what doesn't fit our criteria fits a partner organization, and we'll try to point you in the right direction.
Ready to Pass the Thread?
Your collection has more to give. Let’s make sure it gets into the right hands.
Have questions? library@fiberartshouston.org