Holiday stamp gets the Geneva touch
The U.S. Postal Service is tapping into our warm and fuzzy feelings for warm and fuzzy winter wear with a series of stamps called "Holiday Knits."
And a local yarn store has been selected to unveil the postage.
The ceremony is at noon Thursday at the Geneva History Center, 113 S. Third St. The mayor, the Geneva postmaster and the Geneva Chamber of Commerce president will speak.
Stamp collectors can thank Lesley Edmondson, owner of Wool and Co., 23 S. Third St.
When she heard through the knitting world grapevine the postal service was looking for a knitting store as a partner for a stamp launch, she put down her knitting needles and got to work on bringing it to Geneva.
At the event, collectors can buy a special envelope, called a "cachet," that bears all four of the stamps, a logo, and a special cancellation mark.
The cancellation was designed by Dorie Blankenship of Campton Hills, a worker at the store. It features three sheep whose bodies are made of skeins of yarn; the station, town and date of cancellation; and the phrase "fleece on earth, good wool to all."
The cachet envelopes will sell for $3.95.
"We've already had a lot of interest from collectors," said Edmondson. They will have 400 available.
People can also just buy stamps, put them on something and have them canceled, said Tim Ratliff, spokesman for the northern Illinois district of the postal service. And cancellations alone are free.
The stamps, designed by New York artist Nancy Stahl, are meant to evoke memories of sweaters people might have worn as children.
"It emphasizes the importance of knitting and needlecraft arts in a lot of people's lives," said Neil Edmondson, Lesley's husband, who works at the shop.
"There's been a resurgence of needle arts. That it is recognized by the United States Postal Service is kind of cool."
As for the cancellation mark, "It was a real quick, easy thing to do," said Blankenship, who studied graphic arts in college and often does graphics projects for the store. "Lesley is a fan of sheep."
Lesley Edmondson is also the one who came up with the pun-like phrase.
The logo on the cachet bears the store's name and Web address, and one of the sheep.
Blankenship didn't have much time to work on her cancellation design. Once postal authorities decided Wool and Co. could host the launch, she had two days to come up with the cancellation.
"Knitting has become a very popular activity for people now," said Ratliff about the design. And stamp collecting is about more than postage. "Stamps have a story to tell and there is always a personal connection," he said.
Geneva made sense for the unveiling because of its beautiful downtown, he said, and the fact its post office is right across the street from the yarn shop.
For people who can't make it to the ceremony, the special cancellation will be available for 30 days. To get one, send in a blank card or piece of paper to Geneva postmaster Belinda Boling at 26 S. Third St., Geneva, IL 60134. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope for the item to be returned.
Wool and Co. opened in 2000 in St. Charles. It moved to Geneva in 2003.
If you go
What: "Holiday Knits" stamp unveiling and cancellation
When: Noon Thursday
Where: Geneva History Center, 113 S. Third St., Geneva
Details: You can buy cachets, which have all four stamps, the cancellation and a logo. Or you can simply purchase the stamps, put them on anything you want and have them canceled. Or you can just get a free cancellation on a blank piece of paper or card.