A group of women devoted to embroidery and art forms using the knitting needle have been meeting as the Northwest Needle Arts Guild since 1972. Each December, members make caps, scarves, blankets and other gifts to donate to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center patients for free for the holidays.

"We do that every year. We make things for patients, their family members and caregivers. We take carts full of things to different floors and let them pick things they want," said Suzanne Tilley, the group's fundraising chairperson.

"It's such a tough time for anyone through that. If we can cheer them up, it's worthwhile," said Tilley.

"We make a variety or things. A lot of people make quilts, do beading, wearable art and clothing embellished by hand work or embroidery techniques," she said.

A Scandinavian member from Ballard does Hardanger, a technique that uses drawn thread work, pulled through gaps to form a lace.

The Northwest Needle Arts Guild has 160 members. Some members take their work quite seriously. "We have a lot of members who are truly considered artists," said Tilley a Greenwood resident.

"We are each other's inspiration. We learn different techniques from each other to perpetuate the tradition of preserving old textiles and teach to a younger generation," sail Tilley.

Membership on the Northwest Needle Arts Guild was once at a high of 250 people. Age has taken its toll, with some members now gone or living in retirement homes.

"We need to get young people involved. We need to do outreach to new members," said Tilley.

The Northwest Needle Arts Guild holds classes, activities, hosts guest speakers and organizers juried and non-juried exhibits.

"It's a goal to learn from the textiles of other countries as well," said Tilley.

A couple who does Indian needle work has given demonstrations at group meetings.

They have also studied the embroidery of the Hmong people from Southeast Asia and a technique from China, where people coat fabric with egg to make it rain resistant.

"There are a lot of things we can learn and have not done ourselves that we find beautiful," said Tilley.

The group's primary goal is to pass on the tradition to the younger generation.

"The things our grandmothers and great grandmothers did before things were industrialized and was done by hand. We continue the tradition to make sure the arts are not forgotten," said Tilley.

Now on exhibit is the group's non-juried show "Create the Season Holiday Needlework from the Pacific Northwest Needle Arts Guild," at the Edmonds Historical Museum through January 2, 2006.

The Northwest Needle Arts Guild is holding its January Auction on the 28th of that month. Visit http//www.scn.org/arts/pnnagfor or call Linda Storvik at 367-5526 for more information.