The first two volumes of Needlebound were funded out of pocket by founder and editor Hayley Mortin, made possible almost entirely by volunteer labour. The people who designed, edited, wrote, photographed, and contributed to Needlebound did so because they believed in building something that print could preserve in a way social media can't. Volunteers have put in hundreds of hours to make the book happen. That generosity has been extraordinary, but it is not a sustainable or fair foundation to build on. 

Fundraising is the first step toward building something more sustainable and ensuring that the people who make Needlebound can be fairly compensated for their work, and that the publication can keep growing without resting entirely on goodwill and personal debt.

As of April 2026, Needlebound is a federally incorporated Canadian not-for-profit. Every dollar stays in the publication. There are no investors, no platform taking a cut, no other stakeholders deciding how this gets produced. The fiber arts community that Needlebound documents is one that has always existed a little outside of mainstream visibility sustained by people who make things because they love making things and who build community without much institutional support. It felt wrong to document that world through any structure that would compromise it.

If you've ever found community in a fiber arts corner of the internet  and wanted to see it documented, taken seriously, and handed to someone in print, consider donating, or sharing this with someone who might have the means to at this moment in time.