8th Annual Stitch 'n Pitch at Safeco Field

The Eighth Annual Stitch ‘n Pitch, which started at Safeco Field in 2005 and has spread across Major League Baseball, returns on Thursday, July 26, when the Mariners take on the Kansas City Royals. Game time is 7:10 p.m. Stitch ‘n Pitch is once again presented by Pacific Fabrics & Crafts.

The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown out by best-selling author and Stitch ‘n Pitch veteran Debbie Macomber. Macomber is one of the world’s most popular writers with over 160 million copies of her books in print around the world, including the Blossom Street series that center around a fictional knitting shop in Seattle.

Macomber, who threw out the first pitch at the 2007 Stitch ‘n Pitch, is a “silent partner” in a Port Orchard yarn store, has published several knitting pattern books, has her own line of yarn and was recently named World Vision’s spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative.

World Vision took over the popular Knit for Kids program from Guideposts magazine in 2009, and provides a service to children around the world who do not have the clothing they need for basic survival. Last year, over 66,000 donated sweaters were distributed to children in need in the U.S. and internationally. With requests from World Vision field offices for more than 900,000 pieces of knitted sweaters, hats and blankets, the need is vast. World Vision and Macomber invite Stitch ‘n Pitch knitters to join in sharing their passion to help children around the world.

Tickets for Stitch ‘n Pitch, presented by Pacific Fabrics & Crafts, are $15 and are now available only through a special online offer at www.mariners.com/stitch. Deadline to buy tickets is 5pm Wednesday, July 25. On July 26, Stitch ‘n Pitch tickets can be redeemed, while supplies last, for a free knitting tote at the booth at the Outside Corner on the 300 level behind home plate.

As in years past, a number of yarn and craft shops and fiber arts organizations from around the Puget Sound area will be at Safeco Field with samples, coupons, patterns and kits for sale, class schedules, and assistance from experienced knitters. Pacific Fabrics will have goodie bags for the first 600 knitters that contain yarn donated by Universal Yarn, that can be used to knit caps or other projects for the Knit for Kids program.

About World Vision

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.  For more information, please visit www.worldvision.org/press