World Premiere: Knitting for Dogs – An ASL Story

ASL Up Network is proud to host the world premiere of Knitting for Dogs – An ASL Story, a beautifully produced ASL story created by Sally is Sarah Productions. This special virtual event celebrates the power of accessible, ASL-first storytelling and its role in supporting language and literacy development for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and hearing children alike.

The event will feature a full screening of the ASL story video, starring Heba Toulan and Crom Saunders. Following the premiere, attendees will be invited to a brief live discussion with Crom Saunders, who will share reflections on language, literacy, the importance of accessible storytelling, and his personal journey to finding language and literacy. This conversation is designed to be meaningful and approachable for families as well as informative for professionals.

To close the event, families will participate in a fun, hands-on craft activity, led by Marcie Botto, where each participant will create a cape inspired by Izzy and Max’s discovery at the end of the story. This playful activity encourages creativity, connection, and engagement with the story’s themes in a developmentally appropriate and family-friendly way.

This free, one-hour virtual event will take place on Saturday, March 28 at 2:30 PM Eastern Time and is open to all. Professionals are encouraged to share this event with the families they serve.

Event Registration & Materials

Registration for this event is free.

Participation in the craft activity is optional. Families are welcome to use materials they already have or gather supplies independently, links to all the supplies are available here.

Materials for the Hands-On Craft

To create one cape, you will need:

• One plain cotton T-shirt (red is recommended)

• Card stock or light cardboard (white or any color)

• Washable markers (broad line works best)

• Mod Podge (matte or fabric-safe)

• One foam paint brush

• Adult scissors

• Child-safe scissors

You do not need to purchase exact brands, and substitutions using similar materials are perfectly fine.