We will be starting a "stitch and bitch" type group in January, which will begin as a few hours set aside one evening a month so that anyone doing any kind of handwork (stitching, knitting, quilting etc) can meet together to work and chat. We hope the group will eventually offer, besides friendship and some uninterrupted time, the chance to learn new skills from each other, possibly exchange unwanted stash and maybe take on some sorst of outreach project, but that will depend on how we grow. Does anyone belong to a stitching group they really enjoy? What makes a good group? What kind of special events do you have? How much chocolate for 12 stitchers? We'd really like to be the kind of group people look forward to attending. Dawne.
I've just attended my first meeting of a sit-and-knit group.
They meet on a weekend morning at a coffee shop, and a weekday evening at a pub, where Pub Grub is available for dinner, so no one has to cook breakfast (on coffee shop day) or dinner (on pub night). This solves the problem of "how much chocolate for 12 stitchers", because they can simply go to the counter and purchase more chocolate-dipped biscotti or choc chip cookies when they need more.
I'm significantly older than the other members, but that means I have more knitting expertise. I was able to answer some questions.
I've been on their e-mail list for a while, so I know they just had a Special Event a few weeks ago. One of them found that a LYS was having an Open House party, so they piled into cars, went to the party for an hour, and, what the heck, as long as they were already out and about, hit a couple other crafty shops.
I was invited to join a group but couldn't because of the distance. We met at a fair in another state. But she explained what her group does and it really seemed nice. Along with regular meetings (they met in a church room), they would have guest speakers once in a while. Or members who would teach something new.
For fun, they had cookie swaps, birthday cakes, and soup nights (everyone brings a different soup). They also had times when they would all do the same project and learn together.
It soulds like a lot and this particular group was around for a while, so I think these are the things you work up to as you get established.
I have to admit that I was sad not to be able to join in but almost 2 hour drive was pretty hard to work into my schedule. Best of luck with your group. Have Fun!
Our Guild meets every Tuesday in the a.m. and then however many of us, go to lunch afterwards to round it off.
We work on all sorts of needlework, I sometimes take knitting, and we also do group projects, though there is no pressure to do so.
Four or five of us have been at it for more years and about 18 months ago we had an influx of newbies who had only done some cross stitch. Their enthusiasm for learning hardanger, pulled thread, you name it, their excitement at finishing something they never dreamed they would ever do, is very infectious. That tends to make us look again at projects and remember our own excitement at learning something new.
We are very diverse, recently we gathered up three Acadians, one of whom speaks very little English and one Quebecker.
One thing you an be sure of though, Marie France may not speak much English but she is right there, a hot combatant in all conversations. For that is what happens, conversations take place, interspersed with needle talk, assistance for those who need it and general chit chat.
Just like here - for all the posters who say there should be no OT ~ how very boring ~
I started just such a group about three years ago at my church, and we have a small but dedicated group. At first I tried to make it an "event" with refreshments, etc., but over time it became evident that people just wanted to stitch and chat. Stick to the essentials...refreshments weren't necessary - in fact, they were a detriment, because we'd have to pack away our stitching to turn to eating, which cut down on stitching time. Also, there were special diets among members, and it seemed easier NOT to try refreshments to suit everyone. (We meet 7:30-9:30 p.m., so most people had just had dinner.)
I also tried to introduce doing a group project for charity/outreach, but it didn't fly. When you only get together 2 hours per month, nobody wanted to give up precious time.
We opened it to anyone who does "handwork" - loosely defined. One lady comes with her mending, just to be part of the group and also it gives her the discipline to do those odd buttons and hems! People knit, crochet, cross-stitch, quilt, do jewelery-making...even file photos on occasion.
The big allure in our group is set-aside time dedicated to crafting, and also the fellowship. Numbers range from 2-12 monthly, depending on time of year, scheduling, etc.
I have also found that:
1.) More people come if I send out an email reminder, otherwise they forget.
2.) People who do forget usually say, "darn! I missed it, and I could have come!" And they're sincerely disappointed.
3.) A lot of teachers can't squeeze in this meeting during the school year, so we meet twice as often in the summer and pick up a few people then. There's a seasonal ebb and flow.
Because it's church-based, we don't call it "Stitch and Bitch" - our young pastor was so enthusiastic when we started it, she blurted out "Stitchfest!" And that's what it's been called since!
Hope this helps, and ask me if I've left anything out!
Sue
--------- Susan Hartman/Dirty Linen The Magazine of Folk and World Music
We make good use of email - anyone going to Moncton for example - will tell the rest so they can ask them to pick up anything from the LNS there. If one sees some potential stash on sale, it's easy to alert all the rest.
Waaay ahead of you on that one, Mary, as I have been warning people all day that anyone getting slapped by me bore the entire liability themselves. Ax murdering cannot be too far behind. Dawne, rejecting the "Knit and Knatter" option and looking for my whetstone
(a lot of sensible and helpful things which I snipped)
We're fearlessly going Stitch and Bitch, since our churchbased book group just renamed itself Bad Ass Feminist Anglicans and printed membership cards. Dawne
We meet twice a month, from 7:30 to 10ish. We have 3 special events, Xmas party, Spring Tea Room, Summer send off. The Spring Tea room is when we gather (in addition to our stitching times) at a local tea room for an afternoon get together. Beyond that, it's simply the people, and their openness to sharing that draws us together.
Sorry all---I never said no OT. My objection is to the back biting, the nit picking, the put downs, and the general ragging. OT is no problem. Just tired of all the sarcasm. Clarice in AZ
[grammar cop alert -- I'm free thinking here and not paying attention to sentence construction]
I regularly attend 3 interest group meetings of my EGA chapter. One focuses on free style embroidery; the other two do everything.
Each one has a slightly different character due, imnsho, to the make up of the attendees. I was very hesitant to get involved but have found that there is genuine respect for each other's skills and encouragement to try new things or not be intimidated by others's work.
Thankfully, none of the groups have people who try to dominate which can be a real turn off. If that happens during your S&B sessions, I hope you've mastered the art of tactfully telling someone to wrap it up
Quite often there's a tutorial or project which I usually don't do. True confession time: I have fun watching people whose skills are top notch 'struggle' to follow directions
For me, the best part of the get togethers is seeing what people are doing and discussing techniques and materials or exchanging ideas.
Come in with a few ideas for what the group can be and throw 'em out for discussion when you get together
Amen to that. Every time I had an appearance in my lawsuit against the quacks, I made sure I had that slogan pinned to my lapel, and "if you don't like the news, go out and make some of your own" pinned to my briefcase.
If nothing else, maybe it got through their thick heads that they were wrong in ass-u-me-ing that because I'm a woman, I'm automatically lazy, passive, unmotivated, and willing to be verbally abused by a man.
I was going to wear the T-shirt the first day of trial, to make sure the jury "got it" that I'm standing up for every woman who's been told by a male doctor that her health problems aren't worth his very important male time to figure out.
InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.