Updated December 31, 2020.
You’ve moved to a new house and you miss your old guild chapter. You’re wondering how to find a local group of stitchers.
Guild Chapters
Both ANG & EGA have pages on their sites with lists of local chapters. Tat’s the best place to start. ANG lists chapters by state, but not by alphabetic order within the state. EGA has a chapter name- or ZIPcode-based search engine.
The amount of information for the chapters differs but there is generally a link or an email you can use to get more information.
But the response you will get can vary. Sometimes you hear nothing at all.
That’s when you need to use your own resources to find more information.
Here are some ways to find guild chapters as well as other local stitchers.
- Ask on the various Facebook needlepoint groups if a member of the chapter could get in touch with you off-list. I’ve brought four people into my chapter by people contacting me directly.
- Ask at local shops if they know when the chapter meets. Our chapter had one person who was store employee and at one time we had another who owned a store. Because shops often offer discounts to guild members, they often know about local chapters.
- Look in the local paper. I know the chapter in Napa posts information about their meetings.
- Call the local senior center. They might meet there or know about it. Many chapters meet in Senior Centers. Even if they don’t Senior Centers often have information about clubs and groups.
Stitch Club
Stitch Clubs are new and informal stitching groups that meet and are geographic-based. Shops are often heavily involved in these. TNNA has a post on its blog giving the basics.
Stitch Clubs have their information on Instagram. There you will find the logos of all the Stitch Clubs (including some in other countries).
Stitching in Shops
IF there is a shop near you, you should ask about stitching sessions. These may be called different things, and may even have a charge. They are always wonderful places to meet new stitchers, share projects, and get ideas and help.
Get on your shop’s mailing list. Ask about these when you visit. If they don’t have one, consider asking them about starting one. Many shops find that stitchers in groups buy more and more often.
Create your own Group
If you’re stuck, no chapter or shop, you might consider starting an informal group of your own. All it takes is a couple of people to meet at a specific time and place to stitch.
It could be a person’s home. It could be a local coffee shop or hangout. It could be the senior center or the library. Stitching together, even if everyone isn’t doing needlepoint, is so relaxing and fun. You share and learn from each other.
Be a rebel! Stitch in Public!
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
,When my sister passed away she left a truckload of needlework supplies that I need to get rid of before I sell the house. There are boxes of material, wool, patterns, sewing accesories, sewing baskets, Tiny Tailor sewing machine, etc. My mother was very adapt at making needlework pictures, dolls clothing, afghans, sweaters, etc. I hate to throw them away. Who can I sell or donate them to? They are located in North Babylon.
There are several shops that sell stash on consignment on their own websites or on eBay. You can contact me privately for more information. For more general background on selling, check out this post:
https://nuts-about-needlepoint.com/consigning-needlepoint-getting-rid-stash-ii/
Keep stitching,
Janet