For so many of use we tend to stitch alone. Even if we stitch while we are with our families, we’re usually the only ones doing handwork.
That’s why having a guild chapter or stitching group is so wonderful. Everyone there shares the same love — a love of stitching. We all understand the successes, joys, and difficulties. We all help each other. Best of all, we support each other.
I’ve been a member of the WineCountry Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild for more than 15 years. Many of our members have been there much longer. Once a month we meet on a Saturday for our meetings. We may have a project, we may have a talk, we may even have a stitch-in. But whenever we meet two essential things happen. First we have Ta-Da!. It’s a time where people bring in their stitched projects, We put them on a table for everyone to see. Each is held up and the stitcher describes the project. I love this because I get so inspired by my friends’ lovely work.
The other thing we do is work on projects during the business part of the meeting. Everyone walks around and sees what others are doing and comments.
That sense of community is fantastic, but there is more. We all share or problems and ideas with each other. And we share ideas and solutions. Maybe someone has a suggestion for making this thread easier to use, or has learned a great technique in a class, or has stitched that canvas.
We share and we learn together. And that’s why they are my favorite crafters.
BTW — If you live in the North Bay, East Bay, Wine Country, Solano County, or Sacramento, let me know –we’d love to have you join us!
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
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