Hey!
In my last two communities I have been involved in a group called "Knit Wit"....affectionately referred to by our husbands as "Stitch and B****"
What is was, was a group of women who got together once a week and did crafts. It wasn't an organized craft; we each did our own thing. However, if someone was doing something that someone else was especially good at, we would help each other out. Some knitted, some did scrapbooking, some cross stitch, some look through magazines for ideas, etc...sometimes we did nothing. We had this once a week and would alternate houses. Coffee/water/tea and sweets were a must.

Since moving here I have been very lonely. I have one close friend but, honestly, we really have nothing in common except that we have kids. I miss the night out, talking with friends and an excuse to do crafts.

I was thinking of making a poster and placing it at the local grocery store. Is this a good idea or is it just telling the world that I'm a loser with no friends?

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 05:53 am:

I think how it appears depends on how you word it. And, to some extent, whre yu post it.

Just off the top of my head:

DO YOU - Scrapbook, Knit, Crochet, Cross Stitch, Quilt or do other crafts?

DO YOU - like the idea of spending a couple of evenings a month or one evening each week with a group of women who share your interests?

I want to start a craft group to meet regularly, rotating houses, sharing ideas and tricks of crafting over coffee and cookies while working on current projects and planning new ones. There would be no cost other than providing refreshments. I have been part of craftgroups in other communities had lots of fun!

If you are interested, call:

And, I would post it not only at the local grocery store but also at the library and maybe a church or two (with permission). If it were me, actually I'd try the library and churches first. My feeling is that you may get more "serious" responses and less potentially problematic responses than if you post at the grocery store. In a library or church your audience is to some extent self-selecting, but everyone goes to the grocery store.

Why don't you play with a couple of ideas and post them here for reactions. Oh, and I'd paste some pictures of various crafts on the poster, or craft tools, like knitting needles, an embroidery hoop, scissors & paste, etc.

By Tunnia on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 09:03 am:

Great ideas, Ginny! Ditto on putting the signs up at the library and church first. I wish you lived in my area, Paula. I'd join. It sounds like a lot of fun!

By Jayne2 on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 09:39 am:

Me too, I'd join. I love everything about it, friends, crafting, coffee, and cake. Sounds like a lot of fun.

By Bea on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 09:49 am:

I'll bet you aren't the only one who would love to meet some other women this way. I think you'll get some new friends. It sounds like a great idea. Good luck.

By Kaye on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 10:03 am:

I also might find a first place to meet that is NOT your house, like the library. Just for safety reasons.

By Kathym on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 10:12 am:

Good luck..sounds like fun. I think you will be surprised how many other women have similar interests and are just waiting for someone (like you!) to take the initiative.

By Trina~moderator on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 10:30 am:

My town has a "Newcomers Club" with several different interest groups that meet monthly. "Stitch and Bi***" is one of them! LOL! It's a great way to make new friends and get to know the area. I'm the group leader for "Dinner and Drinks". Each month I get to pick an area restaurant where members (mostly moms) can meet and socialize. FUN!

Newcomers Club Worldwide Directory

By Melanie on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 10:32 am:

I think you will get a great response. You know you are not the only one out there looking for something like this!!

By Pamt on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 11:03 am:

Paula, I'd join too! My best friend in MO taught me how to quilt and we'd get together every Wednesday and quilt from about 10-2. Our oldest boys were at school and our youngest boys had a blast playing together. We'd alternate houses and since our DHs worked together nearby they would come home for lunch. It was a wonderful time! If you have a craft, scrapbooking, or needlework store nearby I'd also post there. Let us know how it turns out.

By Mommyathome on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 11:07 am:

Sounds like a good idea to me Maybe try posting it at a local craft store. Is there a Michaels or anything like that near by?
If you don't want kids invited, I would mention something about it on the poster "a night without the kids" or something. Otherwise, you may get some miscommunication going on and have some of the people show up with 3-4 kids in tow!
Good luck! You'll have to let us know if you decide to do it, and how it turns out!

By Janet on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 11:52 am:

I'd join! I also think that a neutral setting would be best until you got to know each other. I recently started rug hooking and there's a group called the "Happy Hookers" (much to my husband's chagrin) that meets once a month to visit while working on projects. I haven't gone yet, but plan to. I think this is what we women are missing out on in our fast-paced society...the social aspect of just getting together and enjoying each others' company!

By Paulas on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 12:38 pm:

Thanks for all the input. We don't have a Michael's nearby (an hour away) but their is a fabric store. I can post at the library but I know our church doesn't have anywhere that I could put a sign up but I'll look around. I will think about a sign and let you guys know what I've come up with.

Janet...my aunt belongs to a "Happy Hookers" group

By Insaneusmcwife on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 01:50 pm:

Sounds like a great idea, I wish they had something like that here.

By Nicosmom on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 06:30 pm:

That reminds me of the movie How To Make An American Quilt. Sounds like a lot of fun. When I was younger my mom and aunt used to go to a ceramic shop. They would finish a figure and paint it. I always wished I could go, how fun!

By Eight_Kids on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 10:00 pm:

I'd go with Ginny's ideas....my girlfriend and I were just talking today about trying to get a 'girls night out' thing started....I'd join in a heartbeat.
Go for it....I think you'd be surprised how many other "LOSERS" there are out there. I'd be one!!

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 10:13 pm:

I think Mommyathome and Janet make good points. Yes, putting up a flyer at the fabric store is a good idea. I hadn't thought about kids because mine are all grown, but that is an important point. And a neutral meeting place is also a good idea. Maybe if your library has evening hours and a meeting room you could use that a few times while people get to know each other - or a church. Once you get some people interested, a meeting at a place where you can have coffee and talk, to work out ideas and details, might be a good idea. Or, the fabric store might make space available for an initial meeting or two, since lots of crafters buy fabrics - but you'd have to be careful to make sure people know that no one is selling anything or planning to sell anything.

If your church doesn't have a place for flyers, does it have a newsletter? My church puts announcements like yours could be in its newsletter.

By Paulas on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 01:03 am:

I'm also thinking I might be able to line up a few people from my son's playschool. It would be hard to find a space to use and I also think that takes the "homey-ness" out of it. I was thinking if I could even find 3 people at my son't playschool that would be interested and told them each to bring a friend...that would be 7 for our first night...which in a house might be plenty anyway. I'm starting to second guess the ad b/c it could end up being too big for a house and I like the "comfy" closeness of a smaller group.