Creating Crafting Community

A tight knit group

I imagine you probably know what it feels like when you are completely immersed in the stitches. I was working on the Mattie Cardigan, designed by Kristen Drysdale of Scandiworks, while chatting with my daughter. I half jokingly stated that I just really wished I could knit full time. (Luckily I love my work, so it’s not really true.)

We came to the conclusion that I am looking for more ways of experiencing the love of this crafting with others. I truly think one of my favorite days of the week is Thursday. On Thursday I have moved my clients (I’m a therapist) to the mornings and the evenings, so that I can drive 7 miles north towards Colorado to attend a small knitting group in the Questa library. I absolutely look forward to this group of people sitting together and sharing our projects and talking. I want more. My daughter, however, suggested creating a virtual community - taking it one step further. So here I am!

I am creating a Substack subscription. If you decide you’d like to be a part of this community I would be absolutely thrilled. I am hoping it will be international. I am planning on making it as interactive as possible. The monthly subscription will include these components:

• Monthly live virtual Zoom craft-along. Yes! We'll get to share our work and chat. (This will come later as we become a larger and more consistent community)

• Monthly free patterns

• Weekly prompts for personal reflection within the crafting context (the therapist in me, can’t not have this piece present) as well as craft-a-longs specifically for working through and sharing (if you’d like) the experiences of loss

• Weekly invitations of interaction among members

• List of resources for learning and inspiration

The relaxing effect of the hands moving, the beauty of the colors and the satisfaction of creating is what keeps this a daily practice for me. It is peaceful. But it is also the community - I love the Instagram community, the kindness of the people who comment on my photos. It feels so good and the love of knitting or crocheting really connects us. It’s a language we all speak. I feel I am getting to know some of you as we share our work with each other.

I’d really like to create an active community that gets to know each other, supports each other and shares often virtually. Are you in?

I can’t wait to see your work!

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