I'd Like More Cross Stitch Friends.
Julia Wigham
Ever wonder how and where you can find fellow stitchers to share your common bond, stitchers who might well become your cross stitch friends in time? You may feel sometimes that you would love to chat with other cross stitch lovers but have no idea how to meet these people. Well, lots of options exist. With just a little research, you can find others with whom you can trade cross stitch tips, share some laughs, and offer encouragement and motivation on difficult projects.
When you first start your quest, stop by your local craft store. They may have a cross stitch club that meets there or know of one in the area. If they currently don't have a club that meets at the store, ask about starting one. Even if the store isn't interested, don't get discouraged. You can still form your own cross stitch club.
Starting your own cross stitch club isn't as difficult as it may seem. The secret is planning. You need to think through what will be involved before you advertise your club. For instance, where will your club meet? You need a location where people can sit comfortably and stitch. That means you'll need chairs and excellent lighting. You'll also need a place for all these people to park their vehicles. Be certain to decide in advance if your club will only be for cross stitch fans or if people who enjoy other crafts can join as well. Finally, you'll need to pick a time for your club to meet.
As your plan starts to take shape, you'll have to decide if there'll be a membership fee, what the goals of the club are, and if you want to have rules. Sometimes it's easier to wait until you have a couple of members to decide on these issues. Then you can make decisions as a group about the direction in which you want the club to go. The main thing to keep in mind as you form your club is that it should be fun. You should enjoy stitching while you chat with the other members.
If the thought of organizing a club seems a bit ambitious, then why not ask some friends and acquaintances round for an evening and suggest some stitching together. You can even show a newbie how it's done. Before long, you may end up with a regular club -- so much more sociable than just meeting up to drink and eat.
So much for the locals... Let's move on to making new cross stitch friends elsewhere.
The most obvious way to cast the net of friendship is to seek out penpals. There are many stitching websites that have a penpal section, and many popular magazines contain find-a-penpal pages. This is wonderful way of making cross stitch friends from all over the world, and you may have the opportunity of exchanging small projects if you so wish. It's often helpful to discuss your stitching projects -- you can motivate each other to finish those tricky pieces you've been putting off.
The internet has many penpal sites too, although in my view, it's worthwhile taking time to ensure that the site you're engaging with is a good one. Never add your postal address or telephone number to their database. Your email address will suffice for the first exchanges with a new friend, and you can give her or him more contact details when you are sure that the person is genuine. You may prefer to have an e-pal, as opposed to a snail mail friend.
Many people prefer to chat with their penpal using email rather than snail mail. When you email, you tend to get a quicker response. This makes it simpler to keep in touch. Also, some people don't like writing letters, although they do enjoy writing emails. If, however, you and your penpal enjoy writing letters, then you'll be in for a treat sometimes when you visit your mailbox. In addition to letters, you and your penpal also can exchange little gifts for added fun.
There are a number of e-groups on the internet that combine email and snail mail to promote friendship and cross stitch worldwide. One such group is run by Yahoo, called XStitchpals. Members exchange cross stitched cards every month, with a different theme for each month. They also chat on a forum, support each other with stitching and non-stitching issues and may email each other individually if they wish. The friendships developed are very real, despite the fact that the members live so far from each other. This may well be the way forward for stitching friendship.
Lots of options are available when it comes to finding cross stitch friends. You can meet people at a local cross stitch club, enjoy chatting with a penpal, or form a friendship with someone on an e-group. The first step is up to you. Why not start looking for fellow stitchers by joining the forums at Patterns Patch cross stitch private club?
Julia Wigham is a professional writer and co-founder of Patterns Patch http://www.patternspatch.com/ cross stitch forums. An online cross stitch community whose members get free: patterns, articles and tutorials. Come to our lively => http://www.patternspatchblog.com/ cross stitch blogs right now.
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