Stitch and Bitch

Monday 3rd March 2008
Big Sis came and picked the girls and I up this morning to go to her craft group. You might remember that I didn't go last week. I don't usually make friends very easily these days, due to a couple of things that have happened in the last year or so. I tend to have a bit of a panic attack when I think of getting to know other people... but that's another story and I don't want to get into that here. Anyway, I've been feeling a lot more relaxed since we've been here, and I'm quite comfortable with Big Sis, so this week we agreed to go.

Stitch and Bitch is a bunch of ladies of all ages and social standings who have found a similar interest... craft. Each week they decide on a different project and they help each other , both with their favoured craft and inspiration. This week they were making patchwork bags, but since I can't sew very well and don't have a lot of interest in it anyway, I decided to just sit and watch. Quilting is one of Big Sis' 'things', so she was constantly on the go, helping the other ladies with instructions and help when they made a mistake.

Some of the ladies were also knitting. The group participates in the 'hope bear' project, which supplies hand-made bears for children who have been through some major trauma... be it a medical condition, physical abuse or the loss of a loved one, etc. It's a lovely way to let them know that someone else cares. Lara has two of these bears... Ambi she received from the ambulance when she broke her leg and Brownie came into her life when she had her appendix removed. I'd recommend to anyone who can knit to contact their nearest organisation and take part. It's wonderfully satisfying to know that you're helping someone, even though you may never see the comfort and smiles that your bears conjure up. I know from personal experience that these bears offer much comfort to the child. They shared Lara's own personal trauma with her every step of the way, and she loves them both so much.

The ladies also bring along a plate to share for lunch... and there was plenty of good stuff there, from cakes to pasta and pumpkin soup to watermelon slices. Something for everyone and all home-made or home-grown. That's the thing about communities like this one... country communities, that is. There's usually plenty of fresh produce in everyone's backyard, and people take good advantage of it. And besides, homemade foods usually taste a million percent better than the pre-packaged frozen cardboard that you find on the supermarket shelves. It was a lovely lunch, punctuated by a few stories, some good advice and a lot of laughter. I think I had a good time, and I'm kinda looking forward to meeting up with them again next week. That's a little unusual for me, but it feels good.