9.29°C Stitch and Bitch has been running in Colchester for over four years. Amy and Meg told us more about the group.
Our mate Alex started Stitch & Bitch in the summer of 2011 because she was fed up with crafting at home on her own. She wanted an excuse to get her stitch on with people from her local community, meet like-minded creatives and exchange skills.
We’ve been attending since that October and took over as coordinators when Alex moved away. We were drawn in by the informal nature of the sessions and the chance to create in a relaxed atmosphere, with no pressure on how polished the finished piece needed to be.
It was the perfect kick-start into getting crafty. One night a month dedicated to making something felt like a small commitment with big rewards. We both arrived as complete novices who could barely knit and were intimidated by sewing machines. Now we jokingly call ourselves the ‘Queens of Craft’ – although crochet still evades us.
The core values remain the same. Each month, we invite a local textile artist to co-host a themed session. Themes have ranged from crochet to cross stitch, weaving to onesie-making.
Over the years, we’ve made everything from silly felt brooches to knitted baby hats. We even created Colchester’s first yarn bomb. People are also welcome to bring along their own projects to show off, get advice on, or simply work on in good company.
It’s about having a laugh, enjoying a drink and picking up new skills along the way. We meet monthly on the second Thursday of the month at The Waiting Room. It’s open to everyone – women and men, young and old.
Skill level doesn’t matter. There’s always a mix, from semi-pros to total beginners, and sometimes friends who just come along for the chat rather than the stitching.
There’s no membership fee. Stitch and Bitch is free and always will be. We provide basic materials, fabric and tools to get you started, although occasionally we ask people to bring something specific depending on the theme.
Find out more on Facebook at facebook.com/sandbcolchester.
