To begin with, you may want to ask around at the "local" needlework store about ideas. They might know of other stitchers who are interested in belonging to such a group. Or they may already know of one in existence... Perhaps they might even like to help you get started by allowing you to use space in their store, hand out pamphlets for you to customers, or (in some cases) offer discounts to people who belong to your group (some needlework stores give automatic discounts to any card-carrying member of the Embroiderer's Guild or other such group!)

You will need, immediately, a place to hold meetings. You could hold meetings at members' homes, for starters, especially if the group is small. Members could also check on holding meetings at their church, school or other group building (Kiwanis, for example). You may be able to hold meetings somewhere for free, if you do some checking. Homes are much more personal, but if your group grows, it will be nice to have some place larger to meet.

Meeting lengths may vary depending on what you have planned. Most needlework groups I've belonged to have met for two hours once a month. Maybe 2 1/2 hours. Remember, many will have to hire babysitters, or possibly take time off from work, and will have other committments. You also have to allow them travel time, so I wouldn't go much longer than that. Exceptions might include a field trip or weekend stitch-away (where members might retreat to a hotel or cabin to stitch until their fingers bleed!)

I'd work it so a different member is in charge of refreshments each month, with possibly a potluck as your yearly "banquet" or something like that...That way, no ONE person has to constantly come up with food for the rest, nor will the group members have to provide due money just for treats. Plus it's fun to see what people make; suggest members bring the recipe they used, copied off for each member, or (grin) the name and address of the bakery where they bought their goodies. Cake, bars, cookies, homemade candy...all make nice treats. Coffee and punch and/or tea would make nice drink options. Make sure members have some place to wash their hands when they're done.

You could charge dues, but I think you could get by without it (at least at the beginning) by having events be potluck, meeting somewhere free and trying to share some of the costs. You may get into "trouble" by bringing in money, and could eventually have to declare yourself a non-profit group.

Activities for your group

• Select a group project for everyone to work on over the course of a year. This could be a difficult sampler, a cross-stitched afghan (with one square finished for every month of the year), or something else of your choosing.

• Take a field trip to a local museum or historical archive to see the needlework on display.

• Pick names for Stitcher's Pals. Over the course of a year, each person sends their Pal notes and small gifts (related to stitching or not), remembering birthdays, holidays, anniversaries and other momentous occasions. At the end of the year, each stitcher reveals his/her identity to the group with a nicer gift (related to stitching -- like a homemade ornament or framed piece, a kit, a stocking or something like that).

• Find a community group you could help. The first guild I belonged to smocked burial gowns for babies who died shortly after birth. Guild fees helped pay for the materials, but the work itself was all donated. You could make small stitched items for a local church or other organization to sell to benefit their group. You could also sell items or services and give out a scholarship as a group.

• Plan a stitcher's weekend where group members congregate at someone's home or cabin, or at a hotel, to stitch, relax, talk, and eat.

• Organize a round robin. Each stitcher picks his or her own theme and a piece of fabric. He or she divides the piece of fabric into sections (the same number as the number of stitchers who will be participating in the group). He or she stitches the first design or saying into one section of the fabric, then passes it to the next member of the group. Everyone will get a chance to stitch a section of everyone else's piece. And by the end, everyone will have a truly unique work of art. A good amount of time is one month per "sampler." You could pass them on to the next person at each meeting, or do this by mail (if you want to be more secretive!) Have a party when they're finished, and take pictures of everyone with his or her sampler.

• Bring in a guest speaker or needlework instructor to teach your group something new.

• Have group members share their special talents with the group by giving small lectures on their specialties, or by bringing in needlework projects they've finished.

• Organize classes for people who don't stitch -- members could recruit interested friends or children to come learn the art of needlework.

• Start a community library of old/unwanted books for group members to check out like library books.

• Have a swap-meet. Everyone can bring his or her unwanted or unfinished needlework items (fabric, kits, books, charts, fibers etc...) to a meeting. Group members can then purchase items by donating money for each item they want to the group. Money could be used for a group outing or as a donation to a charity. Or a person might be able to get "points" for each item he or she brings to the meet. Before anyone can "purchase" any item, someone can mark the number of points each item is worth on each item. Then, the person who brings the most to the meet has the most buying power. You could sell points to those who don't have any items to share.

• Organize a show of members' work at the local museum, library, university, or needlework shop. Make sure it's a safe location -- you wouldn't want your members' works to be stolen.

© 2007 Theresa Venette. Articles on this site may be reproduced in needlework group newsletters or other handouts with permission of author and proper attribution. Send questions, comments and suggestions to: xspeddler@yahoo.com