Need to sew basis

Suzanne Kelly from Stitch! Crafts and Classes on how people can still get involved from home

May marks the first anniversary of Stitch! Crafts and Classes in Palmers Green.

We are incredibly proud of the community that has grown and come together in the last year, attending stitching circles, crochet classes, learning to use a sewing machine and mosaic-making, to name a few activities. Our aim is to create a fun, supportive environment led by expert knitters, crochet teachers, sewers and more; providing a place where you can buy fabric, haberdashery and craft supplies.

Obviously in these unprecedented times we have sadly had to shut the shop’s doors temporarily. We have postponed all our classes and workshops that were due to be taking place at Stitch! until it is safe to run them again. Thanks to our customers for their understanding.

Our next thought has been what we can do to stay in touch with our amazing stitching and crafting community. Through our social media we have been so impressed and thankful of the number of people who joined in efforts to sew and make a few hundred laundry bags for North Middlesex University Hospital staff. They were incredibly grateful!

With the help of some wonderful volunteers online, we have been providing ideas for children’s crafting and holding an Easter bonnet competition. We also have put some free tutorial videos online and are offering some of our crafting teaching on Zoom. The wonderfully talented Sharon Wallin has been running a ‘knit and natter’ stitching circle every Thursday at 11am and our expert quilter Carol Balfe runs a patchwork surgery to share projects and crafting chat on Wednesday mornings at 11am. Plus we have been running craft ‘show and tells’ for children on Wednesdays at 10am.

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All these sessions are free and open to newcomers, though donations are welcome. We really hope this is a way we can stay connected and support each other in such difficult times. If you are interested in joining us please email [email protected] for meeting codes. At the same time we are aware many people may not have access to Zoom or the internet. We would appeal to anyone that knows someone missing stitching circles, crafting or sewing chat, or who is in need of some help with a sewing or crafting project, to please contact our volunteers at Stitch! who would be so happy to talk to them.

Lastly, we have been busy getting our products available for online shopping and have been making some emergency craft kits, including a lovely ‘make a rainbow’ teddy kit designed by Susan Mehmet from Ashkim Bears – £2 from each bear is being donated to NHS.

Get in touch with Stitch! and find out more:
Call 07903 614726
Email [email protected]
Facebook /N13crafts
Instagram @Stitch_N13
Visit stitch.org.uk

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