Every Stitch Matters

Our first brochure had the tag line, "Building Community a Stitch at a Time." These carefully stitched triangles brought that back to mind with a smile. I put them next to the corsages left over from last year because, they, too, made a difference and will be incorporated into the stitched up triangles for a shawl.

I had begun to feel like the sorcerer's apprentice whose magic threatened to overwhelm him. Instead of buckets of water I had triangles and triangles and a few more triangles and a couple squares and somehow out of this had to come something other than stacks of triangles. All the usual crew were hard at work stitching up and I felt as if I were moving in slow motion while the triangles---much needed and much appreciated grist for the mill was working overtime.

And then serendiptity stepped in --as it so often does for me--in the form of a new friend who said with characteristic enthusiasm, "I'll stitch some up for you." I expected her to take a few, so when she took the whole box I was nonplussed and delighted. When I opened the box and the first triangles to meet my eye were these cheerful yellow and blue ones, I knew that we were on the right path with Northern Loops.

It's working. Every stitch matters and more importantly every stitcher matters. We matter to ourselves, each other, our craft, and our community. When we started Northern Loops I was focused on the people we would be helping--those on the receiving end of our blankets and shawls. I did not fully appreciate how much pleasure and growing is in it for each of us.

Thanks, L., for the lovely stitches and your wonderful enthusiasm. You can never have too many ideas or too many triangles.