Moving Requires Copious Amounts of Ice Cream
ways you can make change, books you might like, gatherings, estate sales, and puppers
Friends, I am writing to you today from CHICAGO!
I made the journey from Massachusetts to Illinois the last week of July. Since then it has been a whole lot of unpacking, organizing, declarations of “I’m never moving again” and loads of self soothing through ice cream. Moving is such a laborious affair. It was so much easier just selling everything and moving into a home on wheels. I could take my house with me as I moved. Then I remind myself that I get to just flush a toilet and never think about it again and I gratefully unpack another box. Indoor plumbing is a marvel.
I’ve given myself a few weeks of settling and adjusting. I am now starting to plan and conspire. I am also suddenly full of inspiration and creativity again. It’s going to result is some real magic. I can’t wait to rope you in!
For today, I have a host of things I want you to know about, come to, think about, participate in, read, and make. Let’s dive in, eh?
STITCH BUFFALO
While I traveled from Boston to Chicago, I stopped in Buffalo, NY and spent the weekend working with the amazing team at Stitch Buffalo. This nonprofit is brilliant. It has evolved into a diverse textile arts center where people gather to meet and create. Stitch Buffalo brings together the diverse immigrant and refugee textile artists from across Buffalo and supports their economic and social empowerment. Their shop is incredible!!! Why yes you can shop online with them.
While I was there we displayed Badass Herstory for the community to experience. I hosted a workshop and we had a full day of community craftivism. Dozens of folks stopped in at various points to work together on a banner for their NEW BUILDING!!!
You heard me right! They are moving into a huge building right down the street and they will be able to do even more valuable work. Their fundraising goal is $700,000 and they are already at $664,768.39. I’ll do the math for you. They need to raise a mere $35,231.61 to meet their goal.
Guess what? They have a matching grant of up to $12,000 right now!!! If we can raise them $12,000, it will be DOUBLED. It also gets them super close to their goal. Honestly, these people need to be able to spend all of their time doing the work. Fundraising is a drag on human resources. Let’s just get this done for them?
»»»»»DONATE HERE«««««
Also, this is Gus Gus and he stole my heart. One of the Stitch Buffalo volunteers hosted me in her home while I was in town. They were such lovely people and I mean…look at this pupper! I can’t even.
I hope you will send some dollars to Stitch Buffalo if you can. I can’t say enough good things about them and their work.
Speaking of amazing humans, I stopped in Ohio and spent a night with some of my fellow stitchers. I met these two ladies (Dee and Anne) at the beginning of the pandemic when they started attending my stitch-ups. Since, we have had several real life adventures during my RV travels. My overnight hang with them included a trip to see the Barbie movie! It was sold out and we bought our tickets last minute so we couldn’t sit together but we had dinner after to discuss and process. I am so grateful for all of the warm, generous, and fun people I meet. I also realized I own nothing pink. I will need to remedy that.
PATTERN-OF-THE-MONTH CLUB FOR ABORTION ACCESS
The August pattern to fund Abortion Access Front was created for us by Laura O’Connor of Blue Bottom Art. This sassy embroidery pattern is available through the end of the August. Donate $10+ to Abortion Access Front and get this delicious pattern as a reward for your support. Donate here.
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
GAH, this book. It has all of my favorite things: magical worlds, queer love, fabulous storytelling, transformations, laughs, and feeling. Two thumbs up!
Now to be fair, I haven’t read it yet because it doesn’t come out until October BUT everything Omkari does is thoughtful, engaging, and smart af. I have pre-ordered my copy, you should probably do that too.
UPCOMING EVENTS
I have a few upcoming events on the books and so many in the works.
This Sunday, I am hosting a free community stitch-up in the Ravenswood neighborhood of Chicago from 2-4pm. Bring your projects and let’s make together.
Tuesday, September 12, I will be celebrating my return to Chicago by taking the stage at Pecha Kucha Chicago. I will join 9 other presenters and we will wow and entertain you with creative presentations in the format of 20 slides which advance every 20 seconds - whether we like it or not. These events are SO FUN. So, put on some hard pants and head out for an evening of nerdy goodness. I’m going to talk about poop! You really don’t want to miss this. More info here.
Wan to watch the one I did about Rita’s Quilt? Here you go.
Wednesday, September 13th I will host Embroidery 101 at Maydel in Chicago. Learn everything you need to know to stitch staggering works of genius in under 2 hours.
Let’s stab together! Register here.
More workshops and events coming soon.
BLANKETS NEEDED
The Pilsen Food Pantry in Chicago is in need of blankets. I know y’all love making blankets.
https://www.pilsenfoodpantry.com/
THE YEAR OF STITCH
The next sampler drops on Monday and it is EXTRA. You can learn how to make all of these stitches over the next 8 weeks by simply joining us on Patreon and diving in. All support levels get access to everything. You can learn over 60 different embroidery stitches in there. You also get access to a dozen patterns and our monthly Zoom gathering. Don’t dally. You need this in your life.
We just finished up this sampler (which you can make too) and I just want to shout out Cheryl Herron who absolutely killed her sampler!
I mean…look at this.
CRAFTIVISM GRANT UPDATES
Our friends at the DesPlaines Library have been very busy offering their craftivism workshops. As part of their grant, I was able to offer a Pride craftivism embroidery workshops for their community. It was a rocking good time. Check this out…
They also offered a plarn workshop and you have to see the amazing bags they crocheted out of plastic bags!
Also, our young craftivist friend is back from Space Camp. We met just the other day to finalize sticker designs and place orders. You will soon be able to purchase their amazing stickers and help them fundraise for queer orgs in Alaska. We should have them ready by the next newsletter. Eeeeee!!!
IN CLOSING
I thought you might enjoy knowing that I am back on the estate sale bandwagon and I have scored some seriously epic pieces. I also had my first house guest. She was quite happy to be under the bed versus on it.
Thanks for reading! More soon.
Big Hugs and Gratitude,
Shannon