Saturday, October 8, 2016
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Our History: How "Stitch & Bitch" (s&b) became Unravel Stitch and Mend (usam)
Last Saturday, Sept 17th, we met at the Happy Bean to get this blog started - thanks to Angie for that because I am painfully digitally shy.
Who knew?
Well, Jo Ann did for one. Dodie had her suspicions but wouldn't let me off the hook for it. (that's a crochet metaphor for those of you paying attention...).
So here we are; Unravel Stitch and Mend! Our own little Nami Mommies group here to teach y'all how to stitch and bitch at the same time. Beginners are welcome. Or you can just sit and enjoy the community of story tellers we are gathering together.
Here's the story I'd like to tell first: how we got our name. It was the end of a big week for our friend Dodie. Here is a PARTIAL outline of all the things she "coordinated" in just half that week:
1. She went out on a loss team visit Wed night - a 17 year old boy in rural Knox County was dead.
2. She laid her gentle coordinating touch - just like a dragonfly - on every single detail of the suicide memorial dinner at the Naz on Thurs night. It was an amazing event.
3. She had to leave in the middle of that dinner to go to "The Art of Recovery" with those folks from the ADM Board and the Main Place and NAMI Ohio where she was named "Queen of NAMI" by the very famous (infamous?)Terry Russell - but get past that cuz she had more stuff to do that evening!
4. She came back to the Naz where her two sons Doug and Dave had been providing photography and technical assistance to the Columbus Dispatch reporters who have an amazing body of work about suicide on the web at Silent Suffering. Everyone needs to see this.
Mothers please note: this was also the evening that Tyre King a 13 year old black child in Columbus was violently separated from his loving family. The reporters left quietly after receiving quiet texts alerting them to the situation. Attachment - Separation - Loss. This is what life is.
5. We had a raffle! And Dodie seemed tickled when a young man won the Grand Prize- a Dragonfly Purse. I'm sure it was in his color pallet!
6. Then we went outside to an eternal flame and had a balloon release in memory of our loved one's who have died from the loneliness to deep to come back from.....
7. All of that Thurs evening is documented on the front page of the Mt Vernon News. I bought twelve copies! Several copies of this collector's item are available at the 15 East Vine Street office.
8. I don't know what Dodie did on Friday - clean up and count the money most likely!
9. We saw her on Saturday at S&B and when Dodie, our Silver Fox/Fearless leader arrived, she plopped down in the chair and exclaimed:
"I'm unraveled!"
That was it. Our first word to share together. Unraveled.
Angie was sold. That was going to be in the name of our blog. A little latter, and no more swearing, we came up with Unravel Stitch and Mend!
We plan to meet at the Happy Bean in Mt Vernon next month: Sat Oct. 8th at 10 am. We usually wrap up about Noon-ish. Then a wander down to our favorite bookstore: Paragraphs - where they have a copy of the S&B book on hand.
We know you all have busy lives, so making a f2f (face to face) meeting is very hard. We have so many demands on our time. Those that have taken the Family to Family class know that you get back 100 times what you put in to it. So please come along to our little group and have some fun with us. Family members of all ages are welcome, from babies on up!
Some of our family members like to walk the trail nearby while we meet. Also, I can recommend The South Side Diner - they have an awesome bread pudding.
Here is a suggested agenda for our group meetings, otherwise we will never stay on track!
Who knew?
Well, Jo Ann did for one. Dodie had her suspicions but wouldn't let me off the hook for it. (that's a crochet metaphor for those of you paying attention...).
So here we are; Unravel Stitch and Mend! Our own little Nami Mommies group here to teach y'all how to stitch and bitch at the same time. Beginners are welcome. Or you can just sit and enjoy the community of story tellers we are gathering together.
Here's the story I'd like to tell first: how we got our name. It was the end of a big week for our friend Dodie. Here is a PARTIAL outline of all the things she "coordinated" in just half that week:
1. She went out on a loss team visit Wed night - a 17 year old boy in rural Knox County was dead.
2. She laid her gentle coordinating touch - just like a dragonfly - on every single detail of the suicide memorial dinner at the Naz on Thurs night. It was an amazing event.
3. She had to leave in the middle of that dinner to go to "The Art of Recovery" with those folks from the ADM Board and the Main Place and NAMI Ohio where she was named "Queen of NAMI" by the very famous (infamous?)Terry Russell - but get past that cuz she had more stuff to do that evening!
4. She came back to the Naz where her two sons Doug and Dave had been providing photography and technical assistance to the Columbus Dispatch reporters who have an amazing body of work about suicide on the web at Silent Suffering. Everyone needs to see this.
Mothers please note: this was also the evening that Tyre King a 13 year old black child in Columbus was violently separated from his loving family. The reporters left quietly after receiving quiet texts alerting them to the situation. Attachment - Separation - Loss. This is what life is.
5. We had a raffle! And Dodie seemed tickled when a young man won the Grand Prize- a Dragonfly Purse. I'm sure it was in his color pallet!
6. Then we went outside to an eternal flame and had a balloon release in memory of our loved one's who have died from the loneliness to deep to come back from.....
7. All of that Thurs evening is documented on the front page of the Mt Vernon News. I bought twelve copies! Several copies of this collector's item are available at the 15 East Vine Street office.
8. I don't know what Dodie did on Friday - clean up and count the money most likely!
9. We saw her on Saturday at S&B and when Dodie, our Silver Fox/Fearless leader arrived, she plopped down in the chair and exclaimed:
"I'm unraveled!"
That was it. Our first word to share together. Unraveled.
Angie was sold. That was going to be in the name of our blog. A little latter, and no more swearing, we came up with Unravel Stitch and Mend!
We plan to meet at the Happy Bean in Mt Vernon next month: Sat Oct. 8th at 10 am. We usually wrap up about Noon-ish. Then a wander down to our favorite bookstore: Paragraphs - where they have a copy of the S&B book on hand.
We know you all have busy lives, so making a f2f (face to face) meeting is very hard. We have so many demands on our time. Those that have taken the Family to Family class know that you get back 100 times what you put in to it. So please come along to our little group and have some fun with us. Family members of all ages are welcome, from babies on up!
Some of our family members like to walk the trail nearby while we meet. Also, I can recommend The South Side Diner - they have an awesome bread pudding.
Here is a suggested agenda for our group meetings, otherwise we will never stay on track!
AGENDA (suggested)
Introductions and Check-ins - we will take time each week to get to know each other a little bit better
Books & Podcasts - come with a recommendation for the group, something you've enjoyed in the last month
WIP's = Works In Progress - both our creative fiber works and stuff happening at NAMI K/L
UFO'S = Unidentified Finished Objects - this is the outcomes and evaluations section...
Beginnings and Endings - exploring our issues of attachment and loss, writing our history
Next Stiches - our next steps for the month ahead
End with a Prayer and a Song!
Thanks to all for checking in on our blog!
Enjoy! Vivian
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Hello and Welcome to our first post on our new blog: Unravel, Stitch and Mend!
We are a monthly gathering of fiber artists supporting our local NAMI by providing all kinds of opportunities to be of service and improve the mental health status of our families in Knox and Licking counties.
How did we get started?
Jo Ann and Barry took the Family to Family class taught by Vivian and Jeanne last year. Jo Ann gave Vivian the book: "Stitch and Bitch - The Knitter's Handbook" with page #115 marked - How to start your own Stitch & Bitch group.
So we've tried to meet the second Saturday every month this year but we've been about as organized as a soup sandwich. We used to meet at Sips but that closed. We tried the South Side Diner - don't ask! Then Dodie said "Get it together, girls" and we asked Angie to help us so now here we are.
As I type this Angie just finished her first row of knitting! Under Jo Ann's gentle coaching she become a true stitcher! But I don't think she'll ever start bitchin'.... She's just too cute!
Come and join us next month at The Happy Bean, Saturday October 8th at 10 am.
We are a monthly gathering of fiber artists supporting our local NAMI by providing all kinds of opportunities to be of service and improve the mental health status of our families in Knox and Licking counties.
How did we get started?
Jo Ann and Barry took the Family to Family class taught by Vivian and Jeanne last year. Jo Ann gave Vivian the book: "Stitch and Bitch - The Knitter's Handbook" with page #115 marked - How to start your own Stitch & Bitch group.
So we've tried to meet the second Saturday every month this year but we've been about as organized as a soup sandwich. We used to meet at Sips but that closed. We tried the South Side Diner - don't ask! Then Dodie said "Get it together, girls" and we asked Angie to help us so now here we are.
As I type this Angie just finished her first row of knitting! Under Jo Ann's gentle coaching she become a true stitcher! But I don't think she'll ever start bitchin'.... She's just too cute!
Come and join us next month at The Happy Bean, Saturday October 8th at 10 am.
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