December 2010 - The Mission of TSV

 

Tis’ the Season. . . I would like to invite everyone to give thought to what the holiday season means to them and embrace the spirit of giving and peace. The new social area of The Stitchers’ Village is developing wonderfully. It is providing a true feeling of community within the membership which I hope will continue and grow with time. I recently contacted someone to invite them to participate in The Stitchers’ Village. Their response was that they would need to take some time to determine if the mission of TSV was compatible with their mission. This prompted me to consider the mission of TSV. I believe the mission of The Stitchers’ Village is to bring together individuals with an interest in needle art to encourage, educate, promote, and share all forms of needlework. My hope is that TSV and the new social area will enable many new friendships and acquaintances to form among The Stitchers’ Village members and for many projects to be shared and completed. There have already been so many beautiful pictures of finished projects posted and it is a joy and inspiration to see them.

Members of The Stitchers’ Village can now become much more social with their fellow Villagers! When you click on the Tea Shoppe link, you will now be taken to the social side of the Village. This new platform will allow members to have their very own “page” which can be personalized. It allows for photos to be shared and discussions and chats to be held. Members can now discuss favorite projects and share latest finishes. There will be events and “get-togethers”. This by no means takes the place of the home site!! The shops, school, and all the other features of the site will be available and continue to provide the same services as they have. This is merely an enhancement so that the Village can reach a new level of interaction!! Sign in now by clicking on the link in the Tea Shoppe!

Article from one of our fellow Villagers

Needlewhat? By Linda Henry 

I propose we change the name of our craft. We refer to it as “needlework”, and I believe a better name would be “needleplay”. Children play for the sheer joy, pleasure, satisfaction, and exuberance it offers them. Isn’t that why you stitch? You will seldom see children whining or complaining if they are truly engaged in an activity they enjoy. Don’t you put aside your cares and worries while stitching? Even if they are in your thoughts, don’t you ponder them with less intensity as you let yourself and your mind be distracted by the positive aspects of your creative pastime? When children tire of an activity, or if something about it begins to frustrate them, they simply walk away. I am allowed to do the same with my stitching projects. Children play as an avenue to learning and discovery. I love to learn new things about stitching—what about you? Children choose their best friends according to the things they like to do together. Isn’t that why you became a member of The Stitchers’ Village—to meet, interact, and become friends with those who take the same delight as you from needles, threads, fabrics, designs, and stitching? What gifts put the biggest smile on a little person’s face? I will hazard a guess that it is a toy or game related to his or her favorite pastime. Does that sound familiar in terms of what makes you smile? Work, on the other hand, is what most of us do, or have done, in order to pay the bills and buy life’s essentials. We generally go to work according to someone else’s schedule. I don’t know about you, but I was never at liberty to walk away from work when things got tiresome or frustrating. However, if my attention wanders from what I am stitching or I reach a difficult spot I can set it aside for later. Very few of us have the luxury of choosing our co-workers. If we like them, that is simply a lucky bonus. But, like them or not, we share a common work environment and have to make the best of it. It is not so with my needleplay friends. I have asked myself if I would like to make money from my stitching. My immediate response is “Of course! Who wouldn’t?” But almost as quickly, doubt begins to surface. What if it becomes a tedious chore? That would then, indeed, be needlework. I prefer to continue thinking of and enjoying my stitching as needleplay.  However, by referring to it as needleplay, I do run the risk of diminishing it’s value or undermining the amount of time, effort, and skill involved in producing a quality stitched piece. That is certainly not my intent. So, I ask you - do you consider this craft of ours needlework or needleplay? Obviously, the choice is yours, and as long as you are enjoying whatever time you have to devote to it, you and I can both be comfortable with the decision.