Craft Night

I stood in the nucleus of the craft movement tonight and it was fabulous.

I was there for a story I'm working on, so I won't write a ton about it yet (especially since I still need to write the story, which was due on Monday). Here are the basics:

I attended a party that's held roughly once a month at a hilarious woman named Beth's house. Beth sends out a casual e-mail to friends when the mood strikes, something along the lines of: bring a munchie, a drink, and a craft project you're working on or come empty handed and help someone else work on their craft.

The house quickly filled with 20 or so men and women, who sat on the floor, in chairs, at at table, wherever, working on everything from knitting hats to making wallets out of old bicycle tire tubes. The greatest part was that the people hardly knew each other. They'd met one another in grocery stores or at coffee shops and exchanged e-mail addresses (and blog URLs, in some cases). What a fun mix of people, though--a college art professor, a graphic designer, a gal who just moved to town from New Orleans and brought her plastic bins full of craft supplies still packaged from being shipped, etc.

I learned about the party from Klay--thanks, Klay!

I know a reporter isn't supposed to get too close to a story, but I loved talking with them about how they've overturned the sod in their yards and replaced it with veggie gardens (like me!) and how excited they are about a new monthly craft fair that's starting in Spokane that doesn't charge vendors a fee (more on that later). The only requirement is that the crafts have to be handmade, locally.
I would have loved to stay longer and I would have if I hadn't received a phone call from J saying that while I was experiencing Nirvana he was juggling a baby and a 3 year old who'd just had diarrhea in her pants three times at the grocery store.

Sorry. No photo. A photographer for the magazine was there, so I didn't think to bring my camera.

Comments

[Arlene]

Hi Megan,
Sounds fun, I'd love to more about the monthly craft fair.
And put up a link to your craft article when it's published...'k?

[Megan]

Hi, Arlene!
I definitely will post an update when I learn more about the craft fairs. I sent an e-mail to the coordinators last night and will call today if I don't hear from them soon.
The story about the party comes out in the September issue of Spokane Metro magazine. I'll post a link then, but in the meantime you can read more about the magazine here:
www.spokanepublishing.com

[beth]

Oh poor Bo!! I'm sure auntie peg can relate to those grocery store bathroom mishaves. Do you remember Megan??? :)

Hey i've been meaning to ask have you dabbled in knitting yet? I was thinking about learning.
Bethany

[Megan]

Hi, Bethany! Oh, yes. I remember those incidents at Almacs all too well.
It's funny that you ask about knitting. Lately I've been getting an incredible urge to take it up. I knew how when I was a kid, but I struggle with it now. At the library near my house there's a drop-in knitting session once a month led by a librarian. Maybe I'll try to learn online before then and then tap into the "limited instruction" she offers.
I don't want to make anything complicated--just some hats and coffee cup cozies.
Too bad we can't take a class together! :(
Thanks for the package yesterday. I opened the container of seashells and could smell the ocean. Boo hoo hoooooo.