Needle little connection?
Create and connect at one of these Central Coast sit-and-stitches
Melissa Nornes
By Gretchen Ammerman
Oregon Coast TODAY
No matter how stunning the result, creating something with yarn only uses a few basic moves and can get pretty…dull.
Enter the sit-and-stitch, a gathering of knitters, crocheters and even quilters who share their lives along with their projects and skills.
“We just have so much fun,” said Melissa Nornes, a knitter I met at Sea Street Craft in Depoe Bay on a recent Saturday. “It’s so social and nice to be together.”
A few minutes behind Nornes arrived Carol Rupnow, another member of the group that meets at the shop with some regularity.
“At first, we just had this as a gathering place,” Rupnow said. “But once we started to get to know each other, we started meeting at each other’s homes on the other days, too.”
I asked Rupnow if knitting with others makes her more productive.
“I actually don’t knit more,” she said. “But I sure do talk more.”
A little farther up the coast in the charming town of Cloverdale, Rod & Reel Wool & Wheel also hosts a weekly group, with a second added during the longer days of the year.
“We’re loosely called the spinners group,” said Grace Mick, who owns the shop with husband Jim, manager of the “Rod & Reel” side of the business. “We have people that do needlepoint, felting, all kinds of stuff. We mentor and help each other.”
While doing research for this story, one place kept coming up in conversation no matter where I went: Tidewater Creations in Waldport.
Currently hosting two gatherings a week, Thursday evening is known as being particularly merry.
“Our Thursday sit-and-stitch nights have been a fun success since the opening of our store,” said Randi Stevens, who owns the store with husband, Mark. “It’s a friendly atmosphere where all stitch-abilities and needles and hooks are welcome. We sip our beverages of choice, stitch, laugh and enjoy each other’s company. It has become my favorite time of the week.”
The shop even has complimentary mugs, coffee and a variety of teas available.
A benefit of these particular gatherings is that you can also get supplies before or after, as all three of these shops carry yarn and accessories.
Though many crafters create things for family and friends, others go beyond.
Sea Street Craft owner Christa Holmes was recently contacted by a school hoping some knitters would be willing to create winter hats for some of their students in need and she presented the project to the sit-and-stitch group. I met another knitter who regularly makes hats for premature babies in hospitals.
But the primary purpose of the sit-and-stitch is connection.
On a rare quiet Saturday when I went into Sea Street Craft, I found only one person in the cozy meeting area. As we fell into conversation, I found out part of her motivation to attend the gatherings was to find neighbors. It turned out we lived less than 10 blocks apart.
A selection of organized sit-and-stitches on the Central Coast
Rod & Reel Wool & Wheel
Saturday, 10 am to noon
34445 S Hwy. 101, Cloverdale
FMI, go to the Rod & Reel Wool & Wheel Facebook page or call 503-392-3277
Tidewater Creations
Thursday, 4 to 8 pm • Friday, 11 am to 1 pm
440 NE Commercial Street, Waldport
FMI, go to twistedtidewater.com or call 541-709-7876
Sea Street Craft
Saturday, starts at 10 am
272 SE Hwy. 101, Depoe Bay
For more information, go to seastreetcraft.com or call 541-764-9093