by Tanya Cromartie-Twaddle

Check this out! I heard that a small group of Riverwest women get together at a local bar to stitch and bitch! Yeah! They gather monthly with the handwork of their choosing and stitch and talk and partake of refreshments and gossip, and stitch some more. Sounded so cool to the gossiper… oops, I mean the crafter in me (I’m pretty handy with a needle and thread!), I had to get the 411 on the situation! So, I went down to the Foundation Bar and talked to one of the women involved in the group, Jackie Rocket, who is one of the bartenders. So what is a stitch and bitch? Jackie says it’s a group of girls who sit in the back of the Foundation the last Wednesday of every month to knit, crochet, bead, gossip, and drink! I told her that I had originally heard that the group was made up of punk rockers. She informed me that anyone is welcome… a couple of guys have even tried a stitch or two with the group! The bar is known as a punk bar, but as far as music goes you might hear anything from Madonna to Blondie. Who are these woman? I asked if they were artists. “I think everyone has an artistic streak whether they choose to nurture it or not,” Jackie responded. Jackie, who creates, among other things, cigar box purses, considers herself “more of a crafter than an artist.” In face, Jackie got the idea of the stitch and bitch from the website “Get Crafty.” She discovered on the site’s “Glitter” message board that “other girls across the country were doing it… why not start a chapter here?” They had their first get together in October 2001 with a group of about 14 and they currently have a steady gathering of at least six. I feel this is a revival of a form of socializing that the grand-womenfolk before us appreciated. It’s the old-fashioned way of keeping up-to-date on the neighborhood news, catching up with old friends, making new ones, or simply dishing the dirt! And yeah, the group has a signature drink: the slipknot. I believe it’s Vodka, Peach Schnapps, a splash of orange juice, 7-Up, and Chambord, a raspberry liqueur. So if you’re in need of a few hours away from the family, want some girl time, want to exchange clever craft ideas, or just straight up wanna gossip, the Stitch and Bitch is where you want to be! Riverwest Currents – Volume 1 – Issue 7 – August 2002
Stitch and Bitch