While Stitch ‘n Bitch was brought to Muncie in 2014, the gathering that takes place at 3 p.m. every Sunday at The Cup resembles knitting groups that gathered over 70 years ago.
“Stitch ‘n Bitch goes as far back as World War II,” said Abigayle Devendorf, a Ball State alumna and regular Stitch ‘n Bitch attendee. “Groups of women would join together in organized clubs to knit and talk. The term ‘Stitch ‘n Bitch’ was popularized in the 1980s with Anne Macdonald and her book, ‘Social History of American Knitting.’”
Erica Fox decided to bring the Stitch ‘n Bitch to Muncie after living in the community for slightly over a year. Fox was having trouble making connections throughout Muncie, and wanted to give people a place to meet new people, talk and be creative.
“I was in a band back then, but we mostly played out of town shows,” Fox said. “I knew my partner, my band mates and my daughter, but I didn’t really know a lot of other people in the community.”
When she started Stitch ‘n Bitch, she was only able to attend the first few meetings before she moved away. Not wanting the club to come to an end because Fox had to leave, Muncie native Moth Danner became the group’s new administrator.
After three years, Fox returned to Muncie to work for Ball State as the web programming specialist for the Center for Business and Economic Research. Fox said she missed the humbleness of the Midwest while she was gone, and was surprised to see Danner was able to keep Stitch ‘n Bitch active.
“As soon as I came back there was an actual presence for it,” Fox said.
To help reach out to the community, Danner started a Stitch ‘n Bitch Facebook page, which now has 231 members. One of the members, Lucian Cruor, said he likes how the group allows him to meet people who have the same interests as him, but also have new perspectives to share.
“You can stitch, you can bitch or you can learn to do either of those things,” Fox said. “You don’t even have to make stuff. Even if you just want to have coffee or meet people you can come.”
Conversations may revolve around a wide variety of things, but most often the group meets to sit back, have a drink and just be together.
Danner said anyone is welcome to enjoy the company that Stitch ‘n Bitch provides, no matter what they do during the meeting time. Those interested in stitching, however, should bring their own sewing tools such as needles, hooks, thread, pins and yarn.
Brittaniey Edwards, however, brings her pencils and drawing pad to sketch during the meeting time. Others have brought school work or even random items to share with the group.
For the members who do stitch, Fox said they are hoping to do more yarn swaps where attendees can get rid of unwanted yarn and swap for colors they want.
“Everyone who is a dedicated crafter has a pile of shame somewhere, a pile of stuff they are never going to use,” Fox said.
The next yarn swap will be Nov. 12, but the group will continue to meet each Sunday at The Cup.
Contact Maggie Stolfa with comments at mjstolfa@bsu.edu.
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