Hat City Scissor Squad: Behind the crafting ( a biography)
August 2004 a balmy summer afternoon. Four girls decide to get together for an afternoon of crafting. Pure unadulterated crafting. Sarah McNally, Heather McNally, Mary McNally and Michelle Barney. Looking to bond and converse over their creative endeavors. They hoped to begin to get together on a regular basis. But we all know how that goes. I can't meet on Thursdays, I want it at my house, and so on and so on. Also it was still just three sisters and a friend getting together in their living room. Nothing that hadn't been done before. Thus the yahoo scissorsqaud group was born.
Sarah McNally head and founder of the yahoo site hoped to entice local people to get together in a social setting and craft. The hope was that crafters from all walks of life would join, not just knitters. Well, it worked...
In early October of 2004 the first official meeting was held. Hat City Ale House was the location of choice. The girls were ready to meet their first new member, Anne. All were excited and amazed she showed up. It was then and there something amazing was starting to happen. Booze-Friends-Crafts.
Over the next few months more new members started to join. Eva, Jennie, Christine, Lauren, Edy...the list goes on. With so many joining they began to get repeat names, another Michelle, another Lauren, another Anne!! Insanity!!
Shortly after the roster began to grow. They started to hold events and excursions. There was Bath Product Night, Yarn shopping, craft swaps, yarn swaps, Monster making day, Sheep and wool festivals. All extremely successful and extremely fun.
As for the actual crafting so many great projects have taken place. Aside from some awesome knitting, there has been crocheting, embroidery, jewelry making, spinning, rug hooking, beading, sewing, more recently karaoke, the list goes on and on. How do you like that for diverse crafting! Although the jury is still out if whether or not karaoke is a craft.
Location of the meeting has been all around the danbury area. Hat city, molten Java, Hot shots bar and grill, Rosy tomorrow and most recently Molly Darcy's. Each location having its charms, but still always on the quest for the perfect fit. Again Booze-Friends-Crafts and along way it was realized good light is important as well.
A year and a half after their first meeting, the Hat city scissor squad now meets at Molly Darcy's. they've gained many new members and begun many new wonderful friendships (with a little drama thrown in along the way). Now Tuesdays just wouldn't feel like Tuesdays without a few beers, a crazy teaching story from Jennie, a challenging project and a few wonderfully terrible karaoke songs.
What's in store for the future of the Hat City Scissor Squad? Who knows! Most likely more cool members , exciting events and a lot of fun. At least that's all the girls can hope for.
