When last I blogged, I was in a bar/cafe/restaurant...I'm not sure what you call it, having coffee and finishing my thoughts on my Nashville adventures. I promised that this would be a 2 part blog post, so here you go. I never really had put Nashville on my must see list, and I can report now that I would have missed out. I want to go back and explore the city. My sister sent me a message about seeing the Angel wings...now I need to go back and see that.

My first trip exposed me to a different side of people who I already know and like hanging out with - whether you call them stitchers or quilters, it's the creative women of the world. There's a lot of articles and research on the benefits of staying creative as you age, and my dinner companions on one of the nights have an interesting take on that.

Traveling to a show like this can be lonely, when you're the newbie in the crowd. This group was incredibly helpful, warm, and funny - but there was a downside when it came to meals. On the first night, I was waiting to be seated in the restaurant, when two wonderful women came up (Kristy and Kathy) and asked if I would join them. They had been through the room earlier in the day, and remembered me. A good meal with great company can become a meal to remember. These ladies had at one point operated a needle arts store, but it had closed...they now serve their former clients as part personal shoppers, part concierge service. They would source out materials for a project, and deliver it to customers who no longer drive, or are housebound for one reason or another.

In the course of my researching this blog post, the graphic above comes from compas.org - a Minnesota based organization which puts creative arts programs (through volunteers) into senior living facilities, giving residents a hands on approach. Although my dining companions don't live in Minnesota, they have a holistic approach to stitching shared with this group.

Back to the stitchers, it appears that there is one big advantage that they have over quilters, and that's portability. It's easier to bring a stitching project with you than it can be to bring a quilting project....there are options in the quiltverse, such as English Paper Piecing and Handwork, but a lot of it isn't. I know that when I pack for the weekend, it looks as if I'm taking the whole sewing room (and it feels like it). I know that on some of my open sew nights at my local quilt shop, I'm often looking for handwork to bring so I don't have to haul the machine in and out.

The one downside that both groups have is diminishing eyesight. As we age (as I age), I know that I reach for my 'readers' more often than not, and I have several pair stashed around the house.