The Head Stitch(es) in Charge: Allie & Claire
The BFF duo and the heart and soul behind the beloved "The Stitch Needlepoint Club"
You know how sometimes you just get a good feel about absolute strangers people? Something inside you that says, “this is someone you could jump into a foxhole with”. A little over a year ago, that was the exact feeling I had when I saw this account called “The Stitch Needlepoint Club” (“T.S.N.C.”) pop up on my Instagram feed. Actually, to be more precise, it was this reel (linked here) that stopped me in my scroll.
There really is nothing like stitching in an outdoor shower…..in New England in January. This made me actually laugh out loud when I saw it and my interest was immediately piqued. Enter Allie and Claire - the BFF duo behind T.S.N.C., an online stitching community that just turned 1 year old.
Allie and Claire very thoughtfully embody all that is T.S.N.C. - intentional, thought-filled and relatable. The social media community they have created is one that lifts up others and celebrates stitchers everywhere. From virtual monthly stitch alongs, finishing classes, stitch school and monthly guest speakers, the heart and soul of their content is crystal clear…..it is content that *serves* their readership.
Let this post be your sign….pay attention and cling tightly to the people who cheer you on and who always bring out the best in you when they are around (even if it is via FaceTime). Those are the relationships worth nurturing and holding onto. Those are ones that will transform you into the best version of yourself.
I hope you enjoy getting to know Allie and Claire by reading (or watching) this, just as much as we enjoyed putting it together.
Follow along with T.S.N.C. on Instagram. Where you can also find Allie and Claire’s Instagram accounts (both fabulous follows if I do say so)
Curious about T.S.N.C. and how you can become a member ( or just drop in monthly)? Check out their thorough FAQs here
Allie, Claire and I have teamed up to give one lucky stitcher some fabulous TSNC merchandise and a three month membership to The Stitch Needlepoint Club PLUS a copy of my upcoming book, “The Finishing School Diary” when it releases this March. See details in the post below:
We met on Instagram probably 5 years ago now! We met through our mutual friend @purely_nora; and have been friends ever since! We FaceTime multiple times a day but didn't actually *meet* until we packed our first round of orders this past May when I flew down to Allie's house. lt was like we had been friends forever, hah! Now it's super weird when we go a day without chatting, about anything!
We had the idea for TSNC last fall when we both started stitching again after a few years of being idle. We threw out the idea for a virtual stitch club on our personal Instagrams and invited anyone who was interested to join us. We started the TSNC Instagram to take pics of our work and just have a joint stitch account so we didn't have to bombard our grids with our projects LOL.
We hosted our first stitch along last January and without sounding cliche, we were absolutely blown away by the response; we had 100 people logged onto our first call and had a ton of messages after the meeting from people saying they couldn't get in!
It was clear that there was a demographic of stitchers, whether new or seasoned, that was looking for a virtual community so we bought a business Zoom account to accommodate the growing group and formed an LLC and the rest is history! It's been so fun learning from one another and getting to know so many of the designers, shop owners & finishers that we love in the last year and we have so much more to come!
We turned to Substack because Claire had been using it as her blog space for a few years and was familiar with the setup. It's such a user and creator friendly platform to organize members, share information and to connect with other Substackers!
Claire: I'm a huge gardener so the winter is a time of year where I experiment with new hobbies to keep my hands and brain busy.
I ordered my first needlepoint canvas, an 18 mesh Sara Fitz lobster, when she initially launched them in January 2020. At the time, my boys were 3 and 18 months, so my version of “stitching” was more like squeezing in a few stitches here and there, not so much as a consistent practice. In early March (5 days before the COVID shutdown) I found out I was pregnant & stitching calmed my nerves about all of the *unexpected* at the time.. I would slowly chip away at colors and loved the way it soothed my mind. I purchased a few canvases in between and just really enjoyed the process of it all! I ended up having a miscarriage on Mother’s Day weekend and I just wasn’t connecting with stitching throughout that process so I put down my canvases and they stayed tucked away (even through a move from CT to MA) for three years!
I didn't pick stitching back up until November 2023 when we put our 13 year old golden retriever down. I was in desperate need of a distraction so I uncovered my unfinished canvases and tried to resurrect them. I ordered a few more projects, watched the tutorials by Stephanie from Spellbound, took her beginner course and it reignited my excitement for the craft. Was my *early* work perfect? Heck nope!!
I'm not sure what changed this time but I can't get enough of stitching; I'm constantly inspired by our TSNC community, their creativity and genuine desire to help one another grow, it's really amazing! My goal for this year is to try to paint from charts that I've purchased (eek!) and improve my self finishing skills!
Allie: I first got into needlepoint back in college- maybe my Sophomore or Junior year. My friend Caroline initially taught me, and I had a LNS (that is no longer around) paint me a custom key fob for my boyfriend (now husband). He still has said key fob, although he no longer uses it!
Claire: Sara Fitz Lobster
Allie: The keyfob for my now husband and this cutie gnome ornament
Claire: Plum Stitchery Mermaid Weathervane and yay! finally finished stitching my Thorn Alexander Scallop!! I also have this frame in the queue and am stitching one of these for each of my three children.
Allie: My Shop Penny & Penny cane lampshade! I am SO excited about it. I'll be following their stitch guide which suggests a few different decorative stitches! It will cover a lamp for my daughter's nursery- arriving in May! I am also working on this *adorable* Love Bunny pillow from Spruce Street Studio
Claire: UGH my son's Moby Dick belt.. vineyard merino is just not a joy (for me) to stitch with on 18.. I'm plugging along but not willingly!
Allie: I started this GORGEOUS canvas from Thorn Alexander, which I absolutely adore, but it is just so overwhelmingly big. I need to put it on stretcher bars and a stand. Hoping I want to stitch it again soon because I am determined to finish it. I just think the size makes me feel like it'll never get done. BUT IT WILL....one day. Eeek!
Claire: Stop losing your scissors!
Allie:
You can watch our full conversation and Instagram LIVE by clicking the button below ⬇️! We really did have the *best* time. Don’t mind my blunder as my camera was facing the opposite way when the LIVE began. LOL!
Thank you again, Allie & Claire for sharing your story with us and for always showing up as YOU - it is precisely what our needlepoint community needs❣️
Questions or comments? We would love to hear from you! You can reach out here on Substack and can of course find us on Instagram: TheFinishingSchoolBlog and The Stitch Needlepoint Club
