the jill2day tribe

I have been thinking of all my customers (you?) a lot lately (for obvious reasons!) And I will miss the interaction I have had with each and everyone of them (you?). Without choosing a target demographics, I seemed to have found one, and oddly enough they were a lot like me! Women of a certain age (and that might be chronological, mental, or emotional!) who take on life with a grain of salt and a bit of humor and march to a slightly different drum beat.

I am amazed at the number of teachers who wear my garments to class. Fellow artists and craftsmen liked them. (my jewelry and handbag collection grew at ever show, as I did trades!) Women who knew what comfort brings to our lives wear them, and people who just want to wrap them selves in a bit of warmth, color, or recycled fabrics, bought them.

But what got me most was how nice they (you) all were! In this day and age of snark and vitriol in our entertainment and on-line, and our impersonal lives outside of our homes, it is easy to forget how really wonderful people are. I have been invited to homes, had generous offers for supplies, been graciously forgiven for slip-ups, been entrusted with making memories, and so much more from so many  through the last six years.

Yesterday I ran into a different tribe of these women. In my photo group, we have started challenging each other to take "people photos". So far, if I didn't know the subjects,  I have done this with subterfuge and secrecy, but yesterday I went for straight forward honesty. I decided to go to the Sow's Ear. It is a fantastic refuge in a near by town. Mostly yarn shop, with the added benefits of coffee, bakery and lunch, it is always filled with people who are not in a hurry (those that are, take their coffee to go).

---

It turns out that there were only a couple tables of people there, so I started with the usual secrecy; get a coffee, sit at a table that is close enough to get a picture if I use a little zoom, and act like I am doing something else. Well it soon became evident that these were ladies of the above description, so I went to say "hello". I gave them a quick rundown of my reasons and intentions, and asked if I could photo them. They agreed, applied chapstick, and worried about the dirty plate on the table - yup these were my folks! They were a mother and daughters (in-law?) laughing, sipping and creating. Even grandma was there - it was the anniversary of her death, and so they had her hand-made sweater draped on one of the chairs!

In the back room I found another huddle of women measuring, knitting, perusing patterns and laughing. I truly think that women - especially "experienced" ones - are a major untapped resource of joy and comfort in our society, and we better start acknowledging that soon because we need more of both those things! Fortunately we have found each other.

I suppose in an earlier age, it was sewing clubs, quilting bees, church groups, and bridge clubs that did it, most of those have passed as more and more women have found independence and are in the workplace, but the coffee shops and knitting stores, the quilting groups, and moms groups have taken up the slack. Even Etsy, with the teams and forums is a meeting place for the like-minded.

Thanks to all of you for the jill2day tribe and I hope our paths will continue to cross. 

for a couple more pics of the Sow's ear tribe, go to my Daily photo page for today (Feb 12),

My husband jokingly (and endearingly) refers to "the Crones" - my own small local tribe of women who laugh and sip, occasionally travel, make things, hug a lot, and love each other, but also understands how much they all mean to me. He loved to watch me interact with my non-local "crones" at the shows. Usually he would be on a bench near by chuckling as he listened to us "ohh" and "ahh" and twirl and talk and become friends over recycled scraps of sweaters! I know I will miss you all... and I think he will too!