Next Soup & Thread is February 17!

We hosted our first Soup & Thread community sewing bee on January 27 at the Hideout, and were blown away by the response. Forty or so talented participants brought their skills and creativity to the Chinook Lounge and helped jump start this ambitious project in style, decorating their squares with gorgeous needlework, rickrack, buttons, and more.  We ran out of squares! Honestly, I was so moved by everyone’s enthusiasm for the project, and for this new manifestation of the ever-surprising ways that soup can bring people together. Thank you one and all. It was, as one guest said, “Good vibes central.”

Soup & Thread reconvenes — this time on the South Side — on Saturday, February 17, from 1 to 4 pm at the Creative Chicago Reuse Exchange, 2124 W. 82nd Place. CCRX is a nonprofit dedicated to the redistribution of materials, supplies, and equipment to teachers, artists, community groups, and creatives all over Chicago. Their warehouse is a wonderland of reclaimed tools, books, art supplies, toys, sporting goods, fabric, yarn — you name it — so leave time for shopping. If you’re driving, head west on 82nd Place toward the rail embankment; CCRX and its parking lot are at the end of the street on the right.

As a reminder: Soup & Thread events are free and family friendly. We provide all materials, and you don’t need to know how to sew. In fact, you don’t have to sew if you don’t want to! All are welcome to participate at whatever level suits their mood. In the first half hour we will guide participants through the mission and parameters of the project, and will be available to troubleshoot and answer questions as the afternoon unfurls. We will provide a light snack of soup and bread, donated by our friends at The Urban Canopy and Middlebrow.

One of the overlapping goals of Soup & Thread is to foster conversation around food, crafting, and community and we saw that happen organically at the Hideout, so clearly it’s not hard to start chatting while you sew. But in case you want direction we’re also providing fun conversation prompts at each table; look for the vintage recipe boxes, pull a card, and start sharing!

We will be documenting the event with audio, video, and photos to be used as part of a later installation of the finished tablecloth and supporting materials at a gallery space still TBD. If you’d prefer not to be documented, please just let one of the organizers know.

Oh, and please try to RSVP via the CCRX site so that we know how many folks to expect. Thanks — and see you on the 17th!

–Martha, Sheila, and Andrea