By Buffy Calvert

The Stitch Witches at work. From left: Doris Hartung, Muriel Clarke, Rita Carney, Eddie Piervincenzi (Not pictured, other frequent SWs: Lesley Gray, Margie Haugeto, Maria Ditchek)

On the second and fourth Mondays at 2 pm, they stream into the library bearing oddly shaped bundles in elegant tapestry or ordinary plastic bags. Chatting and laughing as they settle around the table in the Community Room, they pull out neatly cut quilting squares, knitting growing on round needles, embroidery stretched on frames, heaps of floss and yarn, patterns, pin cushions, crochet hooks. They turn to each other to unravel obscure directions (“What does, ‘join with sl st in 3^rd ch of ch-4,’ mean?”), seek counsel on color combinations, how to appliqué or crochet.

Stitch Witches tackle projects from elementary (remember those square, metal-toothed looms we wove potholders on in second grade?), to the most sophisticated.  They welcome all comers, no experience necessary, and admit, “We sometimes bring hand work we only do here!” ~

Meets: Andes Public Library, 2-4 pm, 2^nd  and  4^th Mondays. ~