Today was a special day at BARN’s Fiber Studio. After more than five years of weekly virtual meetings, members of the beloved Tuesday Slow-Stitch group joined the regular Wednesday in-person session for a unique community gathering.

The virtual slow-stitch sessions began in March 2020, when everything shut down in response to COVID-19. This dedicated community has been meeting online every Tuesday for over five years now. Through computer screens, they’ve formed genuine friendships, celebrated finished projects, and supported each other through countless stitches.

When BARN could safely reopen its studio spaces four years ago, the Wednesday in-person Open Studio Slow-Stitch sessions began. Every Wednesday, a core group gathers in the Fiber Arts Studio for in-person stitching and socializing.

While many Tuesday participants join only online due to distance, some decided it was time for a visit, joining this Wednesday’s in-person session—and what a wonderful decision that was! Members made the journey from Washington cities like Burien, Seattle, and Des Moines, while others traveled from as far as Ohio, Canada, Montana, and California.

The atmosphere in the Fiber Studio was electric with excitement as voices that had only been heard through Zoom speakers filled the room, and hands that had shared projects only through camera views could finally touch the same materials and admire each other’s work up close.

The experience was so positive that some of the Seattle-area participants have decided to make the trip to Wednesday sessions once every couple of months, creating an ongoing bridge between the virtual and in-person communities, says coordinator Dale Walker.

This gathering was a beautiful reminder of how shared passion for slow stitching can bring together people across vast distances, turning virtual friendships into real-world connections and strengthening the bonds that make this community so special.