Flourishing into a haven for creatives, Whitsunday Social Craft Group and Boomerang Bags has blossomed over the last three years.
Tina Everett, who started the group, did so with a desire to bring fellow crafters in the community together.
“This is such a transient area, so you get lonely and sort of get stuck in your own thing at home crafting,” explained Tina.
“A group like this gets people out of their bubble, while you still get to do something.”
Tina is a dedicated member and instigator of the group, having nursed the group since its inception.
She continues to expand the offerings, taking on a Wednesday disability group, where she plans craft for individuals with disability and their carers, as well as crafts activities for other days of the week, and is now welcoming teachers to host their own classes in the studio.
On Thursday, the group host more of a social gathering, with members each bringing their own projects.
“So today, we have Julie and Sandra doing diamond art. Bobby is too, but last week she was doing needle work. Krystal here is doing some crocheting,” tina explaimed.
“We also have some sewing machines here that people can use, and sometimes people just come here to draw and have some social activity.”
Tina has recently been looking at expanding the group, and welcoming teachers to host craft classes.
“I’m hoping we can start with mosaics, and often a lot of our materials that we use are donated from the community, so I’m hoping that maybe a builder will donate extra or leftover mosaic tiles, or even plywood boards, that we can use to back our mosaics.”
For the members of the group, the group offers a social connection without the pressure of interacting with strangers that do not share a similar hobby.
“It’s not like going to coffee with a new person, you can bring your knitting or craft, and bond over that,” Tina said.
Many of the members join solely for this social aspect, and some of the group is made up of people who have only just moved to the area and are wanting to make friends.
“And you don’t have to bring your craft the first time,” said Tina.
“Maybe just grab a coffee and join us for a few hours, have a chat. We welcome anyone and everyone.”
To find out more, head to Whitsunday Social Craft Group on Facebook, or drop into the studio in the Whitsunday Shopping Centre, just a few doors up from Coles. They are open Monday to Friday 10am to 2pm, and every second Saturday.
