MUENSTER, Sask. – The 16 Benedictine monks at St. Peter’s Abbey faced an invasion of women this spring.
From May 26 to June 5, the 108-year-old abbey in central Saskatchewan hosted 250 women from across the West. They slept in the dorm rooms, ate their meals in the dining hall and were welcome to join the monks in the chapel for prayers.
During the day, the women learned various needle and fabric classes from a dozen experts from across Canada and the United States.
Wendy Toye, who owns a sewing business in Humboldt, Sask., has organized nine of these annual Stitches conferences.
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The growing popularity each year is a reflection of the rise in popularity of needlecraft, she said.
Everyone works on computers these days and they miss the tactile touch and creativity that sewing projects offer. Toye found women wanted hands-on workshops.
“They didn’t want to just listen. They wanted to sew and be with others who like what they do.”
Toye said the abbey was the perfect location in a rural setting with no distractions.
“They love it. I walk down the dorm hall and I can hear women giggling and laughing,” said Toye.
Word-of-mouth is her main advertising but her store also has a website. She also sends out pamphlets about the conference to quilting, knitting and sewing supply stores across the Prairies.
