Tea Towel Friends

My computer helps connect me to the world. From the cozy comfort of my dining room table, I am able to chat with friends around the world. Right now my table is cluttered with post-it notes as I work to create a schedule for a tea towel exchange group I belong to.

For several months now I have been actively involved with a delightful group of ladies. Although we have never met 'in person', we keep up lively conversation and sharing with the assistance of our online chat group. We all share a love of 'afternoon tea' and decided that it would be really fun to exchange embroidered tea towels with one another. One friend, Martha, shared how she had some vintage tea towels that had been her mother's. Each one was stitched by a friend and was initialed with the stitchers initials. The ideas started rolling, and before long we had organized into a group of active tea towel exchangers! Our exchanges have included tea themed tea towels with our names or initials and holiday towels. Autumn, Christmas, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Spring, and other themes have been selected as themes for the tea towels that we stitch for our friends. Each month a new flurry of packages are sent and received from all over the country. The tea towels are magnificent! The delightful little gifts tucked in as "extras" are appreciated. But the best of all are the strings of friendship that has developed among the participants. We have all learned that it truly is more blessed to give than to receive!