[00:00:00] Lisa Woolfork: Hello, stitchers. Welcome to stitch, please. The official podcast of black women's stitch, the sewing group, where black lives matter. I'm your host Lisa wool fork. I'm a fourth generation sewing enthusiast with more than 20 years of sewing experience. I am looking forward to today's conversation. So sit back, relax, and get ready to get your stitch together.
[00:00:44] Lisa Woolfork: Hello, stitchers. Thank you very much for joining us for today's episode of the stitch please podcast. We are talking today about DC fr tails. This was a party that just happened a few days ago. I feel like I am marginally recovered from [00:01:00] the. Uh, event on Saturday night, I'm recording here on Monday morning.
[00:01:05] Lisa Woolfork: And so I'm calling this episode D DC fr tails, a love story. This is gonna give me a chance to talk about the black ass, good time that I had at DC fr tails. I had. So much fun as well as to make space for an interview with Naomi P Johnson, who I consider to be the heart and soul of DC fr tails. And I'm gonna have her on a little bit later in the program to talk about her vision for the event, um, why she wanted to bring it to DC and how she managed to do it in such a short time.
[00:01:39] Lisa Woolfork: But to begin, I wanted to talk about. Um, the, the DC fr tails, from my perspective and a little bit of the, the pre-game that we did, uh, with a group of friends from black women's stitch, who came from all over the country, um, near and far as they say to, um, support this event and [00:02:00] to commune and be together in this really beautiful space that Naomi.
[00:02:05] Lisa Woolfork: And her team created. So in some ways, um, I think about DC fr tails as, uh, I think, I think some, I remember reading somewhere on one of the Instagram post as a dream come true. Um, and I think it really is a powerful affirmation that if you have an idea, um, that it is, it is something that's worth feeding, it's worth cultivating and nurturing because when you bring it to fruition, chances are that the dream that you had is also a dream that other people have had.
[00:02:38] Lisa Woolfork: And, um, you know, somebody's gotta dream it. Somebody's gotta do it and it could totally be you. Um, and this was something that for me, as a curator of black women's stitch, I think for me after feeling so, um, isolated in, um, majority white sewing spaces that to create black women's stitch, um, [00:03:00] was. You know, uh, something that I wasn't sure was even possible, but when I did it and continue to do it, I continue to get signs from the community signs, from the divine signs, from the universe that this is a good thing and a necessary thing.
[00:03:16] Lisa Woolfork: And something that is not just useful for me, but there's lots and lots of other folks who are grateful for it. And I think that DC fr tails seems to follow that same path and that's something I was so excited about to be able to support black women's stitch, um, Supported DC fr tails in a couple ways.
[00:03:34] Lisa Woolfork: We, um, I went on and did a live an IG live video on the Tuesday after ticket sales opened up on Sunday. I think ticket sales opened Sunday, December 1st and by Tuesday, which was the time that I was on the live. They, um, my IG live video, they had all been sold. And I remember because, um, there was a woman who was thinking about coming from Dallas.
[00:03:59] Lisa Woolfork: I was doing a [00:04:00] live video because I was procrastinating. I say, it's not procrastinating. It's procrastinating. C R a F T that's. Usually when I jumped to do like a bunch of crafts sew related project. In addition in, instead of not in addition to, instead of doing my actual work. And so I was procrastinating and got on IG live and started just talking and chatting with people about, you know, me being excited about going to DC fr tails, blah, blah, blah.
[00:04:26] Lisa Woolfork: And, um, people were trying to figure out how to get tickets, etcetera. And, uh, I remember Lois Monet was the person who I think she bought the actual last ticket that was available. And this was again, just three short days after they had gone on sale on Sunday. And so that was a lot of fun to kind of help generate some of the enthusiasm around the event.
[00:04:47] Lisa Woolfork: Um, and then, um, we also, black women, stitch also got a ticket as a giveaway that we could give away. Um, and since this things had been so scarce, um, it was a pretty popular giveaway and I [00:05:00] believe so Shauna. So Shannon on Instagram one, our ticket, and she was there at the event on Wednesday and she was so excited and it was so great to see her.
[00:05:10] Lisa Woolfork: Um, I feel like I wish I had taken more photos. I tried to get a lot of photos and post them on my stories and post them on Instagram. But I think, you know, I think everyone, well, many people have had the experience where you're trying to decide between documenting the event and just being in the moment and enjoying the event.
[00:05:29] Lisa Woolfork: And I felt like I was very much in the moment enjoying the event. Um, and that kind of took precedent precedence over the documentation though. I did try to get some documentation too, and there was a professional photographer there as well as a photo booth. So there are other, there are photos out there and I cannot wait to see those.
[00:05:49] Lisa Woolfork: Um, I wanna talk a little bit about the pre-game I call it just the pre-game that we did in advance of DC fr tails. Um, And there's a super early pre-game where we're trying to [00:06:00] figure out how to like, make our outfits and, and by we I'm talking about, um, the folks in black women's stitch, um, who came through for the event, um, people were sewing, sewing, sewing, sewing at the last minute.
[00:06:14] Lisa Woolfork: Um, one of my friends was sewing in the hotel. She had bought her sewing machine so she could finish sewing her outfit for the night. Um, it was just, it was so much great enthusiasm, this same friend. Um, she can find her at Instagram at so D D she was like, I decided to get a hotel room at the last minute because I wanted to hang out and so, like, it was just so wonderful.
[00:06:37] Lisa Woolfork: And I'm saying all this, just to say that, um, Do I think tend to like, to sew in community and that I think because sewing could be such a solitary activity, it's just like you at the sewing machine, um, that when we get a chance to kind of get together, it's something that I think we're really excited about.
[00:06:57] Lisa Woolfork: And that's something that I love. And that's why I [00:07:00] created, um, black women's stitch and the stitch please, and the beach week and all of that. So that black women could come together in a way that doesn't expose us to the toxic and racist harms that we face in every other aspects of our lives. Um, and so in many other aspects of our lives and I, again, as I, as you all well know, I do not apologize for that.
[00:07:19] Lisa Woolfork: Um, I do center black women, girls and fems, and that's what I'm, that's who I'm, that's who this podcast is, um, elevating and lifting up it's available for anybody to listen. Um, but the, the folks that we are lifting up here are other black women, girls and fems. And I got to see some of those women this weekend.
[00:07:38] Lisa Woolfork: It, it was a freaking. blast. Oh my gosh. It was so good. I don't know if I could hear it in my voice, how tired I am. It was that much fun. So, um, we started the pre-game like weeks and weeks before I was pretty proud of myself that I got half my dress finished, maybe three weeks before the event. [00:08:00] And then a week before, maybe five days before, to be honest, I got the second part of the dress finished and then like two days before I finished my accessories.
[00:08:10] Lisa Woolfork: So I was just trying to pace everything out so I could get all the garments sewn plus. The stuff for my regular life and so that worked out pretty well. So I felt really good about that. Um, so then on Friday morning, I picked up a couple of friends from the airport, some black women stitch folks who came in and that's, um, Katrina, the maker and, um, Kora Renee who has Kora Renee fabrics, this gorgeous custom fabric, um, business, as well as, as I said, Katrina, the maker who is, um, just an amazing sewist and maker and entrepreneur.
[00:08:46] Lisa Woolfork: She's got like some, um, meetups in her home city of Houston, as well as, you know, all the other things that she's doing. So picked up from the airport. And our first stop is eating because everywhere I [00:09:00] go, I look for the two F. Fabric and food. It is a great miracle that I did not manage to buy any fabric this weekend.
[00:09:09] Lisa Woolfork: I don't know that is completely unlike me, but I did have some really great food. We went to busboys and poets, which is a small chain of bookstores. That's dedicated to, um, different social justice initiatives. And I believe it circulates around Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes used to be a bus boy in DC.
[00:09:32] Lisa Woolfork: And so I think, and also since Langston Hughes is apparently obviously if he didn't know, Langston Hughes is an amazing, well renowned poet of the Harlem Renaissance and beyond. And so it was a, it was just great. I had read about the bus boys at poets, but I had never been to one and I think they have maybe four or five.
[00:09:48] Lisa Woolfork: But I went there and I'm happy to report that the food was good. I got a lamb burger and I got something called crab grits. I love grits. I love [00:10:00] them. And I had never had grits with crab in them, so good. So that was great. And I bought a book, so I bought Tana Hassi Coates's book, the water dancer. I'm teaching it in my class next week and I didn't have a copy yet.
[00:10:14] Lisa Woolfork: And so I read it books. I'd listened to it on audible, which if you are sewing, I really love audio books. And so audible, um, is the subscription that I've had for more than 20 years. And I really like it because I can sew and do other. And also read. So I'm a bit ahead in my reading cause that since I did finish it on, um, audible, but I'm gonna reread it in paper.
[00:10:36] Lisa Woolfork: And now I have a hard copy of the book to do that. And I got some, these pencils that are called like brilliant fucking pencils. And they have like all kind of things written, written on them. Like write that shit down or you're fucking awesome. and I'm like, this is my kind of pencil. So that was a great trip to bus boys and poet.
[00:10:54] Lisa Woolfork: So after our trip to bus boys and poets, we went to three little birds, [00:11:00] which is the sewing shop. That was one of the sponsors of DC fr tails. One of the organizers, it was Naomi P Johnson. It was, um, Katie from three little birds. And it was, um, I believe DNS, which is an online fabric shop. That was the, um, the organizing team behind bringing DC fr tails to the DC Metro area.
[00:11:23] Lisa Woolfork: And so we went to hang out with Naomi and to support and help and do last minute things. And it was such a, it was so much fun because it was very much like what you do when you come for a wedding or a gala or a big thing. You know, there's already so many last minute things to do, and so many, um, things to get finished.
[00:11:41] Lisa Woolfork: And so your girlfriends and friends and family come through and help you do these last. Stuff as well as three little birds happened to have all these fantastic sew machines. So some people were able to come in and finish their frogs, finish their dresses, finish their outfits. And while we were there, I know at least three people were working on getting their things ready [00:12:00] for the next day.
[00:12:00] Lisa Woolfork: And so that was pretty exciting to be in the thick of things, um, to see, um, the, the goody bags get put together well to see slash help the goody bags get put together. Um, To the cup decoration, all of these different things, um, to kind of be in the thick of it. And it was really wonderful to be there, to support and to, um, kind of be behind the scenes.
[00:12:26] Lisa Woolfork: And, um, it was such, um, a really great experience and, um, getting to meet new people and know new people that way it was a lot of fun. And so I was very glad that I could be on hand and other black women's stitch folks to be on hand to lend that kind of, um, support, um, to Naomi and the, and the team. And, um, so after that, and then another friend came through from black women's stitch and we were all just having, you know, A black ass, good time.
[00:12:56] Lisa Woolfork: Pretty much. I would say. Um, it was a lot of fun, as I said, that was my [00:13:00] whole goal for the weekend was to have a black ass, good time. And I did, I really did. And when I come, when we come back, I'm gonna take a quick break. Um, you're listening to the stitch police podcast and we are talking about a special episode.
[00:13:12] Lisa Woolfork: All our episodes are special. Y'all uh, about DC fr tails. And, um, coming up, we will be, um, talking with Naomi P Johnson about her experience and motivation behind creating DC fr tails. But I wanted spend a little bit more time talking about my experience, um, of being there and, um, some of the fun I had. So stay tuned.
[00:13:51] Lisa Woolfork: Here at stitch, please. The official podcast of black women's ditch. We talk a lot about sewing, but if you want to see [00:14:00] and not just hear about some of the things we've been discussing, feel free to join us on the socials. You can find us at stitch, please on Facebook, and you can also find us on Instagram at black women's stitch.
[00:14:15] Lisa Woolfork: You can find photos of projects that we've been working on. Really interesting social commentary and on Thursdays at 3:00 PM Eastern standard time, you can join black women's stitch for a live Instagram chat. Again, that's every Thursday at 3:00 PM. So find us on the socials. Follow up with us. We are happy to hear your direct messages.
[00:14:38] Lisa Woolfork: You can reach out to us at the black woman's stitch page on Instagram, and we'll help you get your stitch together.
[00:14:55] Lisa Woolfork: So the next day is saturday. That is [00:15:00] game day for DC fr tails or game day for me, especially because I had completely forgotten about the super bowl, like utterly forgotten that it was happening and do not support the NFL in any way. So did not care, but I did care about DC fr tails. We were all there for that.
[00:15:19] Lisa Woolfork: It was incredibly exciting. And so Saturday morning we get up and this is after being up late Saturday night. I think I might have gone to bed at two o'clock. I think, um, I had done some planning with, uh, Corno Renee, um, or Renee fabrics. And if you check our Instagram feeds. Month, you'll see combination of, uh, quotes for black history month with words of wisdom by, um, black women, um, black women, activists, artists, creatives, as well as just, you know, and poets, just all types of wonderful quotes, um, just to have our daily dose of necessary black women [00:16:00] wisdom and for the backgrounds, it's these beautiful prints, which are fabrics by Cordo Renee.
[00:16:06] Lisa Woolfork: So when you check, um, our, my daily Instagram feed on, um, um, on the black women's stitch page, as well as on her page, you'll see that the result of that collaboration. So we're up late doing that. And that was a lot of fun. So Saturday morning we get up and it's like, okay, what are we gonna do? And. We, we got up pretty much and went down to the cafe and the hotel.
[00:16:27] Lisa Woolfork: This was a wonderful hotel called the hotel in college park, Maryland. It was incredibly nice. Um, very well appointed, very comfortable beds. And then they had a little bagel cafe with a fireplace, two fireplaces, comfortable chairs, so many coffee, so many different types of coffee and bagels and stuff. So we just sat and chat and got to talk with people who I hadn't seen in a while.
[00:16:50] Lisa Woolfork: And it was just a wonderful leisurely morning, uh, to talk with folks. And then we said, okay, we've got to get ready. We've gotta start getting ready. And what is that gonna [00:17:00] entail? So for some people, it entailed, I need to go, I need to go to Joannes and get some elastics. So I can go back to my hotel room and finish sewing my dress, um, or my outfit.
[00:17:09] Lisa Woolfork: Um, and then for the others of us, it. Let I wanna go to, oh, Joanne's has patterns on sale. Let's go look or no, I really wanna get some makeup or I'd love to get my foundation done at Sephora. So it was all of these things we were trying to do. Um, the group that I was with, we decided to not go to Joanne's and to go instead to, um, to go to target and get some makeup supplies and then go to Sephora to get color match foundation, um, which is a service that Sephora offers in these little 15 minute anchors.
[00:17:40] Lisa Woolfork: So increments. So I said, okay, let's go to the mall. Cuz the mall happened to have a target attached to it and a JC Penney's, which happened to have a Sephora. They also had a Macy's um, and the Macy's had a Mac counter and I love Mac, but other folks like Sephora better because it has more choices and it has [00:18:00] Fenty.
[00:18:00] Lisa Woolfork: And so I said, well, let's go ahead. We'll go to the mall. And then we ended up actually not even going to, um, Macy's because we had such good success at Sephora. So. We go to this target in, um, at the PG mall, this is the prince George's, or I think it's PG Plaza. It's called PG Plaza. And y'all, I have to tell you, I have never been to a target.
[00:18:27] Lisa Woolfork: That was so I can't. That was so. it was heavily surveilled. It was like, I was like, it was called the PG mall, the mall at prince George or the PG Plaza. I was like, does PG stand for prison guard? Because there was so much security in that store. There was so much, I think, I feel like they had more security cameras than they had light bulbs.
[00:18:55] Lisa Woolfork: Seriously, you look at the ceiling and every two feet is a black [00:19:00] ball, which is meant to be a security camera. And this was all throughout the store. At the same time they had like no registers open. So there's like, I think there's like 12, 12 registers in the, in the, in the lineup. And there was only three open and there, the lines are like 20 people deep for each line.
[00:19:19] Lisa Woolfork: And people are just patiently waiting, frustrated, but like someone behind me is like, why don't they open up more registers? Why would they only have three people working when. It's a Saturday afternoon, which is a very busy shopping day. And that was when I came to realize that this is just an example of the type of surveillance culture that black folks are regularly exposed to so much so that we naturalize it and get used to it.
[00:19:50] Lisa Woolfork: I was so upset. I was so frustrated, um, by this cuz it's clearly an example of structural racism. It was so bad that I went back to the target [00:20:00] website to read how target thinks about their stores, because I was like, I do not feel like I am in a target right now. And so just looking at this is the, the, this is the blurb from the target for this store.
[00:20:12] Lisa Woolfork: And it says, um, Target is committed to providing a fun and convenient shopping experience. Offering highly differentiated products at affordable prices. We offer everyday essentials products, clothing, blah, blah, blah. Our store is designed to make every target visit and easy, enjoyable experience for every guest by delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation and an exceptional guest experience by consistently fulfilling our expect more, pay, less brand promise, nothing like that.
[00:20:48] Lisa Woolfork: Not one part of that mission statement showed up in the target where we were. I had never felt so. Targeted, um, in a target [00:21:00] before. And some would say at least in the, in the parlance or the language where I, when I grew up, we would call that a black target. This is the targets that you have in black and brown neighborhoods.
[00:21:13] Lisa Woolfork: They have increased surveillance. People are not treated as customers or consumers. They're treated like suspects. Um, there was a time when we were waiting in these massively long lines, there was three security guards and a manager standing in the front of the store. And I was like, What, what is, why, why isn't someone like on a register making these lines go down?
[00:21:36] Lisa Woolfork: That's I I've said this. They're not they're, they're not for the cus the security of the people or the comfort of the people. They are there to protect the store and it's products from us. And so it was just all of a mess. I had one of the friends I was with, she was like, I got to the airport when I got back home to Houston and we have less for surveillance in the airport than they had at that target.
[00:21:59] Lisa Woolfork: And [00:22:00] so it was really. Just a reminder of the kind of frequent surveillance and the frequent effects of racism that affects the lives of black folks all the time. And someone could say, sure, well, just don't go to that target if you don't like it, go to a different target, go to a different store, but I shouldn't have to, and no one should have to, um, feel like they could just drive across a certain zip code to get better.
[00:22:29] Lisa Woolfork: You know, and we do this all the time. We make these kind of concessions and I don't think it's fair that we should make them, we should expose them for what they are, which is structural racism and the kind of things that Michelle Alexander talks about in the new Jim Crow when blackness itself becomes criminalized.
[00:22:48] Lisa Woolfork: And that was something that we noticed even as we walked from the target all the way to the under other end of the mall to the Sephora in the JC. Penney's where the security beep beep beep alert was [00:23:00] constantly going off. No one came to check it. No one was stealing anything. No one was walking out with anything.
[00:23:06] Lisa Woolfork: It's just that security alert would just beep the entire time. And I asked one of the young women that was working there, this young girl, um, a teenager who was, you know, doing makeup. She did a great job on my makeup, my foundation matching. She was like, oh yeah, it does it all the time. And so she's working shifts that might be eight, eight hours or so.
[00:23:25] Lisa Woolfork: And it'll beep. Pretty much the entire time. And so like, that's another reminder of the security apparatus that surrounds the lives of black folks, even as we're just trying to do regular daily activities. Um, so while we're at Sephora, we got some really great makeup. I ended up getting a beautiful pencil, like a beautiful, um, I like to use their eye makeup, their eye crayons as lip liners.
[00:23:51] Lisa Woolfork: And so I was able to make my lips really like my lips, like this bright blue, which is the same blue of the dress that I wore. And, um, I was able to get one [00:24:00] eye done to get one eye makeup done in this really extreme makeup. I think I'm gonna have that picture be the photo. Um, one of the photos for this episode, um, and cuz it was really dramatic and I was really excited about my outfit.
[00:24:13] Lisa Woolfork: I was really excited, um, about being with my friends and it had been. And eternity since I had gone to the mall with some girlfriends, like I think it's, it's been decades. It must, I I'm trying to think about like, when the last time I did something like that was, and it might have been, it had to be over 30 years ago.
[00:24:32] Lisa Woolfork: Um, and so to be able to do that, um, this past weekend was just another example of one of the fun, great things that DC fr tails, um, ended up meaning for me this past weekend also when we got back late, of course, much later than we wanted to much later than we expected to because again, lines, lines, lines, um, and.
[00:24:57] Lisa Woolfork: We got back and we got changed and everyone [00:25:00] just looked so stunning and so amazing. And please do check out the DC fr tails handle, um, in order on Instagram, the Insta stories, the hashtag the account, um, and you can see more of the wonderful photos, um, from that event. Um, I know I did a slow motion video, thanks to Ko, filming it for me, and I've edited it to make it a little bit shorter, but I was really pleased with my garment, which was, um, the calls, um, From the that's that, so Monica did a challenge for a, so your view and it was a pull over two piece, very simple stretchy dress that had a draw string on the side.
[00:25:42] Lisa Woolfork: Um, and then I also made an overskirt out of a circle skirt tutorial from, um, hand by London. Um, and I also used a curved waistband tutorial by style. So me, so between the two of those to get the curved [00:26:00] waistband and then the style by London to make the, the length of the circle skirt, and then improvising to get the high, low effect that I was hoping for, I was really pleased with how it turned out.
[00:26:11] Lisa Woolfork: And then I also made some massively gigantic earrings that. Absolutely huge, but incredibly lightweight. Um, and I was really, and I was able to make those, um, pretty quickly and I was so happy with how those turned out. So the whole look was incredibly dramatic, um, and just so much fun. And, um, it was such a really great time.
[00:26:35] Lisa Woolfork: And so when we come back, we will be talking with Naomi P Johnson to hear it from her, um, about her own, um, perspective on DC fr tails, and to offer some tips about what you wanna do, if you wanna have one in your area, but do tune in to the IG live on this Thursday at three o'clock, I will be probably going through the DC fr tail swag bag.
[00:26:58] Lisa Woolfork: So you can see some [00:27:00] of the great swag that we had, um, at the event, but stay tuned for Naomi. Who'll be coming up after the.
[00:27:20] Lisa Woolfork: Hello stitchers. We have a limited edition opportunity for you to support the stitch please podcast and the black women stitch project as a whole, and get some more fabric in your collection. These are mystery fabric boxes of fabrics that have been divided into woven and knit there's boxes that would, that are stuffed with black and white fabrics.
[00:27:39] Lisa Woolfork: There's boxes of Chevron fabrics. There's boxes of fabrics called I think. Adventure or nature or something like that. Um, and these are completely full of fabrics. These are medium flat rate S PS boxes that can be sent directly to you for $30. And that shipping is included. So if you're [00:28:00] interested in building your stash or, um, taking a chance on some really cool fabrics, let me know.
[00:28:05] Lisa Woolfork: You can DM me on Instagram at black women's stitch, or you can send me an email at black women's stitch gmail.com, and we will send you a mystery box of very cool fabrics, $30 shipping and insurance included. And that'll help you get your stitch together too. Thanks.
[00:28:28] Lisa Woolfork: You are listening to the stitch please podcast. And we're talking about DC fr tale's a love story. I was able to catch up with Naomi P Johnson on Monday, which is today with we'll releasing the episode on Wednesday. I was able to catch up with Naomi only a few days after this very successful DC fr tails.
[00:28:47] Lisa Woolfork: Here is our conversation.
[00:28:58] Lisa Woolfork: Hello, everybody. I [00:29:00] am delighted to welcome miss Naomi Johnson, who is the heart and soul of DC fr tales. Um, I met Naomi when she came to the stitch, please retreat back in October of 2019, and she was such a delight. And then soon after that, she won a ticket to Atlanta fr tails, where she went was that late October or early November.
[00:29:23] Lisa Woolfork: Um,
[00:29:23] Naomi Johnson: won the ticket in late October. Atlanta fr tails was on November 2nd.
[00:29:28] Lisa Woolfork: So on November 2nd, she went to Atlanta fr tails. And by December 1st, Tickets were on sale for DC fr tails. And they sold out in days. And so she brought her passion. She went to Atlanta fr tail. She had a good time and she said, I wanna bring this event to my hometown.
[00:29:54] Lisa Woolfork: Um, and she did, and I was at DC fr tales this [00:30:00] past weekend. If you follow black, women's stitch on Instagram, as well as following Naomi P Johnson and the DC fr tails, um, account and hashtag you will see so much fun, so many beautiful garments and just so much joy. Um, so Naomi, welcome to the program. I'm glad that you are recovered enough, uh, to be here with us today.
[00:30:25] Naomi Johnson: Thank you, Lisa. I'm happy to be here.
[00:30:28] Lisa Woolfork: I am barely recovered
[00:30:29] Naomi Johnson: enough. Yeah. To be here myself. I, I haven't had, um, uninterrupted sleep. in weeks. I am completely exhausted, but in the very
[00:30:42] Lisa Woolfork: best way. Excellent. So can you tell us a bit about your approach to DC fr tails? What were some of the goals, um, for the event?
[00:30:52] Lisa Woolfork: What made you, when you went to Atlanta fr tail say this is fine, but it's not, [00:31:00] it's not home. Tell me a bit more about what were you thinking? It, it wasn't
[00:31:04] Naomi Johnson: home. I love Atlanta. I've been to Atlanta a few times because some very good friends went to college there and never came home. And so I've visited Atlanta, uh, uh, several times since, um, those days, um, when I won the ticket, I was kind of on the fence about going, I had just been.
[00:31:30] Naomi Johnson: Um, at stitch, please for, I think it was, I think it was four or five school days. Um, and so I didn't know if I wanted to really burden my principal with having to find a sub, um, or like anything that needed to be done to cover, um, another absence. And at the last minute I decided to go and I'm happy I did.
[00:31:57] Naomi Johnson: I went, I had a great time, [00:32:00] um, just being in community community with people who, so, um, I say a lot of times, like selling friends are the best friends cuz they really are. It's, it's one thing to have, you know, my good girlfriends who see what I make and they're like, oh, it's so pretty. Oh, it's so nice.
[00:32:19] Naomi Johnson: It's another thing to talk to people who sell to, um, because then they understand. What all truly went into making a garment or a quilt or, you know, um, an accessory. Um, they just understand it in a different way than people. That's right. Don't so do so I went to Atlanta. It was, it was a lovely time. I really did have a good time.
[00:32:46] Naomi Johnson: I met some people I follow on Instagram and whose blogs I read. And it was just fun to be in, in community with people who. Um, [00:33:00] I have been, I have been talking with, um, Katie who owns three little birds where I teach, um, some garments, sewing and host, um, a social, um, a weekly social on Wednesday nights. I had been talking to her for a while, been saying we should do frog tails.
[00:33:26] Naomi Johnson: We should do a frog tails. Um, when we started seeing them crop up, um, the first ones in Australia. and then they started to crop up in other cities around the world. I was going, we should do that. We should do that. We should do that. And just, um, just making the suggestion, um, intermittently. And then when I went to Atlanta, I, I just became determined.
[00:33:53] Naomi Johnson: It was a good time. Um, but I, and I knew not, but, [00:34:00] and I knew that if I was so interested and excited to go to a city where I didn't know anybody, um, then surely even if it was just the people who frequent three little birds or who are in my Facebook sewing group cut. So where, if it was just us, it was gonna be just as good a time.
[00:34:24] Naomi Johnson: Um, so I got back. Um, to DC and said to Katie, like we have to do this. Um, I wanted a ticket in a, an Instagram contest, um, hosted by Spoonflower and Katie Corman. Katie Corman had been to three little birds in September, uh, for. Fabric painting and color theory workshop. So I met her and she's delightful. Um, so when I say, I didn't know anyone in Atlanta, Fox sales, I actually knew Katie Corman, but she's [00:35:00] a bit of a celebrity.
[00:35:01] Naomi Johnson: And so it wasn't like I could just stand and talk to Katie, um, because she was, um, kind of intermingling with the crowd and having a good time. So, um, she came back to three little birds in early November for another, um, workshop. And she said, there is this lady, Tammy who owns, um, D fabrics code. Um, she it's an online fabric store.
[00:35:31] Naomi Johnson: Um, and she's out in, um, Northern Virginia and the far reaches in Northern Virginia. She had been, um, starting to have the idea of a DC for our tails as well. So when Katie was here for the November workshop, Tammy came. Over to Hyattsville. And we talked about it and we walked right across the street to pyramid where we had, um, where DC Foxtails was held.
[00:35:57] Naomi Johnson: And we talked to one of the [00:36:00] directors and we were like, listen, this is what we wanna do. Do you have a date? And they gave us a date and it was off to the races from there. I think Katie was here, um, around November 10th, something like that. And within a week we had, um, we had an Instagram account. Um, we had started putting up teasers.
[00:36:26] Naomi Johnson: I purchased the, um, DC cocktails domain. And with li no, I'm not even gonna say little experience with no experience. Tammy got the website started for me. And then, um, I, I, we built a website.
[00:36:47] Naomi Johnson: I, I figured out how to add links and put in pictures and we kept building buzz, um, for a December [00:37:00] 1st, um, ticket on sale date.
[00:37:03] Naomi Johnson: And it, it kind of took on a life of its own from there. Um, tickets went on sale at nine o'clock on December 1st. It was a Sunday morning. I was working my little part-time job, um, doing childcare at a gym and I had the computer open on the desk to make sure, um, that there were no problems with the website and ticket ordering.
[00:37:29] Naomi Johnson: And I just watched the tickets. So first 1, 2, 3, then 10, then 15, then 25 and all the while Katie and Tammy and I were in a group chat going, oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. Oh my God. Oh my God. Do you see this? I'm as tickets. So like pretty steadily for about 90 minutes. And then there was a Lu in the middle of the day.
[00:37:57] Naomi Johnson: Um, and then it picked back up [00:38:00] on Sunday evening and by Tuesday night, um, by the time I went to bed on Tuesday night, around 1130, we were sold out.
[00:38:11] Lisa Woolfork: That is an amazing story. And I remember, I think that you and I were on a, I was doing an IG live talking about fr tail yep. On Sunday evening. And no, that was Tuesday that Tuesday
[00:38:23] Naomi Johnson: we did that was, we sold out while we were on
[00:38:25] Naomi Johnson: the live.
[00:38:26] Lisa Woolfork: Okay. So on Tuesday I got on and do a IG live, which I normally, my IG lies. We all know if your podcast listeners are normally on Thursdays at 3:00 PM, but for some reason I was just sitting around on, on Tuesday evening and I was like, let me pop on and see who's on. I think I was probably the, I was probably procrastinating as I often do for my real work, same.
[00:38:47] Lisa Woolfork: And I was, I was like, let's just see what's going on on Instagram rather than doing my actual job. And, um, And I was talking about fr tails and like, whoa, what's that? What's that? And people were like, I'm interested. And then you came on and you were like, [00:39:00] okay, y'all we have
[00:39:02] Lisa Woolfork: tickets. I think we had about 10 tickets when I got on
[00:39:04] Lisa Woolfork: 10 tickets left.
[00:39:05] Lisa Woolfork: And then there was people who were like, I wanna come, I wanna come. I'm getting a ticket. No, I wanna get a ticket. And people were buying a tickets right then and there. Yeah. Um, and there was such buzz and excitement around it. And, um, it was really great to see that show up. Like, I know this one woman who came from Dallas who was on
[00:39:26] Naomi Johnson: the, she bought the very last ticket, um, that was available.
[00:39:30] Naomi Johnson: Yes.
[00:39:31] Lisa Woolfork: And that, and she, and I got to meet her in person for the first time. Me too, um, at rock tails a couple days ago. And she was so excited. Yeah. And then, um, you all had given black women stitch for on a stitch piece podcast, a ticket to do for a giveaway and that person who won that was, um, so Shauna, she won our, um, giveaway ticket and she was delighted.
[00:39:55] Lisa Woolfork: Who delighted. I don't think I get, I don't think I met her or if I, [00:40:00] I don't ask really ful. She was wearing this really beautiful, um, sheath dress. I think it was like a, like a, almost like a burgundy, um, or pale burgundy sheath dress with some lovely pleading in the front mm-hmm . Um, but she was so excited.
[00:40:15] Lisa Woolfork: She was excited to win and she was excited to be there. Oh, did you get a picture with her? I did not. I did not. I didn't. Then I keep hearing is that no one felt like they got enough pictures. I did not.
[00:40:26] Naomi Johnson: Take enough pictures. I, oh, I cannot wait to get pictures from tri our photographer back.
[00:40:33] Lisa Woolfork: Oh, that's, I'm glad that there was a photographer there.
[00:40:36] Lisa Woolfork: Me too. Um, and, and I saw a lot of folks taking, you know, pictures with, um, their own phones, um, selfies, um, IG live videos, streams. Yeah. I think, I, I think I did that or meant to do that. It's so hard because it's like, you it's, it's like, it's like you're torn between documenting the experience and just having the
[00:40:56] Naomi Johnson: experience in it.
[00:40:56] Naomi Johnson: And I, and so I tried to live in the [00:41:00] experience.
[00:41:00] Lisa Woolfork: That is what I was trying to do as well. I was definitely trying to live in the experience and I got some photos and I took a couple videos. Yeah. Um, that I had on my live. And, um, I did try to get some photos and I posted a lot of them. Yeah. Um, but like on my, on my stories, but I think, I think a collage or some type of other reflective project would be a lot of fun.
[00:41:25] Lisa Woolfork: Yeah. Well, I'm thinking about doing, um,
[00:41:28] Naomi Johnson: the, I got the boomerangs and the pictures from the photo booth. So later on this afternoon, I'm going to, um, I'm gonna get on Squarespace and figure out how to add a gallery, um, gallery page to the website because the, um, the boomerangs particularly are, they are rich.
[00:41:52] Naomi Johnson: They are precious.
[00:41:54] Lisa Woolfork: Oh good. Oh, that's great that you have access to all those photos.
[00:41:57] Naomi Johnson: You have all of them. I have. Oh, that's I have [00:42:00] all kinds of, um,
[00:42:02] Lisa Woolfork: shenanigans
[00:42:03] Naomi Johnson: fun, little shenanigans is really cute.
[00:42:07] Lisa Woolfork: That's fantastic. So I'm glad that you were able to enjoy yourself at this event because so many other people enjoy themselves as well.
[00:42:16] Lisa Woolfork: I think sometimes as the party host, um, you, you are so busy working. That you don't get to, um, enjoy it in the same way as someone who's just coming without with very low stakes. Like I bought a ticket. My steak is that I bought a ticket and I, and I made a dress and I'm here to meet people that I didn't meet before.
[00:42:39] Lisa Woolfork: What was one of the highlights of the evening for you?
[00:42:42] Naomi Johnson: Um, one of my very favorite things was this, um, this lady came up and she said, um, I posted on the message board about carpooling from, um, from like close in Northern Virginia, like right outside of DC and [00:43:00] somebody got on and said, okay, yeah, I wanna, um, I would love to carpool with you cuz they were coming from the same city.
[00:43:06] Naomi Johnson: And so they connected and shared addresses. They lived one street they lived one street apart and they didn't know each other and now they do. And that was not the only person. Um, those, the only people for whom that happened, we heard at least four stories
[00:43:28] Lisa Woolfork: of people who live a
[00:43:31] Naomi Johnson: street or blocks or in the same, the same neighborhood, connecting with someone who they didn't know existed three months ago, a month ago.
[00:43:45] Naomi Johnson: And that, to that, that's my favorite part. That was, that was my, that was my goal. Um, that's my hope because DC is my hometown. [00:44:00] It's a small city, but it doesn't always feel that way because so many people come in from other places. It's a very transient population here. So it is easy to not feel connected to anyone community.
[00:44:17] Naomi Johnson: Um, and. So that we were able to help people build community, um, people from near and far, that that feels really good to me. Um, my other favorite moment was at the very end. Um, I wish we had been able to do it sooner and I wish it wasn't, um, a iPhone quality picture. I wish we had been able to, um, get it while a photographer was there.
[00:44:51] Naomi Johnson: But when I was like, basically stopping black women at the door and saying, come get in [00:45:00] this picture, come get in this picture. People had coats on, they were ready to go. Um, and I, and I just wouldn't let them leave to come get in the picture. I wish that we had been able to get every single one there. Um, I know there are a few who got out the door before we could get it together.
[00:45:16] Naomi Johnson: Um, but the picture with the black women who were in attendance is, is precious. It's the first picture, um, on my series of pictures from the night, because
[00:45:36] Naomi Johnson: it is precious to me. It is precious to.
[00:45:45] Lisa Woolfork: And I think that for me, you know, at black women's stitch, I think that that's, for me, it's actually, um, such a vital intervention that you are able to make and a vital intervention. In the loing and the [00:46:00] larger and prevailing sewing community, you know, that black women stitch, you know, we center black women, girls and fems and sewing.
[00:46:07] Lisa Woolfork: And I, for sure, when I looked at that photo, I was like, oh my gosh. Or even just looking around the room, I thought that was such a good representation of us. I thought that, that, you know, for me seeing these folks who I had been admiring their work, you know? Yeah. But never met in person. Like, you know, I was, you know, Garry child and, you know, she, I was telling her, I was like, you are the reason that I made my.
[00:46:33] Lisa Woolfork: Single and soul purchase on black Friday. , you know, I bought this PA I bought the stereo sweater because you and your husband were modeling it, you know? Oh yeah. They were looked so good. and so like, and there was so many moments like that, you know, Fe so crafty and like all of these, you know, people whose work I had just Swed over.
[00:46:56] Naomi Johnson: Oh my goodness. Renee, miss Sealy pants. I [00:47:00] oh yeah. Miss Seay pants, obsessed with everything. She makes all her stories.
[00:47:06] Lisa Woolfork: Yes. Yes. And, you know, and Mac makes space like all these folks that, you know, that I've seen on Instagram, but didn't, you know, I didn't, I didn't know, for example, the woman that bought the last fr tails ticket, Lois Monet, that's not her name.
[00:47:22] Lisa Woolfork: She's Lois Monet on Instagram, but it's like, oh wait, that's you, you know? And so it was, it's just, it was just such a wonderful, it was like a reunion. It was like reunion and, you know, my plan almost everywhere I go is to have a black ass, good time. And even if it's not only black people there, um, I'm still, I'm black.
[00:47:42] Lisa Woolfork: I'm bringing my black ass to the event. So it's gonna be a black ass, good time. And it totally was. Yes, it totally was. It really did. Um, it was such a nice. Way to kind of pull in the larger sewing community. Um, but for [00:48:00] me, making connections with these other black women who I had been seeing and following, um, but to really develop just a chance to connect the name to a face.
[00:48:11] Lisa Woolfork: Yeah. Um, really was something that I really appreciated. It, it,
[00:48:19] Naomi Johnson: uh, I'm crying now, so sorry. ,
[00:48:24] Lisa Woolfork: it's
[00:48:24] Naomi Johnson: hard to, it's hard to find words. It was, it was a dream come true. That was, that was my dream for all of the time that I've been bugging Katie, we should do this. We should do this. We should do this. Um, to have it realized
[00:48:46] Lisa Woolfork: mm-hmm mm-hmm
[00:48:50] Lisa Woolfork: In such a short time. That's the thing that I can't get past that you went to a DC, you went to a frog tails in Atlanta, in November [00:49:00] and in just, and a month later, the tickets for your own fr tails are all sold down. Yeah. Like. That just shows too. I think that there was a really powerful, uh, need or desire yeah.
[00:49:14] Lisa Woolfork: For what you created and what you brought to the DC Metro area. And that people travel, like the people that found each other who lived right around the corner. Yeah. And now they can create, now they'll have sew in friendships, um, because they have people that they can connect with who are close to them.
[00:49:35] Lisa Woolfork: Yeah. I think that's great. As well as people who came from far away, folks coming from Kansas city, from Houston, from Dallas, um, from, from the Bronx, you know, like I just thought that was from
[00:49:46] Naomi Johnson: Hampton and way out in Gainesville. Down in Norfolk. Yep.
[00:49:51] Lisa Woolfork: Yeah. From,
[00:49:52] Naomi Johnson: from far away mm-hmm came from North Carolina from Atlanta.
[00:49:58] Naomi Johnson: That's right. That's right. The [00:50:00] Sierra came from Atlanta, San that's
[00:50:01] Lisa Woolfork: right. That's right. Somebody else came from Atlanta as well. Yeah. I didn't know that. I there's at least two people from Atlanta.
[00:50:09] Naomi Johnson: I'm, I'm overwhelmed. I'm stunned. I can't believe people thought so much to come because we put a post on Instagram.
[00:50:22] Lisa Woolfork: That's right. That's right. It really was like, you know, it's kind of like, like, I guess they say bees to honey. I don't know if bees like honey, I think they just make, but anyway, or moth to a flavor. Some that's so plain. Yeah. Whatever it, well, whatever that analogy is. um, about people being drawn to something because they have an innate connection to it.
[00:50:46] Lisa Woolfork: That's what I was drawn to, uh, with this event. Um, I knew that you were, um, that this was a passion project for you. Um, and so I was like, well, I definitely want to, um, to [00:51:00] be in the mix as this is coming up and it did not disappoint, um, in, in any way it was, I feel like DC fr tails owes me nothing. Um,
[00:51:11] Naomi Johnson: let me say you like one time for the DJ, because DJ DC infamous got the party started and it never stopped.
[00:51:24] Naomi Johnson: And then I didn't even, I didn't even get to use my cup. My cup is still down here in my bag. I had one Sprite at the end of the night and my cup is still sitting here with my name on the top. Empty and clean, cuz I didn't, I didn't even get to ha get a drink. I was here and there and running around, but I heard from several people that the bartenders Francis and Nick did Y so[00:52:00]
[00:52:01] Lisa Woolfork: you're listening to the stitch please podcast the official podcast of black women's stitch. And I'm talking with Naomi P Johnson, the heart and soul of DC fr tails coming up. Learn why some of us will be forever. Shall I say, marked by DC fr tails. Listen up.
[00:52:24] Naomi Johnson: And then can we talk about. Um,
[00:52:28] Lisa Woolfork: oh,
[00:52:28] Naomi Johnson: and Ashley with
[00:52:31] Lisa Woolfork: and I, Eric. Okay. So what she's showing y'all we, um, she's showing me, um, I'm recording audio and she's recording video. We both got tattoos. Our first tattoos, our first
[00:52:44] Naomi Johnson: tattoos, you probably had a nice experience with nobody heckling you, but I had, Hey,
[00:52:49] Lisa Woolfork: you said you wanted emotional support.
[00:52:52] Lisa Woolfork: That was
[00:52:52] Naomi Johnson: heckling. That
[00:52:53] Lisa Woolfork: was not emotional. I gave you emotional support. Me and KA Renee gave you emotional support in [00:53:00] the form of, are you kidding? This doesn't even hurt. I just did it.
[00:53:04] Naomi Johnson: Let me tell you what that thing hurt. Anybody who says tattoos don't hurt is telling a tall tale. It hurt. It still hurts.
[00:53:13] Naomi Johnson: I washed my hands yesterday and forgot it was there. And I like, I like the water. And hot water splashed up on my wrist. And I screamed
[00:53:21] Lisa Woolfork: cuz it hurts. Well, I did not get mine on my wrist. Mine is on my forearm. I think I'll try to show a photo of it. I can only use so many photos for the podcast. Yeah. Um, it only gives you two photos and they don't always show up.
[00:53:35] Lisa Woolfork: I know on apple, the photos don't show up, but on Spotify and other players, they do. Um, but I'll show a photo of my amazing new and first tattoo, which was wonderful. And just, and, and it was a lot of people did it too. When other people got tattoos, a lot of people and they're all sewing themed. Y'all, they're sewing themed tattoos that they had available.
[00:53:59] Lisa Woolfork: I haven't follow and [00:54:00] tattoo artists, um, work right near where the three little birds shop is. Yeah. So this is another kind of thing event.
[00:54:07] Naomi Johnson: I'm I'm sitting in three little birds now. Um, my brother is having a baby and uh, the baby shower is next. On Sunday. Um, so I made the top a couple weeks ago, um, and then set it aside because fr tails.
[00:54:28] Naomi Johnson: Um, but I need to finish the baby quilt this week. So since I didn't go to work today, I gave myself that gift. Um, I'm going to push the cutting tables out of the way and put the base to quote on the floor so that I can get that done. But, um, I forgot what I was saying. Um, yeah, Eric and, um, and work upstairs at, um, SMO art tattoo studio.
[00:54:57] Naomi Johnson: Um, I haven't followed up to find out how many [00:55:00] they did, but they did a lot. There, there was never a Lu in the traffic going into the, um, into the room where they were doing tattoos. I feel like they did easily 20. I think so. Um, because you got one, Kenora got one, me, Katie and Tammy got one that's five.
[00:55:22] Naomi Johnson: The, I got one, um, at the end of the night then, um, that's so that's six that I put in on my hands that I know. And there were easily, um, two of the ladies from Spoonflower got them that's right. They easily did 20 easily
[00:55:42] Lisa Woolfork: and I didn't have an appointment. Like I was like a walkin and there was, oh, that's
[00:55:46] Naomi Johnson: right.
[00:55:46] Naomi Johnson: There were people who had scheduled that's 12. Yeah. So they easily did 20 tattoo. Yeah. On Saturday night. Yeah.
[00:55:54] Lisa Woolfork: Um, and the idea of having it right there, it was just such a, it was just a fun thing to do. It [00:56:00] was just so
[00:56:00] Naomi Johnson: many, it was great for somebody like me. Who's susceptible to peer pressure. Yes, people go do it, do it, do it, do it.
[00:56:08] Naomi Johnson: My FOMO gets activated and suddenly I'm on the table with a trash can in my, in my arms.
[00:56:17] Lisa Woolfork: So which you didn't even need.
[00:56:20] Naomi Johnson: It was close though.
[00:56:23] Lisa Woolfork: She did not need a trash can. Y'all it was very close. It was,
[00:56:26] Naomi Johnson: it was, she was fine. No, I was not fine.
[00:56:30] It
[00:56:30] Lisa Woolfork: was touch and go, oh my gosh, I had so much fun. And when I, and, and I think I have, I'm still, I'm so glad you were able to take Monday off.
[00:56:42] Lisa Woolfork: Take day off. I have not, I still have a, I have a meeting, but it's not, you know, I don't have to teach today, which is great because I am just now I think. Getting all the DC frog, tails, residue, um, hangover, spirit, or whatever. Um, out [00:57:00] of my system, just, it was a long drive yesterday.
[00:57:03] Naomi Johnson: I tell you that.
[00:57:04] Lisa Woolfork: Yeah, but it was good.
[00:57:07] Lisa Woolfork: It's a good, happy residue. A good, happy feeling. And I, I have not even opened the gift, the goody bags yet. Oh yeah. After. So much praise about the goody bags and the swag bags and all the stuff that's in there. Y'all we had, um, these, these cups that have lids that are good for hot and cold beverages, which was a souvenir.
[00:57:30] Lisa Woolfork: They were all washed and cleaned and ready to be used. And it kept it cut down on the disposable cups. Yep. And it kept us, you know, it was just like a fun FES of things to have. So some people use their many, many, I think, used their cups that same night. Most you did. Um-huh
[00:57:49] Naomi Johnson: I know that most people did because we weren't re able, we were able to return, um, the, one of the.
[00:57:57] Naomi Johnson: At like 2000 cups, we were able to [00:58:00] return one package of them. We didn't even open them to,
[00:58:03] Lisa Woolfork: oh, that's amazing store. We didn't need them. That's great. That was, so that was a nice sustainable, that was activity. I thought
[00:58:11] Naomi Johnson: that was great. That was, that was something that was pretty important to us, making sure that, um, the bags are the bags that the swag came in are something that can be reused that, um, that we weren't making a big environmental impact with cups and plates and all of those things that have to be thrown away.
[00:58:34] Naomi Johnson: So while we did have. Some, um, some plates, um, for the food, they were compostable plates, the, the utensils, not so much, but like we thought about that, we didn't want to be creating a bunch of trash, um, because that's one of the things that's important to, um, people who sell is [00:59:00] being more thoughtful and careful in our consumption of, um, of fabric and materials and being thoughtful about the impact that we have on the fashion industry.
[00:59:18] Naomi Johnson: Um, and so if we're thinking about sustainability in one way, we should be thinking about it in ways. So that was with the
[00:59:28] Lisa Woolfork: intention. I think that was excellent. And it turned out so limitedly. Yeah, I was gonna ask if you had any advice for anyone who had the same experience as you, I want to do a party. I wanna bring a fr tails to my community.
[00:59:50] Lisa Woolfork: Um, this is a dream that I have. What do you recommend to make
[00:59:56] Naomi Johnson: it happen? Do it find, find a place [01:00:00] and, and
[01:00:05] Naomi Johnson: create, create a buzz. Um, create an Instagram account. And tag some people who are local to you and generate a buzz. Um, DC, DC is kind of unique because we have DC, Maryland, and Virginia and Northern Virginia anyway, right here. So, and there are a lot of people who sew like three little birds has. And workshops and things going on all of the time.
[01:00:38] Naomi Johnson: So, um, we knew that there would be people here who were interested. There are also, um, some fabric stores in some independent fabric stores in Baltimore and a couple in Northern Virginia, one in close in Northern Virginia, and one in a little bit further out in Northern Virginia [01:01:00] having, um, having the knowledge that there is a sewing community in DC.
[01:01:05] Naomi Johnson: And there are a couple of local, um, sewing groups on Facebook, um, getting the Instagram account app, getting the website up quickly and posting. And those local Facebook groups created, um, created a buzz right away. Um, if there are Facebook groups that you belong to with local SOS, do a survey in the group and find out who's interested.
[01:01:32] Naomi Johnson: People have been seeing Foxtails, um, Atlanta, um, Atlanta and Seattle are, I think the first ones that I saw in the DC, in the United States and then DC. Um, now that that's come to pass, people have said, Oh, I wanna do this in my city. Um, I saw in our stories, somebody in Miami is, [01:02:00] um, put in our stories. Like we have to get this in Miami.
[01:02:04] Naomi Johnson: We, um, we talked to someone in new Orleans, um, a couple weeks ago, maybe it was been about a month ago now about a new Orleans fr tails. So there, there is some desire. Talk to the people in your community. If there's an independent fabrics. Store, um, talks to the people at the independent fabric store, make it happen.
[01:02:33] Naomi Johnson: There, there is desire. Maybe it can't be on the same scale as DC fr tails DC fr tails was on a larger scale, I think, than, um, Seattle and Atlanta, because we cover just a larger geographic area, um, all the way up to Baltimore and all the way out into Louden county, Virginia, that's a big radius loud. Um, Farthest reach of [01:03:00] Louden county, um, can take up anywhere from an hour to 90 minutes to get to Baltimore is about 45 minutes away.
[01:03:09] Naomi Johnson: Baltimore is gonna be having a fr tail later on this year. Um, so there's will, if I'm out very likely be going up to Baltimore fr tails. Um, because Christina from domesticity, she came down for us and she brought the props for the photo booth, which was delightful. Um, they were so cute, so there's will, um, and there's interest.
[01:03:38] Naomi Johnson: You just have to find people willing to, um, to partner with you and help you get it done. Um, for us, we, we went from an idea to execution in three months. Um, and that was rough, but to me it [01:04:00] was worth it. Um, and we're happy to, we're happy to talk to anybody. Who's trying to do it themselves. They can send us an email, send us a direct message on Instagram.
[01:04:16] Naomi Johnson: We're happy to, we're happy to help in whatever way we can.
[01:04:21] Lisa Woolfork: That's wonderful. Thank you so much, Naomi, for being here, I'm talking with Naomi P Johnson. You can find her on Instagram. Um, she is the, the, the driving heart and soul of DC fr tails. And again, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us today.
[01:04:42] Lisa Woolfork: Um, and congratulations on a fantastic event.
[01:04:46] Naomi Johnson: Thank you, Lisa, for your support and enthusiasm and encouragement. And your help the day before and your, for everything.
[01:04:59] Lisa Woolfork: [01:05:00] Thank you. You're so welcome. You've been listening to the stitch please podcast. The official podcast of black women's stitch today's episode was called DC fr tales.
[01:05:13] Lisa Woolfork: A love story. And I was talking about my time at DC fr tales and closed it off with a wonderful conversation with Naomi P Johnson, the heart and soul of DC fr tails. Please do check the show notes. I will have a long list of the supporting, um, team, which includes, um, D N H fabric. And three little birds.
[01:05:35] Lisa Woolfork: You'll also find information in links to Naomi P Johnson's Instagram page, as well as her Facebook group cut. So where thank you again for listening to the stitch please podcast. Um, if you'd like to find more ways to support the podcast, there's lots of ways to do that, including an adorable and nano pin for $15 becoming a Patreon subscriber or Patreon.
[01:05:58] Lisa Woolfork: Patron is something we [01:06:00] appreciate as well as one time donations to our Venmo cash app and PayPal pages. Thank you again for tuning in to this episode, tune in and join us next week and we will help you get your stitch together.
