We used to have a thread shop in Spokane proper but it was a good long drive for me...I use the term "thread store" loosely here as it was actually a store for counted cross stitch.... But several years ago I approached the owner and showed her some of my crazy quilt blocks and asked if she would post them for a couple weeks... If anyone showed an interest I would gladly do a workshop for free... She not only declined my offer, her exact words were "she couldn't possibly imagine any of her cross stitch customers being interested in crazy quilting.." Her focus was counted cross stitch, she wasn't interested in catering to any other form of needlework and she didn't want the bother of stocking inventory for other forms of needlework.. Since then she has gone out of business...
Now much to my delight we are not only getting a new needlework store (Lovely Little Stitches), it is only five miles from my house...The grand opening is this Saturday... I haven't been there yet but their
internet shop shows they will eventually carry a nice variety of threads, beads, yarns etc... I'm sure they are also focused on counted cross stitch but I'm hoping that the owner will be open to at least thinking about crazy quilting... I do have my "CQers in training" coming to the house on Wednesdays but I would love to reach a larger audience and promote CQ locally. I see she has stitchery samples hanging high on the walls and I think there is enough room for a couple pieces of CQ... Right? I can always hope!
Good luck with that, Gerry! Apparently, from her website, she carries a lot of Shepherd’s Bush stuff. You can tell her that you have visited Shepherd’s Bush and even show them pictures from our retreat shopping trip. SB carries all sorts of threads and silk ribbon, too. Your shop owner is going to have to expand her base and cater to all stitchers to maintain a viable business, period. And you can help her! She would be crazy (no pun intended) not to take you up on your ideas! :-)
ReplyDeleteHugs, Cat
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. We don't have such a thing anywhere near us. The closest is Edmonton and that's about 1 1/2 hours away.
ReplyDeleteLet us hope this owner is more open minded. I'll check out the site.
ReplyDeleteI see by her online store today that she is adding "stash" every day! She's even going to carry counted needlepoint AND she has embroidery too! Oh Happy Day!!! I'm going to check it out everyday. I was told that it will take while to get everything in the online store, so I've bookmarked it for sure.
ReplyDeleteI just checked her web site and it's full of "stash". I was told that she is adding stuff every day, so I've bookmarked it for sure! She has counted canvas(needlepoint) by Nancy Buhl of From Nancys Needle, AND, oh happy day, she has the Picture This Plus hand dyed fabric. I saw embroidery there and I've asked them to add Mill Hill kits. What a nice place to "visit"! I wish I lived closer and could go to the party this coming weekend!
ReplyDeleteI see by her online store today that she is adding "stash" every day! She's even going to carry counted needlepoint AND she has embroidery too! Oh Happy Day!!! I'm going to check it out everyday. I was told that it will take while to get everything in the online store, so I've bookmarked it for sure.
ReplyDelete