Originally posted 2009-09-19 06:43:38. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
When I moved to California in 1980, I was sort of lost for needlepoint.
Yes, there were some stores in San Francisco, but I didn’t have time on my lunch hour to get to them. There was a knitting and needlepoint store on my way home from work, but it was not too exciting.
But all that changed when I moved to Rockridge, a neighborhood in North Oakland.
On the main street and just at the bottom of my street was a wonderful needlepoint store, The Crewel World. Owned by a lovely lady named Diane, this place was needlepoint heaven. There was lots of thread, more than the Persian Wool and floss combo of most places, canvas, books, charts, painted canvas, classes.
What joy!
In those days Jane Zimmerman, who lived nearby, also taught there, and Diane and the other employees who worked there were unfailing in their support. They were such thread addicts they would buy odd threads and sell them to people like me. I bought all sorts of things from them, DMC matte cotton, Empress Silk, and some mystery threads.
After awhile Diane sold the store and the new owner, Linda, kept the same friendly atmosphere. By that time I had kids and they never minded me with two kids in the stroller coming in (a sign of a great store to my mind). Linda had a second shop in Walnut Creek, which became my LNS when I got a job out there.
Good shops, like good friends, aren’t just stitchy enablers, they become your friends, a haven, a place for creativity. Where would we be without them?
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I’m so glad you mentioned Crewel World. My mother used to go there and loved that shop. I lived out in Danville, and my LNS was Stitch’N Time. They had pretty mauve paper bags to hold purchases, and I saved every small bag I could to pack school lunches. One day I overheard one of the boys saying “What I really hate is to get one of those pink Stitch’N Time bags!” Poor kids and their embarrassing Mom!