Loretta Spears was a legendary needlepoint designer, best known for her Mystery Projects, which still are popular. Recently Lara Hartley has been stitching many of her projects, both large and small and blogging about them in Diet Pepsi & Xanax.
Jane Wood is working on a comprehensive listing of Loretta’s projects (which can be elusive). You can see this at The Loretta Spears Design Archive.
She also owned a needlepoint shop. Thanks to Lara, we have this thought-povoking post from RCTN, the old needlework newsgroup.
The poll ran in June 1996. Loretta Spears reported on the
results. She said:
“Well, the results of the poll on needlework shops was very interesting.
Basically we all want the same thing.
1. This was listed on almost every response as # 1 .
Acknowledge me being there–Hi-Hello-May I help you etc. Then leave me
alone!!! Do not hover over me– I will call you if I need you.
2. If you don’t have it (what I need) offer to special order it for me
and then follow through ASAP. Notify me when it arrives.
3. Knowledge—Have people that know what they are doing helping you.
4. Models and then having the supplies to do them. Take out of date
models down.
5. Neatness and cleanliness in the shop.
6. Classes and finishers in the shop.
7. New articles, books, threads etc. in a special place for people to
see–everyone likes NEW things.
8. Lighting is a must. For classes and then to be able to see the true
colors.
9. NEVER make anyone feel dumb by the questions they ask. Realize that
everyone has to learn. The young are our hope for the future
needleworkers so they have to learn. They do have money to spend.
10. Friendliness is a definite must for the shop to be successful
I hope this will help any current shop owners out there (did me) and
anyone who is planning on opening one.
Unfortunately we are losing a lot of our speciality shops and if we do
that we stitchers are in a lot of trouble. So please support your local
shops.”
What else would you like to see? What kind of things do you wish shops had on their websites?
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