Volume I, Issue 5
December 1999
Flying Threads
Fa-La-La-La-La, La-La-La-La...
Christmas is coming and I have started to clean my house since I got the store in shape (more like since I've gone to university). Elly worked long weeks in November going through the inventory and marking down 50 & 75 % off the ticketed price. Her big thrill was the orange coloured stickers. It would almost appear that the new accent colour in the store to complement the navy is orange stickers (*groans* i've been blinded! ack!!).Slap it here, slap it there and here again...it almost sounds like old MacDonald's farm in rhyme (quick, what's the number of the HPH??). There is now a permanent 50% off section for old charts and Elly plans to keep it filled. Plus she keeps topping up those baskets in the back; they would make perfect gifts for family stitchers or yourselves. My best time was when Alma came in to have me applique Woodland Santa on a tree skirt. I went into the closet (remarkably, she came out in one piece) for my Zweigart Silveretta tree skirt to use as a template. Elly's heart went into her throat as I cut and zig-zagged. Unfortunately I no longer have my tree skirt as Santa should be on it. Stop by the shop to see and give us your opinion, as Alma was generous in lending us the sample until December 20th. There was lots of fun as I kept locating the hidden treasures in my secret stashes since I had forgotten about them (surprise, surprise). The store sparkles as we have recycled old display units into a large bookcase to show off our fabric in a rainbow effect. To help keep me neat, Elly and I shortened the front counter. I can still make that drill sing (oh, no... run for your lives!!!!). Andy and Eva, my landlords, kept wondering about the hammering and the strange noises.They were inpressed with the new store layout and that I even started to clean up the basement. Elly is amazed at what I can accomplish by straightening up the store.
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The Question Section
Okay, just moving some stuff around, he he. This was left over from previous newsletter. PARKING- A few stitches done in one colour and rather than finish off, take the threaded needle and place it above your work in another area. Then using a new colour continue to stitch.To go back to using the original colour in a further area away (more than 3 stitches), weave the threads under those threads and continue to stitch in the first colour. This method for one stitch here and then over about 6 or 7 stitches for another stitch in the same colour. Best examples are Lavender & Lace charts.
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Golden Threads Banquet Hall...
Surprise! Surprise! The skirts no longer fall off the tables and there are no boxes underneath for you to hit your toes (gee, darn...). It took Elly and I two weeks to custom fit the skirting around the tables and stitch the table covers permanently. Vinyl to top the navy - that stuff wipes clean very fast (note the lack of housecleaning work). The cutting table is now in the back next to those bookcases. I was amazed at how good Vim worked on taking off black marks - Elly's home cleaning suggestion. Elly finally got her wish of dividers for the charts. She only had to wait 4 months. Well, I was busy getting ready for the CSNF show which was a big success. Thank you to all for your patience and help. A special thanks to Ann who became a pro at repricing (brother, now she's enslaving the stitchers...). Maybe I can find some more kits for her. After we reopened the store, the Thursday night gang had heart failure when they saw clean counters, an area for serving coffee and we can now find the sewing machine (roflol... we need the crash cart here, stat! hehe). Mary Ann is convinced that I am a gourmet cook (ok, Mary Ann hit her head) as I desribe what Christmas dinner will be at my house (seeing is believing). Found the kitchen at the house as I recyled the paper either in the garbage or the filing cabinet (the kitchen now echoes it is so clean). Samples are slowly being done. When it comes to framing store samples we use the gang on Thursday nights for their comments. Though I must admit, the gang helped Lou pick out a frame for her finished needlepoint. Naturally to make sure that her fingers still stay nimble, she has started to do a cushion sample for the store (Lou, she will now proceed to work you to the bone). I needed to buy more chairs for the back room. The gang has now grown to number between 15 to 18 each week. Brenda finished Clayton's Ford Way. Mary Ann finished the "sexy Madonna" and is now working on Christmas visit. I do hear grumblings about all the greys. Bill composed a verse for his great granddaughter Emily and the group were their usual selves in advice on the colour scheme, the style of lettering and how the poem should be placed on the fabric. I have had to put my foot down and get the group to finish their current projects which they started in the summer in order to have them done in time for Christmas gift giving. Speaking of Christmas, it will be here and then a week later it's New Year's. As doomsayers go around with their survival tips, I noticed that they have missed the most IMPORTANT items. Stitching supplies - threads, fabric and charts. Also I feel that to mark the new millenium, we should start more than one project on New Year's Eve. Check out our Christmas hours on the opposite side.
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