The incredible range at All Threads Embroidery in Brisbane, Australia
People across the web are asking “Where can I get your book?” Often someone suggests the large purveyor of books starting with A. Yes, you can probably get it there.
HOWEVER, from my soap box: where you can, please support small businesses. If you have a local needlework shop, please support them. If you don’t have a local needlework shop (I don’t have one either!), please order through one that is happy to post to you. There are many that are happy to post.
Why do I constantly harp on about supporting small businesses? Well, apart from the fact that mine is very small – just me! – if we want needlework shops to remain open, we have to support them. Purchasing from these shops helps them pay their bills and keep their doors open.
If we don’t buy from them, they can’t keep operating. And one day, down the track, when we need some of the wonderful advice we can find in such a store, or their ability to source those difficult to find products that we really need, or their amazing range of products all in one place, or their fabulous customer service of pulling all the threads we need for a particular project, we might just find that they’re not there anymore. It’s as simple as that.
I buy many of my beads from Beadworx, on the Gold Coast of QLD. It is over 500 km (300 miles) away. That’s not local! I’ve called her, visited her once (when o, glorious day, I happened to be in the vicinity!), and ordered through her website. She even called me the other day to let me know that some beads I had wanted were back in stock. I had not asked her to do this. That’s great service!
Recently I was talking with Kerryn, from All Threads Embroidery in Brisbane, because she needed some more books and thread from me. We discussed this topic. I assured her that I am always trying to encourage people towards buying from their favourite needlework store. And here I am today, doing it again!
If we want small needlework stores to remain open, we have to support them!
There’s a non-exhaustive list of stores around the world which sell my books in my Hardanger Filling Stitches FAQ.
White Threads is the blog of Yvette Stanton, the author, designer, publisher behind Vetty Creations' quality needlework books and embroidery products.
Seconded, Thirded, and Fourthed!
There are the larger “craft stores”, but they often have only the least interesting materials, and no scope for tracking down any specialist fabric, thread, or beads. It’s the enthusiast with their own Little Black Book of suppliers that we need!
Yes, there definitely is a difference in the types of supplies they have!