March Greetings,

This will be a somewhat shorter newsletter - I'm behind as usual partly because I've been dealing with work being done on our house. I live in a townhome and our association has been replacing the siding where it's needed. But we have a tree in our back yard that most homeowners don't have and it was in the way of the ladders. After much conversation, many phone calls to places with scaffolding and lifts, we finally got them to do the work without cutting the tree or having to rent equipment. So after 3 days of banging on the back of our house they are finally done and banging on the house 2 doors down! Now to figure out where to put the plants again. We have most everything in pots so it's kind of fun to move them around occasionally - plant redecorating!

We will continue to be open late on Tuesday evenings at least through May, from 11am until 8pm. Come by and shop or stitch a bit.

Friday The 13th Sale!

When I got up this morning I thought - why don't we do a Friday the 13th Sale. Since I'm the boss I get to make up things like this on the spur of the moment :-). Just about everything will be on sale with a few exceptions (our auto series like Just Nan Over The Top and Jeannette Douglas's My Stitching Album, trunkshows, finishing, sale items & items on Hold are not included in the sale). The sale is limited to stock on hand and the 13% off is good only for Friday March 13th.

So come shopping on Friday March 13th (in person, by phone, e-mail or on-line).

March Classes & Events

Our  Easter trunk show from Associated Talents has arrived and will be out on the floor Saturday. While AT does a wide variety of needlepoint designs we decided that an Easter show was just the ticket for early Spring. So we'll have baskets, carrots, eggs and all manner of Easter fun. Our Associated Talents Easter trunk show will be from March 14th to Easter.

We will be offering a 10% discount for canvases purchased or ordered from the trunkshow while it's here.

Lucy Barter, Royal School of Needlework grad, will be back March 21st to teach a Beginning - Intermediate Blackwork class ($125). The class will help you learn not only the basics of Blackwork, but how to do shading and use patterns. This is a full-day class and everything you need for each class is included in the price - as well as lunch. We still have a couple of spots left so sign-up soon!

Our Beth Gantz Designs trunkshow will be on disply until Sunday. If you've not had a chance to come by and check it out do so this weekend. Most of Beth's designs are 5x5 on 10 or 14 mesh and stitch up quick. Whether you like aqua/brown, red/green, lime/brown, black/lime or lime/pink these are fun color combinations. We have also added an on-line catalog for Beth's designs. If you order any of them by March 15th you'll receive the 10% trunkshow discount. We will be placing an order right after the trunkshow so get your order in by March 15th.

Product Updates

I'm still working on addition to the on-line catalog (the never ending process) but here are some I've made this week for new threads.

Brown Paper Packages

• Silk & Ivory: Stream (209), Lily Pad (210), Marsh (211), Toast (212)
  

Thread Gatherer:

• Silk 'n Colors: Frost on the Pumpkin (276), Plum Guqin (277), Highland Messagner (278), King Flock (279), Kringle's Coat (280), Here Comes The Sun (1074), Canary Song (1075), Banana Cream (1076)
• Savoir Faire: Cece has been dyeing this ribbon for awhile but I've added all the colors to the on-line catalog that are available.
• Oriental Linen: The list was out of date and now has all the available colors, including some new ones introduced late last year.
  

Crossed Wing Collection 2009 Hummingbird	By The Bay Needleart Gigi's Garden
Heaven & Earth Designs Faith, Hope & Charity	Raise The Roof Designs Mockeries I (first of a 4 part series)
Glendon Place Give Thanks
Blue Ribbon Designs Read Between The Lines

And here are some of the new charts from our Hoffman auto:

• Blue Ribbon Designs - It's Cold Outside, Hugs & Kisses, Read Between the Lines
• By The Bay Needleart - Gigi's Garden
  
• Carriage House Samplings - Big Brown House, Esther Yeakel, Mrs. Pearson, Quaker Medallion Sampler, Salina Schultz, Spot the Horse, Wisdom & Truth
• Crossed Wing Collection - 2009 Hummingbird
  
• Elizabeth's Designs - Be Green, Berry Sampler, Green House, Spring in the Garden, Two Sheep
  
• Glendon Place - Floating Leaves, Give Thanks, Harvest Gourds, Nuts About Autumn, Sixteen Gobbles
  
• Heaven & Earth Designs - Faith, Hope & Charity, Ten Lepers, Touching The Hem of God, Gift of Love, Daisy Offering
• Homespun Elegance - Miniature Samplers VIII, There is a Season, The Stitching Lady, Welcome's 'A Plenty VII
• JBW Designs - French Country; Baby Sampler, Bistro Monogram Collection, French Hen, A Very Merry Spring, A Very Merry Winter, Shoe Shopper
• La D Da - A Falling Star, A Penny Sved, Libery & Justice
• Mirabilia - Winter White Santa
• Raise The Roof - Eye Pod, Find Your Joy, Monthly Mockeries I, Patty's Fence, Scrub-a-Dub-Dub
• Samsarah Designs - Three Carrots, Baubles; E is for Elephant, Doubles; Hip Hop Ewe, Pearls; Egg Delivery
  
• Shepherd's Bush - Scatter Luck, Scatter Snowflakes
• Shakespear's Peddler - A Weary World Rejoices
• The Sweetheart Tree - April; Diamonds & Daisies, May; Emerald & Lily of the Valley, June; Pearl & Roses
• Waxing Moon Designs - Monthly Sampler; January & Monthly Sampler; February, One Color Wonders; Love
  
• Melissa Shirley Designs - Chocolate Candy Canes, Lollipops and Candy Corn (hand-painted canvases)
  

These have not been added to our on-line catalog yet (I'm so far behind on that it's not even worth a joke now). So stop by the store, give us a call or e-mail us if you are interested in any of these or other new items. Photos for most of them can be found on the designer's website or on Hoffman's or Norden's sites.

You can always check for new charts from many of the designers via the Hoffman Merchant Mall or Norden Crafts. Check our What's New Blog for the latest info.

Last week we received some very sad news. Kris Stott co-owner of Norden Crafts, one of our favorite distributors, passed away suddenly. Kris was an amazing woman and a very strong part of our needlework industry. She is survived by her husband Dave (co-owner), their two children Matt and Katy (also part of Norden) and their children, as well as the Norden staff. It's a great loss to those of us who were lucky enough to get to know her and we will miss her greatly.

This is a pretty close knit (pun intended) industry and we all know each to some extent. I've been lucky enough to make a lot of valuable friendships over the years - valuable in terms of personal relationships. That's not always true in other industries so I count myself fortunate to have good friends like Jeannine at Acorns & Threads, Jean at Attic Needlework, Deb at Stitchville USA, Linda at Old World Designs, June McKnight, Anne at Gloriana Threads, Pat at Lakeside Linens and many others. These people not only have wonderful businesses but they enrich my life greatly. This is a public thank you to my friends for all they give me. I'm sure you too have people who enrich your life, whether it's on the personal front or the business end of things. Take the time to say thank you to them. As we all learn - it's never too soon to say I appreciate you.

Here's also saying "I appreciate you" as a customer. In our current economic times your patronage of the shop is especially appreciated.

I hope you have a relaxed and stress-free stitching week!

Happy Stitching,

Cathe
...and Debi, Caroline, Lelia, Mary, Ali, Jennifer, Marty, Sherry, Susan and Margaret

Don't forget our Grab Bag for Food Donations offer - bring in non-perishable food items for donation and get a grab bag! We've been happy with the donations so far and given all the very old inventory we have that could use a good home - this is a win-win for us, for you and for the Alameda Food Bank. They have kindly loaned us a big, red bin that's by the door for food donations.

510-522-0404 *  877-HAYSTAC *  877-429-7822
1533 Webster Street  *  Alameda, CA 94501

Shop Hours: Tuesday 11am - 8pm, Wed - Saturday 11am - 5pm
Sun 1pm - 4pm
Monday By Appointment

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