Followers

04 October 2007

SBQ

Oh boy, we have another one:

What are your favorite online stitching supply sources?

I tend to be very selective of who I shop with online. For one thing, living in the DC area, we have a lot of LNSs around that I would hate to lose by shopping exclusively online. For another, I worry that my credit card information will be compromised. I realize that it should not be a huge consideration, because the credit card companies themselves don't seem to care, they just pay the bill and then hike the interest rates up higher, but I don't want someone using my cards. So I tend to be very exclusive in who I deal with.

My favorite online site is Needlecraft Corner. It's a local shop--well, kinda local, in that it's in Baltimore--but I don't like making the drive too often and I am too stupid to figure out how to get to the Inner Harbor tunnel, so I tend to order by email. She has my CC info so I don't even have to give that. Plus, Drema is super nice, and knows her stuff. Our only disagreement is with the Anchor vs DMC floss issue.

Next to that, I use 123stitch.com. She has a much larger selection of charts than anyone I can order from otherwise, and seems pretty nice. Plus, she hosts the message board I go to, and it's sort of not fair to use her resources and not give her business.

I also like www.sewandso.co.uk for all my European kit needs. It's very expensive for an American to shop there, but it's a good site and I get tired of stitching the same things as everyone else has in their stash, so it's a good resource. The kits come in a week, and I don't have to pay VAT or import duty.

And lastly, I have Ebay. I know a lot of people don't like Ebay. I don't know why. I find it fascinating. There are kits and charts on there from before I got heavily into stitching that I wouldn't find right now if I looked. I found another copy of the first kit I ever stitched, which I mucked up badly. Someday I will restitch that kit. where else could I find these things? If you have a store with a good clearance section, it's not the old kits and charts, and even if you shopped stash sales, you have to keep in mind, this is stuff people don't like. I find it's mostly baby stuff, which I won't stitch, or the dregs of the old stuff. Not like Ebay-that's business folks in addition to regular people. You can find gems on there. TREASURES. For reasonable prices. Can't beat that.

2 comments:

Mindy said...

Hi Rachel. It was good meeting you at Hershey, although my brain kinda blinked for a second, lol.

I like Stitching Bits and Bobs, mainly because I take advantage of their sales and even their normal prices tend to be lower. That being said, I don't order anything from them that I need quickly because most of their items need to be ordered. I've always had good luck with them, though.

I use 123stitch if I need something quickly because they almost always have it in stock and ship quickly.

I'm going to start using Nordic Needle, as they have a lot of supplies I need for my recent canvaswork haul from Hershey. I've heard good things about them. They also have a wish list, which I like.

Aunt B said...

Did I get the cow in the Hersey truck or was it the t-shirt?

I do my thing and you do yours. I am not in this world to live up to your expectations, and you are not in this world to live up to mine. You are you and I am I, and if by chance we find each other, then it is beautiful. If not, it can’t be helped--Frederick Perls