Needlework in Charleston: Cabbage Row Shoppe
A couple other needlework stops caught my attention while I was on vacation. After Florida, our next stop was Charleston, South Carolina, where I found a great needlework shop in the historic downtown area.
Cabbage Row Shoppe has been operating in Charleston on Broad Street since the early 1970's.
It's at a beautiful location on Broad Street and State, right near the Old Exchange. There are plenty of sights nearby - the street is perfect for strolling, shopping, and sightseeing.
As you walk down Broad Street near the intersection of State, you'll see a cabbage on the wall, indicating the location of Cabbage Row Shoppe:
In case you miss the cabbage, there's also an overhead sign to indicate that you've arrived:
As you can tell from the sign above the door, Cabbage Row Shoppe specializes in needlepoint. They have an incredible variety of the most beautiful hand-painted canvases I've ever seen.
You'll find canvases lining both walls and covering racks in the middle of the store. There is also a small selection of counted thread designs to choose from, but the focus of the shop is definitely needlepoint.
All the canvases are unique and really gorgeous. I had to resist the temptation to purchase a set of beautiful Fleur de Lys squares that I would have loved to have - the difficulties being that 1. Needlepoint is not really my "thing" (though I like it, and I like the looks of it - I just don't have the time to devote to it); 2. I was searching for fibers, not designs to stitch; and 3. I would have overstepped my embroidery budget big time. Hand-painted canvases are not inexpensive, I've found, but, after contemplating their nature, I think that they are a good value. First, you're getting something unique that is a work of art; second, once it's stitched, it becomes your work of art as well; third, you can do useful and beautiful things with such canvases - from typical decor (pillows, framed works for the walls), to furniture upholstery (footstools, chair backs), to housewares (the base of covered glass trays), the needlepointed canvas can be a really beautiful addition to the home and something that can last from one generation to the next.
I loved this little elephant fellow. It's both exotic and fun.
And this camel canvas caught my eye, too! But I wasn't looking for canvas, I was looking for threads! They have plenty.
You'll find a range of colors of Paternayan Persian Wool, which is a three-ply 100% wool yarn used for needlepoint, but which can also be used for other needlework, for tassle-making, etc.
You'll also find the range of Silk 'n Ivory, a 50% Merino wool / 50% silk blend yarn made in Switzerland. The color range for the Silk 'n Ivory is gorgeous - they have 186 colors available, and the shading is wonderfully subtle, perfect for modern Jacobean and crewel work. And they carry Trio as well, made by the same company. It's a three-ply, divisible yarn made of silk and wool and can be used for fine work.
Cabbage Row also carries a variety of specialty flosses, some silks (Caron Collection, for example), the whole range of DMC, and notions and accessories, including stretcher bar frames.
They have a website, but it is not frequently updated. However, you can contact them via the website and they will help you fulfill your needs if they can. The proprietress was certainly the model of southern hospitality and graciousness. It was a pleasure spending time at Cabbage Row!
Cabbage Row Shoppe has been operating in Charleston on Broad Street since the early 1970's.
It's at a beautiful location on Broad Street and State, right near the Old Exchange. There are plenty of sights nearby - the street is perfect for strolling, shopping, and sightseeing.
As you walk down Broad Street near the intersection of State, you'll see a cabbage on the wall, indicating the location of Cabbage Row Shoppe:
In case you miss the cabbage, there's also an overhead sign to indicate that you've arrived:
As you can tell from the sign above the door, Cabbage Row Shoppe specializes in needlepoint. They have an incredible variety of the most beautiful hand-painted canvases I've ever seen.
You'll find canvases lining both walls and covering racks in the middle of the store. There is also a small selection of counted thread designs to choose from, but the focus of the shop is definitely needlepoint.
All the canvases are unique and really gorgeous. I had to resist the temptation to purchase a set of beautiful Fleur de Lys squares that I would have loved to have - the difficulties being that 1. Needlepoint is not really my "thing" (though I like it, and I like the looks of it - I just don't have the time to devote to it); 2. I was searching for fibers, not designs to stitch; and 3. I would have overstepped my embroidery budget big time. Hand-painted canvases are not inexpensive, I've found, but, after contemplating their nature, I think that they are a good value. First, you're getting something unique that is a work of art; second, once it's stitched, it becomes your work of art as well; third, you can do useful and beautiful things with such canvases - from typical decor (pillows, framed works for the walls), to furniture upholstery (footstools, chair backs), to housewares (the base of covered glass trays), the needlepointed canvas can be a really beautiful addition to the home and something that can last from one generation to the next.
I loved this little elephant fellow. It's both exotic and fun.
And this camel canvas caught my eye, too! But I wasn't looking for canvas, I was looking for threads! They have plenty.
You'll find a range of colors of Paternayan Persian Wool, which is a three-ply 100% wool yarn used for needlepoint, but which can also be used for other needlework, for tassle-making, etc.
You'll also find the range of Silk 'n Ivory, a 50% Merino wool / 50% silk blend yarn made in Switzerland. The color range for the Silk 'n Ivory is gorgeous - they have 186 colors available, and the shading is wonderfully subtle, perfect for modern Jacobean and crewel work. And they carry Trio as well, made by the same company. It's a three-ply, divisible yarn made of silk and wool and can be used for fine work.
Cabbage Row also carries a variety of specialty flosses, some silks (Caron Collection, for example), the whole range of DMC, and notions and accessories, including stretcher bar frames.
They have a website, but it is not frequently updated. However, you can contact them via the website and they will help you fulfill your needs if they can. The proprietress was certainly the model of southern hospitality and graciousness. It was a pleasure spending time at Cabbage Row!
Labels: needlework and travel, supplies
Posted By: Mary Corbet on Sunday, June 10, 2007
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