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Mary Corbet

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I learned to embroider when I was a kid, when everyone was really into cross stitch (remember the '80s?). Eventually, I migrated to surface embroidery, teaching myself with whatever I could get my hands on...read more

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Happy New Year: 2023!

 

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Once upon a time, a gazillion years ago, just as the 1980’s breathed their last and I was starting the Great Adventure of Life in my first year of college, I had a memorable conversation with a friend.

We spoke about about books. She was a sci-fi fan. I was not.

One of the reasons I gave her was that my mind simply could not grasp with ease those far-flung futuristic dates like… “2023.” That was the exact example I gave her.

Happy New Year 2023!

I told her I couldn’t imagine living in “2023.”

I joked around about how we would refer to the year.

“So, what year was that?”

“Oh, it was 23.”

To me, that was either really ancient history, or the Roaring 20’s.

I always thought those futuristic dates in science fiction sounded so distantly weird.

And now here we are.

I was thinking about that as the clocked struck … oh, about 9:48, when I saw the last of 2022 before my head hit the pillow.

“We’ve finally arrived at 2023. I am now the Science Fiction of my youth.”

I thought about other things, too, on the last day of 2022, but they were either more profound, in which case, I won’t bore you with the details. Or they were more practical, in which case, they will probably show up right here on Needle ‘n Thread in the forthcoming twelve months.

2022 into 2023

Along with regular weekly embroidery-related content, news, tips, tutorials, and so forth, in 2022, a couple key events happened here at Needle ‘n Thread.

We launched a new tutorial and project series called Stitch Snippets, where we worked together on four different small(ish) embroidery projects in stitch-along fashion.

Stitch Snippets 2022

The four projects that we created together were this Bee-Jeweled Pincushion, this Cotton Quartet Sampler Embroidery Tool Wallet, this Autumn Fire embroidered tree, and this Christmas Tree Ornament.

I believe it was a successful series, and I plan to continue it with some modifications in 2023. We have plans! And they are exciting!

In 2022, the retail shop here on Needle ‘n Thread expanded to include more curated goods like fine embroidery books from different designers around the world, high quality linens for hand embroidery, functional and beautiful embroidery tools, and embroidery kits.

I’ve had many requests for further goods to be made available and lots of recommendations for different embroidery-related books, items, kits, threads, and the like. I’ve also been in touch with several designers around the world regarding kit offerings.

In 2023, the specially curated offerings in my shop will continue to expand. It’ll be an exciting line-up that I’m hoping will help make a variety of hand embroidery techniques more accessible to more people. That’s always been one of the main goals of Needle ‘n Thread.

All of the above can happen only because, in 2022, we moved Needle ‘n Thread from a small residential rental to a larger commercial building in my hometown. We have more space to work, more space for retail goods, and more space for manufacturing our own goods, compiling kits, and other work.

We also have enough space to offer local classes again, to host social stitching events, and to offer occasional pop-up retail events for in-person shopping. The latter will come to pass as we conquer each stage of development in our plans.

But for Now…! A Bit of Crazy!

But for now, things are a bit hairy on the home front! I must take a short hiatus until Monday, January 9th.

Remember the great kerfuffle of the studio move at the end of October and beginning of November last year? Right in the midst of that big moving project – at about the point when things were getting overwhelming, I found out that, come January, my dad (he’s 91) and I would have to move out of our house.

This was surprising news, especially coming on top of the business move. We have to move house right as I’m normally stuck into a very important and busy of time of year for Needle ‘n Thread. It’s in January that my yearly plans for Needle ‘n Thread (concerning major projects) are finalized, and that we put into motion the first steps of developing projects for the year.

Our house move is temporary – for a few months – due to some major necessary renovations. They’re the kind of renovations that involve structural repairs and work in every room in the house. Floor joists, floor leveling (one corner of my kitchen is sinking into the netherworld as we speak), ceiling replacements, support beam replacements, bolstering and whatnot, and on and on and on and on. It’s going to be a mess – and there is about 90% of me that is relieved that we can’t be in the house while it’s going on.

But then there’s about 1,249% of me that is quaking at a whole-house move (we have to leave a shell) over one week’s time, starting today. The move should be entirely complete by this coming Saturday at the end of the day. Anna and I, along with two of my nephews who are currently on furlough from construction jobs, are doing the job together.

We are very, very fortunate that things worked out as they did. We are moving into the residential duplex that Needle ‘n Thread was in! The timing was perfect. The location is perfect. The duplex is catty-corner from our house, just a little way down the street. My dad will have the convenience of familiar surroundings and a relatively easy in-and-out access to our temporary quarters. It will be a tight fit, but it will work and it’s only for a few months.

Once we are moved, I can breathe again for a while and concentrate on Needle ‘n Thread wholeheartedly. Here’s hoping that nothing else major comes to light during the renovation project. Moving back into our (more stable, repaired, and revived) house will be easier and quicker.

Man, oh man. I can’t wait until Easter! That’s about when life will (hopefully) stabilize for a much longer stretch!

So that’s where I am! And that’s why you probably won’t hear from me on the blog until next Monday, January 9th.

I will check email in the evenings, to take care of any emergencies that might arise (with digital downloads, for example), and this Wednesday afternoon, Anna and I will tackle any shipping that comes in. After that, our next shipping date will be next Monday, and from then on, we will hopefully be back to daily shipping, regular blogging, and stitching!

Happy New Year!

Here’s to 2023! May it be a glorious year for all! Wishing each of you abundant blessings and peace, joy, happiness, good health, and prosperity for the new year!

See you next week!

 
 

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(19) Comments

  1. Congratulations on your move into your new space for the business. I am sure all will work out with your residential move also. Look on the positive, time to “get rid” of some of those items you may no longer need! Best to you and your Dad.

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    1. Thanks, Donna – oh boy! We had a HUGE purge. I thought we had cleaned out the house and purged pretty much everything extra after my mom passed away, but this project brought to light the secrets of a house long lived in. We will be starting with ery happily-reduced household content when we move back in. So glad!

  2. Wow. Keeping you and your family lifted as you make this temporary move.

    Thank you for your cheery blog with beautiful handiwork, colorful inspiring photographs and clear instructions! It has encouraged me to try embroidery (remember “15 minutes a day?”) grow in this skill and art, and has added so much to my life!

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  3. Good luck on the move and the repairs, although repairs seems like to small a word. And moving in a week! Take care of yourself – “put your oxygen mask on first” as they say on the planes.

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  4. Wow, talk about starting the year off with a bang! SO glad you still had possession of that rental! Wishing you a smooth transition all around …

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  5. Oh my goodness, that’s a big construction project for the middle of winter in Kansas! I hope there will be no weather delays and all goes well. Happy New Year to you!

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  6. Change can be good, but too much too soon is always stressful. I’m rearranging my stitching space over New Year’s too. Mainly to accommodate my new puppy who thinks thread and fabric are baby toys! No more stitching in my family room, thankful for a full basement studio space. Looking forward to reading more from you and wishing you a Happy New Year even if it begins with a bit of chaos for both of us!

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  7. Wow, happy new year and ain’t that a curve ball! Still, much better to know about and deal with it in advance BEFORE the house falls in on you. Best of luck, and we’ll look forward to seeing you again in mid-January!

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  8. Wow, how perfect you were able to move into the previous residential business location! While I was reading, it was in my mind how great it would be if that space was still available. Those are some extensive renovations being done to your home. I’m sure it will all look great in the end and give you peace of mind knowing everything will be structurally sound.

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  9. Oh dear! As you detailed the work that needs to be done in your house, all I kept thinking was:
    CHA-CHING!

    May the force be with you!! I hope all goes well, and the job comes in under budget!

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  10. I hope the move and home repairs go well. How nicely timed that the duplex was still available for you to use.
    Now that you have an official business space, what has become of the needlework room in your house? Something else, or does it still serve your personal non-business needlework activities?

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    1. I never had a needlework room in my house. I had the garage for a bit, but it was also household storage and the like. My house is really really small, so there’s no dedicated workroom / project room in it. It’s an old house, and the rooms are small, and the house itself is small. In fact, with this move to the duplex (which was indeed good timing on availability!), I’m discovering just how small my house actually is. While there are only five rooms at the duplex (two bedrooms, living room, kitchen, bath), each room is bigger in size than any room in my house! So while there are fewer rooms (no utility room, no small third bedroom – previously a tiny office – no dining room, no separate entry room), they are all so much larger that the duplex feels huge compared to my house. LOL!

  11. Oh, Mary, I don’t envy your situation! My son just did some major renovations in my house, and I had very mixed feelings about remaining in the house during the process. Either way can be very stressful. So, I’m praying your reno’s will go smoothly and stay on track!
    Your thoughts about 2023 reminded me of very similar thoughts I had when the movie “2001: A Space Odessy” came out, back in 1968. I was only 12, and just could not imagine life beyond a few years, much less into a new millennia!
    Blessings for a Happy & Prosperous New Year!

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  12. Oh, man that is a lot. Best of luck with the move and the rehab work. I’ve torn apart two houses in the last 15 years, and renovations never seem to go as smoothly as one hopes. I find that having very low expectations is the best strategy, but I’ll certainly hope that your experience is a positive one!

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  13. So glad to discover you. However, I cannot find a “shop now” or similar place to look at and buy your kits.

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