Every month The CARON Collection features one of the outstanding shops who so ably provide stitchers with not only supplies but guidance, technical expertise, and inspiration. We hope you'll support your local shops and browse through our extensive SHOP LISTINGS to find a shop near you. This month we take you to discover...
The Point of It All
Washington, DCHow's this for an alliterative name - Hyla H. Hurley! Hyla, or the "Queen," as her staff playfully refers to her, is the proprietor of a shop called The Point of It All. The shop was the end result of a time in her life when Hyla was actually asking herself, "What is the point of it all?" When she discovered the answer, her shop was conceived. That Hyla's store specializes in needlepoint, is not beside the point, at all - it only makes the name that much more poignant. The Point of It All is, without a doubt, the manifestation of Hyla's creative spirit coupled with her entrepreneurial drive.
Hyla Hurley grew up in a small town on the Maryland coast along with her parents and 2 brothers. She learned embroidery, crewelwork and knitting as a child from both her mother and grandmother. Although she grew up with handwork all around her, she is self-taught in needlepoint. One day she sat down with Hope Hanley's book and learned every stitch, so that she would be able to teach both right and left handed stitchers. "Of course," she reflects, "I never dreamt that it would one day be both my passion and my livelihood!" Her education was primarily academic but she has always had an interest in art. After attending business college Hyla spent 4 years as a legal secretary and then took a job as an administrative assistant on Capitol Hill. The experience she gained there has stood her in good stead in managing her own business. She became the consummate diplomat - a priceless skill for one who lives and interacts daily in the Nation's Seat of Power. Hyla delights in confiding, "To this day no one knows if I am a Democrat or a Republican!"
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After Capitol Hill, Hyla worked as an agent and property manager in real estate. Eventually, she tired of the "9 to 5" tedium, longing to immerse herself in something more rewarding. Being headstrong and ambitious Hyla let out her condominium, rented a tiny apartment for herself instead and used her hard won money to start her own business. In the shop's fledgling years Hyla ate a lot of noodles - or was that needles! Sometimes it was so difficult to make ends meet that Hyla hired her services out to other designers at shows just so she could get to market. She taught during lunchtime in office buildings and stitched professionally for her customers. She claims credit for making up some stitches, in order to be able to complete backgrounds more quickly. But Hyla has never sacrificed quality for speed. Her priority has always been personal service and customer satisfaction, which she refers to as "the most valued commodity at The Point of It All. Whether it was noodles or needles which sustained her, Hyla literally lived and breathed needlework.
Hyla is proud that most of her staff have been with her for the duration. Carol was a longtime friend and neighbor before she began working at the store. Her tenure there began with a very innocuous request; one day Hyla was detained and asked Carol to secure her keys from another shopkeeper in order to open the store. Carol complied and hasn't left since! Hyla exclaims, "She now stitches and can talk you into buying more than you actually came in for." Hyla gives her staff much of the credit for the store's success. Beside Carol, they include Pat, Nancy, Lee (Hope Hanley's daughter), Laurie, Janie, Charlotte, Betsy. Madelaine, Anita and Lucy - one and all strong, opinionated, skilled and talented. Hyla has calculated that amongst them all the store boasts over 400 years of needlepoint experience. There is also another loyal staff member - Mon Petit Cadeaux, better known as Caddy. A Coton de Tulear breed of dog, he serves as Hyla's constant companion, punching the time clock whenever she does.
Hyla is the author of an extremely portable and handy reference guide for stitchers named My Favorite Stitches.One of Hyla's first customers and a 25 year veteran calls it, "A pocket-sized dynamo of a reference book - and Hyla assures you, 'There are no needlepoint police.'" This last comment speaks volumes on Hyla's approach to stitching - experiment, ask for help whenever you need it and have fun. She has created a venue that echoes the message. The Point of It All constitutes a feast for the eyes as well as a balm for the soul. It is dedicated to maintaining an inventory consistently a cut above the rest. In recognition of her efforts, Hyla was recently honored by the TNNA for her outstanding contribution to the needlepoint community on the occasion of her store's 25th anniversary in 1999.
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STORE FOCUS ARCHIVES
(For previous month's features)Old Town Needlework & Framing in Scottsdale, AZ
The Yarn Barn of San Antonio, TexasThe Sampler in Plymouth, MA
Abecedarius in Marietta, GeorgiaWitchery Stitchery of Mt. Horeb Wisconsin City Stitcher of Chicago, IL L'Aguja Loca in Mexico City Ruth's Stitchery, in Colorado Springs, CO
Mrs. Titchett's Eye, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Pocket Full of Stitches, in Lubbock, TXSophisticated Stitchery, in Carteret, New Jersey
Hardanger House, Stettler, Alberta, Canada
Nordic Needle, Fargo, NDNeedlemania, in Cranston, Rhode Island The Country Cross-Stitcher, Woburn, Bedfordshire, UK Amy's Golden Strand, Memphis, TN Needle in a Haystack in Alameda, California
Tri Thy Needlecraft Centre, in North Wales, UK
Fils Du Temps in Strasbourg, France
Stitchery Source International / Rainbow Picture Framing in Miami, Florida
Nettie's Needlecraft in glamorous Beverly Hills, California...
Island Needlework, Key West, Florida...
The Summer House Needleworks, Oley Valley of Pennsylvania
Evening Star Designs, mail order specializing in Quilting supplies
Ginger's Needlearts and Framing, Austin, Texas
The Needlewoman East in Falls Church, Virginia
Hook-n-Needle in Fairfield County, CT
The Needlepointer, Everett, Washington
Haus Tirol in Williamsburg, Virginia
Crafty Lady in Macomb, Michigan
It's A Crewel World in Salem, Massachusetts
Exclamation Point!in Saratoga Village, California
Thistle Needleworks in Glastonbury, Connecticut
