PREVIOUS SHOPS FEATURED ­ ARCHIVES

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.

Fireside Stitchery
Frazer, PA
by Rita Vainius

"In 1993 my mother and I started our needlepoint business, Fireside Stitchery," states Maria A. DeSimone. So begins the saga of a shop that has become a true family enterprise.

Maria studied Electrical Engineering and Philosophy in college and then went on to receive a Law Degree from Villanova University, PA, thus ultimately following in her father, Tony Bartolini's footsteps. Tony practiced law for over 40 years and was the managing partner of a large Philadelphia law firm. Maria's law specialty was Intellectual Property (patents, trademarks and copyrights) and she practiced for about seven years. When Tony retired, the prior family trend was reversed, and Tony followed in his daughter's footsteps by coming to work at Fireside Stitchery. He now serves in the capacity of Chief Financial Officer, but that does not absolve him from doing a little of everything. It didn't take Tony long to learn the finer points of stitching. In fact, he has already stitched two models for the shop and is stitching more. Even Todd, Maria's husband, is vital to the business as their computer expert and web developer.

Christmas Mitten by Renaissance Designs

Maria grew up in a home where handwork was treasured and nurtured. Each family member pursues some form of creative expression. Maria's sister, Rachel, makes lovely jewelry; brother, David, owns an antique shop and works with the intricate mechanisms of clocks and watches; father, Tony, is an expert woodworker and mother, Judy, is a very talented stitcher. Tony applies his carpentry talents to making beautiful hand turned wood laying tools, needlecases, and hand turned cases to hold the Best Laying Tool. He also creates one-of-a-kind pieces to display needlework, such as footstools, fire screens, needle boxes, scissor cases and many other beautiful items. Maria's own interests include needlework of all kinds, music, writing and beading. She adds, "Although needlepoint is my specialty, I enjoy all the needlearts. I also love to do off-loom bead weaving. I am currently experimenting with spinning my own threads and learning how to weave in the Navajo style. I also enjoy designing, teaching and lecturing in many areas of needleart."

Tony's Hand Turned Best Laying Tool Cases

Judy was an obstetrics nurse and worked until she and Tony started a family. She then traded in her nursing whites to become a full time stay-at-home mom. She was the one who introduced Maria to needle and thread. Judy is an expert stitcher, adept in many techniques - heirloom hand sewing, cutwork, pulled thread, lacework, Japanese embroidery, needlepoint and others. Maria proudly reports, "Her most recently completed pieces were two exquisite christening gowns and matching bonnets for her first grandchildren (my sister's twins)."

Vera Bradley Teddy Bear	Alice in Wonderland Chair with Hand Painted Canvas Cushion

Fireside Stitchery was begun as a mail order business working out of a small rented office on the top floor of an old home. The company has grown quickly and today, in addition to their thriving mail order venture, has a retail business ensconced in a beautiful full service store in Frazer, PA, about 35 miles west of Philadelphia. The mail order catalog is unusually comprehensive spanning about 100 pages. The newest edition of the catalog is due out late this year. Maria and her husband Todd, along with Marti Davis and Jennifer Taylor of Needleartworks.com, are working on expanding the business further into the Internet arena with an exciting on-line store for the benefit of those stitchers who do not have a local needlework store.

More of Tony's Best Laying Tool Cases

The shop is in its third home. The initial move was made when Fireside Stitchery expanded into retail and then quickly outgrew the space. Maria enthuses, "Our present store is a joy. I would like to say that it is big enough, but I do not think we could ever have a shop that is 'big enough.' There is always one more thread family to try to hang on the wall, or a few more canvases and shop models to display." Fibers in families grace the pristine white walls of the shop, creating a wonderful splash of color wherever one glances. Included is the Caron Family of threads. Maria resumes, "It is a real feast for the eyes to see all the Watercolors, Wildflowers, Waterlilies, Impressions and Soie Crystal hanging side-by-side. We make it our business to know all about the threads we carry so that we can recommend just the right threads for our customers' projects. We are always on the lookout for new and interesting threads, and we keep our stock up to date with all the new colors."

Chateau in the Woods by Thespia Designs

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STORE FOCUS ARCHIVES
(For previous month's features)

Needle Nook of La Jolla
Fiddlesticks ­ Honolulu, Hawaii
Linen Ladies ­ Sidney, Montana
A revisit to: Hook-n-Needle in Fairfield County, Connecticut
Old Town Needlework & Framing in Scottsdale, AZ
The Yarn Barn of San Antonio, Texas

The Sampler in Plymouth, MA
Abecedarius in Marietta, Georgia

Witchery 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, TX

Sophisticated Stitchery, in Carteret, New Jersey
Hardanger House, Stettler, Alberta, Canada
Nordic Needle, Fargo, ND

Needlemania, 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