Shop Focus

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.

This month a visit to a Mail Order Shop specializing in supplies for Quilters...

"Evening Star Designs"

"Evening Star Designs", what a poetic name bringing to mind images of a midnight blue summer sky glistening with stars and one star in particular more radiant than the rest. The kind of star you'd choose to make a wish on. Well, wishes are what do come true when you discover the assortment of jewel like treasures this company has gleaned from all over the world, just for crazy quilters! Carolyn Cibik and her staff of two (augmented by Carolyn's husband Steve when his schedule allows or when necessity requires), are devoted to supplying the absolute very best materials for crazy quilting and other related kinds of handwork.

In contrast to most of the needleworkers we have featured on our website, Carolyn had no relative or other mentor to pass along their needlework skills to her. Her grandmother did make quilts and some of these were given to Carolyn as gifts, but lived too far away to be a teacher. Thus Carolyn was left to her own devices and is entirely self taught in the needle arts. The first quilt made by her that won acclaim as Viewers Choice at a Quilt Show was inspired by her cat and named after him, "Pyewackatt". A more prestigious award was the grand prize in an internationally sponsored contest for her quilt, "Autumn Glow", which garnered her $2500, which she promptly used to purchase a much needed new sewing machine

"Evening Star Designs" was a fledgling company that Carolyn began at home only 4 years ago and her intuition and business sense have paid off in a big way. As an award winning quilter, she was motivated to teach classes in crazy quilting, beading and embroidery. In talking to local shops vis-à-vis hosting these classes, she learned that she would be responsible for supplying the necessary materials for her prospective students. Only problem was that the local quilt shops did not stock and had no inclination to inventory the great variety of ribbons, beads, buttons, threads and other embellishments so integral to the crazy quilt style. With dismay, Carolyn realized that there was no way she could provide the varied selection of supplies needed to teach these classes. She felt she had reached a "dead end" when it also dawned on her that her locale, the town of Haverhill, Ma., could not support a retail venture promoting crazy quilt supplies as the main feature. Stumped? Yes. Disappointed? Yes. Daunted? NO! Savvy and enterprising as she is, she came to the realization that while a local retail shop would not cut it, a mail order crazy quilt resource just might; she could reach a broader market and the business location wouldn't matter.

"Evening Star Design's" first catalog was published in 1994, in black and white, and Carolyn worked alone for the first 2 years, with after hours support from her husband, Steve. As she had 2 young children, this arrangement worked well, for a time. But with the printing of their more diversified second catalog, growing word-of mouth advertising, and a significantly enlarged mailing list, it became apparent that Carolyn could no longer handle the workload alone, even with Steve's generous help.

Her first employee, Valerie Kelley, was already a friend and world class quilter besides. Her's is the voice many of you will hear on the phone when you call for the first time. Among Valerie's accolades are: Best Interpretation of Theme in the "Quilters Newsletter Magazine" Contest, 3rd place for an appliquéd wall hanging in The American Quilters Society Show, a blue ribbon at The Quilters Gathering Show, that quilt now being featured in a book published by The American Quilt Society. In 1997 another embellished appliquéd quilt was showcased in the "Traditional Quilter Magazine". Some of Valerie's original patterns are offered as "Evening Star Designs" selections in their catalog and she also acts in the capacity of teacher and designer alongside Carolyn. Together, for the past two years, they have been sterling and successful business colleagues.

Evening Star Designs now carries fancy fabrics including silks, brocades, velveteens, satins, tapestries, jacquards and other specialty cloth. Over 20 different kinds of embroidery threads are in stock. Included in this assortment are one of their own favorites: the hand-dyed threads of The Caron Collection, to which they devote 7 full pages (4 in color), in their new and improved , hot- off-the-press catalog. Also on hand are silk ribbons by Petals and YLI, hand-dyed ribbon from Artemis and Elegance wire-edged Ombre ribbons. The choices of trims, laces and charms will dazzle you as will the gorgeous hand made buttons fabricated from shell, glass, porcelain and metal. An extensive array of seed and bugle beads, pressed glass beads and beads made of crystal, porcelain and vintage glass are other offerings. Most of these are represented in full color in the catalog and unless you're a super decisive person, most will have some trouble in making selections as everything is truly extraordinary. They even have Shisha mirrors (stemming from a Hindi word meaning glass or mirror, these are circular mirror pieces, 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch in diameter, used to decorate and integrate onto cloth with embroidery). Like a needlework detective, Carolyn has unearthed necessary, yet hard to find notions. Books, patterns and kits complete their lineup of products for the stitcher. But, ooh la la, what kits!...

Carolyn Cibik is the originator of the concept of the Crazy Quilter's Club. This exclusive club was begun in 1995, and has been growing steadily in popularity ever since. There are currently about 500 members world wide. These subscribers receive automatic shipments of club packages every other month. Each and every shipment is comprised of a different combination of crazy quilting supplies, especially designed around a particular theme for that mailing. Club Members also receive the added perk of a distinctive newsletter with information concerning new products and discounts only available to participants. Included, as well, are 4 to 8 pages of patterns and instructions for border designs, motifs for patches, embroidery stitches and silk ribbon and beading techniques. Buoyed by the success of the Crazy Quilter's Club, led to the institution of the Crazy Quilt Series Club in 1997. This new addition runs for one year. The intention behind this offshoot of the original club is to enable members to work on larger and more complex projects. Series Club packages include fabric and embellishments that will all coordinate in color and theme. The motif for the first year is "Treasures of the Orient" and highlight patterns with influences from Japan, China and the Far East.

Crazy Quilt Club themes for 1997 included: Grandmother's Favorites (January), African Safari (March), Fairyland (May), Treasures of the Orient (July), India (September), and White-on-White (November). The first package to go out in 1998 was Rainforest (January). Carolyn not only welcomes but actually requests input from members and non-members alike for theme suggestions. These suggestions and requests extend to any ideas, techniques or new product prospects for Crazy Quilters, who are certainly in a class by themselves as far as needleworkers go.

Because of the continued demand for series offered in the past, limited editions are still available for "Ocean Waves" and "Victorian Christmas" themed kits. Another nifty "kit" concept which they have put together is a large variety of "samplers", not as in a Cross Stitch Sampler but more like a "Whitman Sampler", (samplings of various items of the same kind). In the case of Whitman, all chocolates. In Evening Star Designs' case, these mixtures would be all threads, or all beads, fabrics, ribbons, lace or trim arranged in color groups to coordinate with each other. These sampler kits provide real bang for the buck (in other words, lots of variety for minimal cost).

Once their 3rd and most spectacular catalog "hit the streets", Carolyn and company have been literally overwhelmed by the response. This was the first catalog to contain many color photos of actual embellishments as well as color charts of ribbons and threads, including the Caron Collection hand dyed variegated fibers. They were swamped with orders and Carolyn and Steve's house was bursting at the seams. During the winter holiday season of 1997, "Evening Star Designs" moved to a new location: the Old Shoe Factory in the center of town. The new offices are beautiful and very sunny with a view of Washington Square and the Merrimack River. Haverhill in it's heyday was known as "Shoe City". It was a typical New England industrial town, built in the 1890's (coincidentally, the same heyday as the Crazy Quilts Craze!) drawing it's source of hydro-electric power from the river. For many years after the demise of the shoe industry, probably around the 1940's, this massive brick factory-office complex served as The Family Bank, a community bank and loan center. In addition to "Evening Star Designs", it is currently occupied by an architectural firm, a law firm, a real estate office, a florist, a visiting nurse service and a Children's' Family Aid Society. It seems the most appropriate business match for the period architecture and historical aspect of the Old Shoe Mill is Carolyn's Victorian Era Themed Enterprise. And as they say, if the shoe fits, wear it! Another benefit is that they are located directly next to the Post Office, which generally assures timely delivery of your orders.

The Holidays in conjunction with the complex logistics of moving a business, have put them a bit behind in their club mailings, but they are still turning their regular orders around as quickly as before. So have some patience, club members; if it's not your first club mailing, you already know it will be worth the wait. In order to catch up on their backlog, they have hired Jean Ware, a semi-retired nurse who's a quick and eager learner. They hope to add even more help in the near future.

Carolyn gratefully acknowledges that their rapid growth is simply a timely response to the needs and desires of her customers. Many are surprised to learn how small the company actually is. Carolyn and her staff aim to provide as much personal service as possible, often helping the customer to choose coordinated materials. They stock only the best quality items and offer an unconditional guarantee on everything they sell. Though they are small, or maybe because of it, their reputation for quality, consistency, order turn-around and customer satisfaction rivals many larger competitors. Orders can be placed by e mail, phone, fax, voice mail or regular US mail. Packages are shipped USPS and usually arrive at their destination within a few days, for a modest shipping fee.

In dealing with "Evening Star Designs", you are working with the "Creme de la Creme" of Crazy Quilting Professionals: uniquely innovative, imaginative, industrious and inspired and ready, willing and able to share their tried and tested products and expertise with you. Your first complaint will be "Why didn't I hear of them sooner?" The next and last will be "Gee, I might not ever get to meet them face to face!".

You can contact Evening Star Designs at: 200 Merrimack Street, Suite 401, Haverhill, MA 01830.

Phone: (978) 372-3473, 800-666-3562 or Fax: (978) 372-6535.

On the Web at: http://home.att.net/~evening.Star.designs

By email at: evening.star.designs@worldnet.att.net

STORE FOCUS ARCHIVES
(For previous month's features)
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

CARON email: mail@caron-net.com / Webmaster nika@connix.com