My love of needlepoint began when I was 27 years old and had just bought my first home.  I wanted to create a colourful traditional esthetic but couldn’t afford the tapestry pillows that I loved.

I walked into a local shop with an Elizabeth Bradley book of floral charts announcing “I want to make this”.  The staff wasn’t eager to help and laughed at my ambition. I returned 6 weeks later with my finished pillow and they stopped laughing.

Fast forward several years and 40+ pillows later, I ran out of tapestry inspiration and people to gift to, I had no idea that painted canvases even existed back then.  I moved on to knitting, applique', but never felt as passionate about these new hobbies.  I discovered painted canvases in 2017 have never looked back.

Although my first painted canvas projects were in continental, I quickly advanced and experimented with threads, stitches, ribbons and beads.  Many people ask how I complete as many as I do each year.  With 2 young boys in hockey & baseball, I find lots of time while traveling and awaiting for games to start, to stitch en-route or at the ballpark.  The coach says I never travel light!  My favorite pieces are the ones where I can reinterpret the work of some very talented artists who have licensed their designs for needlepoint.  Most of my pieces are framed, and I love to create gallery displays of like themed canvases to switch them out through the seasons.   Stitching in season is my favorite, there's something  special about working on a holiday piece sitting in front of the decorated tree, it extends the season and is incentive to finish for the next year.

When the pandemic hit, it was challenging to source canvases, and even harder to pull threads & supplies with local stores closed.  I discovered Stitch by Stitch and they were one of few stores that had both the experience and patience to work with a remote client to pull together a new project, and somehow generate the same excitement and personal touch of an in person visit!  Thread selection isn’t just about palette, texture and balance play an equal role in the success of a project, and the lovely staff at the shop were so helpful & able to offer suggestions.  They always made it exciting to get a new package in the mail!