Stories and Letters
Stories and Letters
In 1992, I was needlepointing an international flag belt as my husband traveled extensively internationally. While I was in the process of doing this we were invited to the Barcelona Olympics. I changed one flag to the Olympic flag and yes he wore it every day in Barcelona! Hanna Evens
My husband and I were in Vienna, Austria some years ago. I had gone into a tiny shop to look around and he stayed outside looking into the window. All of a sudden, a male voice said “Sign of the Arrow!” Bob turned around in amazement and the young man behind him said “I recognized your belt”. Needless to say, we must be the belt capitol of the world. Anne O’Connell
I'll never forget the day that a customer came into the shop to buy some canvas for pillows she was making. As I helped cut and tape her canvas, she shared with me that she had been enjoying needlepoint for many years, and was about to celebrate her "big birthday". When I asked her more about her upcoming event, she shared that it was birthday #90. But, what tugged at my heartstrings was when she said that before her eyesight had dwindled, she had stitched belts for each of her three sons. She told me that they now lived in three distant parts of the country, but that all three were coming home for her "big birthday" celebration, and she was very excited and proud because they had decided that they would all wear the belts that she had made them to the party! Merry Gnaegy
I also remember helping one of our male customers who had selected a beautiful painted canvas that featured the head of a lion. We had a great time choosing all the gorgeous silk and ivory threads for the piece he had selected. As we talked, I learned that he was actually buying the piece for his daughter, who was serving in a remote area of Africa for the Peace Corps. He shared that her living conditions were primitive, and that she entertained herself by doing needlepoint in the evenings. He said that being able to provide his daughter with canvas and threads to stitch was one thing he could do to bring her enjoyment while she was serving others so far away! Merry Gnaegy
I took a beginning needlepoint class at Sign of the Arrow when I first started volunteering as a salesperson. We were supposed to make a pillow with the design of tulips and leaves which we stitched, but since I didn't want a pillow, I have the shop make it into a purse. Later I carried that purse to the White House in Washington, DC and got several compliments on my needlepoint purse. In addition to the joy of needlepointing, those compliments spurred me on to forty more years of doing needlepoint. What a rewarding, relaxing hobby this is! Peg Sant'Ambrogio
I am a long-time customer of Sign of the Arrow. One thing that stands out in my mind is how nice and efficient the people are at your shop, especially Randi.
One piece sent for finishing contained a small portion of a canvas not yet completed. Randi, bless her heart, finished it for me. I thought her offer to do this was extraordinarily generous.
Over the years I have done more belts than I can count. For the last ten years, Sign of the Arrow has been finishing these belts. What great craftsmanship!
Below is a link to the book I wrote, Dancing with Stitches. You will notice that many of the items in the book were finished by Sign of the Arrow, including Christmas ornaments, half dolls, purses, a Nordic Christmas House, Standing Santa, Christmas wizard, etc.
http://www.blurb.com/b/2210157-dancing-with-stitches
Thanks for all the excellent finishing work you have done for me over more years than I care to count! Daphne Goodyear
Again, you finished my precious handiwork - another belt - both on time and in fine quality. The belt is now on its way to a good friend in Australia who lost his wife a few months ago, it may give him some joy. Thank you for a fine job well done, I appreciate your great service. With best wishes, Peter Fischoeder