Reviewing the Elbesee vs Sherbo Table Stands

Courtney at Memories in Stitches on Instagram has reviewed the Elbesee and Sherbo table stands, comparing how they work, in a two part video.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DIEyvPzv8KJ/

https://www.instagram.com/p/DIE3tzHvMGe/

The Sherbo table stand is available at Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLWYPKV1/ref=cm_sw_r_as_gl_api_gl_i_E5G8J4HKS7DCSJF8P69S?linkCode=ml1&tag=courtneyvujte-20&th=1

Here is the Elbesee table stand.  Note that there are only two in stock currently.

https://www.amazon.com/Elbesee-Versatile-Embroidery-Tapestry-Stand/dp/B00IHNQX6M/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.BDwV6jYUk7sBPoMsX-vru1F5mbWEo5tMOBZotfLo4A63KIFAFC9VKR3n9qjUulwVhwIpXm9R0uwHVH0Q4hFPBOdF-VI-haiF0CbuPvvHLcNFpLuT5biOjnxNZ49h0-f8cghutiJEjok6-cKicUs1JayPkIo3pYBo8Xy6s8Lsr-QXC4hlsQzKV8pbsM0h4h3ur0kzGOTHueBW6RNecIkl14pAY2M5vkLyZek_BLO-DvLYnMX6cIjrMbvPpnw8lEhIP00B3LxXnrMaHekyCbykJeD39qGfHvbwxszeOAwhKfw.txdX1WfQc5_VmbboO9gkUy7uCOnkcVJRwJp_QFj5yaw&dib_tag=se&qid=1745070632&sr=8-3&srs=20517715011

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright April 19, 2025 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Changing Direction To Compete with Amazon

I always look forward to Ruth Kern's monthly e-newsletter. She is always full of book information. Although Ruth specializes in needlework books, she is very knowledgeable about all sorts of wonderful books which she tempts me into reading far more often than I should admit.
http://ruthkernbooks.blogspot.com/2019/08/julyaugust-blog-2019-are-charting-new.html

But the behemoth of book sales, Amazon, is undercutting her business big time, so Ruth is going to change tack and specialize in out of print books.  It's the only way to survive when the competition can discount books by a huge amount.  Think of Ruth the next time you automatically go to Amazon to order something.  Wouldn't it be better to get it elsewhere?

And Ruth is going to have things you cannot find at Amazon.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 21, 2019 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Stitches to Go and Don't Go Amazon

Needlepoint.com has a brief review of Suzanne Howran and Beth Robertson's great little stitch dictionary called Stitches to Go.
https://needlepoint.com/blogs/needlepoint-know-how/stitches-to-go-a-handy-needlepoint-reference-when-youre-on-the-go?mc_cid=3532753e20&mc_eid=3a360cb48b

This little spiral bound book combines all the stitch diagrams (and nothing else) from their three Stitches for Effects books.  If you travel with your stitching a lot, it's the most compact and thorough book of stitch diagrams you can find.  But don't buy it from Amazon.  Here's why—
https://www.amazon.com/Stitches-Suzanne-Howren-Beth-Robertson/dp/0966302435

A quick search came up with The Needlepointer having it for sale at $100 less.  Their price is about what I would expect to pay for this although you might find it cheaper or get free shipping if you shop around the good online needlepoint shops or get lucky with eBay or stash sales.
https://www.theneedlepointer.com/product/stitches-go/

NEVER EVER buy needlepoint books from Amazon!

Now that we have that out of the way, where are the best online places for needlepoint books?  If they are older, try my three favorite booksellers of needlework.

Marianne at New Needlepoint excels at finding pristine copies.
http://www.newneedlepoint.com

Ruth Kerns is the best known seller of books on needle arts.  She carries everything.
http://www.ruthkernbooks.com/catalogs/index.html

Bette Feinstein in Massachusetts isn't as well known but she's an invaluable resource.  Like Ruth, she doesn't specialize in just needlepoint.
https://www.needleworkbooks.com

Threadneedle Street has a lovely mini review section and a wide collection of great books for needlepointers.
https://www.threadneedlestreet.com

Some shops have huge selections of books.  I like to browse these:

Amy's Golden Strand
https://www.amysgoldenstrand.com/store/c501/by_subject.html

Bedecked and Beadazzled
https://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/books/

Fireside Stitchery
http://www.firesidestitchery.com/fs/books/index.cfm

Needle in a Haystack
https://needlestack.americommerce.com/book.aspx?ps=60

Needle Nook of La Jolla
https://www.needlenook.com/product-category/books/

Pocket Full of Stitches
https://www.pfos.com/SalePages/PocketFullofStitchesBooks.htm

You'll find every book you ever wanted above.  Trust me and avoid Amazon.  The real bargains when it comes to needlepoint books are elsewhere.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright February 26, 2019 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Support Your Local Shop

Vicky makes an important point about shopping at real needlepoint shops instead of Amazon.
http://mostlyneedlepoint.com/support-your-local-needlepoint-shop/

There are other reason why Amazon isn't a great place to shop:  needlepoint books in particular are wildly overpriced.
https://www.amazon.com/More-Stitches-Effect-Suzanne-Robertson/dp/B001MSU5YK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1526653884&sr=8-2&keywords=stitches+for+effects

https://nashvilleneedleworks.com/shop/accessories/books/more-stitches-for-effect-2/

Amazon's treatment of its warehouse workers is suspect as well.  Next time you need something, try using a small business instead of a behemoth.  A real needlepoint store will thank you!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 18, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

A Book on Compensation

If compensation drives you nuts, you might be interested in Susan Robert's Compensation 101:  The Art of Partial Stitches for Needlepoint.   It's the only book that is all about compensation I know about.  It is 45 pages long, so it's not a big book.
https://www.amazon.com/Compensation-101-Partial-Stitches-Needlepoint-ebook/dp/B01MSDEBQ4/ref=as_sl_pc_qf_sp_asin_til?tag=stitsuzi-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=186208ae8224b7245c43d0a570b4f0c4&creativeASIN=B01MSDEBQ4

I've not seen it but it's gotten rave reviews from purchasers on NP Nation.    Please note this is a Kindle book, so you will have to buy it from Amazon and will need the Kindle app downloaded to read it.

You can visit Susan's Needlepoint Teacher website and check out all her books in the right hand column. All are available from Amazon as Kindle downloads.
https://www.needlepointteacher.com

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright February 22, 2018 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Columbus Show Gossip (May 2015)

The upcoming TNNA trade show in Columbus, Ohio has some really interesting things going on. First of all, fans of Mary Engelbreit designs will be thrilled to hear Painted Pony has licensed some of her art for painted canvases.  Mary Engelbreit needlepoint designs will be available again starting Fall 2015.

Secondly, Amazon.com has signed up to attend the show as a retailer.  This means like your local shop, they'll be browsing the designer booths and trying to arrange orders.    The brick and mortar stores are worried about this new online competitor although I personally think that ordering hand painted canvases from Amazon instead of a real shop is a greater danger to us stitchers than the shops' bottom line.

If Amazon runs our local needlepoint shops out of business by undercutting them on price, we won't have classes, stitch guides, help kitting threads, anyone to match dye lots for us when we run out of thread, assistance with color changes, places to see designs and threads in person while chatting to other stitchers, or any of the other one thousand and one things the shops do for us now.  It will destroy needlepoint as an art form.

Think about that the next time you start shopping for online bargains.  You get what you pay for, after all.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 21, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

New Finishing Book (and Classes) UPDATE

Thanks to some help from Mary Agnes on Facebook, I discovered that The Binding Stitch has a new finishing book out.   I have not seen it but their very expensive video series on finishing was very popular.  The six volume set is still available in DVD format, by the way.  Marcia Brown also offers online finishing courses.  If anyone on the Cape can tell us about any of these, I'd love to know more!
http://www.bindingstitch.com

Thanks, MA!  You are The BEST.

UPDATE:  The book is available through Amazon.  Janet Perry has done a review of the book on the site.
http://www.amazon.com/Distinctive-Presentations-Needle-Art-Professional/dp/1493597515

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright Feb. 17, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Need an Apron?

Trust me--you NEED an apron like this!
http://bargelloneedlepoint.com/bargello-needlepoint-accessory-apron/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bargello-needlepoint-accessory-apron

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com