"The Needle & Thread Emporium is an Online Retail Boutique Curated with Only the Finest Threads & Fibres Imported from Around the World. We Stock Whimsical Patterns for Quilting, Embroidery & Applique Too!"
What Our Customers are Saying About Us....
"I met Barb Attrill at a wool applique workshop. Subsequently, I decided to undertake a Sue Spargo project called CHIRPS, which required numerous wool fabrics and specialty threads. I contacted Barb and she was very helpful in getting me set up with the correct fabrics and beautiful threads. I am now almost finished my project which has been a true joy to undertake. Barb provided excellent advice and timely service. I highly recommend Barb as a supplier of your stitchery needs. "
Marjorie McEwen – Sudbury, Ontario
Let customers speak for us
I like the large eye, and the needle is not too heavy for embroidery work.
Easy to use and the subtle colours are lovely. And it feels divine.
Great products and communication
Exactly the quality I was looking for. Very pleased with my purchase and the colours are well represented by the photos.
A Little About Me:
Greetings, fellow artisans! My name is Barb, and I own "The Needle & Thread Emporium."
I adore bold patterns and vibrant colors; they are essential in my life and are reflected in all my creations. My style is quite distinctive. I love modern, edgy designs, but I also have a fondness for the whimsical and the primitive.
In my limited free time, I delight in painting, sketching, both hand and machine sewing, quilting, crocheting, needlepoint, and antiquing. I possess a thirst for knowledge and take great pleasure in attending workshops and classes.One of my passions, or rather obsessions, is finding and selling unique, hard-to-find products. In the early years of eBay, around 2001, I launched a highly successful store called All Neat Things. I specialized in sourcing rare antiques and unique vintage items, which I sold worldwide. I absolutely LOVED my job! However, in 2004, I ventured into opening a brick-and-mortar store in Port Colborne, Ontario. This endeavor lasted only a year, as I found it too demanding to be away from my three young boys and husband constantly.
Life has certainly taken a new turn for me. Since 2021 (it's now 2024), we've moved from the town I've called home for 21 years, Port Colborne, to Garson (north of Sudbury). This August, we relocated once more to Renfrew.
I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason, not by mere chance. For years, I longed to return to my passion for retail and the hunt for unique products, confident that one day I would. Then, in May 2023, I took part in a wool appliqué workshop with the Sudbury Quilt & Stitchery Guild. The concept of wool appliqué captivated me, as did the use of these magnificent threads and fibers for embellishment. Having not hand-stitched in over two decades, and never having tried wool appliqué, I instantly knew I had discovered my new passion.
As I delved into wool appliqué, I quickly realized the difficulty in sourcing those beautiful threads, fibers, and wools. The more I searched, the clearer it became that this was my next venture.
My creation, The Needle & Thread Emporium, debuted online on August 1, 2023. Originally aimed at online sales throughout Canada, it expanded to offer in-person shopping at my home by appointment. I take pride in being the Canadian Distributor and Importer for House of Textile Arts Tentakulum Painters Threads. Lately, I've received an overwhelming number of requests to host embroidery workshops, which have proven to be very popular!
The Needle & Thread Emporium workshops are informal and filled with laughter, offering a chance to learn a new skill and meet new friends. In these workshops, I guide participants in transferring designs onto linen, introduce them to a variety of threads and fibers, and teach various needlepoint stitches. They also learn to think creatively and not to fret over perfection.
In the next month or so, once I'm settled and organized, I plan to start offering these workshops at my home near Renfrew (Storyland Rd).
Stay tuned for a surprise that's in store at the new Needle & Thread Emporium...
Yours Truly, Barb