NeedleWorkPresss ... The Backstory

Posted by Vic on 20 April 2011

Here at NeedleWorkPress we know life is complicated; but still we appreciate simple pleasures and momentary bliss that nourish our spirit and help us muddle through even the most challenging days. Basically, that's why Vickie and Maegan are here. Vickie's passion for the needle arts started in the early 1970's when her mother introduced her to an idyllic needlepoint shop on the vine-covered second story of the pre-renovated Royal Palms Inn. The magic continued and today she endeavors to blend her journalistic experience and love of samplers to deliver reproduction charts and related materials to like-minded needlework enthusiasts.

Enter Maegan Jennett. Maegan was introduced to cross-stitch as a young girl; sometime between making mudpies and helping her grandfather in the garden. Vickie and Maegan grew as friends while pursuing treasures at various antique stores. When Maegan met and fell in love with Patrick (Vickie & Niles' youngest son) it was "fate". Marrying into a family with Vickie as a mother-in-law re-ignited Maegan's desire and curiosity to explore stitching again. In January 2011, Maegan found the courage to show Vickie her work (Vickie insisted on adding her opinion that Maegan's finesse with the needle was amazing) and asked if she could start model stitching and collaborating on projects. Since then, the duo has been working on and planning as many projects as time permits. Maegan's background in theatre lighting, sound and makeup desisgn contribute to her appreciation for color and balance in needlework.

Where do we work? NeedleWorkPress is housed in a reproduction nineteenth century farmhouse outside Phoenix, AZ. Twenty-odd years ago, architects and planners cautioned us not to "dilute Southwestern architecture" this way, but thankfully, we proceeded with our plans. We made some adaptations, followed our hearts instead of our heads and created a home that has been the site of countless memories and amazing inspiration. While much of our work today takes place in a comfortable dormer studio--making use of contemporary technology and recycled materials to creatively capture the nostalgia and wisdom of bygone days—it also entails scouring shops and sales to gleen images and artifacts that resonate with today’s needlework enthusiasts.

Although most of our products were designed for sampler enthusiasts, many of our vintage-inspired paper products filtered out from the needlework realm to friends and friends of friends and mothers and sisters and teachers. Some items are useful; others decorative. Many images used in our products are borrowed from antiques in the NeedleWorkPress ephemera collection, and thus have not been seen in web, print, or electronic media formats. Combine this unique art with inspiring but never sappy wisdom from bygone days and we continue to create items that are useful in the twenty-first century. What initially started in 1993 as Words (and, later, The Printed Word) to create needlework patterns and books has outgrown my little printing studio and requires the services of a local printer and bindery. Orders are now filled and shipped to retailers by Hoffman Media in Birmingham, AL. A limited number of charts are available as PDF downloads from this website.

Sharing this collection of antique country treasures with others is our true passion!

— M & V