Lee's Needle Arts is closing after 40 years as the owner, Theresa Lee, has decided to retire!
Lee's Needle Arts has produced many lovely painted canvases over the years and is also known for their wonderful leather goods such as totes, purses, travel wallets, checkbook covers, bags, wallets, cosmetic cases, pouches, gift and jewelry boxes, mirrors, coin purses, ID tags, and Christmas ornaments. They also have several sizes of kimono stands. The leather goods have been so popular that other designers have designed canvases that can be placed in Lee's leather goods.
My dear daughter has enjoyed stitching several of the Oriental themed round canvases. She loves the kimonos and has already stitched three of the petite kimonos. She just started this week on one of the medium sized kimonos that has been waiting in her stash for summer vacation.
Once I saw her interest in the kimonos, I began purchasing them to put away for gifts. Of course, I didn't tell her how many I've picked up as I wanted to surprise her over the next several years or as she finished stitching a kimono. After hearing that Lee's was closing, I was very glad to realize that I have quite a few of the petite kimonos and one medium sized kimono stashed away. I decided to tell her about the kimono stash so that we could inventory to see if there were any others that she would want so we could hopefully find them before the shops start running out of inventory. I also wanted to start hunting for the kimono stands as of course each of her kimonos will need it's own stand! LOL!
I was fortunate and was able to pick up six of the petite kimono stands yesterday at my LNS. We just need to find two of the medium kimono stands and I have emails out to several needlepoint shops so hopefully we'll find them by the end of the week. Yes, we know that we can have the petite kimonos finished as ornaments or have the kimonos framed but she prefers to have them on the stands if at all possible. And yes, she knows that she can rotate the kimonos on the stands. :-)
We are both very sorry to hear about Lee's Needle Arts closing but are both wishing Ms. Lee a wonderful, happy and healthy retirement!
Now we are both crossing our fingers that someone will purchase the line so that these wonderful canvases and leather goods will be available for another 40 years!
Cynthia
Windy Meadow
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2 comments:
I thought I'd better mention that AP Needlearts has the wisteria kimono plus the stitch guide from Ruth Dilts and Joan Lohr to do it in ribbon embroidery. Don't want your daughter to miss out on this one if she likes it!
I was hoping you could help me. I have recently discovered Theresa Lee in an old magazine however from reading your blog I have found out to late that she has retired. I would really like to work some of her designs I have found in a small photograph but having searched various sites on the internet, I have been unable to find what im looking for. The designs are 3 floral cushions, Daffodils (P881), Nastutium (P884)and Geranium (P885). It would also be helpful if you know somewhere in the U.K that supplies these kits or even just the charts. Any advice would be appreciated. Many thanks.
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