About Us

Welcome!

My name is Janice Spencer. You'll see as your browse though our web site that my stitching passion is samplers of all types and primitive, folky designs. My introduction to samplers came when I joined the Deerely Wrought Sampler Guild (email me for more information...I love to talk about our guild!) in 1999. I quickly came to appreciate the historical context of sampler making and textiles. These were the days before the internet offered the variety of threads and linens that we have access to today and out of the challenges of finding fine silk threads, high count linens and a range of books and charts, Traditional Stitches came to be.

I also enjoy vegetable gardening and landscaping and live on a large lot that allows me to do both. I love to read and wish that there were enough hours in the day to work through all of the knitting and quilting projects that I collect. Oh...and I run when I can. I have completed 12 or so half marathons and one full marathon.

I started Traditional Stitches in September 2000.

This year marks our 20th Anniversary. As part of our celebrations, Nicola Parkman of Hands Across the Sea Samplers has provided an exclusive chart! The link for more information is: Ann Morison Reproduction Sampler

As part of the Ann Morison publication, Nicola asked me to write a page about the shop. Here are a few paragraphs from that:

What began as an endeavor to explore higher count linens and fine fibers for our local sampler guild’s 17th Century Sampler study group took on a life of its own as Traditional Stitches in September 2000. Over the years, our selection has grown from our historic needlework focus to offering a wider range of cross stitch supplies to support stitchers of all styles.

2020 brings Traditional Stitches’ 20th Anniversary and although our plans are now a bit different, we aren’t about to let our Anniversary celebrations pass us by! Indeed, I think that we have even more reason to celebrate with the needlework community that brings us all together. We are grateful that you have chosen to join us in stitching Ann’s sampler.

It has been an honor for us collaborate with Nicola and Hands Across the Sea Samplers to bring you Ann Morison’s beautiful sampler and Facebook Stitch A Long group to mark our shop’s 20th year.

Traditional Stitches is located in a 1914 farmhouse just outside of Calgary, Alberta Canada on the original homestead of a dairy farm. Warmer days find husbands in the Adirondack chairs on our verandah and kids on the lawn. We are just an hour’s drive from Banff and the Rocky Mountains. Our love of samplers and primitive cross stitch designs combined with our country setting makes our shop the perfect destination for both our local stitching community and visitors to the area.

We also invite you to visit us via our web site www.TraditionalStitches.com where you will find a secure shopping cart system and over 13,000 items in our catalogue with new offerings added regularly. International shipments and special orders are welcome.

The Nashville Needlework Market is a highlight of our year. Traditional Stitches is known for offering the newest and highest quality in needlework designs and materials. By going to Nashville each year, we are investing in our industry and building relationships with our designers and suppliers and other needlework shops.

Traditional Stitches is proud to support our local designers including Jeannette Douglas, Amy Mitten of Fibers to Dye For and Freda’s Fancy Stitching. You will find many of their models on our walls - along with several reproduction samplers from Hands Across the Sea Samplers – to admire.

We carry a huge range of needlework fabrics including linens from Lakeside Linens, Access Commodities’ Legacy Linen, Picture this Plus, Weeks Dye Works, R & R Reproductions and much more…from Aida cloth to Lugana to high count linens and fabrics for surface embroidery.

Our walls and cabinets are full of more than 100 types of thread such as the full range of Au Ver a Soie silk threads, Gloriana, Fibers to Dye For, Caron Collection, Thread Gatherer, Belle Soie, Rainbow Gallery, the Gentle Art, Weeks Dye Works, Classic Colorworks, DMC floss & Pearl Cotton, Valdani, Kreinik metallic thread Appletons wool, Threadworx and more.

To learn more about our shop, our newest offerings and to be among the first to know about other 20th Anniversary exclusives and surprises that we have for you, please visit our web site to subscribe to our weekly email newsletter.

Stitching brings us together now in ways that I never would have imagined 20 years ago. It is such an honor to be a part of our needlework community and now, in 2020, the therapy of our stitching and the ability to share it with people that are understanding and supportive, has taken on even greater meaning. I look forward to stitching and sharing Ann’s sampler with everyone in our Facebook Stitch A Long group as we stitch her beautiful sampler together!

Thank you for making Traditional Stitches’ 20th Anniversary year incredibly special.

Please let me know if you have any questions. I hope you enjoy your time visiting our web site. We look forward to hearing from you.

Janice

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