Dyed and Gone to Heaven – An Online Magazine and Needlework Resource

The CARON Collection is pleased to feature one of the outstanding shops who so ably provide stitchers with not only supplies but guidance, technical expertise, and inspiration. We hope you'll support your local shops and browse through our extensive SHOP LISTINGS to find a shop near you. Needlepoint of Back Bay In Boston, MA Needlepoint of Back Bay is a family affair. At the helm of the business are the Jays: Tay Ann Jay and her children, Tracy Robinson and Thomas Jay. For ten years prior to her position as co-owner and general manager of Needlepoint of Back Bay, Tay Ann oversaw the day-to-day operations at an electronics factory. She also served as the acting president of the Friends of Asian Art at the Museum of Fine Arts. Tay Ann Jay Tracy Robinson holds a DDS degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a dentist by profession, with a lifelong passion for needlepoint. Tracy's dedication to this needleart led her to join a needlepoint club in Boston where she could share her knowledge and enthusiasm with others on a weekly basis. She also devoted time to teaching needlepoint evenings at the Center for Adult Education in Boston. Nowadays, Tracy jointly runs the store with her mother while continuing to practice dentistry two days a week. Thomas, Tracy's twin brother, holds an MBA from the University of Notre Dame and oversees the administrative and financial side of the business. Having worked as an internal auditor for the previous ten years, Thomas brings to their new venture an acute business sense along with his familiarity with computers and an invaluable knowledge of the Internet. Tay Ann and Tracy, both avid life-long needlepointers, felt that there was a need for a full-service needlepoint store in the heart of Boston's shopping and dining district. Prior to the establishment of Needlepoint of Back Bay, the local clientele lacked a shop to meet any of their specific stitching needs. Initially, the Jays set up shop in an office building on Boylston Street in the Back Bay area. They began accumulating inventory in the spring of 2000 for six months until their stock reached the point where it was stacked floor to ceiling. Eventually all the walls and windows were submerged beneath needlepoint fibers and threads. Come fall, retail space finally became available on Newbury Street between Dartmouth and Exeter. The inventory was immediately transferred to its current location where Tracy and Tay Ann proceeded to ingeniously display the threads and exhibit the canvases on floating panels. At last, their business had a proper new home! Needlepoint of Back Bay officially opened for business on October 1st of 2000. The shop offers hand-painted canvases and the most comprehensive selection of fibers and threads in New England, including every shade of each line of needlepoint threads in their vast inventory. Tay Ann states, "This large color range allows us to better match specific colors on a canvas or provide a greater choice of threads for texture stitches." This tremendous selection of fibers and threads encompasses over 60 complete lines, including Caron Waterlilies, Impressions, Snow and Watercolours. In stock also are, literally, thousands of hand painted canvases from local, national and international artists. This canvas selection ranges from pillows, ornaments, mini-stockings, rugs, slippers and pictures frames to piano benches, Judaic and bell pulls. Additionally, Needlepoint of Back Bay is proud to present an exclusive a line of canvases from a noted French designer.     Nantucket Baskets Yet another exclusive and very unique product line consists of traditional Nantucket baskets. The lid on each basket is designed to accommodate a canvas insert and there is a selection of designs to choose from, for each basket shape. The canvases range from nautical to whimsical and floral motifs. The shop also offers a several styles of picnic baskets along with a wonderful selection of hand painted canvas inserts for the lids. The canvases are designed to coordinate with the accompanying napkins included with the baskets. Tracy adds, "Needlepoint is a great way to personalize the baskets for weddings, showers or just someone special."     Canvases for Basket Lids For the pet lover, Needlepoint of Back Bay has a special treat - a needlepoint collar. Odette, Tay Ann's pet Yorkshire terrier sports a custom designed collar featuring the shop logo, a white swan against a pink background. The swan, featured on the swan boats in the Boston Public Gardens, symbolizes the Back Bay area of town. Be the first in your neighborhood to dress up your pet with a stylish collar or leash! Have you thought yet about a Christmas holiday project? Needlepoint of Back Bay's ornament series comes in two different mesh sizes, a different design tailored to each month. They make great decorations as well as terrific gifts. Accessories for the stitcher include stands, frames and lamps. A variety of professional stitching and finishing services are available for any needlepoint project. Needlepoint of Back Bay's talented artists will custom design and paint canvases to meet any occasion or specification. Each month, new shop designs are featured on their website. The Newbury Street Stroll is an annual tradition in Boston. Every November thousands of people throng the roads and sidewalks at this event that officially kicks off the holiday shopping season in festive style. Streets are closed to traffic, giving shops space to set up exhibits displaying their merchandise and allowing shoppers the opportunity to meander freely throughout. Last year Needlepoint of Back Bay was an enthusiastic new participant in making this yearly event even more exciting and varied. Group and private instruction in needlepoint is available for all levels of experience. Classes are held on Mondays and Wednesdays with Vicki Fish who has 25 years of needlepoint and teaching experience and is highly regarded for her creativity and innovative use of threads and fibers. Other classes are helf on Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Needlepoint of Back Bay invites guest instructors, providing needlepointers in the Boston area with sterling opportunities to learn from experts in the field from all over the world. Anna Pearson from Buckingham, England will be the featured guest teacher at Needlepoint of Back Bay on October 9th for an all-day workshop. Each participant will receive a hand-painted canvas and will learn the techniques of long and short shading. Anna has traveled the world leading workshops and has her own needlepoint school in England. She is also a published author of several books on needlepoint. The most important aspect of Needlepoint of Back Bay, its focus on customer service remains as high a priority as it's been since opening day. Unanimously, the Jays point out, "Our primary goal is customer service. We want customers to realize that we are there to meet their needlepoint needs and if they ever have any questions, we are always here to help." Needlepoint of Back Bay 164 Newbury Street (between Dartmouth and Exeter Streets) Boston, MA 02116 Tel: 617-536-7999 Fax: 617-536-7999 E mail: info@needlepointbackbay.com Website: http://www.needlepointbackbay.com Store Hours: Mon - Sat 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Business Office: 581 Boylston Street Suite 305 Boston, MA 02116 Tel: 617-536-4638 http://www.needlepointbackbay.com

© 1999 The Caron Collection / Voice: (203) 381-9999, Fax: 203 381-9003

CARON email: mail@caron-net.com