Busy as a bee

St. Vital

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/04/2023 (1141 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Barbara Best knows how to follow a thread.

Best is the owner of Lizzy B’s Needle Art Supplies & Custom Picture Framing (39 St. Anne’s Rd.) in St. Vital.

Late last year, she started a new initiative based on the fact she regularly receives calls from people who’ve lost a loved one who’ve left them their finished, and often framed, needle-art creations.

The recipients of these creations don’t always have room for the needle-art and call Best to see if she’ll take it. So, she decided to do just that, but wanted to weave in a fundraising component so that worthy causes could benefit from it, too. In essence, Best indicates on the piece of needle-art the name of a charity that was close to the heart of the creator. Anyone who wants the piece can have it for free, although they are encouraged to a donation to that charity.

Fast forward six months — after the success of the initiative, Best could now use the gracious help of a volunteer or two.

“We have received loads of beautiful needle art and lots have found new homes,” Best said, noting it’s still coming in regularly, to the point where she could use a volunteer to help hang it.

Best, who lives in St. Vital, has also spent time recently with volunteers “making little kits with a pattern from an old cross stitch magazine, a needle, fabric, embroidery floss, and a hoop” from a recent needle-art donation stash.

On more than once occasion, the kits have been taken across the street to the food bank at St. Mary’s Road United Church, and been gratefully received. Best would welcome more donations, so that part of the initiative can continue, as well as some more volunteer help. She’d also welcome any donations of large Rubbermaid bins to store the stuff in.

“All of my customers get it. And if anyone’s able to help, it would be great if they’re able to volunteer a little bit of their time,” Best said.

Lizzy B’s sells supplies for cross stitch, needlepoint, embroidery, and other needle arts. It also holds classes focusing on numerous needle arts, and hosts stitch-in events, as well as doing custom picture framing of any types of art, photos, certificates, heirlooms, and memorabilia.

On top of that, Best has also opened up a photo studio in the building, and she’ll be doing family and pet portraits, corporate pieces, actor headshots, and graduation photos, as well as branding and social media work.

Go online at www.lizzyb.ca or email info@lizzyb.ca for more information.