Willy’s Needleworks

Been buying my needlework supplies here since the mid-‘70s. Like other devotees of Willy’s, I was heartbroken when Willy passed away and feared for the shop’s future, unnecessarily as it turned out. In stepped Peggy Doyle, another devotee, who bought and has been running this little institution and necessity in my life ever since. The shop’s small and doesn’t have enough floor space to openly display everything Peggy stocks, but don’t be fooled: most of whatever you’re looking for can most likely be found somewhere within its walls. Peggy can special order anything you’re looking for as far as painted canvas (although I love looking through the canvases on the wall and on hangers and boards) or anything else, and she’s an absolute wizard at helping customers choose designs and the specialty stitches and fibers to make them truly unique. She’s free with suggestions and advice to novice or experienced stitcher, as well as enthusiastic about whatever piece you’re working on. She has often made just the slightest suggestion in fiber or color change that’s made all the difference in the world to something I was stitching. Good stock of counted cross-​stitch charts; well organized and easy to search through, which I greatly appreciate. She also carries a variety of embellishments and tools, and there’s usually a vacant chair around the work table if you care to sit and stitch a while. The shop’s very welcoming and comfortable, due in no small measure to the efforts of Toby, Peggy’s Scottish terrier, who’s the official greeter and shoe sniffer. Peggy’s a breath of fresh air after the indifference I’ve experienced at some other shops, both in Orange County and Los Angeles County, her pricing is more than reasonable, and I’m like a kid in a toy store whenever an opportunity arises to go to Willy’s. If I have any complaint it’s that her DMC floss is arranged according to color and not number, which is fine if you either let Peggy pull your colors or know what you’re doing, but for a bonehead like me it’s a challenge.