Aristeia Needlepoint

Although it is a beautiful shop and has threads galore, it leaves much to be desired in other areas.
I signed up for a class of 5 two hour sessions. Due to a variety of things, I was unable to go at the appointed time each week, but I did make up the sessions. In fact, it took me 1−½ hours to get to the store for a 10:00 class and I live just over the hill in the San Fernando Valley. I had 1 hour of a 2 hour class and was credited in the make up for a whole 2 hour class. I was told at that time, that had I spent ½ hour of the 2 hour session in class, I would have been charged for the whole 2 hour class. HUH? No one had told me this at the beginning. Had I known, I would have made up the class in another way.
The canvas I was doing was the French Kitchen by Peter Ashe. Out of the 5 hours of class time I did attend, I was given 3 stitches. Thats very expensive. One stitch is a lace stitch for a table cloth that is draped off a table. The teacher, Bev, had told me she had provided stitches for several people doing this canvas and didn’t want to duplicate the stitches. When I called to tell her I would not be coming in for the last two classes as I just didn’t feel that $ 90 for 3 stitches was appropriate, instead of wanting to help, when I told her I felt the lace stitch removed the drape from the tablecloth and made it look like a stiff board, she responded with, I have done that piece thousands of times with that stitch and everyone has loved it and it has won awards every single time. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE INDIVIDUALITY? She was defensive and told me if I didn’t come to class, what could I expect. I attempted to explain I had made up the time and still ended up with 3 stitches for a 5 hour period. The stitch she gave me for a small pumpkin had so much compensating that it took away from the look of the pumpkin. I thanked her for her lack of help and hung up.
Yes, they do have parking, but only for 2 hours. If you are there longer, you could be charged for the additional time. Out of the 5 hours I attended, I would say she spent about 15 minutes with me. She chose a thread, showed me the stitch, diagramed it and walked away. I am an experienced needlepointer so I didn’t need a lot of direction, but I did expect more stitches than 3.

To start, there is free 2 hour parking in the back– with validation. I don’t know much about needlepoint but went in to have a pillow made from a lovely piece that my mother-​in-​law stitched for me and my husband. The store is quite large and seems to have a lot going on, women stitching away at tables, wall to wall supplies in every color imaginable and basically a really nice inviting chipper vibe. My husband and I walked in and probably looked extremely out of place, and we were, but the women working there were so helpful and accommodating and got us squared away in no time. Can’t wait to see what our custom pillow will look like. If needlepoint or knitting is your thing, this seems like the place to be. Give me a few years and I may be sitting at one of those tables …

I went in with my wife so she could start a hobby, but not one person asked if she needed help after several minutes. My wife felt uncomfortable and asked that we leave. I had to ask what happened and my wife explained it was due to the unwelcoming and unfriendly atmosphere. I was too busy looking at the designs on their walls to notice the bad customer service.
We live in Brentwood and I have gotten use to a certain way people act — This place was just too much for my wife.

Beverly is Amazing! Great store with lots of canvasses and thread to choose from! Variety of styles is just great. I’m taking classes with Beverly and could not be happier!

The store is beautiful and filled with many many different types of threads. I have been going there for years and the help is jus for that… help. They will help you with threads, canvas selecting, and the best is develop a stitch guide for your piece. They will even help you change the color scheme if it is at all possible. They also have many wonderful pieces on the walls that can provide ideas and possible stitches for those who wish to see how it looks before you actually complete the piece. The love for needlepoint is clearly felt within the store. I love it too and there are special workers who have helped me throughout the years. Their sales are good and they also have trunk shows where special pieces are offered.

This is best needlepoint store i have found. I love to needlepoint and consider myself a solid intermediate to sticher. The selection of canvases are great, and the prices are pretty good. Face it, needlepoint aint cheap.
What makes this store so great is the staff. I don’t have time to commit to a class so I come in irregularly, sometimes frequently and sometimes not for months at a time. Every time i come, someone is willing to sit down and help me. Even when there is a class going on. There is someone to help me with a problem, teach me a new stitch or help me purchase a new canvas.
The great staff is what makes this place great for the newest stichers too. When you purchase a canvas there they will help you pick out threat, write a stitch guide unique to your project and then teach you everything you need to know. They will help you as much as you need, and you can sit in the store and stitch until you are ready to go.

By the way I talk about this place, someone would think that I actually worked for these people, but I don’t, I work in advertising where everything is loud, fast and smattered with cut-​throat people. ENTER ARISTEIA NEEDLEPOINT:
The people that work here are kind, thoughtful and love what they do. If you are a girl (or a guy!) and want that satisifying after-​work-​with-​glass-​of-​wine-​and-​Bravo-​show release, try needlepointing and try learning with these folks.
The patterns and pieces on sale there are not over priced and the ladies there will sit down with you, ask about your day and then help you select millions of pretty types of yarns and threads. For an extra $ 15 a week you can go to classes M-​W and sit with Brentwood’s finest soccer moms, old Hollywoood eldery gals and young twentysomethings (enter me) and just relax while you learn an amazing craft (some would call it «stitch and bitch session).
Sick of martini bars and shitty food for entertainment? Then for fucks’sake try Aristeia and get sitiching!
PS: Free classes for kids 10AM on Saturday. Took my little cousin and she was all about it!