A. Fox Original

It’s a pleasure to have you as our Friday Feature this week Mary! Would you begin by telling us how long you’ve been in business and how you got started?
Hello, I’ve been designing cross-stitch charts for approximately 18-19 years. May path to cross-stitching was a little late. My mother taught me to sew when I was very small, about 7, and one of the methods was stamped cross stitch. I liked all forms of sewing, but had never come across counted cross stitch. In fact, as an adult, when I would see designs for this mode of stitching, I would wonder to myself, “…who would do this stuff…” And, one day, in my 20’s, I was looking for huck fabric and was told by a distributor to go to a specific cross stitch store.

My first thought was to wonder how anyone could make a living on this stuff. So I went, did not buy the hucktoweling but looked around the little shop and saw a pillow with shamrocks. I am half Irish so I was immediately attracted to it…..and I sought a sales person and asked if cross stitching was difficult….she said it wasn’t and immediately gave me a little “mushroom” cross-stitch kit.

Before I left the shop, I bought everything I needed for the pillow and from there, it’s history. I was immediately addicted, and within two weeks, returned to the shop and asked if they needed part-time help. They did, and for the next 2-3 years I worked on Saturdays at this wonderful little place, and probably spent my whole salary there as well.