Hello, teachers, helpers, and very, very close shop friends—

I guess I'll plunge right in. Before I send anything out to the full list on Monday, I wanted you to hear it from me first: I’ve decided to retire and close the shop.

I know that might sound like it’s coming out of nowhere, but it’s actually been on my mind for years. I kept wondering if I’d change my mind, but instead, it’s been making more and more sense as time goes on. So—it’s happening. I'm excited, and I hope you can be happy for me!

I know so many people who’ve retired—and it looks fun! I have a loooooong list of all the stuff I want to start doing.

I had hoped to tell you earlier this month, but I was away this weekend, and I didn’t want Lynn and Judi to be at the shop silently wincing as they worked (which I’ve done a lot of recently). I also didn’t want to ask you to keep the news to yourself for too long (another thing that’s been a bit of torment for me!).

But I definitely wanted to tell you directly, before anyone else. You've all been such an important part of the shop, and I’m deeply grateful for the help, creativity, and support you’ve given me over the years.

Here’s the plan: I’ll finish appointments this week to give people (and myself!) a softer landing. Then I’ll switch to open hours next week, aiming to wind things down by Labor Day. Once the announcement goes out, I expect the first two weeks of open hours to be especially busy—at least I hope so!

For those of you who normally work here, I’ll be sending out a text early this week to coordinate helper schedules for those first weeks. I’m assuming that after that I’ll be able to manage, but I’ll let you know if it becomes too much.

A quick housekeeping note: some of you have samples in the shop or keys. There’s no rush, but please aim to pick up or return those things by Labor Day. (I'll have to turn in my keys, too. That'll be weird.)

If you have a class coming up or will possibly be working, keep your key till after that! I've gone ahead and cancelled all the classes that didn't yet have enrollment. That will help keep the shop clear so I can do cleanup work in the evenings or on Sundays.

Below is the message that will go out Monday. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say anything to others (except immediate family) until then, so everyone can hear the news directly from me, and learn everything all at once.

Thank you—truly—for everything you’ve done over the years. This shop couldn’t have run without you. Whether you covered for me when I needed time away, offered creative and thoughtful classes, or were a steady supporter, you helped shape the heart of this place. 

I’m grateful.

Cynthia

Below is the note I have scheduled for Monday:

Hello, Everyone!

Welp. Here goes.

After much internal debate, I've decided that by Labor Day, I will be retiring and closing the brick-and-mortar store for Stitch Your Art Out. I'll probably stay online in some form, but I'm unsure at the moment what exactly that will be.

This was a hard decision, made all the harder by the number of you who tell me daily how much you appreciate me, and how much you love the shop. And I appreciate you, too--more than I can possibly express. I'm sorry that I can no longer be there for you.

But I just turned 66, and I've decided that I need more "me time." After working six days and often many nights a week (and Sundays for bookkeeping) for 22 years, I believe it's time for a new chapter. I have to admit that I'm excited about it!

I'm ready to plunge into hobbies I’ve been longing to get back to—more time at the gym, playing the piano, little getaways with Kevin, cooking nutritious meals, learning to draw, and maybe even getting out my long-neglected, dusty spinning wheel!

Most of all, I want to be able to devote myself wholeheartedly to my family, and to finally be able to be there for them.

I wish I could have given you more warning. The past month has been particularly difficult keeping quiet, and even more especially the last week. Telling you now, hard as it is, is also a relief. I had a lot to do in June to wrap up and get ready. I knew that if I started telling even a few people, the news would spread like wildfire, and I wouldn't have enough time to prep. (It's a small town!) But we're here now.

This newsletter will go through everything that's happening and will answer a lot of your questions! But if you have more, please ask.

Please read everything, even though it's long. It's important for you to know what's happening, and there will be lots going on over the next couple of months!

My Last Day is expected to be August 30

I may close earlier if the shop sells out sooner. Any remaining yarns and fabrics will be listed in my Etsy store, website, and/or sold to friends who own other shops. So if there’s something you love or have had your eye on, please don’t wait—now’s the time to grab it. I’ll keep you updated on supply levels as we go!

______________________________________________________________________

IMPORTANT: Please do not mark my shop as closed on Google. I’ll update it myself when the time comes. Prematurely marking it closed would hurt my visibility—and I am still very much open right now.

______________________________________________________________________

How You Can Help

The best way to support me in this transition is simple: Come shop.

You know that I’ve rarely asked for anything for myself—but the truth is that I need you now.

I’ve never talked about this, but because of the way "retail math" in my industry works, I still carry an enormous credit-card debt from starting the store 22 years ago, plus a loan from Covid from 5 years ago. I've never been able to pay myself back from my initial purchases. (Thank you to balance transfers and to Kevin for floating me all these years!)

I want—finally—to pay these off. To do that, I need to sell just about everything.

Even small purchases truly help. Grab a skein of yarn. Pick out a few fat quarters. Get that batting you'll need. It all adds up. Everything in the store is good, even when stock starts getting low.

I’ve also already stocked up on everyday essentials for you!

Note that starting now, all sales are final, and I can no longer take exchanges. Whether I can special order will depend on how many people need certain things. I'll do my very best to support you during the transition.

Also, a few new Seth Apter and Tim Holtz fabrics are due to arrive in August. I’ll let you know when they’re here—grab them quickly when they arrive! They're super cool.

Many Classes Are Still On for this Summer!

All current and upcoming classes will run this summer, if they already had enrollment. If there wasn't enrollment, they've already been cancelled. (If you can see a class on the webite, it's still on!) If you're in my block of the month, you'll get a large packet this month on our scheduled day, which finishes out the year. If you have an in-person class that goes through fall, you can either switch to my Zoom section, or get a credit or refund for the days that start in September.

Note: Daytime classes this summer will need to shift to later in the day because without appointments, I won't be able to attend to customers plus the class at the same time. I’ll send out a note to each class individually with the time switch. If it doesn't work for you, I'll give you a refund or store credit for the remaining days.

IMPORTANT: If you’re signed up for a July or August class, please pick up your supplies this week while we still have a wide selection. Don’t delay!

Spring 2026 Retreat: It’s On!

Yes, I'm still planning the Spring 2026 retreat at Lake Raystown, April 8–12. If you’ve been thinking about going (or returning), now’s the time to sign up! To hold the retreat, we need at least 10 room bookings. This year, I’ll need deposits by Labor Day to lock it in. We already have a number of people who have paid a deposit, so I'm assuming we'll go ahead!

You can sign up here.

You’ll have the option to arrive Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. Prices for each are listed at the link above. (If we don't have 10 rooms reserved for any one night, we'll need to cancel that night--so bug your friends to sign up!)

I'll plan on having retreat projects, as usual. I'll definitely have a mystery knitting and mystery quilting project, since those are popular! I'll also do at least one project each for knitting and quilting. I haven't had time to pull those together, but you know I always do!

SUPER IMPORTANT: This is the LAST Week for Appointments

To give us all a softer landing, for this week: Everything will remain as it has been. I'll remain open by appointment only, please. There will be no sale pricing. I'll be closed on July 4, and will start appointments on the 5th at 11:00 a.m. since we'll all need to sleep in from fireworks. (Or, at least, I do! I love fireworks!) This week, come in to give your full support and to get things that you absolutely must have before they're gone!

Starting next week, on July 7: Open hours!

Open Monday–Saturday, no appointments needed until I close, unless my health begins to suffer again. I think I can do this for the 7 weeks, but please keep your eye out every Monday for an update, just in case this changes.

In my regular Monday newsletter, I'll announce the hours for each day of the week.

Please be sure to read the newsletter each Monday for that week's hours. That's very important! I don't want you driving here, only to be disappointed that I'm not here. There will be plenty of hours, as always.

If you’d like extra help picking out your projects or supplies, please book a time for this week.

Starting next week, reach out to set up a private shopping time before or after posted hours. I'm delighted to do that for you. Since I won't have appointments, if more than one person is in the store, I won't be able to help you choose colors, help you with math, chat with you, etc. I'll likely need to work quickly to get everyone through. (At least I hope and pray that that's the case!)

Store Fixtures Will Be for Sale

Once Kevin and I decide what we’re keeping for our home, I’ll sell shelves, tables, chairs, and more. I’ve basically “lived” in the store, so there are lots of extras—including appliances and odds and ends. A garage sale will happen— I hope in August, but possibly in the fall. Stay tuned for details. If you want dibs on something, let me know!

Gift Certificates

If you have a gift certificate, use it now!

Legal stuff: For the past 22 years, gift cards issued by Stitch Your Art Out:

• Did not expire.
• Were not subject to any fees.
• Were redeemable only for merchandise while the store remained open.
• Could not be refunded or redeemed for cash under any circumstances.

But now, because I'm closing, you need to redeem them. Check your purses, drawers, or couch cushions! After Labor Day, I’ll be moving to a new website provider and won’t be able to honor any gift certificates. I’ve stopped selling new gift certificates as of today.

Because of legalities, they still cannot be redeemed for cash. Therefore, please redeem your gift card by August 30, 2025, or sooner if stock runs out. After this date, all gift card balances will be forfeited, and Stitch Your Art Out will no longer be able to honor them.

Looking Ahead

If you’re thinking of opening your own craft store, I’d be happy to help after I close. For a variety of reasons, I won't sell my store directly—but if you want to try doing this, you can check out free/low-cost resources like the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) or TNNA.org. (TNNA holds a new shop-owner meeting once a month at no cost to members!)

Most of All, Thank You

Thank you for 22 incredible years of friendship, creativity, and community. Let’s make this summer a good one:

📅 Book an appointment this week, or drop by whenever it's convenient after this week!

🧶🧵 Take home some treasures!!

🎉 Celebrate a new beginning with me!!

Cynthia

As always (at least for this one week!), make an appointment to shop or browse—or just show off your projects. I can’t wait to see you!

Make an Appointment

P. S. Reminder that I'm teaching a workshop in August for the Knitting Guild. While I'm not ruling out future teaching, I'm not going to plan for it until I see what I feel like doing after retirement. Be sure to grab this class if you're interested in intarsia and sweater fit! You don't have to be a guild member to sign up--but it might be fun for you to be in the guild! They have a lot of resources available to you for when my shop is no longer around. (Same is true for the quilt guild!)

Here's the information:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

August 9  Centre Knitters Guild Workshop with Cynthia Spencer!   

Spend the day knitting and learning with Cynthia Spencer, the designer behind Really Clear Designs and owner of Stitch Your Art Out, our local yarn store. This is an excellent opportunity to deepen your skills in two popular knitting techniques, intarsia and sweater design and construction. Choose to attend one or both sessions. Further info including cost and sign up here. Non-members are welcome. So bring a friend or two! 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cynthia

Land Line (call): 814-238-4151

Text: 856-759-3420

Email: cynthia@stitchyourartout.com