Florida’s Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday is the perfect time to shop with someone else in mind. While you’re picking up notebooks, crayons, pencils, glue, folders, or backpacks, grab a few extra items for one of the many local school supply drives happening across Tampa Bay. Thanks to the tax holiday, every dollar goes a little further, and your donation can help a child start the school year feeling prepared and confident.
If you’ve spent any time scrolling social media lately, you’ve probably come across the phrase “grandma hobbies.”
Needlepoint. Knitting. Crocheting. Quilting. Gardening. Baking. Mahjong. The hobbies many of us grew up watching our grandmothers enjoy are suddenly the coolest way to unplug from our screens, slow down, and reconnect with our creativity.
The funny thing? Here in Pinellas County, they never really went out of style.
One of my favorite local businesses, The Flying Needles in Belleair Bluffs, has been helping stitchers create beautiful keepsakes for more than 65 years. Long before grandmacore became a hashtag, Flying Needles was welcoming beginners, seasoned stitchers, and everyone in between.
Many of you know that for the past three years I’ve also been part of the Flying Needles family, working alongside Meridith Henry. Between managing shipping and receiving, helping organize retreats and special events, and meeting stitchers from all over the country, I’ve come to appreciate that Flying Needles is so much more than a needlepoint shop. It’s a gathering place where friendships are formed, creativity flourishes, and beginners are welcomed just as warmly as lifelong stitchers.
What I love most about needlepoint isn’t just the finished project. It’s the conversations around the stitching table, the friendships that form over a shared canvas, and the heirlooms that eventually get passed down to the next generation. In a world that’s constantly asking us to hurry, it’s a hobby that reminds us to slow down.
If you’ve ever thought about giving needlepoint a try, this is your sign! We offer beginner classes throughout the month, along with retreats, stitch nights, trunk shows, and special events. Be sure to follow @FlyingNeedlesBelleair on Instagram for the class calendar and the latest happenings.
I’d love to see a few familiar beeMAIL faces in the shop!
Happy stitching,
Molly
Hi Honeys!
My storefront is buzzing with ideas new and old. Check it out….
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