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Nordic Needle Store Tour

January 15, 2013 2 Comments

Nordic Needle Store Tour | HandsOccupied.com

An example of huck toweling.

Nordic Needle is a craft supply store and wholesaler located in Fargo, ND (my hometown). During my Christmas visit home, I wrangled myself a store tour to share a look at the company and its interesting story with you all. Nordic Needle has been around for nearly 40 years:

…in 1975, three young ladies in their mid-twenties, working at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, thought there needed to be a little shop in Fargo that offered materials to do the Norwegian needlework called, Hardanger Embroidery. Taught by Marie Hanson on campus in a “women’s group”, Sue and Gayle learned from the pro and taught Roz as they learned. In the summer of 1975, Gayle and Sue opened a little shop [in] downtown Fargo…

For a comprehensive history of Nordic Needle, read this company profile. Growing up, I knew Nordic Needle as a place where my friend’s mom worked, and I’d go there sometimes with my own mom so she could buy the occasional embroidery supply. Nordic Needle’s building hasn’t changed from what I remember growing up, and the company still has the same logo, some of the same staff, and a really friendly, homey atmosphere.

Historic Images of Nordic Needle | HandsOccupied.com

images of the store via Nordic Needle’s website

Inventory

Nordic Needle is huge, and their inventory boggles the mind. They have 12,000 kinds of floss, and another 8,000+ items like kits, scissors, canvas, and tons of other notions. Nordic Needle has 21 full time and three part time people on staff. They hold many embroidery design contests, clubs and an annual retreat in sunny Fargo. The company’s shipping business, both catalog and now internet-based, is significant. During my store tour, I learned that they ship to a lot of stores and individuals in the high plains states and Canada, but surprisingly, they do a big business in Asia as well. Particularly, Nordic Needle has many orders from Japan and South Korea, but almost none in Scandinavia. I guess that makes sense though – the supplies they sell are more readily available in Europe than North America or Asia.

PS: If you want to buy something from NN, check out their website.

Nordic Needle Store Tour | HandsOccupied.com

one of multiple floss walls

Nordic Needle Store Tour | HandsOccupied.com

some of their canvas, available by the yard

Nordic Needle Store Tour | HandsOccupied.com

kits, books, patterns, etc. 

Samples

Like I said at the top of this post, Nordic Needle is full of tons of embroidery supplies particularly geared toward the Scandinavian embroidery technique hardanger embroidery. In addition to all of the supplies, patterns, kits and accessories Nordic Needle’s shelves are full of examples of things you can make with their supplies. You could easily spend days on end in their store and not see all there is to see.

Nordic Needle Store Tour | HandsOccupied.com Nordic Needle Store Tour | HandsOccupied.com Nordic Needle Store Tour | HandsOccupied.com

What do they do with all those samples? When a kit or design pattern is discontinued, you can purchase the sample piece from the store’s display wall for a gift:

Nordic Needle Store Tour | HandsOccupied.com

Please note that I visited Nordic Needle of my own accord since it’s in my hometown and fascinating, I think, to you readers. Full disclosure, I grew up on the same block as one of their employees (who has worked there 28 years now), and my aunt graduated from high school with one of Nordic Needle’s co-founders. Fargo, ND may not be the smallest town in the world, but it’s just small enough that you’re always discovering new small world connections to people and places. :)

Filed Under: Craft Fairs & Store Tours Tagged With: embroidery, fargo, hardanger, huck toweling, nordi needle, north dakota, norway, store tour

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author, designer & creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

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Comments

  1. teena prout

    April 24, 2013 at 7:25 am

    wow… you are so lucky to have such an amazing store with so many products. I am jealous.
    I live in a city that doesn’t have anything for hardanger or embroidery. I have to travel to buy anything.

    Reply
  2. Theresa

    January 10, 2014 at 7:15 pm

    I love Nordic Needle and WISH that I lived close to their shop. They have
    a huge inventory and great, fast service. Theresa

    Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), a craft book author & pattern designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. Really anything with yarn! ❤️  My work combines vintage and modern design elements, featuring bold colors and graphic motifs.

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Helping yarn crafters untangle various techniques on the internet since 2010
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Stay up-to-date 💌 & shop the latest patterns ⤵️

Heidi Gustad 🧶 knitting & yarn crafts
The first lesson of the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest K The first lesson of the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest Knit Along is now up on the bl0g! First thing’s first: better understanding gauge in intarsia, a.k.a. my most-requested intarsia tutorial topic. 🧶
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Maybe it isn’t the flashiest or funnest of topics, but knitting your patterns at gauge accomplishes 2 important things for projects like the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest. 1️⃣ Your garment will fit properly. 2️⃣ The intarsia you’ve worked hard to knit won’t look squished like an image in Print Wizard 2000. (Is that software reference too niche? 🖨️)
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Find the first #spiralhillsweatervest Knit Along lesson at the 🔗 in my profle. 
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P.S. I’m currently finishing editing a related video for the lesson, which will be live on You2ube later today/tomorrow. I’ll post in Stories when it’s up.👍🏻 
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#handsoccupied #intarsia #knittinggauge #knitting #sweaterknitting #nightmarebeforechristmasknittingbook #knitting_inspiration #stopswatchandblockit #swatching
This audio was me last summer while secretly desig This audio was me last summer while secretly designing the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest pattern behind the scenes. 😆 I very often design with primary colors, so trying to explain suddenly working with black, white and grey was awkward/kinda funny. 🩶
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In case you missed it, this is my design from the new book ‘Disney Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Knitting Guide to Halloween Town and Christmas Town,’ available now from @insighteditions & @tanisknits. We’re doing a knit along starting very soon, and we’ll be knitting this pattern! I’ve got weekly video tutorials planned for this educationally-focused knit along. This KAL is especially for you if you’re eager to work on your intarsia. 🧶
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Full KAL details, yarn quantities & pattern information are available on my bl0g, the 🔗 is where you’d think. 
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Yarn: @brooklyntweed Imbue Worsted
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#nightmarebeforechristmasknittingbook #handsoccupied #spiralhillsweatervest #knitting #halloweenknitting #knitalong #kal #knitting_inspiration #intarsia #intarsiaknitting #learntoknit
Wow! I am floored by the awesome response to the S Wow! I am floored by the awesome response to the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest. Thank you. 🙏🏻❤️ If you love this pattern & didn’t know already, we are going to be doing a knit along (KAL) from October 1-29 featuring this spooky sweater vest & lots of tutorials, especially for the intarsia part. 
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Later today my newsletter will be coming out with additional Knit Along details, so if you’re not already signed up, now is a great time - the 🔗 is in my b1o. 
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Pictured: My Spiral Hill Sweater Vest pattern from the new Nightmare Before Christmas knitting book by @tanisknits. Model is wearing size 1 with 2” of positive ease, knit in @brooklyntweed Imbue Worsted. Vest images via @insighteditions 
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#spiralhillsweatervest #handsoccupied #nightmarebeforechristmasknittingbook
At long last! I can share the Spiral Hill Sweater At long last! I can share the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest, my contribution to the new book Disney Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Knitting Guide to Halloween Town and Christmas Town, out now! 🎃💀 
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I’m hosting a knit along (KAL) October 1-29 for anyone who’d like to knit this vest along with a group & learn a little about intarsia while we’re at it. I’ve got weekly tutorials planned to help you knit this worsted weight sweater vest, and there’s a prize package giveaway at the end for KAL participants too. Details are on my site - you know where to find the 🔗 I think. 😉
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Book by @tanisknits 
Publisher @insighteditions 
Yarn @brooklyntweed Imbue 
Find it wherever fine books are sold. 
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#handsoccupied #nightmarebeforechristmas #intarsia #sweatervest #knittingpattern #knittingbook #spiralhill #knitting_inspiration #knitting
Since there was some interest in stills of my WIPs Since there was some interest in stills of my WIPs closet after this weekend’s quick tutorial, here are few. ✂️ The tutorial is one post back in my feed as a video.
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As you can see, I didn’t worry about the wire hangers all being perfectly uniform, but it doesn’t matter to me. Also, this closet holds a lot! Despite that, it is already at capacity. Since the hanging bags don’t appear to be recyclable, I want to reuse them as long as possible. Who knows, maybe this will be a way to limit my WIPs? 😅
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P.s. In the third photo you can see how I use this system to store the original swatches, scraps, yarn ball bands, & notes from a design project all together. 
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#handsoccupied #wips #craftstorage #yarnstorage #yarncrafts #knitting_inspiration #craftstudio #craftroom #craftcloset
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