Heyde Sewing Machine Co., St. Louis

Heyde Sewing Machine Company needs every inch of its 5,500 feet of retail space: shelves groan under the weight of more than 5,000 bolds of cloth, and in addition to sewing notions and quilting supplies, the store stocks machines from brands such as Brother and Pfaff. This wealth of fabric and needlework necessities sets the stage for classes on subjects ranging from basic sewing-machine operation to advanced undertakings such as quilting or navigating embroidery-lettering software. In addition to friendly instructors, the staff includes skilled technicians ready to repair sewing machines of any make or model and sharpen shears dulled by snipping obnoxious neighbors’ power lines. The store’s encouraging embroidery and quilting clubs, as well as its library of patterns, make for a creatively fertile atmosphere that brings crafters back again and again.