FAQs

  • What are your store hours?
  • Where is your shop located?
  • Which products does your store carry?
  • Can I make an appointment to visit your store?
  • Why are only a limited number of colors/counts available for sale on your website right now?
  • Is there a conversion chart for Colour and Cotton thread?
  • Can you create a custom thread conversion for me?
  • Can you dye a custom color or special order for me?
  • Are your fabrics and threads colorfast?
  • If I ran out of thread on a project and need to order more, will it match?
  • Do your threads and fabrics have any kind of scent?
  • The fabric I received is a little bit smaller than the measurements stated on your website?
  • Are the edges of your fabric finished?
  • How can I pay for my order?
  • Do you offer any discounts?
  • Can I cancel my order?
  • I have already placed my order and I forgot to add a coupon code, can this be refunded back to me?
  • The coupon code I am trying to use isn't working, help!
  • I placed two separate orders and paid for shipping on both - can these be combined?
  • Is my online payment secure?
  • I missed a sale...is there any way I can still receive the discount?
  • I added an item in my cart but when I reached checkout, it showed as sold out, how can that happen?
  • How soon will you ship my order?
  • Will I be notified when my order has shipped?
  • Do you ship internationally?
  • Do you ever offer free shipping?
  • I only need a skein or two of thread, is shipping really that expensive?
  • Do the subscription prices listed include shipping?
  • When are subscription club recurring charges billed?
  • How do I know when my monthly club order has shipped?
  • I just joined a subscription club, when will I receive my first shipment?
  • I need to change my club shipping address or my credit card on file, what do I do?
  • Can I change the amount of threads I receive in my shipment, or the fabric type/size?
  • Can I skip a shipment?
  • I am on a club waiting list...how long until spots will become available?
  • How do I cancel my subscription?
  • Can I return or exchange an item?
  • Can I return a pattern?

Our Brick and Mortar Store

What are your store hours?

Our brick and mortar store hours as of June 17, 2024:

  • Wednesday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
  • Friday 10:00 to 4:00 pm
  • Saturday 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Where is your shop located?

Our store is located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri, at 14545 Manchester Road, Ballwin, MO 63011.

We're about one mile west of Highway 141 and we are located in a shopping center with plenty of free parking. If you are traveling west on Manchester Road, our location is on the righthand side, just past the intersection of Manchester Rd and Sulphur Spring/Baxter Roads.

Learn more about visiting us!

Which products does your store carry?

We are a full-service needlework store. In addition to our own range of hand dyed thread and fabric, we stock:

  • Threads suitable for cross stitch and embroidery including Colour and Cotton Weeks Dye Works, Classic Colorworks, The Gentle Art, DMC, and select silks
  • Cross stitch fabrics including Zweigart Wichelt, Colour and Cotton, Fox and Rabbit, Fabrics by Stephanie, Picture This Plus, Fabric Flair, and more
  • Paper cross stitch charts from a wide variety of designers
  • Stitching frames and hoops including Nurge, Rolaframe, Q-Snap and Lowery Workstands
  • Finishing materials including hand dyed trims
  • Project bags from Straight From the Heart By Sue
  • Many other fine needlework supplies and fun notions!

Can I make an appointment to visit your store?

Please email us if you are interested in inquiring about an appointment to visit our shop outside of normal hours. We will do our best to accomodate your group if scheduling permits! Please note that we cannot accommodate same-day requests.

Our Fabric and Thread

Why are only a limited number of colors/counts available for sale on your website right now?

We dye our fabric in color batches and we often dye in limited or seasonal runs. Thus, not all of our colors are available at all times. The fabric available on our website at any given time reflects items in stock and ready to ship generally on the same or next business day. You may read more about this here.

Is there a conversion chart for Colour and Cotton thread?

We are working to update a DMC to Colour and Cotton conversion list on our website - it's a great place to start! We do not publish a full conversion list to other hand dyed companies and we love stocking and stitching with other hand dyed brands as well, makes for a wonderful variety in the stitching world!

You can also find published C&C conversions created for customers in our store per their request. We share some of them to our website here in case others may find it helpful.

 

Can you create a custom thread conversion for me?

We are happy to do our best if you're interested in a C&C thread conversion. Please email us at help@colourandcotton.com.

Please keep in mind that we receive many conversion requests and while we try to get to all of them in as timely a manner as possible, we always want to do the best job that we can, which can sometimes take 30 minutes or more per conversion! Therefore we cannot guarantee a turnaround time to create your conversion and we appreciate your patience.

Our process is to pull and compare the original fibers called for in the design, match to our thread wall in store, review and make changes based on how the final choices look as a group, the fabric color intended, number of strands, etc., and finally - type and print a nicely formatted conversion list for you! 

We are not able to suggest converions for fibers which we do not carry in store (since we cannot compare and make a choice confidentally), nor do some chart styles work well for a conversion (i.e., intricately shaded DMC areas using several very similar colors.)

Can you dye a custom color or special order for me?

We're very sorry, but we are unable to accept custom thread or fabric color requests or color matches at this time.

Are your fabrics and threads colorfast?

Our dyed fibers and fabrics are colorfast and lightfast based on industry standards in that they will not fade over time or when washed. However, please note that particularly dark/saturated colors such as deep reds, teals, etc. may still discharge a bit of residual dye not removed during this rinsing process. We recommend pre-washing these colors before embarking on your project, or not washing. We do our best to discharge unbonded dye from our fabrics and fibers, but we cannot guarantee it.

If I ran out of thread on a project and need to order more, will it match?

Our fibers and fabrics are hand dyed in small batches to ensure quality. When you order multiple skeins of a color of thread in a single order, you will always receive threads of the same dye lot. However, if you order the same color of thread at a future date, you may receive a different dye lot and there may be some variation between dye lots. While we strive for consistency, the art of dyeing is part science and part magic...there are many factors which affect the dye process and the final result including humidity and variations in dye powder between batches. We strongly recommend purchasing all the thread and fabric you need for a project at one time to avoid variations between dye lots. If you are struggling to find a particular dye lot, our Facebook Group is a very helpful resource with many members who may be willing to help a fellow stitcher from their stash.

As of summer 2024, new stock tags include a dye lot number. Please be patient as we transition our tags over time to eventually always include this dye lot number.

Do your threads and fabrics have any kind of scent?

No, we wash our fibers in an unscented professional textile detergent. Any sizing aids we might use during the ironing process are odor-free as well so your fabric and fibers arrive scent-free.

The fabric I received is a little bit smaller than the measurements stated on your website?

The fabric measurements we provide refer to the pre-dyed size of the fabric.  Shrinkage is normal during the dyeing process and some fabrics may shrink a bit more than others, but the original number of holes of the piece of fabric remains the same. If you are unsure if a piece of fabric will be big enough for a project, we recommend purchasing the next largest size to be safe. With all hand dyed fabrics, we recommend beginning your project in the center of the fabric.

Are the edges of your fabric finished?

Yes, we serge all edges of our fabric to prevent unraveling.  Fabric is also pressed for you.

Orders and Checkout

How can I pay for my order?

For regular shop orders, we accept credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover) and PayPal.  We can only accept recurring payments for subscription clubs with a direct credit card on file, not PayPal.  We do not accept personal checks or money orders and we are unable to take payments via phone.

Do you offer any discounts?

We periodically offer sales and discount codes via social media and our email newsletter.

Can I cancel my order?

If you wish to cancel your order prior to shipping, canceled orders will be refunded less a 6% transaction/cancellation fee (due to bank processing fees which have already been paid to process your original order, which cannot be refunded.) If your order has already shipped, it cannot be canceled.

I have already placed my order and I forgot to add a coupon code, can this be refunded back to me?

We are unable to retroactively apply discounts to orders.  Please ensure your coupon code discount is applied before checking out - if you enter a valid discount code the discounted amount will always appear on your order summary before checking out. If a discount code is not working, please contact us before placing your order so we can help you out!

The coupon code I am trying to use isn't working, help!

Please double-check that the coupon code is still within the valid date range and is being applied to the correct items in your cart. If you're still experiencing issues, please email us at help@colourandcotton.com.

I placed two separate orders and paid for shipping on both - can these be combined?

Due to our shipping workflow, we are unable to combine separate orders to ship together after the orders are placed or refund any shipping costs.  

Is my online payment secure?

The orders placed at colourandcotton.com, including subscription club payments, are processed via Shopify, PayPal.com and Stripe.  All transactions are secure and encrypted, exceeding online security standards.  Club payment information is never stored directly by us and we do not have access to your full credit card number or other private banking information. Payment information is stored securely with Stripe, using industry best practices and security.

I missed a sale...is there any way I can still receive the discount?

Our sale prices and promotions are only valid for the original dates offered.

I added an item in my cart but when I reached checkout, it showed as sold out, how can that happen?

Unfortunately, our online shopping system (along with most major ecommerce playforms) will not reserve items in customer carts. If you have added an item to your cart but someone else completes the checkout process before you, the item can sell out. We apologize for any inconvience this may cause. We recommend creating a customer account and pre-filling your address and contact information so that your checkout process will go more quickly, especially during sales!

Shipping

How soon will you ship my order?

All items on our website are in stock and will ship either the same or next business day. In rare instances of high-volume sales or promotions, it may take a few additional days for us to complete your order.

Will I be notified when my order has shipped?

A shipment notification with a tracking number will automatically be sent to the email address provided at checkout.

Do you ship internationally?

We do offer worldwide shipping via USPS First Class International Mail or Global Post. Customers are responsible for any customs fees, VAT or taxes which may apply. Your package will arrive with applicable customs forms with the value of your items marked as "Merchandise" as reflected on your store receipt. International shipping can still be a bit delayed due to COVID-related issues. Please order at your own discretion.

Do you ever offer free shipping?

Yes! Orders over $250.00 ship free automatically anywhere in the United States. 

I only need a skein or two of thread, is shipping really that expensive?

USPS First Class mail is the lowest shipping service we offer as it provides parcel tracking. We are unable to ship small items in envelopes with stamps. Our website should automatically calculate the proper shipping amount for your order based upon the weight of the items and your address.

Subscription Clubs

Do the subscription prices listed include shipping?

No, shipping charges will calculated according to actual carrier rates at checkout. Your monthly subscription billing will include this additional shipping charge each month.

When are subscription club recurring charges billed?

Monthly clubs are automatically billed on the 5th of each month to your credit or debit card on file (the payment method used when initially signing up.) You should receive an order confirmation email when your payment has been successfully processed. Should there be any error in processing your payment, you will receive an email notification with instructions to update.

How do I know when my monthly club order has shipped?

Each month, you will receive a shipment confirmation email with USPS tracking.  If you are having any issues receiving our notifications, please double-check your spam/junk folder.

I just joined a subscription club, when will I receive my first shipment?

The cutoff to join and receive the same month's club is the 5th of the month. Clubs ship beginning mid-month, or usually earlier if possible. As an example, if you join a club on May 10, the charge upon signup would cover your first month's shipment of June, and you will not be billed again until July 5.

I need to change my club shipping address or my credit card on file, what do I do?

You can change your address or billing information at any time by logging in to your customer account and clicking on Manage Subscriptions on the righthand side of the page according to the instructions provided. We are always happy to help you by email as well!

Can I change the amount of threads I receive in my shipment, or the fabric type/size?

Yes, if we have available spots! Please email us at help@colourandcotton.com to make changes to an existing subscription. These changes cannot be made via your customer portal. Subscriptions can be canceled at any time from your online customer portal. Requests to change your subscription preference must be received by the 10th of the month in order to take effect for the next upcoming month, otherwise we may not be able to accommodate your request until the following month.

Can I skip a shipment?

You can! Log in to your customer account and click on Manage Subscriptions on the righthand side of the page, click on Delivery Schedule, and click Skip next to the shipment you wish to skip. You will not be charged and your subscription will resume with the next delivery. You can undo this by clicking Unskip next to the shipment. There is no penalty for skipping a month's delivery.

I am on a club waiting list...how long until spots will become available?

We cannot give estimates for the opening of a fabric waitlist spot at this time, it varies based on supply availability. Truthfully, the limited availability of base fabric on an ongoing basis means that we are not able to add many new spots to our fabric club. The wait may be very long.

How do I cancel my subscription?

Log in to your customer account, click on Manage Subscriptions, Click on Subscriptions and click Cancel next to the subscription you wish to cancel.  Your subscription will be canceled immediately and you will not receive any further charges!  However, if you have already paid for a subscription and it has not yet been shipped, you will still receive any outstanding orders. You may also send an email to help@colourandcotton.com to cancel your subscription and you will receive a confirmation that your club has been canceled.

Returns

Can I return or exchange an item?

All fabric, thread and pattern sales are final. Please inspect your package upon receipt for any damages or errors. Any order mistakes made by us will be fully replaced or refunded at no charge to you, as will any items found to be defective. View our full purchase and return policy here.

Can I return a pattern?

No, due to the natural of printed and PDF patterns, we cannot accept returns or exchanges for these items. All pattern sales are final.