CINCINNATI — It’s been a year where new hobbies were picked up and then put back down once life got back to normal. For one Cincinnati business owner, she wanted to keep the momentum going and decided to create a community around her love of stitching. 

​​​Tucked in the backroom of Krombholz Jewelers is a stitcher’s dream.

“This is Jackie O’s Stitchery," Heather Krombholz said.

The idea came to Krombholz last year when she started teaching people how to stitch during the pandemic.

“It kind of morphed into — a lot of our clients stitch a lot or our friend stitch — let’s open a needlepoint store!" she said. "So, here it is!”

And now almost a year after it opened, Jackie O’s Stitchery offers classes and groups for stitchers to come together.

“Everyone who works at Krombholz jewelers also stitches," Krombholz said. "So if you ever need help people are happy to help and here let me show you, or this is what I might do. It’s a real community.”

Krombholz spends most of her time helping others with their latest project and cheering them on along the way.

Because she knows that’s what her mother would have done: the namesake for Jackie O’s was Krombholz's mom and a phenomenal stitcher.

Krombholz said Jackie O’s would have been her mom’s favorite place.

“She would be in heaven," she said. "I know she already is, but she would be in heaven. She would love this. She would just take up residency.”

And for beginner stitchers like Molly Barber, it is, especially as she works on her latest project.

“I am making a stocking for my grandson, Henry," Barber said.

Barber said the help from Krombholz and the other experienced stitchers has made her fall in love with her new hobby.

“There’s an incredible level of expertise in this group where they are so willing to step in and give you advice without making you feel like the beginner that we are," Barber said.

And for Krombholz, she’ll continue to cheer them on the whole way.