AS owner/manager of Betty's Needle Crafts, Betty Wyble brings more than just yarn to the business.Her enthusiasm for crafts is infectious and her knowledge of the art involved is extensive.

It's no wonder that past visitors with a love of needlework, knitting and cross-stitching regularly keep in touch through postcards and letters from around the world.

"I always welcome people into my shop; to come in and browse around," she said. "And I warn them that if they're not careful, they might leave having learned a new craft.

"All of my customers are very important to me and I always take the time to be helpful. My advice to those new in business is to listen to your customer and their needs. You, too, can learn something."

Mrs. Wyble's tiny shop, located on the Duke of York Street in St. George's, overflows with crafts, craft supplies, books and craft ideas. A visit has the potential to unearth a large selection of yarns, needlepoint, embroidery, beads, candle-making supplies, latch-hook kits and other items devoted to crafts. As a business dedicated to crafts, Mrs. Wyble said, it's the largest on the island. "I used to paint," she explained. "I was not into needle crafts at all. I got into macram? while visiting my in-laws in Texas. My sister-in-law gave me a macram? hanger and as soon as I got back home, I took it apart to see how it was made."

After years of working at a local bank, Mrs. Wyble said, she decided to turn her hobby into a business venture.

"I opened one of the first macram? shops in Bermuda, Betty's Macram? Elegance. It was first on Reid Street but then moved to the Musson Building on Court Street. One day, a Salvation Army envoy, Alice Steede, came into my store. She was the owner of Alice's Yarns in St. George's and we immediately hit it off."

The store owner explained that she closed her store after macram? lost its popularity, and moved into painting, first in oils and then on to acrylics. It wasn't long, however, before the world of crafts beckoned once again.

"After I closed my macram? shop, I would come down and help (Mrs. Steede) out in her store. As a matter of fact, I cut the ribbon for her in this same building when we moved in. Little did I know that ten years later, I would be the owner. I was with her for about five years before she passed away ten years ago. I purchased the business from her husband and, over the years, have expanded a great deal."

The St. George's shopkeeper said that as an art form, crafts continue to boom with people of all ages - and both sexes - regular visitors to her store. "It seems that people of all ages are into crafts. Years ago, it appeared that mainly older people were crocheting and knitting and crafting but crafting, especially with the younger people, is big today. I have children from the schools and even inmates from the (women's) prison requesting items all the time."

Just as all yarnwork is not the same, Mrs. Wyble explained, neither are the tools involved. Knitting is done with needles and a crochet hook; macram? is a creative form of knot tying done with the hands, while crocheting is done with a crochet hook.

"Crocheting is the most popular needle craft now, followed closely by knitting. Latch-hooking is another old craft that has come back full circle and is once again very popular. Cross-stitching has also become very popular with my local customers and is the biggest seller with the visitors. I do demonstrations on latch-hooking and classes in crochet, knitting and cross-stitch will be starting up again soon.

"There's so much that people can do. Many make Afghan rugs, some blankets, some crochet bed dolls, many people make hats and some do baby blankets. I think it's a hobby for most of them more than anything else."

Although she sells magazines and books with crafts ideas, Mrs. Wyble offers customers her own unique designs as well. "I haven't done much painting as I would like lately, because the craft business has kept me so very busy, but (it was the popularity of cross-stitching) that inspired me to design my own patterns. Last year I put out my first line of Bermuda Counted Cross-Stitch Patterns that were adapted from my original paintings. I currently have five kits out and will be adding to them in the very near future. I have two on the drawing board now. After ten years, I am ready to take the business to the next level."

of the greatest joys of having her own business, Mrs. Wyble said, is meeting - and keeping in touch with - her customers. In addition to those in the surrounding area of St. George's and frequent visitors from Bermuda's western end, Mrs. Wyble has established friendships with many of the island's tourists. "I have met hundreds of people through the business over the years and made friends with many - both local and visitors," she said. "Many have been with me from day one. I feel I have formed a real bond with most of my customers and we are always on a first-name basis.

"Some will come in not sure of what they want to do or what type or colour of yarn to buy, and together we choose a pattern and yarns for their project. When they complete their work, most bring it in to show me and I get as excited as they are knowing I have played a small part.

"I receive letters and postcards from visitors whom I've met in the shop, especially the cruise ship crews who come in every week for their cross-stitch supplies. Some keep in touch and send a postcard when they move on to another part. About four years ago - together with my husband, Pat - I set up a database mailing list of my customers. I like to keep in touch with them as to what is going on in regard to new arrivals, sales, discontinued items and things of that sort. So periodically, I send out a newspaper and am now gathering e-mail listings so I can send (it that way) to my customers with e-mail."

The store regularly offers a ten per cent discount to Bermuda's seniors.

Betty's Needle Crafts is located at 17 Duke of York Street, St. George's. Its opening hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. The store closes each day for lunch between 1.30 p.m. and 2.30 p.m.