Meet Our Team

Keepsakes Owner
Barbara Hils
Barbara is a fourth-generation business owner. She can trace her work "genealogy" back to her great-grandfather, who started a wholesale notions business in the mid-1800s. Since starting Keepsakes in 1997, Barbara has seen many changes in the Cincinnati cross stitch community, and is thrilled that one-time customers have grown into long-time friends!

Team Member & FlossTube Influencer
Stephanie Schaffner
When she first came on board we had no idea Stephanie would become a FlossTube celebrity! Her daily experience with orders and inventory has developed a vast mental encyclopedia of all things cross stitch. Go check her out at Just Keep Stitchin' on Youtube, where she and her mom Pam have more than 15,000 subscribers.

Team Member & Stitcher Extraordinaire
Lynnie Weintrub
Lynnie was a stitching customer, and then suddenly she was an employee. Lynnie is our longest serving employee. She is our “touchstone”, and can always be counted on for sound advice. She is also our “mother hen," always looking out for the rest of us. Many of our shop models were done by Lynnie, and she also stitches samples professionally for a national cross-stitch designer.

Team Member & Floss Whisperer
Sue Coates
Susan is a customer-turned-employee. She is a true artist, with an amazing eye for color, design, and artistic balance. If you need a color conversion or a "Surprise Me" box of needlework goodies, Susan is your person. In addition to being a cross stitcher she is also a machine stitcher. When she fires up her sewing machine wonderful things get created: project bags, needle keeps, scissor fobs, and more.

Team Member & Top Organizer
Jan Rieder
Jan is our newest addition at Keepsakes. Like all of our employees she is a stitcher. Jan always brings a ray of sunshine to our store, and she is always quick with a positive word or idea. Jan is our “professional organizer” helping impose order upon chaos. (How are we so lucky to keep finding these good people?)

Team Member & Queen of the House
310
By popular demand our shop cat 310 gets included on the employee page. Her duties include: sleeping, eating, knocking over open beverages, begging for attention, and, at least in theory, catching mice. Once upon a time she was just a stray cat, Barbara began feeding her, and the rest is history. And yes, she is named for the DMC number for the color black!