UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                -----------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

      Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): September 21, 2004


                              HANCOCK FABRICS, INC.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)


                         Commission File Number 1 - 9482

           Delaware                                               64-0740905
  (State or other jurisdiction                               (I. R. S. Employer
of incorporation or organization)                            Identification No.)

    One Fashion Way, Baldwyn, MS                                    38824
(Address of principal executive offices)                         (Zip Code)


               Registrant's telephone number, including area code
                                 (662) 365-6000


<PAGE>


Item 5.02.  Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors;
Appointment of Principal Officers.

(d)  On  September  21,  2004 the Board of  Directors  (the  "Board") of Hancock
Fabrics,  Inc.  (the  "Company")  unanimously  voted to  increase  the number of
directors  of the  Company  from  six to  seven.  At the  recommendation  of the
Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, and based upon his qualifications
and business  experience,  the Board  appointed  Wellford L. Sanders,  Jr. ("Mr.
Sanders") to the newly created Board position.  Mr. Sanders will serve until the
2005 Annual Meeting of  Shareholders  or until his successor is duly elected and
qualified.

     In addition,  the Board appointed Mr. Sanders to the Audit  Committee,  the
Corporate  Governance and Nominating  Committee,  and the Management  Review and
Compensation Committee.

     The Board has  affirmatively  determined  that Mr.  Sanders has no material
relationship  with the Company and therefore is considered to be  independent as
defined  by  the  Company's   Standards  for  the   Determination   of  Director
Independence.

     A press release  announcing  this  appointment was issued by the Company on
September 22, 2004 and is filed as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated  herein by this
reference.


Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

         (c)    Exhibits:

           Exhibit
            Number      Description
         -------------  --------------------------------------------------------

             99.1       Press release issued by Hancock Fabrics, Inc., dated
                        September 22, 2004






                                       2
<PAGE>

                                    SIGNATURE

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                            HANCOCK FABRICS, INC.
                                                (Registrant)

                                            By:  /s/ Bruce D. Smith
                                                 ----------------------------
                                                       Bruce D. Smith

                                               Senior Vice President and
                                                Chief Financial Officer
                                               (Principal Financial and
                                                  Accounting Officer)

September 22, 2004



                                       3
<PAGE>


                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS


   Exhibit
    Number       Description
---------------  ---------------------------------------------------------------

     99.1        Press release issued by Hancock Fabrics, Inc., dated
                 September 22, 2004
















                                       4
<PAGE>
                                                                    Exhibit 99.1




Hancock Fabrics, Inc.                                      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Corporate Headquarters
One Fashion Way
Baldwyn, MS  38824                                          September 22, 2004


Released by:    Ellen Kennedy
                (662) 365-6109


                     HANCOCK FABRICS INCREASES SIZE OF BOARD
                                       AND
                              APPOINTS NEW DIRECTOR

The Board of Directors of Hancock Fabrics, Inc. (NYSE symbol: HKF), at a meeting
held  September  21, 2004,  increased the size of the Board to seven members and
appointed Wellford L. Sanders, Jr. as a director of the corporation.

Mr. Sanders,  59, has been a Managing  Director with Wachovia  Securities,  Inc.
since 1997. His prior experience  includes 20 years with McGuire Woods,  LLP. In
addition,  he  has  served  as  a  director  for  several  companies,  including
retailers, Peebles, Inc. and Catherine's Stores Corporation.

In announcing the action,  Larry G. Kirk,  Chairman and Chief Executive  Officer
said,  "We are very  pleased to have  Welly  Sanders as a member of the Board of
Directors of Hancock Fabrics. His broad business knowledge and his experience as
a director will serve our Company well in the years ahead."

Hancock Fabrics,  Inc. is a retail and wholesale  merchant of fabric and related
home sewing and decorating  accessories.  The Company operates 432 retail fabric
stores in 42  states,  supplies  various  independent  wholesale  customers  and
operates an internet store under the domain name, www.hancockfabrics.com.



Released at 8:30 a.m.
Baldwyn, MS
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UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                -----------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

      Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): September 21, 2004

                              HANCOCK FABRICS, INC.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

                         Commission File Number 1 - 9482

           Delaware                                               64-0740905
  (State or other jurisdiction                               (I. R. S. Employer
of incorporation or organization)                            Identification No.)

    One Fashion Way, Baldwyn, MS                                    38824
(Address of principal executive offices)                         (Zip Code)

               Registrant's telephone number, including area code
                                 (662) 365-6000
Item 5.02.  Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors;
Appointment of Principal Officers.

(d)  On  September  21,  2004 the Board of  Directors  (the  "Board") of Hancock
Fabrics,  Inc.  (the  "Company")  unanimously  voted to  increase  the number of
directors  of the  Company  from  six to  seven.  At the  recommendation  of the
Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, and based upon his qualifications
and business  experience,  the Board  appointed  Wellford L. Sanders,  Jr. ("Mr.
Sanders") to the newly created Board position.  Mr. Sanders will serve until the
2005 Annual Meeting of  Shareholders  or until his successor is duly elected and
qualified.

     In addition,  the Board appointed Mr. Sanders to the Audit  Committee,  the
Corporate  Governance and Nominating  Committee,  and the Management  Review and
Compensation Committee.

     The Board has  affirmatively  determined  that Mr.  Sanders has no material
relationship  with the Company and therefore is considered to be  independent as
defined  by  the  Company's   Standards  for  the   Determination   of  Director
Independence.

     A press release  announcing  this  appointment was issued by the Company on
September 22, 2004 and is filed as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated  herein by this
reference.

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

         (c)    Exhibits:

           Exhibit
            Number      Description
         -------------  --------------------------------------------------------

             99.1       Press release issued by Hancock Fabrics, Inc., dated
                        September 22, 2004

                                       2
SIGNATURE

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                            HANCOCK FABRICS, INC.
                                                (Registrant)

                                            By:  /s/ Bruce D. Smith
                                                 ----------------------------
                                                       Bruce D. Smith

                                               Senior Vice President and
                                                Chief Financial Officer
                                               (Principal Financial and
                                                  Accounting Officer)

September 22, 2004

                                       3
INDEX TO EXHIBITS

   Exhibit
    Number       Description
---------------  ---------------------------------------------------------------

     99.1        Press release issued by Hancock Fabrics, Inc., dated
                 September 22, 2004

                                       4
Exhibit 99.1

Hancock Fabrics, Inc.                                      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Corporate Headquarters
One Fashion Way
Baldwyn, MS  38824                                          September 22, 2004

Released by:    Ellen Kennedy
                (662) 365-6109

                     HANCOCK FABRICS INCREASES SIZE OF BOARD
                                       AND
                              APPOINTS NEW DIRECTOR

The Board of Directors of Hancock Fabrics, Inc. (NYSE symbol: HKF), at a meeting
held  September  21, 2004,  increased the size of the Board to seven members and
appointed Wellford L. Sanders, Jr. as a director of the corporation.

Mr. Sanders,  59, has been a Managing  Director with Wachovia  Securities,  Inc.
since 1997. His prior experience  includes 20 years with McGuire Woods,  LLP. In
addition,  he  has  served  as  a  director  for  several  companies,  including
retailers, Peebles, Inc. and Catherine's Stores Corporation.

In announcing the action,  Larry G. Kirk,  Chairman and Chief Executive  Officer
said,  "We are very  pleased to have  Welly  Sanders as a member of the Board of
Directors of Hancock Fabrics. His broad business knowledge and his experience as
a director will serve our Company well in the years ahead."

Hancock Fabrics,  Inc. is a retail and wholesale  merchant of fabric and related
home sewing and decorating  accessories.  The Company operates 432 retail fabric
stores in 42  states,  supplies  various  independent  wholesale  customers  and
operates an internet store under the domain name, www.hancockfabrics.com.

Released at 8:30 a.m.
Baldwyn, MS