With the evenings drawing in, we’ve been keen to ease you into your seasonal stitching with enough time to sort those projects, yet we’re back with zooming in on one of our favourite brands. This month, we’re taking a closer look at some of our favourites from Caterpillar Cross Stitch!
Many of us in the warehouse fall easy victim to the cute needleminders and kits that come in, and who could blame us, but before we add some more projects to our never ending WIP stack, it’s worth noting how Caterpillar Cross Stitch began.
Their Story
Company founder and creative director Sally Wilson was at quite the crossroads when it came to her career. When discussing the birth of the brand, Sally said via her website:
“Following a fascination with Ally McBeal back in the late 90s, I followed my brain (not heart) into a legal career. In 2013 I was spending my time working 9-5 at a desk in a busy office as a lawyer.
But when I went on maternity leave, I decided to leave law behind and concentrate on designing bright, modern cross stitch kits that people would be proud to stitch! I launched Caterpillar Cross Stitch in November 2015 and I’m so excited about growing this community and helping others discover cross stitch for themselves. “
A brilliant decision, indeed! Since launch, both Sally and the company have gone on to win numerous awards, gaining notoriety in the stitching world with simple-yet-striking kits, accessories and SALs, alongside popular retreats and online events. Plus, we love the fact that their HQ is also based in Warwickshire – hey, neighbours! You know we love a local business!
(Image via Caterpillar Cross Stitch)
Shopping Day
We’re a sucker for a little scene, so when these shopfronts landed in the warehouse, they quickly became a payday treat! Vic’s had some ideas of stitching all of them into a little street, but if you’re wanting to focus on a shop at a time, you certainly can.
We’ve covered the more festive fronts in the Jingle Bells Toy Shop and the Cosy Corner Bookshop in other posts, so it’s time to head into some other small businesses! We absolutely love the colour choices used for the Piece Of Cake Bakery and the pretty sunflowers in the Little Buds Florist kit, too.
The latest design on the block is The Stitcher Arms – so cute! The hanging baskets and parasol have us dreaming about those sunny days with friends, scoffing a lovely pub lunch. Why does that feel like so long ago?! Stitching this will definitely have you replaying those laughs between colour changes.
Holly Jolly Christmas
Even though we’ve already done our little bit of Christmas focus in a special edition of The Stitchuation, we couldn’t do a spotlight on Caterpillar Cross Stitch and not talk about their fabulously festive kits! Originally released as stitch-a-longs, we’re slightly obsessed with Christmas Wonderland and Stitch Into Christmas.
Yet there’s a new kit on the block in Seasons Greetings, designed by Stitchrovia, another favourite designer of ours – we love to see our faves collaborate!
BFFs
If you’re a regular reader of the blog, you’ll know that we’re huge fans of a needle minder or two and for us stitchers in the warehouse, many of us wouldn’t even think to pick up our WIPs without one attached to our fabric. As soon as these enamel designs came in, they became a fast favourite.
However if you’re new to the idea, needle minders are a fun way to keep your cross stitch needle safe and visible. Attached to your aida with two magnets, you’ll be able to spend more time stitching and less time running a cautious hand over your carpet!
We’re lucky to stock many of their designs, but Carlos the Caterpillar, the NYC Taxi and the cute little Campervan have to be our current faves!
Matchy-Matchy
We’ve made our love for those little magnets quite clear, yet knowing that they match some kits just gets them extra brownie points! Setting up a kit can elicit mixed emotions, but for many of us who love to organise and match, being able to do so here just adds to the fun.
With minders for every season, it’s hard to choose. But our favourite matches are the cutest little garden Gnome, the mystical Black Cat and the Gingerbread Cottage that is asking to be chomped on – well, perhaps not, it is metal after all!
We love displaying our needle minders – why not make your project into a wall hanging and pop the minder on top? Alternatively, you could make yourself a little pennant and place them all on there! There’s plenty of ways to use and display these little pals.
Until Next Time…
Well that’s it from us for this month’s Stitchuation! Have you made a Caterpillar Cross Stitch? Let us know! We always love to see your projects in every stage; make sure to tag us in those photos using #WWCrafters!
Now if we could only tear ourselves away from our stock draws…