We caught up with Sally Wilson of Caterpillar Cross Stitch; let’s see what she’s been up to in HQ!
Hi Sally, thanks for having a chat with us! Let’s get started…
Tell us a little bit about yourself – your background, general day to day life, hobbies (other than crafting).
Iâve always loved arts and crafts, sewing, drawing and painting from a young age. I first tried cross stitch when I was around 8 years old and later picked it back up again when I was around 13, designing and stitching 3 poems for my sisters. I even use their hair colours (blonde, brown and auburn) as the DMC threads so they were really unique! I later studied law and became a solicitor but after a few years left law for good and returned to my creative roots! I started Caterpillar Cross Stitch in 2015 and itâs been the most fulfilling rollercoaster ever since!
What was the inspiration behind the name for the company? We love Carlos!
I was trying desperately to think of a unique name for the business. I wanted it to have the words âcross stitchâ in it but I also wanted something that was different, memorable and had a nice ring to it! I was reading my daughter, Felicity the Very Hungry Caterpillar book at the time which she loved and I started to think how the process of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly – a slow process that needs patience and hard work but at the end this beautiful creation is revealed, was a lot like cross stitch – starting with just a few threads and a black canvas but overtime creating something stunning! www.caterpillarcrossstitch.com was available and boom, CCS was born!
What does a typical day in look like for you in the business?
My day to day life involves getting the children breakfast and walking them to school, heading to the office and checking emails. Catching up with my team and then getting to design work. I create the patterns, packaging and anything creative! I tend to be quite present on Instagram Stories and in our Facebook group so I love hanging out there when I can to update our community!
I have overall responsibility for marketing so Iâm always looking for new opportunities to get the brand in front of new eyes in an innovative way. I also lead our long term vision so if we are considering expanding, recruiting, developing new products, moving warehouses, improving our membership offerings, oh and managing our events!
What was the driving force behind your kits using full stitches only?
I wanted the kits to be beginner-friendly. I know only too well what itâs like trying to learn a new craft and the frustration that can come when the skill is just too complicated. That can often lead to people giving up early thinking âthis isnât for me, Iâll never be able to do it!â There are so many designers that include backstitch and their designs are fabulous. Thereâs a huge market for stitchers who love that style. I wanted to create kits with basic, full stitches only to make them accessible for all. I create definition and detail using the shades of DMC thread instead of a black thin outline.
What are three essentials you need in order to have a successful day pattern designing?
Coffee first – I prefer oat milk and have it strong! I use a colour palette book and resources online to help find the perfect combination of colours. I also hop over to our main warehouse where all of the DMC cones are stored so I can compare them in real life. Finally, air pods so I can block out external distractions while probably listening to Taylor Swift or âHow I Built Thisâ podcasts.
If thereâs a day where youâre facing a creative block, what are some of your go-tos to get your creative juices flowing again?
I go for a walk and listen to Taylorâs [Swift] Reputation album on full volume! I love music and it keeps me going while allowing my mind to wander and have some space. I often think while exercising or being outdoors, thatâs when my mind re-sets, gets calm and great ideas pop up! But mainly, if I have a block that I canât shift, Iâll eat, sleep and relax. It sometimes is the bodyâs way of saying âyou need to take a break!â
Do you have specific inspiration behind any of your projects?
I love colour, the seasons and nature. Oh, also books and baking! So they tend to feature often! I take inspiration from anywhere – National Trust trips (patterns on wallpaper, curtains or vintage table cloths and wall tapestries), travelling across the globe to emerse myself in different cultures, looking at fashion, greetings cards and art galleries. Both antique markets and modern museums! I consider the styles and themes our stitchers enjoy and often create polls or ask for feedback inside our 21K-strong Facebook group. Iâll look on Pinterest or anywhere really for colour inspiration.
Cross stitch is completely different to any other medium; youâre not only considering the design, but the backing fabric, the pixels, the curves and how you can fit detail into a gridded formation! I find myself drawn to the tiny details in flowers, animals and architecture. One of my favourites to design was Positivity Rules which launched in the middle of 2020 COVID-19 lockdown. It had been designed at the end of 2019 but weirdly, made perfect sense to stitch while at home to offer some hope because it features various uplifting and positive words that all form a house shape!
Can you tell us your three favourite DMC stranded cotton colours?
Sure! 3766 is an easy one – it features in so many of my designs. Iâm a sucker for all shades of blue especially turquoise and I love the name for it – âpeacock!â! Pink 899 I think is so uplifting and a happy colour. Finally 704 because its the closest match to our brand âCaterpillar green!â
That one also tends to get used a lot in my designs. The pink and green both feature in our latest stitch-a-long Positivity Blooms which starts in January 2025.
What inspired you to begin creating your SALs?
Rewind to January 2017 and I was asked to create a pattern for a different Facebook group (for free) that they could all stitch together. I hadnât heard of stitch-a-longs then and this group really welcomed me in and encouraged me as a designer. Hundreds of people signed up and later requested that I continue hosting even more âSALs!â For 2024 we hosted 4 different stitch-a-longs: Enchanted Realms, American Adventure, Witchy Way and Holly Jolly Kitchen.
If you had to choose, whatâs your favourite kit youâve designed so far?
I really loved Bloom and Grow because up until then I hadnât created many floral designs. It features various pots each with a flower/plant growing up out of it.
It was so much fun to design and also taught me a lot because I really had to study the appearance, texture and colour of each flower!
Whatâs your proudest achievement thus far?
Awards, collaborations, TV and press features are always amazing but I think the biggest achievement to date has been launching taking risks and never giving up, staying positive and resilient when faced with a crisis (hello 2020!) and being able to donate thousands of pounds to charities such as Mind. Weâve also started working with Flourish, a local charity in Leamington Spa that supports teenage girls with mental health and self esteem. Itâs great to work with a charity where we can meet the team, take part in events and see the real impact the donations have.
A massive milestone was hosting our first Stitch Retreat in 2024 in Birmingham. Weâd never done anything like that before and it was an ambitious goal. We had nearly 250 people for the weekend of stitching, fun and friendship. 97% said theyâd attend again for next year which I was thrilled with, especially given we had no experience in events really and had never hosted something at scale before. Weâve just opened places for the 2025 Stitch Retreat and have sold 70% of tickets in the first 24 hours! Another achievement is also doing something I love everyday and being able to provide for my family.
And finally, do you have any tips for readers developing a passion for crafting?
If youâre reading this and thinking âbut Iâm not creativeâ or âI just donât have enough timeâ then please know, itâs possible! Creativity isnât something finite you are or are not. Itâs something that can show up in so many different ways – the way you dress, your passions, problem solving or more practical acts like painting or cooking. But creativity is something you can develop over time and it changes over the years depending on what you spend your time on. Crafting is an easy way to stay creative or get into a simple new hobby.
Cross stitch can betaken anywhere (yes even on planes!) and its so small and light that it canât get âbrokenâ and can easily pack away (much like you might take a book in your handbag) to travel with you. For example, I have just done 20 minutes of cross stitching this morning while drinking my (strong) coffee and chatting with my son about his day ahead. It can fit in around your day to day life, but those little glimmers of time for yourself really help with productivity and feeling like youâve accomplished something small (like making your bed) which gives even more momentum to the next task!
Start with a simple, small project and a design you absolutely LOVE! I often find patterns from different designers that really catch my eye and when youâre looking forward to displaying or gifting a finished project, thatâs what will keep you coming back to it (yes even when thereâs work, errands or other demands to be dealt with!)
Thanks for chatting to us, Sally! You can find more Caterpillar Cross Stitch via their Instagram, Facebook and Website, yet if you’re curious about some of our favourites, you can catch up with the CCS edition of The Stitchuation HERE!