Craft Focus - Feb/Mar (Issue 65)

craft focus 83 all stitched up Take a look at our roundup of this season’s best sewing and stitching products Little gems Cross stitch supplier, Mouseloft has recently introduced its brand new Paw Prints collection. Featuring eight popular breeds of dog, these appealing little kits retail at just £2.39. Designs include a schnauzer, French bulldog, poodle and dachshund, and point of sale displays are also available. The family-run company has been supplying pocket money counted cross stitch kits since 1996, and distributes its products to small crafting and sewing shops. A wide range of other designs are available. Mouseloft, mouseloft.co.uk Good enough to eat The Make Arcade will be launching this fun burger-themed cross stitch kit at CHSI Stitches this February. Founded by lifelong crafter and sewer, Ruth Oliver, the company specialises in fun, quirky projects designed with beginners in mind. Each kit has photographed instructions and all the materials and supplies included to create a cute piece of stitch art. This design includes a 4in embroidery hoop, pom pom trim, DMC threads, a needle and an easy-to-follow pattern and stitch guide. It retails at £9.95. The Make Arcade, themakearcade.co.uk One stop shop With an enormous product range of 140,000 items, Checker Distributors is the world’s leading provider of sewing and quilting supplies. Its target customer is the independent shop owner, and Checker’s website has tools to check stock availability, see top selling products and review backorders and invoices. The US-based company also offers an online chat facility, and its international customer service team is always available by email. It has more than 1,200 vendors including popular brands, OmniGrid, Olfa and Clover notions, Hobbs and Bosal batting and Aurifil and Mettler threads. It also stocks Benartex, Free Spirit, Michael Miller fabric, C&T Publishing, Atkinson and Martingale patterns and books. The family-owned company also offers a FedEx shipping option with no weight requirement to its EU customers with three-day business transit from Checker to store. Checker Distributors, checkerdist.com By the book “This kit was inspired by the passion our customers have for cross stitch and sewing,” says Michael Dawson- Bowman from Scottish gift company, Textile Heritage. The bookmark design is one of a wide selection available and is decorated with sewing accessories. The pattern is also available as a needle case, scissor keep and pin cushion, and each kit comes with clear instructions, thoughtful finishing details and all the materials required to complete the project. It’s expected to become a bestseller, and it has a retail price of just £8.50. Textile Heritage, textileheritage.com