Posted by Rachel Westall on 2 March 2026
SoloCrafts is based in Manchester, where it moved when the current owners took charge in 2014. Since then, we've been operating as a distributor of cross stitch and other needlecrafts for some of the world's biggest brands. We're currently working with 15 brands covering cross stitch, tapestry, embroidery and most recently, knitting yarns.
Who founded the company and why?
The company was founded in 1998 in Northumberland by Simon and Sonia Welsh, with the current owners Emma and Peter taking over when they retired. The business started as a fabric and then yarn distributor, and moved into needlecrafts over the years, with a stint in the paper crafting world along the way.
How has the company evolved?
SoloCrafts has seen many changes over the years, both in the product area it covers and how we work with our customers. When everything started it was very much bricks and mortar stores only. These days most of our needlecraft customers are web based, which meant we also needed a website for our customers to easily order and view our ranges. Our yarn customer base is skewed the other way, mostly shops though often there is an internet presence supporting this, but it requires us to think differently when new products are launched to ensure these reach people.
SoloCrafts has been predominantly a cross stitch distributor for many years, with adjacent products like embroidery and tapestry running alongside. We are growing as a yarn distributor since partnering with Lion Brand Yarns and are excited about this new area of business for us.
Talk us through the current products you're particularly excited about. Do you have a favourite?
We're loving the new designs coming from Merejka, which are now all stitched using their free app instead of a paper chart. This is great tool and very easy to use, download Fantastitch and try one of the 30 free sample designs. We're also enjoying the wonderful array of colours in our warehouse since we brought in the yarn. So many colours to choose from and be inspired by, I just need time now to make all the things I would like to!
Hobby & crafts have boomed over the last two years! Have you noticed any new trends or specific themes?
Over the past few years, we've seen a real change in the speed and shape of trends. Historically, craft tastes were across the board and easy to spot – such as the owl craze from a about 10 years ago. Today the internet has turned demand into micro-trends which can ignite overnight via TikTok / Instagram, etc. These peak really fast, then fade just as quickly. This makes it harder to call clear trend shifts; the cycle time has shortened from seasons to weeks. Our challenges are being ready and able to respond when products take off so retailers have what they need when they need it!
Get in touch with us, we have a huge range and would love to help you find the right products for your store. You know your customers, and we know our products, lets pool our expertise!
What sets you apart from your competitors?
We are a small company concerned with providing quality products from around the globe and working outside the box to support shops and businesses to grow. We have a loyal and committed team who take pride in doing a great job and treating your company as an extension of our own.
Do you visit any trade shows? Do you plan to visit any soon?
We've recently attended the UK Hand Knitting Association trade show for the first time in Harrogate, this was a great success, and we learnt a lot about the yarn business which is still quite new to us. We plan to attend again in 2026 and look forward to meeting new and existing customers there.
What are you looking forward to most over the next year?
We look forward to bringing more stunning and popular needlework designs to the UK market from our partners Design Works, Janlynn, Riolis, Aine, Vervaco, Lanarte, Merejka, Permin, VDV of Kyiv, Gobelin-L and Diamant. We are also keeping our eyes out for new opportunities and great product not currently available in the UK.
What new products can we expect from you in the future?
We hope to increase our yarn offering as well as keeping up to date with new products from all our current brands – this keeps us very busy!
SOLOCRAFTS
+44 (0)1614 647 313
sales@solocrafts.com
