40 Threads of success Emma Smith Managing Director of SoloCrafts talks to Craft Focus about working with some of the 15 biggest names in needlework Tell us a little bit about the company. Where are you based? When did the company start? 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’s an internet presence supporting this, but it requires us to think differently when new products are launched to ensure these reach people. What do you specialise in? SoloCrafts has been predominantly a cross stitch distributor for many years, with adjacent products like embroidery and tapestry running alongside. We’re 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
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