We always wanted to host a large scale 'real-life' event and had planned the NEC or other large hotel or convention centre but we thought we'd start off with a manageable size!
So, this July of 2022 we planned, organised and hosted the first ever Cross Stitch Picnic at St Nicholas Park, Warwick. It turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year so we were there early to find plenty of shade under the huge trees. For 3 hours we made new friends and got to meet 'online friends' for the first time. I was so touched that so many of you came, especially such a long way (I'm looking at you Liverpool!)
Some stitchers came alone and were welcomed in with the sharing of tips and snacks! Some people came with one friend or a larger group, set up for the day with picnic baskets full of cake and sandwiches!
We wanted the event to be a brilliant way to show off your work, meet like-minded people, learn more about us here at Caterpillar Cross Stitch, create and enjoy some much-needed fun in the sun!
We had a wonderful turn out and our lovely picnic stitchers brought a variety of projects from Caterpillar Club box designs, stitch-a-longs, all sorts of other designs and of course our very special project to celebrate the event, the Picnic Party cross stitch kit also available here.
The full cross stitch kit comes with easy-to-follow instructions, a colour printed pattern on one page of A4 paper, a pre-sorted Carlos the caterpillar thread holder, DMC stranded cotton, Zweigart 14 count aida fabric (perfect for beginners) and a DMC branded size 24 needle. You can even personalise your project to include any little picnic items that you love to treat yourself to!
The feedback from the event was great with people commenting how lovely it was to enjoy some time out just for them, to progress their stitching and be so relaxed in a lovely friendly environment.
We are looking forward to hosting our Christmas 2022 Stitching Social events which take place online during November and hopefully another in-person real life event again in 2023 along with some craft fairs!
The event was totally free and I'm so grateful for everyone who took the time to come along. It's sometimes lonely running an ecommerce business and connecting over a computer all day so it was really refreshing to see people's faces and hear more about their background and stitching journeys!
Stitchers came armed with their blankets, picnics and WIPs, ready for a relaxing afternoon of stitching with friends, old and new. Some were complete beginners to cross stitching, while others came with years of experience to share. We were lucky to have the amazing Bailey to take these photos so we could remember the day.
The fun didn’t stop after the picnic as many of our stitchers went on to enjoy more of the Warwickshire sunshine, racing pedalos on the River Avon and playing mini golf while enjoying plenty of ice cream and homemade cookies.
Thanks again and please do sign up here for email updates, so you'll be the first to hear about our future events!
Being crafters, we're constantly searching for the next project to satisfy our creative needs. But have you ever stopped and wondered when and how the craft we all love so much began? Elements of cross stitch can be found in history for thousands of years, as far back as sixth century BC. Pieces of needlecraft art have been discovered in medieval churches across the globe, as well as inside ancient Egyptian tombs!
