Self-care is in this year! And what better way to look after yourself than learning (or making more time for!) a fun, creative hobby that benefits the mind?
The advantages of cross stitch are endless. Working on a project is a fantastic stress-buster and one of the greatest ways to wind down after a long day at work in the office or with the kids, and stitching is a great way to keep your hands busy, away from distracting screens and tempting snacks!
The main advantage of cross stitching is the mental health benefits. Cross stitch provides a fun, creative outlet and allows you to be present in the moment. Working on a project brings you joy, promotes calmness and takes your mind into a balanced, meditative state. Once you have completed a project you'll feel a huge sense of self accomplishment!
Cross stitch is for everybody, even if you don't consider yourself a particularly creative person! The basics of cross stitch are simple and materials are inexpensive and easy to find. Check out our beginner-friendly kits here.
Once you have mastered the basics, there's always a greater challenge to get stuck into, making cross stitch a fantastic hobby from beginner to expert with plenty of delight along with way!
Cross stitching also promotes a sense of community. Thanks to our wonderful Facebook group of over 16,000 friendly stitchers, you'll have easy access to an entire crafting family!
Our Facebook group is a great space to chat to like-minded people, share your progress and be inspired by the unique work. You might even find a new friend in a town or city near you!
We also have a catalogue of over 120 informative cross stitch tutorials available for viewing 24/7 on the Caterpillar Cross Stitch YouTube channel, here.
When your project is complete, there are several ways to proudly display your beautiful new piece of art in your home. You could pop your project into a frame, a hoop, or you can even turn it into a cushion! Learn more about your finishing options here. Alternatively, your project would make the perfect homemade gift for someone special in your life.
If you're already a stitching wizard, there are plenty of goals you can work towards this year too! Later this year, to help you along your way, we are launching a new cross stitch planner.
We know how tempting it can be to purchase a new project when you're nowhere near finishing your current WIP so why not, this year, try and focus on finishing your current WIPs before starting a new one.
A fantastic way to stay motivated is by joining a stitch-a-long. A 'SAL' is an online stitching event where stitchers from all over the world create the same project over a series of weeks or months. The element of mystery keeps the project fresh and exciting, and the community aspect will challenge you to keep pace with the design. Set yourself a goal to join 3 SALs this year!
You can join our ongoing SAL, an exciting map themed adventure 'British Isles Adventure', here!
There are numerous stitching communities on Facebook and other platforms like Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram. Our wonderful stitchy community on Facebook has over 16,000 members and is open to absolutely anybody that has an interest in cross stitch, from complete beginners to more advanced stitchers.
An online crafty community is a fantastic place to share your beautiful artwork with others who will appreciate the time and effort you have poured into a project and a great way to make some like-minded friends. Join a community, proudly show off your projects, get feedback and inspiration and make some new friends in 2023!
It's common for stitchers to have a never ending stash of cross stitch supplies. This year, work towards using up your stash! You can find plenty of organisation tips, tricks and tutorials over on our FlossTube channel. Once you have neatly organised your stash, it will be much easier to use up your supplies and create beautiful gifts for friends, family, and of course, yourself!
FlossTube is a community of hundreds (possibly even thousands!) of stitchers who create videos on YouTube talking, showing, sharing, laughing and supporting one another in their stitching journey. If, like many other stitchers, you enjoy watching and listening to FlossTube whilst you stitch, a great new years resolution could be to take the leap and create your very own channel to share your stitching expertise with others!
Learn a new technique. If you've never tried your hand at stitching on evenweave, or you are yet to attempt the feared French knot, this year is the year to challenge yourself! You're never alone - there are heaps of easy to follow tutorials on FlossTube, like this one.
Lastly, why not turn your hand to designing your own cross stitch patterns in 2023? Love It Stitch It is a fun, easy to use design tool dedicated to those have dreamed of a simple way to bring their own pattern ideas to life. You will be given the freedom to create any pattern your heart desires - anybody can sign-up!
Whether you're a complete beginner or more advanced, we would love to hear which of these goals you will be working towards in 2023 - let us know in our Facebook group!
Good luck and happy stitching!
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!
