April 09

I feel very qualified to write a show special newsletter this month, as we've  just completed a marathon of 3 shows, and we know there are more to come for those of you who can't make it to Birmingham or London.

Firstly we had the major craft trade fair, Craft, Hobby and Stitch International, at the NEC in Birmingham. As a trade only fair, it's very different to the retail stitching shows we know and love, and was fun to do - our first trade show.

So, from now on, you'll hopefully see some of our products appearing in your local craft shop. Well, at least you will if you are in the UK - international customers may still have to rely on our website for a while, as it will take us a bit longer to supply stockists abroad!

If you don't see our products locally, please have a word with your retailer and ask them to contact us about trade opportunities. We'd love for more cross stitchers to be able to touch and feel our products, as well as being able to provide other online retailers with the chance to sell our ranges.

www.superstitcher.co.uk and www.crossstitchuk.com are stocking our products, providing some great discounts and super-fast shipping. Of course, you can still order from us direct too!

Apologies for the lack of newsletter last month! We were so busy at the shows that we thought it best to wait until we were sorted!

I'm so pleased with the Harley Davidson Low Rider Motorbike!

We've just added two brand new designs to our exclusive PETZ range.

The Springer Spaniel looks well and truly ready for action! He measures 101 stitches wide by 128 high, and he uses 15 DMC colours. His big brown eyes are irresistible, I can't wait to stitch him!

As you can see, Cockatoo is preparing for his X Factor audition! Measuring 95 stitches wide by 149 high, he looks great on blue aida.

Both new designs are available as kits at £22.95, or charts at £10.95, excluding postage. Click here for more information.

As promised, this issue of the newsletter is specifically designed to gear you up for this season's round of stitching shows. We're just back from 2 back to back March shows - Sewing for Pleasure and Hobbycrafts, at the NEC  12th - 15th March, and then the biggie - Stitch and Craft at Olympia, 19th - 22nd March. They were both packed full of stitchers keen to see their favourite designers in the flesh and ready to root out some bargains!

If you've never been to a stitching show, I can recommend them most highly. They're hard work - there's a lot to see and you DEFINITELY  need to wear comfy shoes (venues are usually huge!), but you get to experience your hobby in the flesh, meet some of your favourite designers, and chat to other stitchers to your heart's content!

My tips - bring some cash if you can, don't just rely on credit cards or cheque books or you may mss out on some of the more exclusive designers who aren't able to process cards at the show. Also, have a list of any specific products you'd like to find before you go, but leave a little spare money for those inspirational accessories or designs that catch your eye unexpectedly. You'll find many designers provide special offers at shows, including some discounts, so have a really good look around!

Read the rest of the article here

Our stand at the NEC was brilliantly positioned so customers could see all we had to offer.

OK, so you'll be worn out next month after visiting all of these craft shows, you can sit down, relax and read our guide to framing cross stitch - you'll need to know once you've finished all of the designs you've bought at the shows!