My First Needlework Marketplace

Hello Stitchy Friends,

As you know, I’ve been busy designing new pieces as a part of expanding my love of all things cross stitch. This past weekend I participated in a virtual wholesale needlework market called, “Needlework Marketplace”. This event was hosted by Bobbie and Cam Sankatsing, owners of “Stitching Bits and Bobs” in Plainwell, Michigan.

This virtual market was free to all needlework stores (online and brick and mortar) to attend. There were over 80 exhibitors in this event, including cross stitch designers, fabric dyers, and needlework accessory makers. Over 300 needlework shop owners attended. I was so honored to launch my cross stitch designing career at this event! 

Needlework Marketplace was scheduled just weeks after the debut of my four reproduction and reimagined samplers. I wanted to coordinate my Halloween and Autumn releases with this show. It was also important to me to support needlework shops. I am a firm believer in supporting our needlework shops, so I made the decision to make these patterns only available through shop owners. I asked viewers of my Flosstube to contact their favorite shops and ask them to place an order with me. And let me just say that they did not disappoint! Viewers called, emailed and commented on social media posts asking their shops to reach out to me. I was so touched by the sheer excitement that everyone had for my new designs.

Preparation for Needlework Marketplace was a little hectic at the Turner home.  It required “all hands on deck” in my house. Matthew assisted with printing and organizing the patterns, Tristan was the delivery guy, and Gray was cheering us on from college. I did not know how many patterns to prepare, nor did I know how many orders we would receive. The market opened Friday, August 25 at 10:00 am EST and ended Monday, August 28th at 3:00 pm EST. We were nonstop busy the entire weekend! 

This was my first time to witness, much less participate, in anything of this fashion, so I wasn’t sure what to expect at first. The planners were very helpful, sent tutorials for me to learn the platform and find out how things would operate long before the event began. The platform is a neat setup, in that the shoppers can just purchase the pieces they choose and move on or they can actually come into a chatroom setting and have a conversation, much like Zoom. I met so many great people I’ve never had the opportunity to actually talk with before. It did mean that I had to be available for when that notification came through that someone wanted to chat, so I staged my office for those amazing conferences.

Of course, in true Proper Stitcher fashion, I decorated my bookshelves. I had my samplers on the left side and my seasonal designs on the right. I just love seeing all of my patterns on display together. I wanted my bookshelves to be “show ready”.

As orders poured in, Matthew and I were packing bags that would turn into boxes for shipping. Again, there was no idea of how much product I would need, and I ran out of supplies twice! It was fun to participate, but hard work for both of us and it gave him the opportunity to see that this new venture is much more than a passion of mine. We worked late into the night all three nights and completely finished packing orders Wednesday (did I mention I had no idea how many patterns were actually ordered yet?). 

To say Needlework Marketplace was a success is an understatement. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to participate, for the shop owners who trusted me to get the products to them for their customers and chose to invest in me, and for you, my friends and family in the stitching community, who continue to support me in the adventure. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank you all for supporting me, for cheering me on and encouraging me! I cannot explain how honored I am to call you all my stitchy friends.  

New designs are coming. The ideas are flowing. While I still want to stitch what I love to stitch, I’m finding myself drawn to the artboard and want to work on more pieces to eventually release to you. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for The Proper Stitcher. 

Happy Stitching,

Annie