The Loom You Can Carry in a Tote Bag: The Story of Mirrix Looms
Discover how Mirrix Tapestry & Bead Looms grew from one weaver’s need for a portable loom into a women-owned manufacturing company serving professionals and hobbyists alike. Founded by Claudia Chase, Mirrix has spent nearly 30 years refining high-quality, adjustable looms and cultivating a loyal weaving community through education, innovation, and customer care.
Analog Bags Are the Newest Accessory to Slow-the-Scroll and Promote Digital Wellness
Analog bags—portable collections of tactile activities—are emerging as a creative solution to digital fatigue. From needlework to sketching, makers and brands are embracing hands-on projects to slow scrolling, boost wellness, and reconnect offline.
Analog Bags Are the Newest Accessory to Slow-the-Scroll and Promote Digital Wellness
Analog bags—portable collections of tactile activities—are emerging as a creative solution to digital fatigue. From needlework to sketching, makers and brands are embracing hands-on projects to slow scrolling, boost wellness, and reconnect offline.
5 Silent Website Problems That Could Be Costing You Sales
Beautiful websites can still hide costly problems. Learn about five silent website issues—like broken links, slow load times, and expired security certificates—that may be driving customers away from your craft business without you realizing it.
5 Silent Website Problems That Could Be Costing You Sales
Beautiful websites can still hide costly problems. Learn about five silent website issues—like broken links, slow load times, and expired security certificates—that may be driving customers away from your craft business without you realizing it.
How Quilting Came to Dominate the U.S. Sewing Market
Why did quilting become the economic and cultural engine of home sewing in the U.S., while apparel sewing retained its foothold in Europe? This article explores the social, economic, and industry forces—from globalization and retail consolidation to technology and community—that reshaped sewing on both sides of the Atlantic.
How Quilting Came to Dominate the U.S. Sewing Market
Why did quilting become the economic and cultural engine of home sewing in the U.S., while apparel sewing retained its foothold in Europe? This article explores the social, economic, and industry forces—from globalization and retail consolidation to technology and community—that reshaped sewing on both sides of the Atlantic.
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Large Format Pattern Printing: Another Way for Fabric Shops to Meet Customer Needs
As more sewists turn to PDF patterns, fabric shops have an opportunity to meet customer needs by offering large format pattern printing. This article explores the costs, pricing strategies, space requirements, and real-world experiences of shop owners who’ve added printing services to boost revenue, increase foot traffic, and build customer loyalty.
Take a Craft Business Class at h+h americas 2026
Are you interested in developing new skills to run your craft business? Invest in yourself by taking some classes at h+h americas, the premier trade show for the crafts industry coming to Chicago May 6-8, 2026.
h+h University 2026 Schedule
Join us for h+h University on Tuesday May 5 for a day long conference before the start of h+h americas.
Lion Brand’s Parent Company Acquires Knitting Fever
Lion Brand’s parent company has acquired the wholesale distributor of knitting and crochet supplies, Knitting Fever.
When the Color of the Year Isn’t the Star
Pantone’s Color of the Year, Cloud Dancer, may seem subtle at first glance, but for textile artists and craft professionals, its power lies in what it supports rather than what it demands. This article explores how Cloud Dancer functions as structure, negative space, and a creative catalyst across knitting, quilting, dyeing, and textile design.
The h+h americas Experience 2026: An Information Session
Join us for an evening information session about h+h americas, the premier trade show for the crafts industry. Hear from past exhibitors and attendees, ask questions, and learn about the opportunity to attend the 2026 show.
Resilience in Bloom: What Sola Flowers Taught Me About Craft, Growth, and Possibility
After her 2020 wedding was canceled, Samantha Friedrich turned leftover sola wood flowers into a creative practice that reshaped her career. This reflective essay explores resilience, slow growth, and how skill-building and quiet consistency can turn craft into a sustainable livelihood for makers and creative business owners.
As Quilt Market Ends, h+h americas Introduces New Fall Trade Show in Houston
Koelnmesse has announced the launch of h+h americas Fall Edition, a new craft industry trade show debuting in Houston, Texas, October 1–2, 2026. The event will feature a streamlined format with education, hands-on activations, and a strong roster of committed exhibitors, arriving amid major shifts in the trade show landscape following the closure of Quilt Market.
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More recent articles
How to Convert Members of a Free Facebook Group into Paying Customers
Turn your free Facebook Group into a revenue-generating asset with proven strategies from Stitchcraft Marketing. Learn how to engage members, offer exclusive perks, and guide them toward becoming paying customers.
Vacuum and Sewing Dealers Association (VDTA/SDTA) Shuts Down Amid Declining Attendance and Unpaid Bills
VDTA/SDTA has abruptly and without warning shut down this week after a February trade show with low attendance. Instructors who taught at the show have not been paid.
Inside IG Design Group Americas’ Bankruptcy
The owner of the Big 4 sewing pattern makers was spun off from its U.K. parent company in May and is now being sold at liquidation.
Congratulations to our 2025 Scholarship Winners
We are very excited to announce the 10 small business winners of our 2025 Craft Industry Alliance scholarship.
AI for Small Business Marketing: Your Essential Guide
Learn the basics of AI and how to apply them in your business. Use these AI prompts specific to small business owners.
A Craft Buffet for Everyone: Crafteraunt Serves Up Creativity Without the Cleanup
Crafteraunt is a Northfield, NJ-based “Craftaurant” where guests of all ages can walk in and enjoy a rotating menu of hands-on projects—no setup, no cleanup. With seasonal crafts, wellness DIYs, and take-home kits, it’s creativity made easy and fun.
How Private Equity is Reshaping the Crafts Industry
Many of the recent shakeups in the craft world were instigated by private equity investors. A new book explains their motivations.
Sewing Machine Project Collects and Distributes Sewing Machines to Groups in Need
The Sewing Machine Project is a non-profit based in Monona, Wisconsin, that collects and distributes sewing machines to people in need.
Substack Offers Craft Businesses More Than Just a Newsletter
Crafters are turning Substack newsletters into paid income streams. Learn how creators like Jennifer Perkins transitioned from free to paid content—and what to consider first.
From a Kharkiv Garage to a WorldWide Supplier: What it Takes to Operate a Business in Ukraine
For Abris Art, a bead embroidery and cross stitch design company based in Kharkiv, their world turned upside-down overnight due to the war in Ukraine.
Update on the Potential Fate of the Big 4 Sewing Pattern Brands
Design Group Americas (DGA), parent company of the Big 4 sewing pattern brands, announced on Friday that it has voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
How to Host a Crafting at the Movies Event at Your Local Theater
Brick-and-mortar shop owners are arranging a new sort of social craft night for their customers: crafting at the movies. Watching a film with the lights turned up is a fun way to craft and build community.