Major Milestones Unlocked: The Paper is Here, Packaging Has Arrived, and Wholesale Sign-Ups Are Live!

It is a monumental week here at Thistlecraft, and my desk—and heart—are completely full. After months of tracking details, adjusting layouts, and checking logistics, the physical pieces of this dream are finally under our roof.

Here is everything that came together over the last few days:

• Our Heirloom Perforated Paper has arrived! Fresh back from our perforator, the custom 14-count grid paper is officially in our hands. Seeing the crisp, clean precision of the sheets after so much testing is an absolute thrill. It feels exactly right—substantial, durable, and completely ready for your needles and thread.

• The packaging has landed from OXO. Ross and the team did an incredible job. Our heavy, recyclable natural kraft paperboard envelopes arrived, ready to keep your sheets flat, safe, and beautifully protected from any transit wear and tear (Bonus, the packaging is heavy enough to use as backing for framing and other projects!)

• The wholesale web portal is officially open! We have unlocked our password-protected wholesale section for shop sign-ups. If you are a brick-and-mortar or online specialty needlework retailer, you can now officially register your business on the site.

What happens next?
We are diving headfirst into sorting, inspecting, and assembling our initial sample packs. By next week, we expect to start shipping out these complimentary sample packs directly to the designers and shops who have registered.

If you own a shop or design needlework charts and haven't joined our circle yet, please don't wait! Head over to our wholesale page right now to add your name, business details, and shipping address to our list. We want to make sure you get a piece of this first run in your hands so you can feel the difference for yourself.

Thank you all for sending out your encouragement and sharing this anxious, beautiful startup journey with us. We can’t wait to see what you create on this paper!

The paper is in! Now to sheet it and cut it to size.

Behind the Scenes: The Paper Arrives, Production Begins, and a Sneak Peek at Samples!

What an incredible, whirlwind of a week it has been here at Thistlecraft. After months of dreaming, planning, and meticulous tweaking, I have some monumental news to share: our paper arrives next week!

Our custom master rolls are officially headed to our partner for sheeting and cutting. Seeing this beautiful, heavy-weight 14-count paper transition from massive industrial rolls into the exact 10"x12" master sheets, ornament blanks, and motif squares you’ll be stitching on is an absolute dream come true.

Even better? Our packaging and full-color labels are arriving next week too. The Thistlecraft workspace is about to transform into a full-blown assembly line, and we couldn’t be more excited to hunker down and get to work.

Want a Sample Pack? Join the Mailing List!

The absolute second the paper is sheeted, cut, and bundled into our 8-sheet sample packs, they are going straight out the door. Samples will begin shipping the week after next!

If you are a stitcher who has been dying to get your hands on this paper to feel the texture and test out its durability, make sure you are officially on our newsletter mailing list. We are tracking all notification sign-ups through MailerLite, and you must be on the list to secure a sample from this historic first run! You can sign up right here on our website at www.thistlecraft.com.

Come Chat with Us on Facebook!

Want a closer look at the production process as it happens? We would love for you to join our growing community in the official Thistlecraft Facebook Group. It's the perfect place to see behind-the-scenes video snippets, share project ideas, and connect with fellow makers who love stitching on paper as much as we do.

Calling All Retailers & Designers (Wholesale Form Live!)

For our local needlework shops, independent storefronts, and pattern designers who want to use our paper for your upcoming kits, we have a dedicated wholesale sign-up form live on our site right now. Registering ensures you get full wholesale pricing details and first priority on bulk sheets and kit-ready ornament packs as we ramp up production.

Become a Featured Thistlecraft Stitcher!

We want our website gallery to be a vibrant, beautiful celebration of what intentional makers can create on paper. If you would love to stitch a sample piece to be officially featured on our website and social media, the offer is open!

The pattern choice is entirely up to you—whether it's a quick holiday motif or a modern indie design. We will completely supply the premium paper for the project. If you're interested in collaborating, please drop me an email directly at jessica@thistlecraft.com so we can get your paper sent out.

Thank you all for stepping into this journey with us. Your overwhelming enthusiasm is what keeps us moving forward every single day. Let's make something beautiful together!

Shannon Christine’s Cocoa and Cookies pattern stitched on perforated paper.

Big Milestones, Stitching Samples, and a Spooky Season Finale

It has been another incredibly exciting week here at Thistlecraft! As we inch closer to our late February Kickstarter launch, the pieces are truly starting to fall into place. We have some major milestones to share, an exclusive opportunity for our community, and a little festive inspiration as we head into the finest stitcher's holiday of the year.

Here is what’s happening in the world of Thistlecraft this week:

The First Rolls of Paper Are In Transit!

We received official confirmation this week that our very first production rolls of stitching paper will be heading back to us next week! Seeing this unique medium go from concept to physical rolls is a dream come true.

As we prepare for their arrival, we’ve actively started reaching out to Local Needle Shops (LNS) and North American cross-stitch designers to introduce them to Thistlecraft. If you want to see our paper in your favorite shop or paired with your favorite designer's charts, let them know we’re coming!

Call for Stitchers: Want an Early Pack of Thistlecraft Paper?

Behind the scenes, I have been stitching up a storm to create samples for our upcoming website relaunch. But we don't want it to just be my stitching on display—we want to showcase yours.

We are looking for a few community stitchers to help us test-drive our paper!

In exchange for stitching a small sample piece that we can feature on our blog and website, we will send you an early, exclusive pack of our 4.5 x 6 inch paper size. If you are interested in getting your hands on Thistlecraft paper before the Kickstarter and having your work featured, drop a comment below or send us a message!

Help Us Choose Our Next Colors!

While our initial launch focuses on our signature natural paper, we are already looking ahead. We are currently in discussions with our paper manufacturer about creating colored stitching paper.

We want to make what you love, so we need your input! What are your go-to fabric or paper colors for stitching? Are you a fan of classic primitives, moody dark hues, bright pastels, or vintage neutrals? Let us know your preferred color palette in the comments so we can share your feedback with our manufacturer.

A Spooky Season Finale & Freebies!

With Halloween just around the corner, spooky season is coming to its inevitable conclusion. To celebrate, I wanted to leave you with a recommendation for one of my absolute favorite cross-stitch designers.

If you haven’t discovered Shannon Christine, her holiday and seasonal offerings are a must-see. She creates some of the cutest designs in the industry, and her modern, vibrant use of color makes her charts an absolute joy to stitch.

• Check out her patterns: Explore Shannon Christine's Halloween Collection to find your next festive project.

• Grab some freebies: Make sure to pop over to the Shannon Christine Facebook Group this week. She loves gifting her community with fun seasonal surprises and freebies right before a major holiday!

Thank you all for stitching along on this journey with us. Next week is going to be a big one once those paper rolls arrive, and we can't wait to show you what they look like!

Until next time, happy stitching!

Behind the Scenes: Production Milestones, Color Waves, and a Surprising Material Discovery!

It has been an absolutely whirlwind of a week here at Thistlecraft, and I am typing this with a massive smile on my face. If you’ve been following our journey to bring premium, high-quality perforated paper back to the needlework community, this week brought some of our biggest milestones yet.

Here is exactly where things stand and a sneak peek at what’s coming next!

From Rolls to Sheets: Production is Officially Underway!

The biggest news of the week is that our base paper has officially arrived at the converter to be perforated! Watching this project transition from technical specifications and material sourcing into actual, physical production is incredibly exciting.

Alongside production, we finalized our standard packaging strategy. We want our paper to arrive at your door safely and beautifully, so we’ve locked in a sturdy, protective design that prevents transit damage while keeping the materials sustainable and eco-friendly.

An Overwhelmingly Enthusiastic Response

With production in motion, we began reaching out to local needlework shops and independent designers in earnest to introduce them to Thistlecraft Heritage Paper. To say the response has been enthusiastic would be a massive understatement.

The feedback has been so overwhelmingly positive that it has completely disrupted our original timeline—in the best way possible! We originally didn’t plan to offer colors until Year 2. However, based on the immediate demand from designers and shop owners, I have officially moved up our timeline for producing colors. I am already in discussions with our paper provider to see what colors we can secure and how quickly we can get them into production. Stay tuned, because by spring we might have a whole garden of colors to offer you!

A Surprising Breakthrough: Yes, You Can Dry-Clean It!

While reviewing the technical specifications and structural safety sheets for our base paper this week, I uncovered a major, unexpected win: our paper can be dry-cleaned.

Traditional perforated papers can twist, degrade, or completely fall apart if they get wet. Knowing that our heavy-weight, rip-resistant substrate can safely handle dry-cleaning adds an entirely new layer of heirloom durability to your finishes. If a finished ornament or framed piece collects dust over the years, it can be safely refreshed without ruining your hard work.

How to Stay in the Loop (and Join the Community)

We are actively building our launch mailing list ahead of our February Kickstarter campaign, where we need to reach an $80,000 funding goal to fully establish our operations. We are currently setting up a regular newsletter to give our subscribers exclusive, behind-the-scenes production logs and first notice when reward tiers go live.

We also want to make sure you have a space to connect right now, so we have officially launched the Thistlecraft Facebook Group! Whether you want to share your current works-in-progress, ask for guidance on paper stitching techniques, or connect directly with indie designers who are just as passionate about paper needlework as we are, we would love to have you.

Over the next week or two, my sister and I will be staging and taking photos for our Instagram and website. We’ll be showcasing unique finishes and dimensional projects that truly only work when using a crisp, sturdy medium like perforated paper.

Thank you all so much for your incredible support, your trust, and your shared excitement. We are building thoughtful tools for intentional makers, and we are so glad you are on this journey with us.

Happy stitching!

Jessica
Founder, Thistlecraft

A Big Step Forward for Thistlecraft Heirloom Perforated Paper

I’m so excited to share that we’re making real progress toward our goal of bringing Thistlecraft Heirloom Perforated Paper to the stitching community!

One of the most exciting developments has been our conversations with Jody Rice of Satsuma Street. We’re working toward providing perforated paper for her upcoming holiday ornament launch, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see this product begin to take shape alongside such joyful, inspiring designs.

We’ve also ordered our very first rolls of paper to be converted into perforated paper. Once the conversion is complete, the paper will be cut into three practical sizes chosen to suit the kinds of projects that work especially well on perforated paper:

·         10” × 12”: packages of 4 sheets

·         4.5” × 6”: packages of 8 sheets

·         3” × 5”: packages of 8 sheets

We may also add a bookmark size in the future—another versatile option for small stitched gifts and keepsakes.

Now that this long-held idea is heading toward reality, I’m busy dreaming up what comes next. Kits, stitcher’s notebooks, and stitcher’s toolboxes are all on my idea board, and I can’t wait to explore the possibilities.

Keep an eye on our shop page over the next few weeks. As we prepare for the coming holiday season, we’ll also begin offering patterns from some of our favorite designers. There’s so much ahead, and I’m thrilled to have you following along as Thistlecraft Heirloom Perforated Paper comes to life!

Give Thanks by Tiny Modernist

Perforated Paper is making a Comeback!

Give Thanks by Tiny Modernist

Big News: Perforated Paper is Coming to Kickstarter!

If you’ve been hanging out in the stitching community for a while, you already know how magical it is to stitch on paper. There is nothing quite like the crisp, tactile experience of watching a modern, vibrant chart or a beautiful holiday ornament come to life on a sturdy paper substrate.

But if you’re like me, you’ve probably noticed that finding high-quality, heavy-weight perforated paper has become nearly impossible lately. When the options available to us shifted toward plastic, a lot of us felt left out in the cold. Slick, plastic just doesn’t have the same soul as paper, and it certainly doesn’t treat our favorite cotton floss, metallic threads, or heavy beadwork the same way.

I’ve spent the last year working on a solution because I firmly believe our time, artistry, and skills deserve an exceptional foundation.

Today, I am absolutely thrilled to introduce you to Thistlecraft Perforated Paper.

Traditional Feel. Modern Quality.

Thistlecraft is bringing back premium, heavy-weight 14-count perforated paper proudly manufactured right here in the USA. We engineered this substrate specifically with the modern stitcher in mind. It has the matte finish we all love, but it’s tough enough to hold up to full coverage and heavy embellishments without warping or tearing.

We also believe that keeping hobbies accessible means offering real value. We don't want anyone priced out of the crafts they love. That’s why Thistlecraft paper will be available in multiple versatile sizes to fit your specific project needs.

And because we know how quickly a beautiful ornament series can use up materials, we made a conscious choice to give you more for your money: our large size packages will feature four full sheets, not two, and our ornament and card size packs will feature eight sheets in either 4.5 × 6 inch or 3 × 5 inch sizes!

The Journey to Kickstarter (And a Sneak Peek!)

To get this paper off the production line and into your stash, we are launching a Kickstarter campaign very soon! This crowdfunding run will fund our initial manufacturing blocks, and we want our early supporters to feel incredibly celebrated.

We’ve been putting together some exciting backer tiers and incentives that we think you’re going to love. While I can’t reveal everything just yet, I can drop a little teaser: we are working hard behind the scenes to include exclusive sample packs, custom accessory surprises, and maybe even a few special collaborations with some of your favorite independent needlework designers so you have the perfect modern charts ready to go the moment your paper arrives.

Be Part of the Launch

This business is built for stitchers, by a stitcher, and we want to bring quality paper back to the community together.

To make sure you don't miss out on early-bird tiers or exclusive launch-day updates, head over to our landing page and sign up for our alert list. Let’s make something beautiful together!

A Whole Year Later…

So much can change in a single year. Our rescue dogs have happily settled into their loving new homes, confident that they are home forever. My nephew triumphantly completed his first challenging year of college, growing and learning, both academically and socially. And my sister was proudly elected as an official in her close-knit hometown! Amid all these significant and joyful personal milestones, a unique and unexpected confluence of events inspired me to embark on an exciting new business venture.

Thistlecraft is thrilled to announce that in 2026, we will launch a brand-new line of perforated paper, meticulously crafted and specially designed for cross-stitch and embroidery enthusiasts. If you’re already acquainted with perforated paper, you understand how difficult it has become to find high-quality supplies right here in the United States. The supply chain disruptions caused by the global COVID pandemic created unprecedented scarcity, and ongoing trade uncertainties and tariffs have only driven costs higher and availability lower.

For those who haven’t yet discovered the joys of perforated paper, prepare to meet your new favorite crafting medium for wonderfully small and detailed projects. This unique, easy-to-stitch material eliminates the need for hoops or fabric, allowing you to create intricate, beautiful designs effortlessly. It’s sturdy, highly portable, and perfectly suited for making bookmarks, ornaments, coasters, and a variety of other charming, personalized handmade gifts.

At Thistlecraft, our mission remains steadfast: to support creativity in all its diverse forms. By bringing perforated paper back into your crafting toolkit, we aim to open more doors for you to innovate, inspire, and create meaningful, handmade art that resonates. Stay tuned for our upcoming launch—18-count and 14-count sheets will soon be available, perfectly blending time-honored tradition with modern craftsmanship.

We can’t wait to help you stitch an exciting new chapter in your creative journey!

Creativity is in Practice

So often I hear “you’re so creative! I could never do that!” But the fact is, if you have the desire, creativity is within reach of anyone. The trick is, not expecting your first try to look like my eight millionth try. Everyone has “beginner” efforts that the hope will never see the light of day, but without that first, clumsy attempt you will never get to the seemingly effortless flow that others marvel over.

In the next few months I hope to post some of those “first efforts” here alongside the latest iterations so that you can see what I mean by Creativity is in Practice. In the meantime, here’s a clumsy attempt at a felt ornament that Pinterest assured me would be super easy and fun to make! As you can see, I found it neither easy, nor particularly fun, but I will try again when the holidays aren’t on the way, demanding best efforts only for gifts. Who knows, next year I might be featuring these on the blog with a tutorial on how to make them!

Pre-Holiday Joy

This time of year, my mind is brimming with ideas for unique decorations for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Our family holds a cherished tradition of gifting a new handmade ornament for the holiday tree at Thanksgiving each year.

This year, with the joyful addition of my dog Aoife, it feels natural that many of my ornament ideas will celebrate the unconditional love and happiness that dogs bring into our lives. From playful paw prints to whimsical dog silhouettes, each ornament will adorn our tree and serve as a heartwarming reminder of the joy and companionship Aoife has added to our household, making this holiday season even more special.

Each handcrafted piece reflects the spirit of creativity and love that defines the season, ensuring our tree is filled not just with decorations, but with cherished memories and a tribute to our furry friend.

In the spirit of the giving nature of dogs, all sales from the “Zoe’s Toybox” portion of our site will generate a donation to All 4 Paws, the rescue that gave Aoife her new chance at life.