✨ Mostly A's ✨
As a creative and crafty person yourself you love giving gifts that are meaningful and from the heart. You'd rather put in extra time than extra money to make it special.
Make the most of these cosy Autumn nights to get cracking on gift projects that you can personalise with their name, favourite phrase or zodiac sign. (Check out our Inspiration for other ideas)
✨ Mostly B's ✨
You love a bargain - keep an eye out for our special Black (Rainbow) Friday offers this year to get something really special at an amazing price. For the extra special person in your life, why not add on our Pre-stitch Monogram service to give them something truly unqiue and hand-crafted.
✨ Mostly C's ✨
You have great intentions but tend to leave things rather last minute. You don't want to be faffing around with stitching anything Christmas Eve, so opt for a kit or hamper that they can complete in their own time.
Make the most of our free Express delivery (when you spend £65 or more) by bundling up to tick 3 or 4 people off your list at once!
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We exhibited at @topdrawerlondon this month and it was such a delight to see customers and get so much enthusiastic feedback!
I loved meeting so many new lovely stockists, and catching up with our existing customers.
Here is a quick virtual tour of our stand:
The illustrator of our Vegetable range, Sara Abu-Hejleh came along to see the products.
And we put together tonnes of nice orders for Christmas ✨
If you’re a retailer and you missed us here then do get in touch to order!
We're delighted to stock these delicious chocolate postcards by ARTHOUSE Unlimited, a charity that represents a collective of artists living with complex neuro-diverse and physical support needs.
While stocks last you can get yourself a FREE Milk Chocolate Postcard with all orders over £35!
Simply add "Abundance of Love" to your cart and it will automatically be free when combined with other items worth £35 or more.
The Milk Chocolate 'Abundance of Love' is reminiscent of an ice cream sundae for an evocative indulgence. Smooth and creamy milk chocolate with crunchy wafer pieces blends with sweetly warm vanilla and cinnamon.
These new Chocolate Postcards are a truly unique and wonderful way to send a magical, indulgent surprise in the post to your nearest and dearest. The gorgeous gold foil postcards are decorated with the incredible unique artworks, as well as designed as an instantly post-able gift.
Simply add "Abundance of Love" to your cart and it will automatically be free when combined with other items worth £35 or more.
]]>I got back from honeymoon in Indonesia this week, which was a joyful 10 days away. (Though coming back to our heatwave in the UK isn't all too bad 😎)
I've been cruising back over my photos of perfect sunsets, idyllic beaches and dream swimming pools... So sharing a few highlights of our short trip, as it was just too picturesque not to... I'll keep it short here but if you want any details of where we stayed or what we got up, just send me a message!
Bali - Ubud
We started the holiday in Ubud on Bali, at this amazing hotel nestled on the side of valley overlooking the jungle. This infinity pool was probably my favourite ever. It felt like the middle of nowhere, and also had a swim up bar, which is just the dream isn't it?
We also visited the rice paddies and monkey forest, which were all beautiful but rather full of tourists and instagram photographers.
Ubud -> Nusa Lembongan
Next stop was the cute island of Nusa Lembongan where we stayed at these adorable beachside huts. Spending the days snorkelling incredible coral reefs, and the evenings watching the boats come in from our balcony with a sundowner.
Lembongan -> Lombok
Finally we took a boat over to Lombok island where we stayed at a remote hotel for the last chilled out days. Reading all day, snoozing in the hammock, and eating our body weight in nasi goreng, it was the perfect end to a lovely honeymoon.
Couldn't recommend Indonesia more for the loveliest people, gorgeous scenery and amazing food.
Hope you are all having a wonderful Summer. Thanks for stitching with us!
Em x
What an exciting thing to wake up to this week - that our original 'Stitch Where You've Been' Passport Cover had a lovely write up in Cosmopolitan article:
These 17 Passport Wallets Will Make You the Queen of the TSA Line
"You know those pushpin maps that allow travelers to place pins on a map to remember where they've been? This "stitch-where-you've-been" passport wallet serves the same purpose—but it's even MORE on-brand because you can use it while you travel to your next destination!
This kit, available on Etsy, includes a genuine leather passport holder, as well as a needle and a rainbow assortment of threads for stitching. If this doesn't inspire you to book your next trip, I don't know what will. (Plus, how great of a gift is this for the travel lover in your life?!)"
Coming from 'The largest young women's media brand in the world', we are oh so grateful for the lovely mention - thanks Cosmo!
Em
]]>I got back from our first trade show in 2 years this week. The International home & gift show Maison et Objet in Paris.
It was an exhausting but great trip - and it was so rejuvenating to be back in the physical world - after 2 years of being online only. I love seeing customers face to face and we met so many lovely boutiques and concept stores from France and beyond. Excited for all our new stockists and potentials!
There are so many logistics to figure out for a show - let alone one that is abroad. When I learned it would cost over £2K just to get the furniture and stock to Paris, I decided the only way to get there was to drive it myself..! (We have just started leasing a fully electric company car, so this was throwing it into the deep-end to test the range & ease of charging - not to mention driving on the wrong side..)
But we managed it - along with the help of my wonderful Mum, we got the stand set up in record time, and I loved our new displays, which I'd spent the last few months planning and painting.
Join me for a little virtual tour of our booth in Smart Gift.
Trade Shows are a TONNE of effort and expense but it was great to bring the brand to life in a physical space.
Watch this space for the next event - maybe a Chasing Threads pop-up shop ✖️
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✈️ Last orders for Mother's Day (UK 27th March) ✈️
UK Standard -> 23rd March
UK Express -> 25th March
We ship same day for all orders placed before 12pm GMT
We support the people of Ukraine during this terrible time. We want to help as best we can - and all proceeds of this Sample Sale will be donated to the Red Cross Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.
Full descriptions of each item can be found on the product page, but generally all items are brand new and unused - they are simply an older design or with old packaging.
🥕 Sew What You Grow Tote Bag 🌽
A great sized gardening or grocery bag that is also a DIY embroidery kit.
Covered with lovely hand-drawn illustrations of vegetables, simply stitch over in colourful thread to bring each one to life.
With beautiful faux suede pockets and handles, this tote bag already looks gorgeous without any extra stitches!
Includes instructions, needle and 14 colour threads to transform it into an embroidered masterpiece.
Designed for gardening and outdoor use - with handy pocket for your phone, seeds or gloves - our canvas all-purpose apron is also perfect for use in the kitchen!
The soft faux suede neck strap is adjustable with brass buckle so that the length can be changed to suit.
Why not challenge yourself to grow each vegetable printed on the apron - so that it becomes covered with colour as you become more green-fingered!
I'd love to know what you think of the new products! It is a bit of a departure (no pun intended) from the travel theme we started on, but excited to take the stitchable bucket-list theme in a new direction!
And I can't wait for all the fun I will have planting sewing jokes and growing puns...
Em x
]]>As Valentine's Day approaches, we've put together a couple of cute, crafty & alternative ideas to show love this year. Whether you're the grand gesture or low key type... it's always nice to do something to show love to your Valentine, palentine... or yourself.
A weekend in the Cotswolds, or a Eurostar to city of love... Nothing beats a surprise trip away. Let us help you deliver it in style with our Boarding Pass Gift Card.
Our Heart Strings range is on sale to celebrate the season of Saint Valentine 💕 Add your own stitches and fill the pouch with tickets, love notes or photos for extra points.
Try our Love Heart Envelope for a lovely way to send a really special message to someone by post. Add some photos of the 2 of you together and you've got yourself a very lovely, simple and special galentine gift. (Was £20, now £15)
Or maybe you can't find a place to store all those love letters and cards from your secret admirers?? (I know right.)
Our Heart Strings Envelope Pouch is also perfect for keeping them all together.
Or use the mini Heart Strings Purse to store a gift card or little love note...
(Was £15, now £12)
If you want to use a bit of creativity but don't have time to order anything online, try spending an afternoon making something both beautiful and delicious. These bacon roses were tried and tested - and were as ridiculous as they were brilliant!
All you need is bacon, maple syrup, toothpicks, some foliage and mood lighting. Then go wild with all the meat puns until your partner says "You're bacon me crazy"...
When thinking about gifts for friends I love anything that encourages a bit of reminiscence. Especially when it also involves food. Party snacks and goodie bag treats from childhood were probably the most fun and exciting gift as a kid. So I loved stitching this homage to the classic Love Hearts sweets by Swizzels Matlow - where you can choose your own love-related message!
I used the Stitch Envelope Pouch and Rainbow Threads with Love Heart Template stitched on for this design. And I chose these phrases especially with 2020/21 in mind...
Go cheeky or charming with your design, and then fill the pouch with a bundle of fun sweets (and classroom-style notes) that would brighten up anyone's Valentine's Day.
I hope this gives you some ideas for unique gifts for V Day. If nothing else, remember how nice it is to receive love, any day of the year. And a little imagination goes a very long way...
Big love!
]]>I hope you are all taking some well deserved time off after another strange year!
If you are still looking for a Christmas project we have some new free cross-stitch templates.
Use on our products, or any spare cross-stitch Aida - perfect to make a mini-Christmas banner. Merry Stitchmas ahoy!
Merry Christmas you lovely thread-chasers!
Em
]]>I hope you're surviving this crazy festive season! (Ideally with plenty of mince pies and mulled wine)
I'm yet to start my Christmas shopping, but I'm here to help with yours! I love gifting- it's the reason I started Chasing Threads - to give gifts that were not only personal, but could be customised, both for and by the receiver. So if you're in need of a few suggestions, read on for my suggestions to get Christmas sewn up 🪡
Say thanks for everything with our luxurious Jewellery Wrap. It is the perfect place to store and organise all her favourite shiny things, and comes beautifully wrapped in tissue inside our gorgeous gift box.
£60 Stitch Travel Jewellery Wrap
£20-30 Stitch Wall Map
£20 Pin (the world) Cushion
For Your Secret Santa
Gifts for people that you don't know thaaaat well - terrifying! You can't go wrong with our shortlist of cute, clever and practical goodies that shouldn't break the budget limit.
£15 Stitch Your Star Sign Purse
£25 Stitch Your Travels Wall Banner
£12 Skull Scissors
The absolute hardest people to shop for!? Make it personal with a pre-stitched Laptop Sleeve or Wallet in quality leather. Simple and practical, with enough thought to be meaningful too.
£40 Stitch Laptop Sleeve
£65 Stitch Travel Wallet
Something nice for the home, ready to personalise themselves is a sure-fire winner! Or our lovely new Tote Bag, you can never have too many bags and black does go with everything...
£20 Black Stitch Tote
£28.50 Mint Passport Cover
Treat your bestie to some new accessories - better still, get yourself a matching pair 💘
£28.50 Star Sign Notebook
Get excited about that trip you will finally take together next year (🤞🏻)
Whether that is a flight somewhere exotic, a US road trip, or just a camping getaway - share the love with something sweet & symbolic ♥️
£1.50 Boarding Pass Gift Card
£28.50 USA Stitch Travel Notebook
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I've been sewing a lot of flowers on our products recently, and it's fair to say, I'm a little obsessed. This technique only really works on the canvas products (tote bags, wall banner etc) rather than the leather - (unless you are a pro and able to make extra holes in the leather) - but the results are beautiful! This tutorial was done using our Stitch Wall Banner, and the Rainbow Threads that come with it.
Create your own botanical world! The first step, is to master the French knot
1. We recommend dividing normal embroidery thread (6 strands) in half down to 3 strands.
2. Thread your needle and knot the other end
3. Put your needle up through the back of the fabric in the middle of where you want your French knot.
4. Holding the needle with your right hand and the thread with your left, wrap the threads around the needle twice.
5. Keep the thread taut, and push the needle back down through the fabric, next to your starting point.
6. Make sure the you are still pulling the thread tight with your left hand until the needle is drawn right through the fabric.
7. This should create a tight neat knot. Then repeat, repeat repeat! With this technique, the more you do, the better it looks. Especially if you use multiple thread colours to create the illusion of a sea of flowers 🌼
As a small company we can't really compete with the Black Friday mega-deals, but we do love colour and want to give a little extra at this peak shopping season!
So for the 2nd year running we will add a free pack of Rainbow Threads to every order placed between 25-30th November
Simply add the Rainbow Threads to your basket with at least 1 other item and it will automatically be marked as free at checkout.
🌈 Offer is valid from Thursday 25th until midnight Tuesday 30th November🌈
And if you need inspiration, here are some of our favourite colourful project ideas!
Rainbow Thread Projects
- Flowers sewn onto our Stitch Tote Bag
- Rainbow map on our Pink Passport Cover
- Rainbow initials on our Mint Luggage Tag
- Rainbow tassel (find our DIY blog here) with our Stitch Wall Banner
- Freestyle embroidery - like this hoop by Sarah Freeman
- Rainbow Heart with our Heart Strings Purse
- Rainbow name on our Stitch Jewellery Wrap
I hope that gives you some ideas 🪡✨
(If you're having difficulty & can't see the threads in your basket or you have another discount code to use, just write Rainbow Threads in the order notes and we will add them on manually 🙃)
Thanks for stitching with us!
Em
By popular demand we can now pre-stitch a number of our products for you!
We've often been asked over the years if we can pre-stitch products - and quite honestly we (I) haven't been able to commit time to it. But I'm excited to now be working with some lovely cross-stitchers that can sew the items to order. This means our personalised cross-stitched gifts will be accessible for everyone - even those that don't fancy picking up a needle & thread!
Which products can be pre-stitched?
At the moment - we only offer pre-stitching on the Luggage Tags, Laptop Sleeves, Jewellery Wrap & Backpacks with 2 initials stitched in our classic 3D text.
How do I add pre-stitching?
Simply click the 'Want us to pre-stitch?' button on the product page and then let us know your initials. Leave the rest to us and we will deliver to you in the original packaging, with the product pre-stitched (and any leftover threads).
Please allow an extra 3-4 working days for pre-stitched items.
While we now offer this monogram service, we still believe the fun is in the stitching, and all our 'Stitch Where You've Been' items will exist as a kit only, for you to add your own stitches.
Any other queries, please don't hesitate to get in touch!
]]>There really is no nicer gift than something you've spent time personalising for someone.
Why not surprise them with a present that was quite literally, made for them. And use those dark winter evenings for some easy cross stitch projects, that will have big impact on Christmas morning...
Gifting a personalised backpack would be truly special. There are so many amazing designs you could do... but keeping it simple with initials (and maybe some cross-stitch flowers 🌸...) still looks stunning and uniquely theirs.
Time to personalise: 1.5 hours | 3.5 hours with flowers
Shop here
Imagine presenting your whole family with their own personalised luggage tags - a different colour for everyone, and bold monogram letters for each family member...
That’s exactly what one of my customers is doing right now- pre-stitching a different one for each of them. Such a lovely idea that would be so lovely to present over Christmas lunch 😍
Time to personalise: 1.5 hours per tag
Shop here
#3 Star Sign Envelope
Do you know someone that checks their horoscope without fail? Show that you know you are astrological soulmates by stitching up their star sign. You can also easily get creative and stitch in extra stars, a name or special date. If you are looking for a sign, this is it ✨
Time to personalise: 45 minutes
Shop here
#4 Heart embroidered Passport Cover
Share that unspoken love for your treasured location with someone special by adding a simple heart. A matching set of passport covers is such a nice gift to represent travelling through life with your partner (or travel bestie!) 💘
Time to personalise: 10 mins for a heart | As long as it takes to stitch the places they have been..!
Shop here
Tech meets craft with our beautiful laptop sleeves that safely store 13" laptops. Embellish with a slogan, or keep it simple with their initials - they'll have everyone at the office asking "Where did you get that?!"
Time to personalise: 1.5 hours for 2 or 3 letters
Shop here
Pre-stitching service
Our pre-stitching monogram service is coming soon, in case all that sewing seems a bit intimidating... let us stitch your items for you!
We've often been asked over the years if we can pre-stitch products - and quite honestly we (I) haven't been able to commit time to it. But I'm excited to be working with some lovely cross-stitchers that can sew the items to order, so that personalised gifts will be accessible for everyone - even those that don't fancy picking up a needle & thread.
Watch this space.
]]>We have a bank of templates for various designs. But what if you want to make your own pattern, with your own text, icon or pattern? Well, no problem! It can seem a bit overwhelming if you're new to cross stitch, but there are a number of ways to design your own stitches to make something unique.
Your Canvas
The first step is understanding how big your canvas is, ie. how many holes you have along the length and width of your item. This will determine how many crosses you can fit (and may rule out more complex designs that require a larger canvas).
If using a Chasing Threads item, we will put the grid count on the product page. But you can always just count the holes if in doubt (this is the same for using normal cross stitch Aida fabric).
As an example - our Star Sign Envelope has 50 holes along the top and 37 holes along the side.
So the grid will be 50 x 37, as you can see mapped out on our example template for the Star Sign Envelope.
Making your template
Now you have the grid size, you can go the old fashioned way and use grid paper, or print out our empty templates to sketch your design on paper.
Or, you can use something like an Excel spreadsheet and colour in the squares to make your design, like this laptop sleeve made by @Megcookie96
My advice as a beginner would be to use an online embroidery design tool, such as this one by our friends at Folklore Company. It lets you add in pre-made icons, text and patterns so the hard work is done for you.
Keep in mind that you can mix cross stitch (represented by squares), and normal simple stitches for a variety of effects, like the design below.
Once you've made your pattern, you can download it, count your stitches and simply follow it - with the knowledge that the design will fit nicely on the canvas!
So have fun, and try some new patterns to make some really personal and unique designs 😍
]]>Before you dive right in, check out our top tips for getting the best results from your new Stitch Passport Cover 🪡
The cotton embroidery thread that comes with your passport cover is made up of 6 strands. We recommend dividing this in half and stitching with just 3 strands for smaller, neater stitches.
*Not applicable if you're using the metallic gold threads
If you prefer the chunkier stitches then you can use all 6 strands, with no need to separate...
The fat needle provided should be fairly easy to thread without a needle threader. Moisten and twist the end to help keep the strands together as you push them through the needle's eye. Tie a simple knot in the other end!
Find your starting position from the back, and then you're ready to add crosses to your destinations. Get your maps out and plot the locations you want to cross off. Add bigger stitches for home, or a heart over somewhere special 💘
When you've added your last stitch (for now!) you'll want to tie off the thread to stop the stitches undoing. Simply go through a stitch at the back, put your needle through the loop and pull tight. Repeat this, then cut off your loose threads.
We love colour! Grab a set of Rainbow Threads for a magnitude of multicolour personalisation options. We recommend sewing along your destinations in a rainbow of colour for an awesome result like this one. Use our Rainbow World Template to help.
Alternatively, use a different colour thread for the trips you've taken each year.
Upgrade with some extra colour or sparkle from our Rainbow or Electric thread kits⚡️
Watch our full 'How to stitch' video.
We really hope you enjoy stitching your Passport Cover! We LOVE seeing your stitches so do tag us @chasing_threads / #stitchpassportcover or send us an email to say hi at info@chasingthreads.com 👋🏼
Thanks for stitching with us,
Em
Founder, Chasing Threads
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I couldn't not enter the #ACID logo competition after the events of the last few weeks.
If you've missed my recent posts, you can see the article here about having five of my original products copied and passed off by another company as their own ideas.
It is stressful, demoralising and heartbreaking, but IP theft is all too common and up there with every designers biggest fear.
Intellectual Property is CRAZILY difficult to protect. ACID (Anti-Copying In Design) have been helping so much in raising awareness in this and many other cases. You can see their full article and open letter to the offending company here or below.
I will be proudly displaying this photo of our Laptop Sleeve stitched with my interpretation of their logo on our About page- and hope it will act as a deterrent for future design theft.
I'm so grateful to the help of ACID, but it shouldn't be this hard.
ACID CEO, Dids Macdonald, has written an open letter to Hekaytnoon.com, which can be viewed here.
Em Royston, Designer, Creator and Owner of Chasing Threads says in her latest blog, “Coping with Copycats – It’s probably every designer’s biggest fear… Being sent a link to a product that looks oh so very familiar but is just all wrong. The screen shows you a design you’ve looked at a million times, but there are slight differences, and you know something is not right:
Someone has stolen your idea, replicated it, and is passing it off as their own.
Unfortunately this exact thing has happened to me this week. And it isn’t just for one of my products, but for five of them (yes 5!!) of my original designs have been copied and are being sold and marketed under a different brand. My Stitchable Passport Covers, Travel Wallets, Luggage Tags, Tote Bags and Jewellery Wraps – all almost identically replicated, but with text translated into Arabic and logos changed. In the same colours, with the same details, the same aeroplane thread-board, the same type of packaging, photography style, I could go on and on.
Staring numbly at this screen I did what all Company Directors would do in this case: swore a lot, had a little cry, drunk a lot of wine, and asked……” Read the full blog here.
Many members will remember we featured Em Royston of Chasing Threads in a recent ACID member focus here. No stranger to her innovative designs being ripped off, we also shared information about a successful take down of a knock off design on Etsy here. But Em’s troubles are not over and it makes sad reading to hear her latest debacle.
Dids Macdonald, OBE., CEO of Anti Copying in Design said, “It would appear that from the original and alleged copy images there is absolutely no dispute about the similarities, and the company needs to be challenged. I urge everyone to spread the word and ask the design community their opinion on whether Em’s designs have been replicated. She has hard evidence in the form of registered designs and signed and dated evidence (evidence to be established). With Em’s permission, I will also be personally writing an open letter to the offending company.”
Dids has since heard from Em and she says, “Since writing my blog I have contacted the company via email and IG Direct Message (the content is pasted at the bottom of this email for reference), these messages have been ignored since 23rd September. The company have also deleted comments on Instagram which point out the similarities with @chasing_threads_ – and have blocked any users (myself, friends, and family) that have commented in this way.”
What can you do to help? Share Em’s compelling blog with the rest of the design community and let’s hope we can shame this company in stopping these blatant look alikes. Together, as a united voice we can make a stance about using other’s designs without permission.
This discovery happened to Em last week. “I do hope to be able to fight this and stop my intellectual property being abused. The next step will be to contact the company and see if they will be cooperative. I will keep sharing more on my Instagram and ACID and I ask all to follow.”
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Unfortunately this exact thing has happened to me this week. And it isn't just for one of my products, but for five of them (yes 5!!) of my original designs have been copied and are being sold and marketed under a different brand. My Stitchable Passport Covers, Travel Wallets, Luggage Tags, Tote Bags and Jewellery Wraps - all almost identically replicated, but with text translated into Arabic and logos changed. In the same colours, with the same details, the same aeroplane thread-board, the same type of packaging, photography style, I could go on and on.
Staring numbly at this screen I did what all Company Directors would do in this case: swore a lot, had a little cry, drunk a lot of wine, and asked:
'How could anyone be that audacious???!'
Starting a company is a leap of faith, taking an idea that you believe in enough to pursue. And after that is a continuous slog to nurture, love and develop those ideas that first created it. It is hard work, monotonous tasks, hundreds of daily rejections, learning curves and spreadsheets.
And there are highs: lovely reviews, exciting stockists, good sales days- those things that keep you doing it.
But at times like this, even 3 years in, I really question if it is all worth the heartache. The amount of personal investment and time - and then someone else just copy/ pastes. As well as unfair, and unjust, and really frustrating, it feels so violating. It is theft, and yet it happens so often and is so difficult to protect from.
In my case it isn't just the idea of 'stitching where you've been' or using a perforated leather, it is every single detail, every colour choice, even the pre-stitched examples (they have copied my friend Sara to stitch on their luggage tag..!!)
It is someone copying my entire brand, and shamelessly calling them their ideas.
So here is a little game of spot the difference. Because of course, sometimes copying is unintentional, it can be the unfortunate coincidence of millions of people trying to create items with similar themes, materials and inspirations.
But if you can look at the below and tell me that these items were not bought, studied and copied down the most minute details, I will eat my plane-shaped thread-board.
(I must also say that this company have blocked my Instagram account @chasing_threads_ so that I cannot see their page unless I am on my personal account - so, ya know, it's not like they aren't aware of my existence...)
Stitch Passport Cover - Designed 2018 | Copied February 2021
Stitch Travel Wallet - Designed 2019 | Copied February 2021
Stitch Luggage Tag - Designed 2019 | Copied February 2021
Stitch Jewellery Wrap - Designed 2019 | Copied February 2021
Stitch Tote Bag - Designed 2019 | Copied February 2021
This discovery happened yesterday. I am a member of ACID (Anti-Copying In Design), and am seeking advice from them. I have also been given some excellent advice by Babs Jamieson of Jamieson Law, which you can find here (I hope you dont have to worry about this issue, but in case you do). She has also warned me that as this relates to designs (rather than copyright or trademark infringement), it is a bit of a trickier one.
I do hope to be able to fight this and stop my intellectual property being abused.
But I firstly wanted to write this blog. To put the similarities down side by side on paper (screen) and marvel at just how crazy the situation is. After scanning the IG account (from my personal account that is not blocked 😏) and reading their lies of how they 'designed these new ideas' and 'carefully choose each detail' just makes me feel sick. So I've given myself a day to wallow in the unfairness of it and then get the energy back to deal with it.
The next step will be to contact the company and see if they will be cooperative. I will keep sharing more on my Instagram if you're interested to follow.
Thanks for listening and thanks for all your support.
Em x
]]>As Summer hit postponed weddings and parties have finally started going ahead! I've been blown away by one of our followers Samantha (@samanthawillisxo) who goes BIG when it comes to hen parties (or as they say in the USA, bachelorettes!). Check out this ultimate S-POOL PARTY 🧵she planned!
I chatted to her about how she has the time to create such amazing parties (floats & all!) and what plans she has for her own destination wedding this summer...
Tell us about yourself!
I'm Samantha (Marketer turned Influencer) and my fiancé Cameron, is the jack-of-all trades (Physical Therapy by day and Carpenter by night). Basically, we can't sit still -- a blessing and a curse.
How did you keep busy / sane during lockdown?
While my full time job is working for a home builder, I dedicated most of my quarantine time to all things home inspired and wedding planning!
Yes we heard you are getting married in Santorini later this year! (A-mazing!) What made you choose the Greek islands for your wedding?
Cameron and have only been out of the US once before but have talked about many places we would both like to visit. As we got deeper into planning our traditional wedding we became very overwhelmed and would make little jokes like "what is we just eloped" or "what if we just got married overlooking the Mediterranean sea" until it no longer became a joke...
We had talked about places we wanted to travel to in the previous years but never really thought it would be possible. High on our list were Venice, Italy and Santorini, Greece, so when we decided to elope it was a no brainer on exactly where we wanted to go. We looked into other locations for several days but Santorini had stole our hearts. There was no more romantic and charming place in our eyes.
We’ve seen you creating some gorgeous bachelor / bachelorette parties this Summer - have you always loved party planning?
While I am planning my own wedding, all of my friends are pretty much getting married as well HAHA. Since we got engaged, to the time that we will be married, we will have been a large part of 5 weddings and 5 bachelor/bachelorette parties 😅
I love hosting and spoiling my friends so I have been spending tons of time arranging bachelorette party's lately for sure!
Are you planning a Honeymoon & what are the next places on your list?
We will be eloping in Santorini Greece. Santorini is know for its beautiful Mediterranean sunsets that over look the cascade of whitewashed buildings, dotted with windmills and blue dome churches. We will have an intimate cliff wedding on September 5th and enjoy a sunset Catamaran following. Our remaining two weeks in Greece will be spent as our honeymoon, sightseeing Athens, Santorini and visiting the neighboring island Mykonos. On our way home we will stop for a quick day to visit Venice Italy and catch a Gondola through the canals.
Tell us about the stitches you're excited to add to your Passport Cover
I've already added crosses to Venice, and have stitched a heart around Santorini where we will marry💘
We also have our Luggage Tags stitched with Mr & Mrs which I cant wait to use once we are officially Newlyweds!!
Follow Samantha on her Instagram page @samanthawillisxo
Shop Samantha's goodies in the Wedding Gift Box Set
Our 'Save the Dates' were marked by a red stitch on the date and designed so that the knot on the back lined up neatly to complete the sentence...
The Save the Date also features sketches of us by the talented @rosieupright_designandmake (but more on that later...)
(Unfortunately due to Covid we had to postpone 3 times so these got a bit complicated by the 4th version...🤦🏻♀️)
For the RSVP we sent pre-threaded needle & thread and asked guests to mark their attendance with a stitch ✖️
Finally the programme was tied together with red & white bakers twine, simple with gold foil headings, naturally.
The whole set was incredibly fun to design (and sneakily on-brand!) but it was great to make something just for us, for friends, and for the sake of it! It has got me wondering about potential wedding lines though...
#watchthisspaceformore maybe.
Em
While Hights across the world are grounded, it is a strange time indeed for the self-confessed 'travel addicts'. I wanted to chat to some of our community and share a bit about their experience of 2020: some of the unexpected positives that have come out of the year that planes did not Hy.
This week I spoke with Irene Madhaj after she sent some stunning photos of her Mint Passport Cover from her home in Sicily. Her page is a visual treat of creative travel photography and striking adventures which has me desperate to visit Italy (and the rest)! We chatted lockdown, travel essentials and stitches....
Tell us about where you live!
I live in Italy, speciTcally in Catania, in Sicily, which is a city on the sea characterized by the presence of the most active volcano of the Eurasian plate, Etna.
I have lived in Sicily for only 8 years, before I lived in Florence, the city of art known all over the world for its beauty. And I often go there to visit my family.
Even if my dream is to move to the United States of America!
As such a keen traveller, how have you kept busy / sane during lockdown?
For us travelers, the lockdown was really diYcult as the lack of travel was felt a lot.
Especially for those who own a blog or an Instagram page where there are followers to entertain and to give advice to.
I have decided to focus my time at home by learning new skills! I have invested in my training to be able to offer high quality content. I have tried to occupy my time by learning to play a musical instrument (ukulele), taking care of my garden and organizing my future travels in detail when possible.
What are your travel essentials?
My travel essentials are:
- My backpack from Fjallraven kanken, very useful for me because it allows me to insert everything I need and has an excellent internal pocket for my pc (indispensable for a traveler).
- my Chasing Threads passport holder, which represents me to the fullest.
- my Canon camera (1200D) to be able to take pictures of my travels
- the water bottle (I am very attentive to sustainability)
- my diary where I write down everything
- my travel journal, essential for me
Tell us about the stitches you’ve added to your Passport Cover- what does each mean to you?
I added these stitches to my Passport Cover:
- Barcelona, Spain: it was my Trst trip paid for with my savings (a beautiful memory for me)
- Paris, France: a trip given to me by my boyfriend and then redone with my mom, two very important people who have made this place unique in the world.
- Albania: place where I was born and one day I want to visit even better
- Egypt: my Trst trip ever!
- New York, USA: my childhood dream came true.
I have decided to include the most important journeys in this Passport Cover
Follow Irene on her Instagram page @irene_madhaj
Shop her Mint Passport Cover
Some parts of the world have started to open up, while others are still in lockdown - with red listed countries, travel bans and flights grounded like never before, I've been wondering how travel-addicts have kept busy over this unprecedented time? Continuing my chats with Thread Chasers, this week I caught up with @krista.the.explorer to see how she's handled life in the year global movement was restricted.
A self-confessed 'Castle Connoisseur', Krista shares her travels to unique destinations that are sprinkled with a bit of history. With beautiful photography that captures her explorations through medieval history, archaeology and food. During lockdown she has been in Spain - with no shortage of gorgeous backdrops, which you can see across her page and blog.
We chatted lockdown, travel essentials and stitches....
Tell us about where you live!
I have been living in Málaga in southern Spain for the past year, but normally I am based out of Northwest England. I tend to split my time between England and Canada as much as possible when I’m not travelling around Europe.
As such a keen traveller, how have you kept busy / sane during lockdown?
Luckily I was able to leave England just before the stay-at-home lockdown hit last summer, so I have been in lockdowns on and off in Málaga for the past year. Most of the lockdowns have been local ones, so we were able to travel around either the city or the province without too much hassle - although not many things have been open!
Now that things are starting to open up are you desperate to get back exploring?
I am very excited to be able to travel between different countries again! I have thoroughly enjoyed touring around southern Spain this past year, but there’s always a yearning to go somewhere new and experience different cultures.
What are the next places on your list?
I’ve had a trip to Greece postponed since last May, so I’m hoping to travel there at some point this year if all things go to plan. I would also like to plan a second trip to Iceland and see other parts of the country that are further away from Reykjavik. If those two fail, I’ve always wanted to go to Romania and walk through the historic streets of its cities and go on a scenic drive through its beautiful landscapes.
What are your travel essentials?
I try to pack as light as possible when I travel so that I can move from place to place quicker. The things I always bring with me are:
Tell us about the stitches you’ve added to your Passport Cover- what does each mean to you?
Toronto - the closest major city to my hometown
UK - where my family is from and where I went to university
Spain - where my girlfriend is from and where I’ve been travelling the most recently
Iceland - my favourite country so far
Italy - some of the best food I’ve ever eaten was in Naples and Milan
Moscow, Russia - it had been on my bucket list for a long time so I was excited to visit it a couple of summers ago
St Petersburg, Russia - another bucket list destination, and one I would love to go back to again
Poland - one of my first trips when I was at university and where part of my family are from
Follow Krista on her Instagram page @krista.the.explorer or her travel blog
Shop her Grey Passport Cover
These tassels really brighten up a corner of the home. And I love to use them to decorate our new Stitch Wall Banner.
This would also work with less colour threads - just make each loop a bit thicker. And to make the tassel longer, simply use 4 or 5 fingers instead of 3 when making your loops.
- Colourful embroidery threads approx 50cm length each colour - we used half of the Rainbow Threads pack
- Scissors - we used our Colourful Embroidery ones (naturally)
Take Rainbow Threads (or other colour embroidery threads of your choice)
Cut the thread in half (to around 50cm)
Wrap the first colour thread around 3 fingers into a big loop.
Put to one side and do the same for each 50cm length of coloured thread.
Put the thread loops in rainbow order onto your finger.
Take an extra piece of thread (around 15cm) and string the loops through.
Tie a knot to secure the loops together at the top.
Take another piece of thread (around 20cm) and wrap around the bundle of loops. Start at least 5mm down from the top loop. Knot the thread to keep the bundle securely fastened.
Snip the loops at the bottom.
Trim the ends so they are the same length and neaten up any strays.
Comb the threads to get them lying straight and try and keep the colours arranged in their rainbow formation.
And you're done! Use the top thread to hang your tassel or tie onto the side of your wall banner.
Admire your handiwork...! 🌈
Follow us for more tips and tricks 🪡
]]>I'm so excited by what the investment in this new shorter domain represents. It feels like real progress to being a recognisable brand, and a destination store for the coolest stitchable travel gifts out there.
This should be a seamless transfer with all old links redirecting automatically (but if you notice anything strange do let us know...)
You should still be able to email us on the previous addresses, but our new sparkly contact is: info@chasingthreads.com ⚡️
Thanks all!
Em
Founder, Chasing Threads
]]>And sending a valentine's gift needn't only be smooshy... With a little creativity you can send a truly personalised message that cuts through the cheesy commercialism of the day of Saint Valentine.
When thinking about gifts for friends I love anything that encourages a bit of reminiscence. Especially when it also involves food. Party snacks and goodie bag treats from childhood were probably the most fun and exciting gift as a kid. So I loved stitching this homage to the classic Love Hearts sweets by Swizzels Matlow - where you can choose your own love-related message!
Go cheeky or charming with your design, and then fill the pouch with a bundle of fun sweets (and classroom-style notes) that would brighten up anyone's Valentine's Day.
I used the Stitch Envelope Pouch and Rainbow Threads with Love Heart Template stitched on for this design. And I chose these phrases especially with 2020/21 in mind...
But you could go cute with the original 'Best Buds', 'Be Happy' or apt 'Miss U'. Alternatively follow the newest Gen Z versions of the sweet which include 'Skype Me', 'YOLO' and emojis... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Try our Love Heart Envelope for a lovely way to send a really special message to someone by post. I used the pre-stitched pouches with hand-written letters inside asking my best-friends to be bridesmaids. (Though right now, any post from the outside world is well and truly valued, even if you're writing out your banana bread recipe...) Add some photos of the 2 of you together and you've got yourself a very lovely, simple and special galentine gift.
Or maybe you can't find a place to store all those love letters and cards from your secret admirers?? (I know right.)
Our Heart Strings Envelope Pouch is also perfect for keeping them all together.
Or use the mini Heart Strings Purse to store a gift card or little love note...
You've been sharing a home office for almost a year, and have (practically) survived! That surely deserves a gift for you both...
While you're still taking turns to use the kitchen table as a work desk, those laptops are working over time. Why not stitch something to store your partner's (and your) precious MacBook?
An absolute blank canvas, this sleeve could have them in stitches (sorry) with a private joke or cultural throwback...
Passive aggressive work expressions highly encouraged, like this example by @megcookie96
Or stick to their initials, which will only take a few hours to sew up. Choose from our 4 colour Laptop Sleeves, which come as a kit ready (and easy) to stitch. The end result looks like a true work of art - and a bespoke sleeve that they can proudly carry to the office (when the office is open again...)
Make the most of not being able to go anywhere with a leisurely V Day morning. Top marks for bringing your loved one breakfast in bed, ideally served on the jazziest tableware around. Alongside Chasing Threads, we make a seriously fun range of mugs and tea sets, including our best-selling Tiger Toast Rack under our sister brand Maid In China.
The circus-inspired collection is sure to bring a smile to your partner's morning. Even if you burn the toast.
Don't forget to serve up a feast of fruits and pancakes, and enjoy staying in your PJs all day long.
2020 almost certainly stuck a pin in your romantic holiday plans, so it's time to start getting your own back!
Pinpoint the places you’ve been and plan your future travels in 3D on our Cork Globe. Supplied with red push pins, this would make a great gift to start to think ahead to those dream destinations again.
For a creative valentines twist, pin on post-it notes and photos like 'Where we met', 'That time we skinny dipped at midnight' or 'World's greatest egg tarts were here'...
If you want to use a bit of creativity but don't have time to order anything online, try spending an afternoon making something both beautiful and delicious. These bacon roses were tried and tested - and were as ridiculous as they were brilliant!
All you need is bacon, maple syrup, toothpicks, some foliage and mood lighting. Then go wild with all the meat puns until your partner says "You're bacon me crazy"...
I hope this gives you some ideas for unique gifts for V Day. If nothing else, remember how nice it is to receive love, any day of the year. And a little imagination goes a very long way...
Big love!
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