Equipment, tools, and accessories associated with needlecraft (needlework) are the focal points of this part of our guide.
Needlecraft is a handicraft involving decorative sewing and textile arts.
The golden age of needlecraft was perhaps the Victorian era. Embroidery, knitting, and lace-making were considered essential skills for women during this period, reflecting their social status and feminine virtues. Women of all classes engaged in needlecraft, although the materials and complexity of the work varied by socioeconomic status. As part of the domestic ideal, needlecraft was a way for Victorian women to contribute at a time when their options were limited. Women were taught needlecraft as part of their education and provided an acceptable form of leisure that aligned with the societal expectations of women being industrious and occupied with home-centered activities. It also allowed for personal expression and creativity, and needlecraft was often a source of income for those in the lower classes.
Today, needlecraft is often pursued as a hobby and a means of relaxation, providing a creative outlet and a break from the digital world. Contemporary women, and some men, use needlecraft as a form of self-expression and art. It can also serve as a way to build community and connect with others with similar interests. Online forums, social media groups, and local clubs offer spaces for enthusiasts to share their work and offer tips. Some people are able to turn their needlecraft skills into small businesses, selling handmade items on platforms like Etsy.
As this is the shopping area of our directory, further information and resources can be found in the corresponding category within our Sports & Recreation area.
Needlecraft includes a vast array of techniques and tools used for them.
Appliqué involves sewing pieces of fabric onto a larger piece to create designs. It uses fabric, patterns, fusible web, an iron, and scissors.
Weaving beads together using different stitches such as the peyote stitch or loom weaving is known as bead weaving, and requires beads, beading threads, needles, and bead looms.
Braiding involves interlacing strands of materials to form intricate patterns, and involves threads or yarns, braiding boards, and bobbins.
In crochet, craftspeople create fabric by interlocking loops of yarn with a hook. It uses crochet hooks, yarns, and stitch markers.
Embroidery involves decorating fabric with needle and thread, creating patterns and images, using embroidery hoops, needles, threads, and fabric.
Knitting creates fabric by interlocking loops of yarn using needles, and requires knitting needles, yarn, and stitch markers.
Lace-making creates lace by hand using bobbins to manipulate thread. This technique uses bobbins, pillow, lace thread, and pins.
Lucet produces square or round braided cord, using a lucet tool, yarn, or thread.
Macramé involves embroidering yarn on canvas to create designs. It uses cords, wooden rings, beads, and scissors.
Needlepoint involves embroidering yarn or canvas to create designs, using canvas, tapestry needles, thread, and stretcher bars.
Quilters sew together layers of fabric to create a padded material. Quilting requires fabric, batting, quilting needles, and rotary cutters.
Sewing involves using a machine or needle to join pieces of fabric. The products include the sewing machine, needles, thread, and fabric.
Weaving yarn into fabric to create detailed designs is known as tapestry. It requires a loom, yarn, and bobbins.
Tatting is creating lace by forming knots and loops, and uses tatting shuttles or needles, and thread.
Several manufacturers and retailers serve the diverse needlecraft market.
These include Dollfus-Mieg & Compagnie (DMC), which is known for high-quality embroidery threads and floss. Its extensive color range and thread types make it a household embroidery name. Another is Clover, which offers a wide range of knitting, crochet, sewing, and quilting tools, including ergonomic crochet hooks, knitting needles, and other needlework accessories.
Singer is a historic name in sewing machines, and is known for its durability and advanced sewing machine technology. Lion Brand Yarn is one of the oldest yarn companies in the United States, offering a diverse range of yarns suitable for knitting, crocheting, and other needlecraft skills. Fiskars is known for its cutting tools, offering scissors, rotary cutters, and other needlecraft tools.
Well-known retailers of needlecraft supplies include Jo-ann Stores, also known as JOANN Fabric and Crafts, as well as Michaels, a popular craft store with a large variety of needlecraft supplies.
These and other manufacturers and retailers of needlecraft products are appropriate resources for this category.
Categories
Knitting & Crochet |
Recommended Resources
Aurora Silk specializes in pure silk fabrics, yarns, and natural dyes. It offers a variety of silk products, including Eri silk, Tussah silk, and Ahimsa (peace) silk. Its products are 100% natural, unadulterated, and organic. The company supports fair trade practices and helps provide livelihoods to artisans worldwide. Its natural dyes, silk fabrics, silk yarns, roving and fiber, silkworms and cocoons, books, and other products may be viewed and purchased from its website. Contacts are posted.
https://aurorasilk.com/
Also known as Clover Needlecraft, Clover USA is a company that specializes in high-quality sewing, quilting, knitting, crocheting, needleart, beading, and craft supplies, offering a wide range of products, including knitting needles, crochet hooks, sewing notions, pins, scissors, rotary cutters, and other products. Its online catalog is separated into categories for knitting and crocheting, sewing and quilting, crafts and beading, and craft promotion. A store locator is also featured.
https://clover-usa.com/
DMC offers a variety of needles for different types of embroidery and crafting projects, including embroidery needles, tapestry needles, gold tapestry needles, and bead needles. It also sells thread, yarn, kits, patterns, fabric, and accessories. DMC's thread has been produced in the same factory in Mulhouse, France, since 1898. The company's heritage and quality standards are featured, along with a profile and history. Shoppers can browse the company's product catalog and make purchases online.
https://www.dmc.com/US/en
The popular e-commerce store specializes in machine embroidery designs, offering a large range of designs for various projects, and their files are compatible with many embroidery machines, such as Baby Lock, Bernina, Brother, Husqvarna, Janome, Pfaff, and Singer. They also have frequent sales and new design releases, so there's always something new to explore. Shoppers may browse its product categories and make purchases online. Sale items and special offers are highlighted.
https://emblibrary.com/
Fiskars Corporation is a Finnish consumer goods company founded in 1649 in Fiskars, a locality now in the town of Raseborg, Finland. One of the oldest continuously operating companies in the world, Fiskars is best known for its orange-handled scissors, although it produces several other products, including gardening and yardcare tools, crafting and sewing equipment, building and repair tools, and products for children and schools. Its heritage, patents, and career opportunities are noted.
https://www.fiskars.com/en-us
Jo-Ann Stores, also known as Jo-Ann and stylized as JOANN, is an American fabric and crafts retail company headquartered in Hudson, Ohio. Founded in 1943, the company has stores in 49 US states and was privately owned before going public in 2021. Its stores may be located through the website, and products may also be purchased online. Its website includes a product catalog highlighting new arrivals, seasonal products, and special offers. Other resources include project ideas and guides.
https://www.joann.com/
The popular online shop offers a wide range of high-quality quilting fabrics, quilt kits, patterns, and sewing notions, including a collection of fabrics from various designers and brands, with a frequently updated inventory of products. Founded in 1987, the company is based in North Carolina and is owned by a family in the textile business for four generations. Shoppers may browse its fabric, kits, clubs, patterns, notions, holidays, pre-order, clearance, and weekly sales categories.
https://www.keepsakequilting.com/
Established in 1945, and headquartered in Paterson, New Jersey, the wholesale distributor specializes in fabrics, quilting supplies, needleart, stitchery, and sewing materials. They cater to independent businesses with a wide range of products, including imported and designer fabrics, patterns, books, and exclusive fabric lines. Retailers are listed on the website by state, while many of its products may also be purchased from its online shopping area, listed by product type.
https://needlecraftinc.com/
The online store specializes in embroidery thread, quilting thread, sewing thread, stabilizers, and sewing notions. It carries a wide range of products from top brands, including Aurifil, Coats & Clark, Cosmo, Floriani, Foxglove Cottage, Isacord, Mettler, Organ Needles, Perma Core, Robison-Anton, Roxanne Needles, Signature, Sulky, Superior, Valdani, and several others. The store has been in business since 2003. Shoppers can browse by product category, brand, or clearance items.
https://redrockthreads.com/
Singer Corporation is a US manufacturer of consumer sewing machines established as I.M. Singer & Company in 1851 by Isaac M. Singer. Its global headquarters is in Nashville, Tennessee. Its line of sewing machines can be viewed by machine category, usage (best for), featured products, accessories, and special offers. Its website also includes a four-part feature designed to help shoppers decide which machine is best for them. Stores carrying its products may be found through the site.
https://www.singer.com/
