Crafting Trends – Summer of 2022

Crafting Trends – Summer of 2022

The Stitchcraft team just returned from the inaugural h+h americas show last week in Chicago, and they kept their eyes peeled for the latest craft trends. If you didn’t attend this year’s show in person, there are still virtual spots available through July 1. And mark your calendars for next year, June 22-24, 2023, to attend the only show that unites the soft crafts industries in the US!

Now let’s take a look at what was most exciting on the conference floor!

Color Trends

Pantone’s Fall Color palette is out, and the future is full of color. Pantone’s “Veri Peri” will take center stage for the color of the year. Whether you’re digging the pastel movement, trying to find the perfect yellow you can wear (DMC’s Trisha Malcom says there’s a yellow for everyone!), or you’re embracing hot pink as a fall colorway, we saw the hottest hues and shades in everything from yarn to fabric to fashions!

Included above: Pastel Kit from Koigu Yarns, sample sweaters from Kelbourne Woolens, a brioche sweater from Mrs. Moon, Pantone Autumn/Winter 2022/2023 colors

Also, ombres are still hot! Whether you shopped Freia Fibers or Wonderland Yarns, or stopped by any of the fabric booths (Anthology/Windham, Clothworks), gorgeous rainbow and gradient colors were everywhere you looked!

Included above: Rainbow Butterfly from Anthology by Windham, Clothworks booth, Freia Fibers amazing dress, Wonderland Yarns gradient arch.

 

Eco Trends

We’re seeing increased focus on eco-products and packaging and sustainability. Whether it’s yarns that used recycled materials like Lion Brand’s line of Sustainable Stitching Yarns or Retwisst yarns from Turkey, or organic products and packaging like the binding tape from Oeko Tex or cotton threads from Scanfil in recycled cardboard displays, lots of folks had eco-friendly products and display options to share. We also saw a trend towards renewable fibers like linen and hemp in everything from fabric to yarn to Karma Cure’s Hemp Hand Creams!

Included above: organic cotton thread from Scanfil, Retwisst facts on craft recycling, Oeko Tex recycled binding tape, lotions and hand creams from Karma Cure.

 

Crochet is in!

While some of us have always been enamored with crochet, this craft is the summer’s hottest trend. While mass-produced crochet garments raise issues of fair compensation and pricing (crochet cannot be accomplished with machines; it must be handmade by an artisan), the handmaker has TONS of options when it comes to crochet. We were most impressed with the variety of dresses and garments at Brazil’s Circulo booth, but we saw bunting, granny square blankets and crochet touches all over the floor. With Amazon’s “new releases” list packed full of crochet titles, we believe this trend will have staying power into 2023. 

Included above: Crochet wrap from Ikigai Fiber, red dresses from Circulo, a little fun from Fabric Editions, gorgeous amigurumi kits from Hardicraft.

 

Innovation

One unique perspective we found at the h+h show is that innovation was key among many exhibitors. We spent a while viewing June Tailor’s groundbreaking sewing products. From their “sew by the numbers” kits, to Sash-n-Dash (making turning blocks into larger items easy as pie), to their self-cutting fabric kiosk (for stores who concentrate on creating fabric kits); changing the way we view sewing is one of their prime objectives. Harbor Sales brought their LED and laser Vivilux lights, allowing users to focus on sewing straight lines, and magnifying and illuminating detail work. ZlideOn is a Swedish company with a patented system for repairing zippers. How many of us have gotten rid of garments because the zipper is broken? No more – their click-on system makes zipper repair easy! Finally, we loved the fabric printing innovations from Stenzo Textiles. Echoing the haute couture runways, Stenzo takes textured fabrics like knit and crochet and prints them on fabric panels, making it easy to sew yourself a garment in no time at all!

Included above: Quilt as you go kit from June Tailor, ZlideOn zipper, Stenzo Textiles printed dress, Vivilux LED lights and laser guides, fabric kiosk from June Tailor.

 

We hope we’ve given you a little taste of the h+h show floor and what trends are hot for summer 2022. If you own a crafty business, you should plan to attend next year (we know we will)!

 

If you’d like help incorporating some of these crafty ideas into your business, contact us today and we can help you get started!

Laura Cameron
Laura@stitchcraftmarketing.com
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