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Stitches Shuttered as XRX Files for Bankruptcy

May 15, 2023 by Sarah White

Stitches Events has announced that its business is shut down after 40 plus years of publishing needlecrafting books and producing events.

According to an announcement on their website, the company XRX no longer exists.

“The company is officially in the process of being dissolved,” the statement says. “Per our bankruptcy lawyer’s instructions, all our accounts have been closed, and all our future Stitches events and projects have been cancelled.”

It looks like a Stitches at Home event took place earlier this month and future events were in the planning stages. Embroidery designer Rosanna Diggs, for example, posted the announcement and noted she had future workshops scheduled through Stitches but did not have any more information.

XRX put on large needlework events around the country several times a year before covid shut them down. The most recent in person event was Stitches West, held in March in Sacramento. The company also used to publish books under the XRX imprint, as well as Knitter’s Magazine, which ceased publication in 2016.

The statement says the company is liquidating all business assets and the resulting trust account will be used to pay back creditors. It notes the business “can no longer survive in the present economic climate.”

The big trade shows and events that used to be common in the industry have become less so over the past few years. The National Needle Arts Association used to host a trade show that has been on hiatus since 2020, and their website says they are working on restructuring the group and rebuilding its website. Vogue Knitting Live has gone virtual, but they are planning an in-person event in New York in January 2024.

Interweave Press, which used to publish books and magazines and put on events, has reduced its portfolio after being sold in 2019 to Peak Media Properties. They still put on Yarn Fest, which is happening in Milwaukee later this month and in Lancaster, Penn., in August.

“We’re sorry we couldn’t make it work,” the statement continues. “Please believe us when we tell you we tried.”

Update: A Facebook group has been started for vendors, teachers and others affected by the closure of Stitches. So far there’s no real activity but worth looking into if you fall into those categories.

Knitty has set up a page where vendors and teachers who have been affected by the shutdown can run ads for free, making it a great place for the rest of us to find people who could use our support right now.

It’s always sad news when someone in the industry closes their doors, leaving fewer opportunities for teachers and vendors to reach their audience, fewer companies publishing craft content and fewer ways for people to learn and build community. I’ll update this post if more information becomes available.

Next Pattern:

  • An Update on the Stitches/XRX Story
  • XRX Attorney Sends Instructions to Stitches Claimants
  • Craft Retailer Joann Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
«
»

Comments

  1. Dez Crawford says

    May 15, 2023 at 7:08 pm

    I am heartsick to learn of the demise of Sitches. I’ve attended for many years and made so many friends throught Stitches events. Some of my dearest friends came into my life through KnitU and through Sitches events.

Have you read?

Knit a Linen Stitch Hot Pad

Linen stitch is one of my favorite knitting stitch patterns that, every time I use it in a project, I think about how I don’t use it often enough. 

It’s an easy stitch to make, with slip stitches done with the yarn held to the front of the work on the right/front side and to the back on the wrong/back side, which makes the strand of yarn a visible part of the pattern. 

It also makes a fabric that is thick and looks kind of like a woven fabric.

I recently used linen stitch to make a double-thick pot holder, which I worked in a kind of interesting way. I didn’t want to have to do any sewing on the project, so I started it from a crochet cast on and picked up stitches from the side of the cast on to make the hot pad all in one piece in the round with the edge sealed. 

This requires working on two circular needles, which is another technique I don’t use that often and am always reminded how much I like it when I do. 

The combination of double thickness and the stitch pattern makes for a hot pad that’s already pretty thick, but I also added a bit of old towel to the inside before I closed up the end to make it super thick and extra protective for your surfaces. 

I found the engineering challenge of this construction method to be a lot of fun, but you could also just knit it as a tube (casting on twice as many stitches as I did) and sew up the ends by hand when the knitting is done. Either way you’ve got a useful and pretty addition to your kitchen, whether you work it in a solid color, stripes or as a stash busting project will all your cotton odd balls. 

You can grab the pattern over at Our Daily Craft, or check it out on Ravelry. 

40+ Hot Pads You Can Sew For The Kitchen [Sewing]

A Cozy Knit to Calm Your Mind

Double Knit an Infinity Scarf

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