Life Instyle Melbourne’s theme ‘return to the source’ made it the perfect fair for Jo Campbell to launch her range of modern DIY embroidery kits to trade.
Campbell started her brand, Clementine and Thread, in 2015 with the aim of introducing people to embroidery in a simple, approachable way. Her kits contain everything needed to complete a project in an afternoon, and combine classic stitching with unexpected, modern designs and materials.
“So many people are interested in stitching but aren’t quite sure where to start or how to go about it,” says Campbell. “They might be overwhelmed by the scale of some of the projects out there, or unsure of where and how to gather the materials, or even underwhelmed by the quality of what’s on offer or uninspired by the more traditional (and sometimes downright naff) designs available.”
Each kit—including wooden key rings, necklaces and brooches—is designed and assembled by Campbell from her home in the picturesque Hunter Valley in NSW. She says there is a market for the product because consumers are becoming more interested in handmade items and getting involved in the slow craft movement.
“We are starting to have whole generations of people who have absolutely no exposure to textile crafts,” she says. “They never learnt to knit, they were never taught embroidery…and so many of these people are interested in the process and they want to try their hand at creating, but they don’t know where to start.
“[We] provide everything required, including comprehensive instructions, in manageable bite-sized projects and without the maker having to sacrifice their modern aesthetic. The fact that every kit can be completed in less than an afternoon or evening is particularly appealing to our inner gratification junkie.”
After a successful debut at Life Instyle, Campbell says she is focused on releasing some hoop-based wall art embroidery kits soon along with a series of learn-to-stitch kits for children.
By Ruth Cooper
