Patterns based on popular characters have proved to be an easy way to get children into cross stitching, and are no doubt a major factor behind the past time's boom with young people over the last few years. Nearly everyone from Mickey Mouse to Spongebob has been brought to life on colour printed canvas, and so it makes us very happy to announce our own line of kits based around the iconic and adorable Hello Kitty brand.
Whilst it's almost universally known that Hello Kitty comes from Japan, the character herself, named 'Kitty White', is actually British - a London girl no less! She originally made her debut in 1974 on a vinyl coin purse produced by Sanrio, a company who make products known as 'kawaii' (Japanese word for 'cute').
Today she's the face of one of the most successful brands in the world, having moved on from just being on young girl's accessories to grown up everyday items like toasters, massagers and even engagement rings. If that wasn't striking enough, in 2008 she was named Japan's tourism minister for Hong Kong and China!
Though Hello Kitty's lack of a mouth and many other facial features have always been scrutinized, the minimalism of her appearance is actually a big part of her success, and precisely why she's perfect for children's cross stitching.
Our new collection of Hello Kitty themed patterns come from Vervaco, who've previously featured characters from Disney and Pop Corn Bear in their cross stitch kits. True to the original design, she always sits or stands facing forward, and the great emphasis on the symmetry and consistency of her appearance lends itself to easy-to-complete cross stitches time after time.
Hello Kitty as a brand was conceived to grow along with your child, and so appropriately some of the products we're selling include kits to make a Hello Kitty themed birth record, and a height chart, but there's also cushion kits and a long stitch kit.
How familiar are you with Hello Kitty? Has her face been on a previous bit of cross stitching you've done? Share it with us on Facebook, or join our Google+ community to join in with the cross stitch buzz. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Pinterest for all things needlecraft related.