I am super excited to feature The Witchy Stitcher for October’s spookiest Spotlight! As both a devoted Patreon supporter and an owner of her fantastic new book, Witchy Stitching, I have experienced firsthand the incredible craft and insight Meg Black shares with her community.
I wanted to bring that magic to my blog and connect her work with a potentially expanded audience.
Whether you are a book lover curious about the creation of such an impressive project, or someone eager to venture into needle arts, this conversation is for you. Light your spicy autumn candles, grab your favorite hot brew, and settle in for the chat!
Let’s Meet the Author
Meg Black is a cross-stitch pattern designer and creator of The Witchy Stitcher, “a haunted corner of the cross-stitch world.” She also sells all things dark in a variety of stitching accessories. In her own words, “my eternal rest is in the witchy, spooky, gothic and macabre…it is what makes my black heart beat.”
She lives in gothic coziness in Calgary, Canada. You can read much more about the author in her book of 25 fabulous patterns, where she talks about life’s challenges and how cross stitch and designing has gotten her through the rough spots.
Let’s Get Started
Thank you so much for visiting today, Meg! I’d love to start off with a bit about your creative journey, i.e., how you got started, why spooky and dark is your thing, and how it all culminated in creating your beautiful book.
MB: I have always had an affinity for the dark and creative efforts, after many years of trial and error in careers I finally landed on something that combined both perfectly and with full autonomy. That was always the dream! I touch on that a bit in my book with more details. The darker side of life has always fascinated me and drew me in. I find it incredibly beautiful and visually and historically interesting. I’ve always been the “weird girl” and I like it that way.
What was the process like shifting from designing to writing and assembling a craft book? Was this a learning experience along the way, or were you relying on skills you already possessed?
MB: It was extremely intimidating when I read my contracted requirements of 20,000 words, I am not a trained writer so I was very nervous about it. 20k words felt like a novel to me, but if you know me at all you know I can sure yammer on and suddenly I have filled a whole page. I am a pretty detailed person, and therefore like explaining or talking about things in detail. As I got going through the book process I realized my wordy witchy self was going to be just fine.
I imagine speaking to the full range of stitching experience in your audience helped drive your book’s content, but can you talk about how you decided what to include? Because, dang, this book really has it all! For instance, I was super excited about the section on coffee dyeing fabric and it’s chock full of everything from how to select fabric and floss to how to fully finish or frame your piece.
MB: Honestly most of that was requested by my publisher. Very early on they said, “We want a one stop stitching encyclopedia.” I said…. “hold my cauldron.” I think it would have been harder for me to pare down the book versus cover as many topics as I did. I don’t like vagueness and I never want to convey that in a material that is intended to be educational and beginner friendly.
DLL: Well, you certainly achieved your aims in this book. As a long time cross-stitcher, I’ve found tons of useful things inside in addition to the fabulous designs.
What are your top dos and don’ts on publishing a craft book now that you’ve been through it all and can look back?
MB: My hardest lesson was to make sure you are shooting your photos in the proper orientation. HA! I spent weeks photographing my finishes only to have a tearful moment of realization that I shot them all in landscape. What orientation is a book? Well that would be… portrait. I had to redo almost everything, this was pretty hard as I was still working full-time as my book was a complete secret. So I guess my tip here would be to really try to think of all the details as you go, you just might catch an error that could save you a ton of time and tears.
My other tip would be to stick up for yourself. You know yourself and your audience better than anyone, if you feel a certain way about something stand your ground! Don’t change your art or who you are to fit a mold or idea of what they might want, you do you.
DLL: Fantastic! Thanks, Meg.
Your designs span such a wonderfully macabre spectrum, and I always enjoy your Patreon updates discussing where your ideas originate! Could you share a quick glimpse of that creative spark with our audience? Are there specific dark themes that ignite your imagination most, or particular gothic trends over time that have guided your path?
MB: Inspiration for me is pretty organic and sometimes comes at the strangest times or places. The core elements of where I find it are in all things Halloween, Horror and Gothic History. Those are my loves and where the roots of my art grow. Right now I am heavily inspired by vintage medical adverts, gothic architecture and historical death practices. I just returned from a trip to Montreal, Quebec, Canada and spent a week in Old Montreal. It is very old European and has me so inspired by their cobblestone streets and towering cathedrals. Yes…in Canada!
Next week it could be poetry, possums, or plants. You just never know.
At this point in my career I have a very large (and stuffed) black book of design ideas. It is overflowing even now…the well will never run dry over here.
DLL: This makes me even more happy that I’m part of your Patreon community! Montreal sounds perfect. It’s actually on my bucket list, mostly because I want to finally meet an old writing friend in person (Hey👋 Nicolas), but now it’s truly at the top of my list!
Another aspect of your Patreon I’m always eager for is when you share your delightfully gothic surroundings, macabre collections, and furniture and accessories repurposed into their darker nature. What’s your advice on surrounding yourself with things that inspire?
MB: Never drive past an estate sale sign. You never know what you might find! Some of my wildest treasures were found walking through someone else’s home (respectfully of course). And be resourceful, antiques and bespoke gothic furniture is incredibly expensive. Don’t be afraid to get dirty and creative and turn the mundane into the macabre on your own! It is so rewarding to do, and much much cheaper. I do have some more expensive treasures in my collection, I like to think of them as investments. Take care of your antiques and they will pay you back in your golden years.
As mentioned in your bio above, you sell other dark, stitchy accessories like fabric, needles, stickers, and even a fantastic digital and/or printable witchy stitchy planner, which I’m delighted to have in my stash (it even includes a section for my DMC collection).
Can you share more about what you offer stitchers?
MB: Honestly? I offer things I want to use too. HA! That is usually how I decide to carry things, or of course if folks have requested them a lot! The tariff situation has put a large damper on my physical product offerings, I haven’t released new products since all that mess started. But that space has allowed me to work on other things! So it always works out in the end.
DLL: I hate that the tariffs have done so much damage to commerce with our dear neighbors across the border and around the globe. I love to support creators everywhere, and I hope I can get back to it soon. For now, it is wonderful to see how you all adapt and move past the B.S..
You have expanded your accessibility quite a bit this year. Tell us about venturing into shops like 123Stitch.com and Fybe (a new place for fiber artists). Is it a lot to manage? And do you have any assistance these days, or do you do it all yourself?
MB: And this relates right back to the previous question, with spending less time creating physical goods I have focused on expanding into other markets. I have always offered wholesale on a small and selective scale but decided to branch out further this year. This was all started by 123stitch reaching out to me requesting to carry my entire pattern library.
I was burned very badly early on in my career doing wholesale, so I was very cautious moving forward. For years I outright refused to do it because of the damage that was done. But this year felt like the right time to try it out again, and with my wisdom from previous issues it has gone very well.
I do everything on my own. I contract out some kit work at times but I would say 95% of it is all me still.
DLL: Well, congratulations on your growth and I can see the joy you find in it. Well done!
You do a remarkable job at staying on top of conversations with your followers whatever the platform may be. From a designer’s perspective, what are the benefits of maintaining a robust community of like minded creative souls? And how does it fit in with your schedule?
MB: I swear it is why I am where I am today. Your customers are your whole world when you do something like The Witchy Stitcher. And over time they have become friends, a coven…and in a way family. We have all been through so much together and have so many great memories. I never want my community to feel like just a number or a payout. That feels so gross and is not authentic to who I am. I appreciate everyone so much and want their comments, shared finishes, etc., to be acknowledged. There are a million other things people could choose to do with their time, and if they chose to spend a moment with me, I owe them my attention. Plus, it is just so fun!
In that time management vein, can you share your best tips for staying organized and creative?
MB: Calendars, notebooks and checklists. I would be lost without that trifecta. With so many collabs, deadlines, and ideas on the go I have to have a pretty solid framework to follow. When you are the designer, customer service, social media manager, accountant, photographer, stitcher, and whatever other hat of the moment, you have to stay organized. Heck I have patterns designed and planned well into 2027, collabs in 2028, and so on. You need to have a solid way to keep everything in check.
I will be honest though it is hard to be your own boss some days, it’s really easy to just “give myself the day off” from the less desirables like bookkeeping.
What is your creative day like? Do you have a set working schedule, or does productivity come when the mood strikes?
MB: My work schedule is fairly organic. I can’t be creative or inspired with the flip of a switch, so I have a list of what needs done that week and each day I sort of go with my mood and energy. This way I can still be very productive but not feel like I am forcing creativity when in reality my capabilities are just editing photos or files. When the creative stretches hit I will push everything else aside to ride it out as long as it lasts. Sometimes, I spend the full week designing from dawn to dusk–gotta strike while the iron is hot. Because the famine could be coming where I struggle for weeks to get it right.
My schedule ebbs and flows between part time, full time and overdrive overtime. But it all evens out in the wash to be full time hours. I just push harder some weeks so I can relax for others.
DLL: Aewsome!
I can see firsthand how prolific you are with sharing new designs, and I’m grateful for that, although it would take a lifetime to stitch all The Witchy Stitcher things I want to stitch. (I’ll include some of my projects below… By the way, I can’t wait for the Haunted Library Stitch Along!) But do you have plans for another book? What else is on the horizon for The Witchy Stitcher?
MB: I have declined offers for a second book for the time being, I would very much like to let this one have its moment and not push too much out too quickly. Already my pattern releases are quite quick and frequent, it is a slow craft after all. I am also debating on self publishing a second book and working with some charities versus a large publisher, but this would be farther in the future. For now I am focusing on the upcoming Haunted Library SAL and continuing to expand my wholesale offerings.
I have so much to keep me busy well into summer of 2027 so the idea of adding the pressure of another book sounds too heavy for these shoulders right now. I am happy where I am at!
Thanks again for stopping by, Meg! Do you have any parting words of encouragement for those who might want to explore cross stitching and the magic of a craft book?
MB: No matter the size of the project it is one stitch at a time! If you want to make that big project…do it…the only difference is it will take longer than a small project. Dive in, have fun and don’t stress about it.
You can visit Meg and her shop at TheWitchyStitcher.com and follow her on Instagram, Etsy, Fybe, the Stitch Witch Hollow Facebook Group, Patreon, and more.
