A Few Changes Coming to Storyteller Stitchery in 2026

As Storyteller Stitchery continues to grow, I want to share a few changes coming this year. My goal is always to balance creativity, quality, and sustainability—both for the business and for my own capacity as a maker—so that I can keep bringing you story-inspired yarns, fibers, and needlepoint designs for years to come.

Below is an overview of what’s changing, what’s staying the same, and what it means for you.

Moving to Shop Updates & Preorders for Yarn

This year, I’m changing how yarn is offered in the shop to better reflect the realities of running a small, growing business.

Up until now, most colorways have been available to order on nearly every yarn and fiber base at any time. While this offers flexibility, maintaining inventory for every colorway across all yarn, fiber, and silk bases is a significant challenge for a small studio—especially as the product line has expanded.

To keep those options open, much of the yarn is custom dyed as orders come in. This can stretch shipping timelines to three weeks or longer and makes it difficult to plan dye schedules, manage inventory accurately, and introduce new collections throughout the year.

Moving to shop updates and limited-time preorders allows me to:

• Focus dyeing on specific colors and bases at a time
• Keep inventory manageable and predictable
• Offer faster, more reliable shipping
• Create space for new seasonal and story-inspired collections

The goal isn’t to make shopping more difficult (I know it can be frustrating not to order a specific color at any time) but to create a system that’s sustainable and allows Storyteller Stitchery to grow thoughtfully while continuing to offer high-quality, carefully hand-dyed yarns.

How Yarn Orders Will Work Going Forward

Preorders

• Open for a limited, clearly stated timeframe (typically around 10 days)
• You can order as much as you like on the available bases during the preorder window
• Once the preorder closes, those colors will not be available again until a future shop update (if at all)

Shop Updates

• Periodic releases of ready-to-ship yarn
• Smaller quantities, added as availability allows

The goal is not to make shopping harder—I know it can be frustrating to miss a color you love—but this change allows for:

• More reliable and faster shipping
• A healthier, more predictable dye schedule
• More time and energy to create new collections throughout the year

What Will Be Available in the Shop

Here’s what you can expect to see moving forward:

Open Colorways

• A small rotating selection of colorways available to order in any quantity and on any base (custom dyed for you).
• These will primarily be former Storyteller Stitchery Society-exclusive colorways, released after their one-year exclusivity period
• Each set of colorways will be available to order for about three months
• After retirement, a new set will be introduced

Storyteller Stitchery Society

• The Society remains available to join at any time
• Members receive new, book-inspired yarn, fiber, or silk threads each month
• Society colorways remain exclusive to members for one year following release

New Collections & Seasonal Boxes

• Released as limited-time preorders
• Available in unlimited quantities during the preorder window
• Once the window closes, the collection retires

Special Collections (such as Advent box)

• Released with a set number of boxes
• Available until sold out
• Generally no restocks once capacity is reached

Needlepoint Kits & Canvases

• Mostly available on demand in the shop
• As we approach the one-year anniversary of the needlepoint line, a few designs may be retired in the coming months

Timeline 

• There is currently a lot of yarn and fiber in stock, ready to ship, and available to order.
• As existing inventory sells out, it will not automatically be restocked unless it appears in a future shop update or preorder

If you’ve had your eye on a specific base or colorway, now is the time to get it.

Thank You

I know changes like this can feel unwelcome. I didn’t make these decisions lightly, and they come from a place of wanting to grow Storyteller Stitchery in a way that’s sustainable, creative, and joyful—for all of us.

Thank you for supporting this small business, for trusting my work, and for being part of this story. I’m excited for what’s ahead and for all the new collections still to come.

💛

Melissa