2025 Wrapped: The Year in Review

That’s a wrap. 2025 is over. What a year. It was the most challenging year for the US in my memory, and there is no end in sight. While insignificant compared with the larger problems our country faces, 2025 has been a difficult year for the craft industry. Joann Fabrics closed, the deminimus tariff exemption ended, and prices increased. And yet, here in the Confident Stitch bubble, you, our customers, supported us and allowed us to be part of your creative journeys. My staff and I loved every minute we spent with you (virtually and in real life). Let’s look at the stats.

Combining both in-store and online, we had almost 7,000 transactions (interactions) with you in 2025! What sold the most? Garment fabrics and Quilting Cotton were almost tied for first place: we sold approximately 8,500 yards of each. Nearly ten miles of fabric went out the door! Next came thread and tools, with just over 3,000 units of each. Thanks to a 50 percent discount all year, we sold 2,000 patterns (twice as many as in 2024). Interfacing and Batting came in next with almost 1,000 units. Finally, we have sold ten Brother sewing machines. I’m hoping sewing machines will win the “most improved” award next year!

Cotton was the most popular substrate. We sold 3,600 yards of light- and heavy-weight cottons. Then came linens and craft fabrics (including our wool-felt squares). Yardage-wise, we sold the least amount of wool. I’m curious: where do you buy your wool by the yard? What kinds of wool do you like to sew with?

In the quilting-cotton category, prints held the lead, followed by solids and basics, precuts, and panels. I was surprised to discover that we sold more prints than solids and basics! When we examined individual bolts, however, black-and-white solids performed best. Our best-selling panel was Mia Charro’s Christmas Cabin Friends. The Strawberry wideback was best in its class. And, finally, I wasn’t surprised to see that Nature Trail Garden in Cream was our most popular print. 

The craft industry was hit hard in 2025, but Confident Stitch is still thriving. We are still having a great time, thanks to you. We learned a great deal about inventory control this year, which means we’ll carry more of what you love and less of what you don’t. We also became Missoula’s Brother sewing machine dealer (a long-held dream of mine). 

Among crafters, there is significant resistance to the current regime, which gives us hope for the future. Let’s keep sewing and resisting in 2026.