Behind every great canvas is a great designer, and KCN Designers has built its reputation on bringing together some of the most creative voices in the needlepoint world. As a collective of talented artists, KCN curates a wide range of styles - from timeless classics to fresh, modern designs - that reflect the diversity of today's stitching community. Their commitment to quality, artistry, and innovation makes KCN one of the most exciting names in needlepoint. Read on to learn all about the story behind KCN Designers and all their wonderful artists.

Shop KCN Designers Collection here.

How many designers make up the KCN Collective?

Right now, we are comprised of about 25 artists. Many have been with us since we started, and many are new friends. Everyone brings something great to the table, and we love working with all of them. We are also excited to be introducing more new collaborating artists at future markets! 

What first sparked your interest in needlepoint?

I am incredibly fortunate that needlepoint has woven down multiple branches of my family tree for over a century. Women in my lineage have stitched through celebrations and hardships alike— from birthdays and beach days to waiting rooms and two World Wars. To honor this enduring tradition, my nom d'artiste winks to my great-grandmother, Martha Alexandra Thorn. 

As an oil painter, I immediately fell in love with needlepoint’s portable nature. I treasured stitching during the World Cup matches after work, tucking my project into my bag for afternoons at Hampstead Heath, and using it as a peaceful respite from my art history studies under the Tuscan sun. That semester, while immersed in metal casting, oil painting, and intaglio printmaking, I was very much drawn to having art I could truly take and make anywhere. 

- Brooke Thorn McGowan, Thorn Alexander Style

How did you get connected with KCN?

During COVID, I was madly painting Love and LovEvolve artwork and sharing it on Instagram. A friend (and avid stitcher) in Richmond, Virginia, messaged KCN and suggested the Love artwork for needlepoint canvases. KCN reached out, and I was happy to offer the artwork and our mission for a whole new art form. It has brought an old hobby back to me, and I love sharing the LovEvolve mission at the conferences. Thinking about sharing love while stitching love really allows us to process our relationships. I am so grateful to Tunstall Bagley Willis for sharing my artwork with KCN!

- Sunny Goode, LovEvolve

Similar to how I first began needlepoint, all roads really do lead back to my mom! She has always been the one to encourage my creativity, and it was through her that I first heard about KCN. In fact, Sunny introduced me to the community at the 2024 retreat in Kansas City when I attended as her plus one. Looking back, saying yes to that weekend was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made—not only did I discover a vibrant and welcoming community of talented stitchers, but I also found the confidence and inspiration to launch my own artwork with KCN the following year.

- Presley Goode, Presley Goode Art + Design

Honestly, it all started on Instagram! I had been swooning over their canvases for ages, and one day we connected through social media and set up a little phone date. From the very beginning, with Polly and Carol leading the way, it felt less like a business partnership and more like a family. Their warm, friendly approach made it such a natural fit. Joining them has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and I’ll always be grateful to be part of their needlepoint family!

- Carrie Gates Hawkins, Pearly Gates Designs

What inspired you to make the leap from stitcher to designer?

I work at an LNS, and people come in all the time wanting to learn how to stitch. I started to notice that there was a bit of a shortage in beginner-friendly designs, and I thought, “I can help with this”.  We traditionally invite newcomers to begin with a single letter square, which is a great place to start, but not the most exciting project for everyone. I’ve been playing around with needlepoint design since I was in high school. I used to design belts for my guy friends, and then their moms would stitch them (or pay me to stitch them - it was great!). I knew I was capable of it, so I started to dive in! I am passionate about making needlepoint approachable to everyone, so my designs tend to be on 13 mesh, have large areas of background, right angles, and big solid shapes or letters so a stitcher can get the hang of any stitch, from Basketweave to Double Hungarian!

- Mary Simpson, Moo Moo Designs

What was the first design you created - and why?

The first design I ever created was a giant pillow that is not in my current collection. I taped a 24” x 24” piece of canvas to my window and started roughly sketching a zebra across the whole thing. I quickly realized that stitch painting is not the same as regular painting, so I eventually painted the zebra in hot pink to cover up the pencil marks. As a nod to my Grandpa, the OG Ziggy, I added the phrase, “Z as in Zebra” to the corner (a saying he used to always say) and coated the entire zebra in a sparkle top coat. It was an absolute hot mess of a canvas, and it’s still one of my favorite pieces today.

- Annie Zigman, Ziggy Designs

I’ve been stitching for 34 years. When I was in my 30s, I came up with concepts for a series of stockings for my family, but other artists painted the first four. I designed and painted three after that. The first canvas I painted for the Mrs. Blandings line was Peacocks in Love, inspired by a piece of porcelain. Textiles, ceramics, and nature are usually my inspiration.

- Patricia O’Dell, Mrs Blandings

What’s your favorite part of the design process?

I’d say when an idea pops into my head and I can’t wait to try to figure it out on canvas. Even when it takes lots of tweaks, I love the process!

- Barb Selders, Stitch-it’s

Painting. I have the gift of being able to bring a vision to life, and it brings me so much joy and satisfaction!

- Marianne, MA Designs

What’s your go-to decorative stitch?

I really like Milanese for backgrounds, but French knots are a close second.”

- Susan Cowden, Susan Cowden Studios

Decorative stitches have been a needlepoint game-changer for me.  I am constantly amazed at how a decorative stitch can transform an element on a canvas AND have the ability to make the same canvas so wonderfully different from stitcher to stitcher.  My favorite decorative stitch would be diagonal mosaic. I love the coverage and texture this stitch provides, and it makes large portions of background go super quickly.  I’m also partial to a French knot for flowers, greenery, and snow. All this being said, I definitely don’t shy away from a classic, all-basketweave project; I can binge-watch TV and chit-chat, while still making progress on a needlepoint project.  A win-win in my book!

- Taylor Beach, Taylor Beach Designs

What advice do you have for new stitchers?

Some of the artists are new needlepointers themselves! Here is their newbie advice:  

I started needlepointing with one of my more colorful designs, the trout.  Although I have almost made it through it, I think it would have been easier to begin with a design that just had 2 or three colors and is small in size, like a holiday ornament.

- Leslie Flanagan, Lemon Daisy Design

Start small! Pick a smaller piece so you can experience the joy of fully finishing something in a reasonable amount of time. That little win will keep you motivated to keep stitching. Don’t feel like you have to do everything exactly the “right” way according to others—needlepoint is an art, not a test. Figure out what works best for you: whether that’s using (or skipping) stretchers, starting and finishing with or without a knot, or any other little habit you develop along the way.

Follow other popular stitching and finishing accounts on Instagram for inspiration—you’ll learn so many techniques and creative finishing ideas. And don’t be afraid to change the colors on your canvas to make it feel personal to you. I even change the colors on my own designs sometimes, depending on where I’ll use the piece in the end.

Lastly, your local needlepoint shop can be a goldmine of help and encouragement. They’ve taught me so much—everything from which threads to choose, what they need from me to finish a piece, to all the little supplies that make the process easier.

Most importantly—have fun with it! Needlepoint is meant to be joyful, creative, and uniquely yours.

- Liesel Callahan, Liesel Anne Studios

Just jump in! Start right where you are and don’t stress about messing up—there’s always a way to fix it or sneakily hide it. We usually dive first and figure things out later, but luckily for us, our LNS is packed with people who know their stuff. Oh, and grab all the cute accessories you can find… because, let’s be honest, that’s half the fun!

- Morgan Georgie & Carrie Kiefer, Ampersand Design Studio