This month, we’re thrilled to shine a spotlight on Hedgehog Needlepoint, a beloved designer known for her iconic Travel Tags. Hedgehog Needlepoint captures the joy of stitching in every detail. Among her most-loved creations are the travel tag canvases — a vibrant collection inspired by destinations around the world. Each tag celebrates the spirit of adventure and makes the perfect keepsake for travelers and stitchers alike.
Who am I?
My name is Hannelore Snyder Brown. My brother, sister and I grew up with two forward thinking parents who encouraged us to be curious, adventurous, active, read copiously, ask questions, play in the dirt, be kind to animals (our local Vet LOVED us… we routinely drug home strays), play music (I grew up playing 5 instruments-violin, oboe, piano, baritone and trombone) and be creative. Having a European mother meant we enjoyed a wide variety of food, language, and mindset. My father, a retired surgeon, met
my mother during his medical school semester abroad in Vienna, Austria. Growing up, we were fortunate to travel back and forth to visit relatives, immersed in history, languages, art, and really really good food. I enjoyed traveling so much that I spent a year studying aboard in Oulu, Finland, at the University of Oulu, which is approximately 100km south of the Arctic Circle. My husband and I have lived in Kansas City for 27 years, along with 2 large labs and one enormous cat named George. We have four children, aka “The Things” of whom we are unashamedly proud, and one darling grandchild, aka “The Wee Thing”.
My European mother encouraged handiwork (needlepoint, embroidery, knitting, crocheting, sewing) from a very early age. My father even whittled my first set of knitting needles at the age of 5. Our family motto (as well as those many generations before us) could be described as “if you aren’t studying, playing sports, or playing music, and are sitting down, then you need to do something to keep your hands busy”. Everyone on the German side of the family, including my uncles, did handiwork. Needlepoint, indeed, all types of handiwork, was and still is just a part of our lives. One of my aunts owned a shop, Die Wolltruhe, in Winsen an der Luhe, in which she sold knitting, embroidery, and needlepoint. Boxes of projects periodically traveled across the Atlantic, which provided endless fun activities.
Where did the name Hedgehog come from?
Hedgehog Needlepoint comes from 3 somewhat related ideas. The first little gift my father gave my mother was a little stuffed Hedgehog. There is an old German anthropomorphized Hedgehog named Mecki. Mecki and his hedgehog family were all the rage in the 1950s through 1970s, especially on postcards. Receiving a Mecki postcard from relatives was a true highlight of my childhood. Secondly, hedgehogs are beloved throughout Europe and the UK, often depicted in children’s literature. Many of
the children's books I grew up reading featured hedgehogs. And finally, hedgehogs have needles. When thinking of a name for my fledgling business nearly 6 years ago, I decided to combine all these nostalgic bits and came up with Hedgehog Needlepoint. Needlepoint - hedgehogs with needles… seemed like a perfect combination.
Do you have a favorite canvas in your line?
It really is difficult to narrow down a favorite canvas. I mean, some are incredibly nostalgic, some are the result of a lot (a LOT) of work (eg, the Collegiate Series licensing), and some were simply fun to research. That being said, I do love the Owl sunglasses case from my collaboration with graphic artist extraordinaire, Kate Rhees; the San Jose, Costa Rica Retro Travel Tag is especially fun and vibrant, and the officially licensed KU Jayhawks (my Alma Mater) bring a smile to my face. However, each addition
The Retro Travel Tag series makes me happy.
How has your style or approach to design changed since you started?
Because of the outpouring of love for the Retro Travel Tags, my design process has evolved since the first release. The initial release had some of the “Easter egg elements”, but I truly didn’t know just how the whole “everything has a meaning” would be received. Clearly, the needlepoint community LOVED the hidden and not-so-hidden meanings behind each Retro Travel Tag. Since there is nothing, well, almost nothing, I love more than doing a research deep dive, it has been a blast designing truly original canvases.
The Retro Travel Tag trade dress is limited by size, plus I don’t want to cram everything on there. Too much detail would make the Retro Travel Tags a pain to stitch…I try to balance the designs with plenty of room to stitch so that they speak to the beginner as well as the advanced stitcher.
Where do you find inspiration for your next design?
Design inspiration comes via a number of avenues. The request list of destinations for Retro Travel Tags is long, and with every addition, there is a flurry of new requests. Starting with researching each destination as well as drawing on my own travels and those of family members, usually a vague idea starts to form. Sometimes the idea crystallizes quickly and bam, … there it is in half an hour. Other times, inspiration comes to a dead stop. For example, the Sarasota Retro Travel Tag literally took over 2 years.
I knew I wanted to incorporate a homage to the Ringling Bros Barnum & Bailey Circus, but didn’t want it to slide into a cartoonish depiction. It was a relief when I finally figured out how I wanted everything to look and get it done. Additional inspiration can come at odd times, which is why paper and a drawing implement (pencil, paper, the odd crayon) are stashed on my bedside table, my car, the kitchen, the living room… the bathroom.
What is your go-to decorative stitch?
My mother is a Continental stitch aficionado, so when my stepmom, Nancy, showed me how to basketweave, … it was eye-opening. Being able to basketweave accelerated a project timeline, and I loved it…. I still love basketweave. It’s easy, meditative, and comforting. Nancy took basketweave to a PhD level with many of her pieces, including a gorgeous, tremendously large wall hanging (5’x7’) that is an homage to African wildlife. Today I love messing about with decorative stitches. The Wee Flag Tags are where I try to branch out using stitches completely new to me (of which that is a very long list). If I had to choose a favorite stitch aside from scooping basketweave, I would have to say it is Byzantine. I mean, it gives such movement to a piece, looks super impressive, covers a lot of ground if you are looking for a good background stitch, and is loads of fun to stitch.
What advice do you have for new stitchers?
Growing up with a different mindset towards handiwork projects meant using different media. Printed linen embroidery, Danish embroidery designs, truly horrible 1970s printed Needlepoint canvases, counted cross-stitch, counted needlepoint, …you name it, we did it. It also meant that if we didn’t find what we wanted to make, we made it up ourselves. Many times, we simply started stitching or knitting, making up the design as we went. All in all, many influences had a hand in how and why I view needlepoint the way I do. Not everything needs to be “heirloom”… I really, really want stitchers to enjoy their
needlepoint year-round. In a rather German mindset, I try to design practical items that can be used, enjoyed, and loved every single day. Appreciating the gorgeous ornaments and precious pieces is wonderful, cherished, and adored for those special celebrations. But if you are going to spend loads of time stitching a piece, let's also include items that you don’t have to tuck away and only pull out once or twice a year. The influx of new stitchers is such a breath of fresh air and enthusiasm… it is wonderful! My advice? It’s
very straightforward. Don’t get bogged down with the minutiae
Start small and easy! One of my first needlepoint canvases was a design that my mother drew with a ballpoint pen. Get a piece of canvas, doodle on it (don’t use a ballpoint pen!), and just stitch away. DMC Pearle is your best bet to practice with (affordable and has a lovely sheen to it).
This or That
13 mesh vs 18 mesh? 18 Mesh is my favorite because of the ability to add better detail. Don’t get me wrong, 13 mesh is great, but in order to get the same level of detail, you could end up with a monster-sized project.
Simple Stitches vs Decorative Stitches? Nope… can’t choose. Both simple and decorative have their place!
Stretcher bars vs Stitching in hand? When I started stitching, stretcher bars weren’t really a thing, and I’m still more comfortable with stitching in hand. I call it “Scrunch & Munch™️” Needlepoint, and whenever anyone clutches their pearls because
my canvas isn’t on stretcher bars, I simply remind them that that is what blocking is for. I always give my canvas a bit of blocking before sending it off to the finishers.
Favorite Project you’ve stitched? Too many to count, and truly cannot decide. :)
Top 3 must-have accessories? I am absolutely the worst person to ask about accessories. My “project bags” are plastic baggies. I use any old scissors I can find, although the little snips are cheap, sharp, and work really well. Little snips are
due double duty in case I need to frog. I’ve used chopsticks from our local Chinese takeaway as a laying tool, but more often than not, I just use my finger. I guess the only real accessory that I love is my ginormous LL Bean XXXL tote. It used to schlep the kids' swim gear, but it has been promoted to an overstuffed needlepoint bag.
