H+H 2024 Recap

It’s wild to think a whole year has flown by since H+H Americas 2024! With the 2025 show right around the corner in Chicago, I wanted to share highlights from last year. But first...

What is H+H?

H+H Americas is a trade show for professionals in the crafting industry. There is something there for everyone who makes a living with crafts. Brick and mortar shops, content creators, online shops, designers, big companies, small companies, solopreneurs... The show provides opportunities to learn, network, and wholesale. It was fabulous. Here's a 90 second video recap ;) *I made this as an Instagram story, so we'll just have to suffer through watching it vertically instead of horizontally :P

Why I went:

I wasn't vending--I was there to learn! I signed up for the classes, and they were super meaty. Loved the entire thing. Designing is only such a tiny part of what I do; the classes were really helpful. I learned enough to keep me busy for years. It was like drinking from a fire hose. They say you shouldn't take advice from people who are not where you want to be, and H+H was a chance to learn from folks who were at the top of their game.

Personal favorites:

Booth: It's so hard to choose! Everything was thoughtfully done and there was so much eye candy! That said, the Valdani booth was amazing. It felt so cozy! They had gorgeous floss everywhere, plus comfy sofas and flickering lights that made me feel like we were curled up chatting about a mutual hobby by a fireplace. It was an oasis. See if you can spot it in the video at the top of the page. Product: ThermoWeb adhesive sheets. This stuff is like double sided sticky tape, but in sheet form. I've been using these sheets on every single finish since the show. They have cut a whole hour off my finishing process. I'm hooked. Display item: The Tilda rose pixel quilt was even prettier in person -- if that's possible. (See if you can spot it in the video :) However, Bev at Flamingo Toes had a cross-stitched chair and I've been dreaming about it for a solid year now. Here's a picture:

Final thoughts:

I would love to see more representation from our cross stitch industry there! Flosstubers, bag makers, scissor fob makers, shop owners, designers... there is space at the table for everyone. Classes focused on issues or topics that were common to all craft related businesses, and it was super refreshing to hear perspectives from folks outside our niche and what has worked for them. The whole thing was amazing from start to finish.