Today on the Craft Industry Alliance podcast we’re talking about running an online fabric shop with my guest, Lindsay Prezzano. Lindsay and her husband Charlie own Hawthorne Threads, an online fabric shop offering a vast selection of curated contemporary fabric collections, patterns, and thread for the modern sewer.
Charlie and Lindsay Prezzano, co-founders and owners of Hawthorne Threads
Lindsay’s first foray into the handmade business world was through an Etsy shop called FabricationsByLin which she opened in 2007. At home with their first child, she had begun making and selling fabric covered picture frames. Over time, she started ordering fabrics by the bolt, making a few frames and then selling the remaining yardage in a second Etsy shop. When that second Etsy shop’s business far exceeded the first, Lindsay decided to go full force selling quilting cottons online.
The Hawthorne Threads website has sophisticated search features.
Charlie is a software developer and when the fabric shop outgrew Etsy he built the robust ecommerce site that is now Hawthorne Threads.
Through years of hard work and remarkable dedication, Lindsay and Charlie have built a fabric business known for its exceptional customer service, social media savvy, and curated selection. Hawthorne Threads now has 30 employees and is housed in a warehouse in upstate New York, near Lindsay and Charlie’s home.
Lindsay Prezzano reaching for a bolt in the Hawthorne Therads warehouse.
In our conversation we talk about:
- the unique advantages of running an online fabric shop (over a brick & mortar shop) and why it would be very difficult to do both at the same high level
- digitally printing fabrics (Hawthorne Threads has just released their 14th collection of fabrics designed and printed in-house)
- the early days of building a business
- email marketing
- how Hawthorne Threads uses Instagram
and much more. And, of course, I ask Lindsay to recommend some things she’s loving right now. Lindsay recommends:
- UPPERCASE magazine
- quilting over top of topographic maps (like this)
- window shopping for weavings online
This episode of the podcast is sponsored by Porter & Hazel leather goods. Porter & Hazel makes custom wrap bracelets, cuffs, dog collars, secret message bracelets, and more – all distressed and made to order with hand-carved designs.
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Great interview Abby – I love Hawthorne Threads and have spent many an hour (and many a dollar 😉 over at their site. I loved hearing the story behind the things that make shopping there so handy – the colour grid, the categories (colour, theme, substrate, etc) and the examples of the fabric in use. They have also always been very fair with their shipping costs (a biggie for us here in Australia) and very helpful when it comes to stuffing an envelope to the brim (have to make the most of those flat rate envelopes!). I also love how the shopping cart items are listed out – it’s easy to see what you have ordered and what colours might be missing from the bundle you’ve curated in there. Truthfully, I only shop elsewhere if I need Kona solids (*cough*geeIwishtheywouldstockKona*cough*). Great to hear about Amsterdam and Barcelona (the printers) – I hadn’t thought about the pattern repeat options, what a great opportunity it presents.
I don’t know if I missed it (I was chain piecing as I listened, so it’s possible) but was there a reason behind the name Hawthorne?
Thanks for another great hour.
P.S. I don’t care how shallow it sounds – I want Lindsay’s hair.
Great question. We ran out of time for it, but Hawthorne is the name is the street Lindsay and Charlie lived on!
I really enjoyed listening to your podcast with Lindsay from Hawthorne Threads. I want to thank Christa Watson for recommending it to me. I will be listening to more of your podcasts. I am inspired to do something more with my interests. I will go to Hawthorne Threads for my on line purchases. I am recovering from a hip replacement, retired, and want to dabble in more online business. I have successfully sold my late husband’s stuff on EBay. I have been discouraged dealing with some crazy buyers. I am going to get back to the EBay selling & see where I can go from there. Thanks again, Shari
Thanks for the great article on Hawthorne Threads. I didn’t get a chance to listen to your podcast but the article was enough for me to finally spend some time on their website. I placed my first order with them today. Great prices and shipping costs. I like that they sell 1/2 yard cuts for exactly half of the full yard price. I can’t believe Fabric.com charges at least 50% more if you order only a half yard. I’ll be doing more business with sites like Hawthorne Threads. Again, I appreciate all you do in delivering good and interesting information.
That’s terrific, Rose!