Though Russians have been embroidering for centuries, cross-stitch patterns were not originally created there. “I still have two shirts that were cross-stitched by my great-great-grandfather,” she said. Maria Demina, the owner of the popular LittleRoomInTheAttic store on Etsy, says, “The saddest part is that all the items got hidden, and nobody can see the patterns I have been working on for the last seven years.” Demina connects the popularity of this hobby and variety of digital designs in Russia not with piracy, but national traditions, which were passed through generations.
Because of a Russian tradition of textile crafts? Or, as another theory went, because of Russian Etsy users stealing virtual patterns? We spoke to some of the store owners to find out why Russia is so rich in cross-stitch pattern designers-and what it’s been like to have their shops shuttered.
Once online cross-stitchers realized that the change had happened because of Etsy suspending shops in Russia (Etsy didn’t respond to questions about how many exactly have been closed), many began to wonder why so many were based there in the first place. In a way, yes-and it’s a fascinating example of how even the digital supply chain can be concentrated in one geographic area. “Did cross-stitch pattern makers go through a purge or something?” a Reddit user wondered. After Etsy pulled the plug on Russia, shops with thousands of five-star reviews and large numbers of sales disappeared at once. They can also pay large sums for custom designs. Cross-stitchers will pay anywhere from about $3 for small, simple patterns to much more for large, complex designs, all of which can be downloaded instantly after purchase. This is how many American fans of cross-stitch-a needle craft in which you stitch tiny X’s over and over to create a design on fabric-discovered that many of their favorite digital pattern designers are from Russia.
In early March, after PayPal announced shutting down its services in Russia, Etsy suspended Russian shops “due to expanding business restrictions, including multiple payment processors and credit cards ceasing operations in Russia.” But the change has also affected more unexpected businesses. MOSCOW-Since Russia’s “special operation” began in Ukraine, Western brands have been exiting the country rapidly, making it much harder to find cars, furniture, phones, and clothes.
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