Fat Cat Cross Stitch Kits
About Debbie Wingfield (1962 – 2023) – the late owner of Fat Cat Cross Stitch
Debbie started her first cross stitch kit in 1993 and not quite knowing what she was letting herself in for, she chose Teresa Wentzler's Summer Carousel Horse. For those that don't know, this is 18 x 14 inches, stitched on 32-count linen with blending, metallic threads, a huge number of fractional stitches and lots of backstitch and, needless to say, she never finished it!
However, a love of cross stitch was born and after many years working with children as a nanny and in nursery schools, she saw an opportunity to design a range of colourful, bold & bright designs for children and beginners. In 2010, Debbie launched Fat Cat Cross Stitch, named in honour of one of her rather cuddly cats, affectionately known as fat cat!
Debbie clearly identified a gap in the market, with thousands of her kits selling through retailers across the UK and internationally, and her Easy Peasy and Sew Simple ranges for children proving particularly popular.
Unfortunately, Debbie was diagnosed with a particularly aggressive cancer in May 2023 and she passed away in September the same year. Her husband Matt promised Debbie that he would try to keep her kits available in the market and we are absolutely delighted that Marie’s Cross Stitch has agreed to continue selling the kits. What’s more, it has been agreed that a percentage of each sale of a Fat Cat Cross Stitch kit will be donated to St. Michael’s Hospice in Hereford, who provided exceptional care for Debbie in her final weeks.
We hope that you enjoy making the kits as much as Debbie did designing them, so that together, we can keep her legacy alive in her memory.
Marie’s own breast cancer journey in 2019 was a life-changing experience that tested her resilience, but today she is proud to be cancer-free. Since overcoming this challenge, Marie has channelled her energy into her passion for cross-stitching, focusing on bringing back to the market Fat Cat cross stitch designs as part of her business.
Marie also keeps the memory of Debbie alive by continuing to produce cross-stitch patterns that Debbie loved, ensuring her legacy lives on through every stitch. Through her craft, Marie has found a meaningful way to honor both her personal journey and the cherished memories of those she holds dear.
