Project: Antipodean Stitching Society
Client: The Stitchers Merchant, Glen Innes NSW
The Antipodean Stitching Society needed a distinct logo design that felt connected to The Stitchers Merchant while standing confidently on its own.
Background
Antipodean Stitching Society began as a natural extension of The Stitchers Merchant, founded by Tam Lamson in Glen Innes, NSW.
What started as an online store offering a carefully curated range of needlepoint supplies has grown steadily. The Stitchers Merchant has built a reputation for combining traditional craft with a considered, community-led approach. Over time, that foundation expanded beyond ecommerce into experience-based offerings, including annual stitching retreats that now attract an international audience.
As the business evolved, so did its structure.
Antipodean Stitching Society emerged to support this next phase. It required its own identity. While still connected to The Stitchers Merchant, it needed to stand independently, with a clear purpose and presence that could support future growth.
This is where we came into the logo design project.
Overview
The Antipodean Stitching Society needed a distinct identity that felt connected to The Stitchers Merchant while standing confidently on its own. The goal was not just a logo, but a mark that carried meaning, heritage, and usability across real-world applications.
The Challenge
The brief required balance.
The new logo needed to:
- Sit comfortably within the existing visual world of The Stitchers Merchant
- Feel established, not secondary
- Reflect craftsmanship, community, and heritage
- Avoid overly soft or overly generic sewing visuals
It also needed to work practically across formats. This included social media, print, merchandise, and small-scale applications.
The Strategy
The direction was anchored early.
The focus was on building a badge-style identity grounded in:
- Guild symbolism
- Tattoo-inspired structure
- Collective identity over individual tools
Keywords such as guild, voyage, keepsake, ritual, and fellowship shaped the design thinking
Rather than designing for aesthetics alone, the approach prioritised meaning and longevity.
The Creative Direction
Three concepts were explored to test different interpretations of the brief:
The Southern Compass
A symbolic, place-based identity focused on orientation and meaning
The Mariner’s Mark
A bold, tattoo-inspired direction with strong visual impact
The Needle Guild
A collective emblem built from multiple needles forming a unified mark
The chosen direction positioned the brand as a community of makers, not just a product or business.
The Outcome
The final logo design is a circular guild emblem built from repeated needle forms radiating from a central star.
It communicates:
- Collective identity
- Craft and precision
- Heritage with modern usability
It provides recognisable links to The Stitchers Merchant through the use of colour and elements:
Teal, Raspberry, Gold and Parchment palette
The Needle
The Thread
The system includes:
Primary logo
Includes versions with and without reference to The Stitchers Merchant, in PNG and PDF format
Flat logo
Includes versions with and without reference to The Stitchers Merchant, in PNG, SVG and PDF format
Black and white
Greyscale versions for simple print application, in PNG, SVG and PDF format
Each version was designed for a specific use case, ensuring consistency across digital and print.
The final result is a structured, symbolic logo design built to scale across packaging, merchandise, and digital touchpoints.
The Impact
The brand now has:
- A clear and ownable identity
- A flexible system for real-world use
- Strong visual connection to the parent brand without duplication
It is built to grow.
Client Feedback
As with any marketing or design project, the key indicator of success (for me) is whether the client was happy:
Thanks so much Brenna!
Love it- it is fab! and love the way you have provided the different variations and suggestions.
Closing
This project is a strong example of what happens when strategy leads design.
The outcome is not just a logo. It is a brand asset built to work.
