Witching Along with Fourth Circle Studio

written by Dana L. Costa; photos courtesy of Haley Talatinick

We can all understand the desire to create the dream stitch pattern that exists in our heads. Many of us will never translate that desire into reality.

Not Minnesota (USA)-based Haley Talatinick. She not only created the kick-ass pattern that she couldn’t find online, she turned it into a stitchalong (SAL)!

Wait, strike that...a Witchalong.

Haley, under her company Fourth Circle Studio, created the popular Witchalong: The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (CAOS), based on the 2018 Netflix series, which was based on the Archie comic book series.

What would make a pattern-creating newbie tackle a SAL? Haley explained it. “I blame Hamilton for making me feel like I need to accomplish something. I got it into my head that I wanted a giant Sabrina cross-stitch pattern so I sat down and made one! It started as a single pattern and spiraled out of control into over 15 separate patterns. Typical me had to take it one step further and make an entire Stitchalong for it.”

Of all the pop-culture options available to her, why would Haley choose Sabrina? “The characters in CAOS are all so diverse that it makes them excellent subjects for a crossstitch pattern,” Haley said. “It’s important to have physical characteristics or props that are easy to distinguish so there is no questioning who they are.” the SAL pieces released so far, it is easy to tell which CAOS character you are stitching, even without names. It’s a fun, flexible stitch with lots of cute details.

The path to the final design was not without its stumbles.

“I wish I had the confidence to share a picture of my rough draft,” Haley recalled. “I initially started with similar patterns but the layout changed constantly. I’m very Type A, which results in spending massive amounts of time working on projects ‘til someone physically makes me stop.”

Haley enlisted the help of a small group of test stitchers to help her complete the entire SAL to check the pattern for errors, make sure the colors translated the way Haley expected them to, and suggest tweaks to the design. Finding that trusted group was easier than she anticipated.

“I released a free pattern, Portrait of Sabrina, to the [Facebook] group, and offered to let anyone who could complete it in a week be a test stitcher,” Haley said. “I contacted every single person who did and the crew was formed! It was kismet! Not only were they tolerant of my madness, they were encouraging and more supportive than any bra I’ve ever worn!”

The challenges of creating a large pattern and starting a SAL don’t stop once the pattern is complete. “I personally struggle with engaging the [Facebook] group. Sometimes I feel like I’m shouting in a big dark room and I don’t know if anyone else

is there,” Haley admitted.

And then there’s the imposter syndrome that so many experience. Even a talented creator like Haley feels it. “Early on, I expected others would question my legitimacy. I needed to establish trust before I could come anywhere close to opening an Etsy shop.”

There’s also the age-old issue of fear of rejection, that the people she had rallied behind her CAOS Witchalong project wouldn’t like what she had designed. “I’m learning slowly that there’s rarely one thing that appeals to everyone,” Haley said. To try to get in front of that fear, Haley released patterns in her specific style to get feedback and gauge interest.

Based on the reactions to her first project, there has been lots of interest in her design, something that surprises her a bit. She came onto the SAL scene seemingly from out of nowhere and she said she’s a little overwhelmed that her idea gener

ated so much interest, including the request to do interviews like this one.

“I’d love to do this again but I need a lot of reassurance to find the confidence,” she said. “It’s another thing that I’m working on in order to become the best me! I think if my angelic test stitchers agreed to let me throw them in the metaphorical trunk that is my process and drive them down the side of a mountain again I will conjure up a second stitchalong. Please help me lure them in!”

And the subject? She excitedly replied: “Oh, hot damn! I love me some Beetlejuice. If he’s still looking for a bride then I’m looking for a second husband!”

Find Haley and Fourth Circle Studio on Facebook and Instagram or on her website: FourthCircleStudio.com. Join the Witchalong Facebook group for more information about the SAL.

Use the exclusive StitchLife discount code HELLRAISER for 15% off your purchase.