Our Story
About Us - The Herrschners Story
From a Chicago pushcart to a community of makers
At the end of the 1800s, a young German immigrant named Frederick Herrschner started selling sewing notions from a pushcart on the streets of Chicago. His customers trusted his eye for qualityโand when they moved west, they wrote back asking him to keep the good things coming.
Those letters sparked an idea: a mail-order catalog filled with the supplies makers loved but couldnโt find in their new communities. That spark grew into the Herrschners you know today.
Still all about makers
Today, you can still flip through a fresh Herrschners catalogโbut you can also browse thousands of yarns, kits, and projects online. However you like to shop, our goal is the same as Frederickโs: give crafters a place to find quality supplies and spark their next handmade memory.
The pushcart that started it all
Frederick sold sewing notions from a pushcart on busy Chicago streets. His customers knew they could count on him for quality and came back again and againโeven after they moved away.
The catalog era
When customers headed west and couldnโt find the products they loved, they wrote to Frederick for help. His solution? Create a catalog and mail good things directly to makers wherever they lived.
From Chicago to Stevens Point
After Frederickโs passing, the business changed hands and eventually moved from Chicago to Stevens Point, Wisconsin, in 1970โdrawn by the strong work ethic and quality of life in this creative community.
Herrschners through the years
- Late 1800s
Frederick hits the streets of Chicago
With a pushcart full of sewing notions and a focus on quality, Frederick builds a loyal following among customers who rely on him for the tools they need to create.
- The catalog years
Mailing creativity across the country
As customers move west, they ask Frederick to ship supplies to their new homes. His catalog opens up a world of creative possibilities to makers who donโt have a local craft store.
- 1929 & beyond
New owners, same creative spirit
After Frederickโs death in 1929, Herrschners changes hands but keeps serving crafters with the same dedication to quality and inspiration.
- 1970
Herrschners finds a new home
The business relocates to Stevens Point, Wisconsinโa place one former owner fell in love with for its community and strong work ethic. Itโs still home base for Herrschners today.
- Today
Catalogs, clicks, and creativity
Makers can shop via print catalog or online, browsing thousands of yarns, kits, and toolsโfar more than Frederick could have imagined when he first rolled out his cart.
Ready to start your next chapter? Explore our yarns, knit & crochet kits, and needlework projects and create something youโll love.