Searches for “Summerween” on Michaels.com jumped 530% in May compared with the year before. By the time the leaves turn, the craft retailer wants those early Halloween fans to have something to make.
On August 31, Michaels announced “Hobbyween,” which it calls its largest Halloween crafting assortment to date. The line has hundreds of exclusive projects: spooky crochet, embroidery, Paint by Number, group craft kits and DIY home accents. It is on sale now in all Michaels stores and at Michaels.com and Michaels.ca.
What is on the shelves
The company’s press release sorts the range into five groups.
Fiber arts get the most room, with beginner-to-advanced kits for crochet, embroidery, cross-stitch and punch needle. Michaels says Halloween crochet kit searches rose 583% year over year, embroidery and cross-stitch each climbed nearly 400%, and needlepoint went up 251%.
Paint by Number, which Michaels calls one of its fastest-growing categories, adds Marker, Embossed and Framed Mini kits. There is also an expanded run of unfinished surfaces and raw materials for custom seasonal displays, and a set of Halloween mystery craft kits modeled on blind boxes. Each hides a surprise design, whether diamond art, Paint by Number or another project type.
For parties, new paint party multipacks and shareable projects target craft nights and “Boo Basket” gatherings. Michaels reports searches for group craft kits are up 52%.
The pitch
Chief Merchandising Officer Stacey Shively drew the line between the two trends. “Summerween is about celebrating Halloween early, but Hobbyween is about celebrating it more creatively,” she said. “Consumers are embracing the longer Halloween season as an opportunity to discover new crafts and build hands-on traditions together.”
Shively told Martha Stewart’s site that miniature crochet kits, often called amigurumi, are especially popular right now. Crafters, she said, are also making macramé pumpkin wall hangings, covering craft pumpkins in diamond art, and collaging unfinished wood and ceramics with craft paper and old magazines.
The company ties the push to its 2026 Creativity Trend Report, which it says shows a return to analog pastimes and nostalgic traditions. Seventy percent of Michaels shoppers say they make their own Halloween decor. The report mixes Michaels’ customer data with third-party search analysis.
Shoppers who would rather buy than make can browse ready-made decor collections, from zodiac-inspired accents and ghosts in 1970s disco sparkle to a 4-foot, pre-lit tree shaped like a witch hat.
Sources
- Michaels Unveils "Hobbyween," Fueling Growing Demand for Hands-On Halloween Creativity
- Michaels Just Dropped Its Biggest Halloween Craft Collection Yet—See the ‘Hobbyween’ Finds
