It doesn’t have to be hard to market yourself. You just get out there and be. Look, Heather from Monsterbubbles does it. Sometimes though, it pays to tell people what you are up to rather than waiting for them to come looking for you.
I don’t understand why designers and others in the cross-stitch industry aren’t sending press releases to bloggers. There are lots of us with rather large readerships and, get this, it’s free. Or at least it doesn’t cost any more than writing a paragraph about what you are doing and shooting someone an e-mail. I work in communications, and we send press releases to blogs. Even a small skewering gets you publicity. And even though you might have a thin skin, it's all good.
Unfortunately, I think too many designers think of what they are doing as a hobby. Or at least they don’t seem to be taking advantage of all that is available to them to help make them more professional. (CF complaints about blurry photographs and lack of color correction on chart photos.) Sure doing these things takes away from time to create, but many of them could be quickly handled. Let's start with answering your e-mail and updating your website. Really, these are very basic business practices, and it is a business even if you do it at home in your pajamas.