Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 35 i Cross Stitch Favourites

Make your springtime as bright as possible with flowers, gardening tools, Easter eggs and more, all stitched in Mollie Johanson’s signature kawaii style. These friendly characters are super-easy and satisfying to stitch, as they’re made up of big colourful blocks of whole stitches with just a hint of backstitch for their sweetly smiling mouths. That means you can stitch kawaii cuties for gifts in no time as each motif, depending on the one you choose, takes around one to seven hours to finish. A selection of your favourite motifs from this collection will look fab stitched up for spring birthdays, as home decor, even pretty patches to customise clothes and accessories. They add sweet spots of colour and who could resist those darling smiling faces? Be inspired by beautiful photography…

We all know that teachers do a fantastic job inspiring their pupils from year to year and making learning fun. So at the end of the school term, why not encourage your child to show their appreciation with a handmade card? Just ask your little one which design they like then, if they are showing signs of wanting to have a go at cross stitch, why not get them to stitch a part of the design for themselves? Then you can be teacher too! Primary school aged kids will love the bold colours and cute characters that make up each of these cards, the book-carrying tortoise and mouse with a backpack are two favourites. At a maximum of 35 by 35 stitches they’re small but pack a punch design-wise and…

Perhaps you’re expecting your first baby, or there’s a new addition in the family, wouldn’t it be sweet to show their love for another family member with a hand-stitched card? We think that’s an adorable idea. They can’t stitch a card themselves, but that’s ok – you’re here to stitch one for them. And if the newest member of your household is of the four-legged variety, why not show their gratitude for all those cuddles, walks and biscuits with a stitched thank you? Sending out greetings from the littlest ones in the family will give your parents, partner or friends a good chuckle. Whether it’s for Valentine’s Day, a birthday or just because, these cheerful cards are sure to raise a smile or two. The designs are stitched using simple…

Halloween is that exciting time of year we associate with haunted houses, creepy costumes, watching horror movies and, of course, trick or treaters. If you’re hosting a party this year and getting ready to show off your best spooky outfit, remember that this holiday isn’t just for scares – shake up your decor with a selection of cute kawaii-style motifs to entertain your guests. With a witch, pumpkin, black cat, candy, ghost and spider to choose from, these designs are versatile and easy to stitch too. Using mostly whole stitches with just a spot of backstitch for subtle definition, this is a great project to get kids involved in as well. Try stitching the designs on 11-count aida so it’s easier for children to see the holes and, when you’re…

We know you love stitching for little ones and who better to come up with these wildly cute charts than one of your favourite cross stitch designers, Durene Jones. A wise elephant, cheeky monkey and brave lion are just a few of the animals here to welcome a child into the world. Each cutie makes a satisfying stitch, as will the leaf border ‘growing’ around the edge. Mainly worked in whole stitches, re-create the smiling faces with fractionals and French knots. This sweet set includes a card and gift tag too. We made our sampler into a canvas for a modern look, while the tag and card are mounted in handcut apertures using animal-print papers for a fun finish. If you’ve never mounted your completed work onto a canvas before,…

Looking for the perfect wedding sampler to mark a good friend’s nuptials? We bet you’ll say, ‘I do’ to this picture perfect design. For romantic stitches like this one, Durene has kept the colours quite muted, and the lines nice and soft. She’s chosen a lovely pale pink palette for this sampler. You’ll also notice that she’s used lots of swirls and curls, and steered away from solid backstitch outlines, opting for a more sketched effect instead. This gives the design a timelessly classic look and a decidedly modern feel. The beauty of this chart is that the elements that make up the illustrated border can be restitched as cards or a tag to accompany your stitched gift. The main centrepiece, the bear bride and groom, make a very sweet…

Whether you’re off to a party, getting ready for a baby shower or just want to surprise someone with a thinking-of-you present, Lucie’s teddy bear pals will make your gift-giving go the extra mile. Once you’ve finished stitching, cut out the design leaving a two-square border and lightly fray the edges. Mount the stitch onto a tag using double-sided tape, then add a length of satin ribbon to complete. Stitch Tip Cut fabric to size after you’ve finished stitching these teeny tiny teds, it’ll be much easier to handle as you stitch Teddy tags key Shopping list Fabric 14-count white aida measuring 10x10cm (4x4in) for each design Threads Stranded cotton as listed in the key Needle Size 24 tapestry needle Extras Gift tags, a length of ribbon, white paper for…

Whether it’s our own pets, the animals down the farm or horses in a field while you’re out on a country walk, these beautiful creatures bring much happiness. And this collection is filled with charts that’ll give a heart-warming glow, especially in autumn and winter. It’s also a great excuse for all those animal lovers to stay inside and stitch during colder months. So let’s get warm and cosy – and stitch! Stitch Tip If your chart gets wet, leave it to dry naturally on top of a fluffy towel and then press flat under the weight of some books It’s in the detail Reduce your thread stash by mixing and matching different shades for the knitwear in these designs. The hedgehog’s jumper, doggy rain coat and sheep’s shawl would…

As with the traditional wooden kokeshi dolls, these designs are beautifully simple. With their colourful costumes, unique hairstyles and rosy cheeks, there’s plenty to love about each little character. The charts are easy enough for beginners to follow, plus only a tiny amount of backstitch is needed for their eyes and lips. To make cute decorations add backing fabric, a little stuffing and some ribbon for hanging. Stitch Tip The dolls’ outfits are worked in blocks of colour. If you want to use up threads in your stash you could try out different shades In the detail Two of the dolls have super-simple floral designs, the red/pink doll and the green/yellow one. It would be fun to complement them with a backing fabric that showed a ditsy, flowery print. Bright…

We love the stitchy theme of these flags, and their wonderful sewing element. They are designed in the Assisi style, which is where each letter is left unstitched but is surrounded by designs. The motifs are also bordered with a row of backstitch designed in the style of hand stitching for a real homespun look. Each letter is decorated with folksy motifs, all on a new baby theme. So there’s a bib and a bow, rocking chair and kite, along with an adorable set of animals, from a bobtail bunny to an elephant. And doesn’t the bunting look fabulous strung across the nursery shelf in our inspiring photograph? You can achieve the same professional finish too, with the help of our instructions over the page. The banner is quite simple…

Let’s have a cheer for all our furry and scaly friends – we love it when they greet us with glee, gaze at us with inquisitive eyes or just have a sweet little snooze in a favourite spot (our crafting armchair…). Just like their real-life counterparts, these pet designs are sure to raise a smile. They’re perfect for thanking pet-sitting friends, surprising new pet owners or treating your own four, two or no-legged pals to a fab new toy or habitat update. The 36 charts in this selection are made up of quite small stitches and will take around one to five hours each to stitch. Which is good news because there’s lots to choose from in this collection. Whether you’re searching for a toy for the cat, a plastic…

Want a refreshing chart to stitch while you’re on holiday lounging by the pool? We can’t think of a juicier set of designs to stitch as you while away the sunny hours. With fun sentiments that’ll make you giggle, stitch them for friends and family and attach them to birthday gifts. Or make a fun sign to display on a mini mountboard and easel, so every time they look at it, it’ll make them smile. From ‘squeeze the day’, ‘lime all yours’ and ‘love you berry much’ the sweet sentiments and smiley faces of the orange, pears and even a bunch of grapes are guaranteed to make the recipient feel good. You’re sure to have some of these thread colours in your stash box already, and maybe some leftover aida…

You know what it’s like, you may be feeling a little flat and in need of a pick-me-up and the letterbox goes and you hear letters as they hit the mat. Is there anything more cheering than receiving a card or a note in the post from a friend? And these delightful designs on a foodie theme are extra delicious. Super-quick and easy to stitch, you can finish a card or even a gift in just an evening or two. Stitch Tip You’ll use these cute little motifs time and time again, so store the charts in a ring binder to brighten up a rainy day at a later date Bright ideas Kawaii characters have become very popular. You could never eat one though – they’re far too lovable for…

When did monsters get so adorable do you think? We can probably thank Disney and Pixar with their genius invention of Monsters Inc. Thanks to these wonderful creations and many more, we’re able to help relieve children’s fears of figures hiding under beds and celebrate all creatures great and small. So, with the ever-growing popularity of these fantastic beasts in mind, Rhona Norrie has created this set of five fun cards with a thrilling surprise inside. For added excitement each of the characters has a tail to be patched on the inside of the card, making this project extra roarsome fun. To keep the make simple you just need to use a few colours in whole stitch and backstitch only, meaning that if you’ve got a little one in your…