Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2015 i The World of Cross Stitching

Stitching dilemmas? Whether it’s a technique query you need solving, or maybe you’re looking for fresh finishing inspiration, or perhaps ideas for your latest project to start… We have all the answers for you at The World of Cross Stitching. Look no further! I’ll start with the fab Fizzy Moon exclusive on page 10 – aren’t these two cute?! I think it’ll go on my must-make list, to cheer up a friend. Sending it with a quick-make card, using the pretty pastel Madeira threads and a pattern from the free chartbook, this’ll be a great pressie. With 42 designs to choose from, this book is one we’ll all refer to over and over, I’m sure you’ll agree! I’ve more birthdays to stitch for in a few weeks time… I’ll plan…

Ruth Southorn Ruth, our Editor, has been a cross stitcher since she was tiny and is ready to share everything she knows Anne MacGregor Anne can answer even the most difficult technical questions with her encyclopedic knowledge and skills Jenny Barton Design pro, Jenny has been creating projects for us for years and is ready to take on your design challenges Fiona Smith With her ears to the ground for the hottest stitching merchandise, Fiona’s all set to search out the stash you need Katriel Costello Stitching guru Katriel has worked in the industry for years, so has ample knowledge to answer any queries Measure up Cut and stick your motifs onto graph paper when planning a sampler design Measure up Q When stitching an alphabet or stitching a few…

Part TWO Make it shapely Another idea to give your card projects a special touch is to try mounting your stitching as a shaped design. Motifs don’t always have to be mounted on cards in an aperture or as a regular patch shape – why not give them a unique shaped look? This will work for absolutely any design, all you need to do is to apply iron-on interfacing to the reverse of your finished project. It won’t show through, and it acts to bond the fibres, both of the fabric and of the stitching, so no fraying can occur when you trim the curves of a shape. You may like to cut freehand or use a template to draw your pre-planned shape lightly in pencil on the back of…

No. 1 pet Design my pet! Q Could you design me a boxer dog please? I have an 18-month-old called Joey and she is my world – I couldn’t live without her! Thank you. Catherine, via email A Durene says: The boxer is a gentle giant – a strong, muscular dog with a surprisingly sweet temperament, and I decided to focus on this gentle nature by giving my pooch a slightly submissive pose. Looking up at us from this position, I think she looks particularly cute and cuddly! Technically, a boxer is still a puppy until she is three years old, so Joey is definitely classed as a pup. Hopefully I’ve managed to capture a good likeness for you, Catherine. I hope too that it’ll be a fun stitch for…

DURENE JONES Designer Durene’s getting right on-trend with us on page 18, inspired by classic folk art and a wildlife motif, the fox, who is all about town these days! AMANDA GREGORY Fabulous florals and all things feminine are Amanda’s design forte. We love her shabby chic cards (p68) and cottage garden hydrangea cushion on page 38. LISA REAKES With her love for making home decor projects, Lisa’s fun chicken chefs are just the ticket to brighten up your kitchen for the summer! See page 27. Cross stitch gets digital! Don’t miss out on any stitchy fun – get WOXS for your gadgets MUCH MORE THAN A MAGAZINE… APPS TO GO! Here at The World of Cross Stitching we’re proud to be online! Download our apps at the Apple newsstand,…

Q I’m hoping you can help me, by designing a male runner and a female runner. I’d like to send a card to the running club I am in, as a thank you for the help they have given me. If you are able to help, it’d be great – they wear orange running tops. Angela Munn, via email A Jenny says: Here you go, Angela – a pair of super-fit, super-fast runners for you to stitch! You’ll race through this quick and easy design, and it’s easy to adapt their hair colours to suit too. Please note: Jenny can only fit in fairly small designs and for copyright reasons she is unable to chart logos, or characters from films and TV. A runaway success Angela wants to thank her…

USE TO PERSONALISE GIFTS AND CARDS! Factbox Stitching Time Approx. 2 hours each Type of Stitches Cross stitch, fractionals, backstitch, French knots Ease of Stitching Beginner Versatile and easy to stitch Shopping list Zweigart* 14-count white aida measuring 10cm (4in) x required length Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric of your choice. Ours is Gütermann* ‘Kaleidoscope 2 Green’ (25_647039_152) from the Ring a Roses collection, and plain green from ‘Fat Quarter Bundle – Plain Pastels’ (159300) from The Craft Department*. Iron-on interfacing and bias binding of choice Thread & fabric cost Approximately £15 *For stockists see page 90 How to... make a pretty stitched apron 1 Trim your finished stitching, leaving a 2cm (¾in) border. Turn under a 1cm (½in) hem and topstitch in…

CALL THE HOTLINE TODAY 0844 826 7341 Issue 228 Last month’s issue was packed with fresh, fun projects – from Joan Elliott’s sweet garden bunny to pretty bunting, a magical pixie house, and friendship Design Library. Plus, card ideas for the new royal baby, a floral clock project and TWO FAB GIFTS: an exclusive Tatty Teddy kit by DMC, and a Lavender Fields chartbook from Heritage Crafts, perfect for the summer! Issue 227 Bebunni card kit & bookmark chart, sweet kitty, magnolias, Country Companions, vintage sport (part1), carousel horse cards Issue 224 Joan Elliott 2015 desk calendar Cookie bear, boho dreamcatcher, pretty wedding sampler, colourful robots, Michael Powell exclusive Issue 226 ‘Heart of roses’ sachet kit adorable bathtime mice, Home Sweet Home sampler, tulips field, hearts bunting, All Our Yesterdays…

Father’s Day mouse key STITCH COUNT 38 high x 33 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – 7x6cm (2¾x2½in) This design was stitched using DMC stranded cotton Each month one crossword winner gets an original print of Monty Mouse plus a limited-edition Titch chart, both by Lucie Heaton. To find more adorable Furry Tales designs, check out www.lucieheaton.com PRIZES WORTH $300 Light of day The Twist Portable LED Lamp (D35700) by Daylight* gives high contrast and accurate colour matching – perfect for evenings spent stitching. The twistable shade also lets you position the light where you need it. This fantastic lamp is worth £75, and we have four to be won – good luck! TO ENTER To enter by text message use keyword ‘WOXS229LAMP’ or if you’re entering by…

Simple yet effective, these stylish little mini canvases from Rhona Norrie are the perfect accessory for any wall. Sometimes we all need a reminder to look on the positive side of life, and what better way to communicate that than by using the beauty of cross stitch? Each design uses different typography and has a pretty border detail to bring the wise words into focus. They’re both fractional-free, so once your whole cross stitch is done, there’s just a bit of backstitch on one of the patterns. What’s more, with just seven different thread shades in total, after you pick up your needle you’ll be finished in no time at all. You can easily complete both in a week, or even over a weekend... if you’re lucky enough to have…

Bernice Woodhouse is an office worker from Hull What was your first cross stitch? A lion I bought in our local craft shop when I was about 10 years old. What are you working on? A DMC kit, 'Boofle Cupcakes'. It‘s a piece for my kitchen when it’s finished as I am a very keen baker too. Who’s your favourite cross stitch designer and why? My favourite designer would be Santoro and more specifically the Gorjuss kits by Bothy Threads. I have stitched 11 of these fabulous designs. Fave recent design from the mag? The Forever Friends bears from issue 225. I stitched it in two weeks and it’s been framed and is on display in my living room. “I find cross stitching really relaxes me” Marnie Duggan is a…

Join us on Facebook Chat 24/7 on our Facebook page – here’s what you’ve missed! OUR FAVOURITE POST Amy Hockaday “This is my latest completed project, the Noah’s Ark design from issue 219, which I stitched for my two nephews’ room. It took about six months with a few breaks to complete. It was my first time using evenweave.” YOU LIKED Clare Fairclough “Starting the beading on this beast today!” This Lavender & Lace 'Celtic Winter' design is gorgeous Clare, we are sure it will look fantastic when finished. And the winner is… We asked you on Facebook: What do you like to do while stitching? We all like doing stuff while stitching, be it listening to music, watching catch-up TV or socialising with our crafty friends. And yes, sometimes…

VERSATILE DESIGN BREEDS OF SHEEP This chartbook by Amaryllis Artworks from Arts and Designs* includes fleecy Suffolks, Shropshires and more! A craft light will help you stitch their fleece, which is worked in cream with soft grey shading. Fractionals create realistic shapes, and there are French knots in the lettering, too. With this versatile chart, you can even make a quick gift by stitching one sheep as an ornament – instructions are included. Stitch count – 195 high x 133 wide, 35x24cm (14x9½in) on 28-count evenweave DECORATIVE STITCHES OLD MCDONALD’S FARM This classic band sampler chart (110863) by The Victoria Sampler from Sew and So* has plenty of detail to stretch you. Try stitching over one thread, plus triple cross stitch, herringbone stitch and more. Handdyed threads, silk threads and beads…

One of the most important – and instantly recognisable – ceramic artists from the 1930s is Clarice Cliff, and her highly-stylised designs are still in demand today. Any fan of antiques’ TV shows will know that one of her pieces found in the attic is sure to create excitement! Inspired by her bold use of colour and landscapes of cottages and trees, this stunning design by Susan Bates has all the impact of Clarice Cliff’s work. You’ll use bright tangerines and pinks alongside purples and greens for the most breathtaking colour pop against that crisp white aida. And, there’s plenty of backstitch to bring all those details sharply into focus, too, so make sure to follow the key closely so you use the correct colour of thread for each section…

On a warm sunny day there’s nothing like a spot of al fresco stitching, and what better design to work on than this beautiful scene from Kate Knight? You can almost see the wildflowers swaying softly in the breeze, and hear the gentle flutter of the butterfly’s wings as it hovers overhead. So relaxing! Worked in whole stitches with plenty of fractionals to shape the petals, and clusters of French knots in the centre of each flower, this project is ideal for intermediate stitchers who are confident with the details of a large project. It’s a great chance to get to grips with French knots – take a look at our video tutorial at www.cross-stitching.com/how-to/tv for a refresher if you need one! A pretty pastel mount and fresh white frame…

CROSSWORD By text: Text FURRY229 followed by the mystery word, your name and postal address to 87474 eg. FURRY229 Mystery, Name, 123 Any Rd, Anytown AB1 C23. Texts will be charged at 50p plus your standard network tariff rate. By post: Write your name, address and the mystery word on the back of a postcard or stuck-down envelope and send it to: Crossword WOXS229 Immediate Media Co, 2nd Floor, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN. Terms & conditions as far right except for: closing date for entries is 26 May 2015. One winning entry will be chosen at random from all eligible entries. GIVEAWAYS By text: Text the giveaway’s keyword (see above) followed by your name, email and postal addresses to 87474 eg. KEYWORD Name email@email.co.uk 123 Any Rd,…

CHOOSE YOUR ESSENTIALS… Start with these must-have items 1. FABRICS Begin with either aida or evenweave. Aida is best for beginners, with regular woven blocks and obvious holes. It’s stiffer than evenweave, but will soften slightly as you work. 14-count aida is the most common. It’s harder to work fractional stitches on aida, as you’ll need to make an extra hole in the fabric, in the centre of the aida block. Evenweave is a lovely fabric to work on when you have a little more experience. The fibres aren’t woven in blocks as with aida, so it’s softer and the fine weave has more threads-per-inch – the most commonly used is 28-count. One stitch is usually worked over two threads of the fabric so it has an equivalent design size…

Step back in time… I’m lucky enough to have been given a big bag of vintage embroidered linens. Unwanted by a neighbour who had inherited them, she thought of me as she knows I’m a stitcher. What a treat to explore all the hard work of decades ago, and to rediscover these handmade homewares, much loved by families past. Tablecloths, napkins, hankies and dressing table mats… practical ‘ordinary’ items, yet all beautifully decorated – I’m sure they’d have all been special to someone. It’s fun to imagine everyday life with so many stunningly stitched bouquets and crinoline ladies! I’m inspired to stitch pretty and useful homewares for my family mealtimes. Personalised napkins… Heirlooms of the future, perhaps? For now, I’ll make the most of these vintage pieces. Worth nothing to…