Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2015 i The World of Cross Stitching

What’s your favourite thing about summer? Long sunny days are just ideal! Not only to enjoy fresh new projects and light evenings when I don’t need my daylight lamp – I love being out in my garden, adding a few stitches while the sun goes down. Like sweet Somebunny to Love, showcased on our cover, who’s also getting out to make the most of the weather with her butterfly pal. Exclusively from DMC, it’s a fun, quick project that long days are meant for, so turn to page 10! Plus, I’m so excited to debut the first part of a special project with you… Moon hare on page 36 may be a challenge that not everyone can take on (yet!), but I can promise you it has wow-factor. Start now…

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 All boxed up Q I’ve been asked to make a tissue box holder, incorporating cross stitch, for a present. Oblong size, not men’s large… Any ideas…

× Karren Bailey: I make thread cards beforehand. I leave two holes for each colour, one hole for the complete six strand threads and one hole for the separated two strand thread that I have not used up. × Lauren Harding Duggar: Separate and label each colour onto bobbins or something similar. Always stitch in the same light. Stop for a break every so often to give your eyes a time out from focusing on the same thing. × Colleen Walker: When stitching big projects, I zigzag all the edges of my material with a sewing machine – a quick, simple but invaluable step to protect against fraying. × Debbie Hier: When I am stitching a large piece, especially one with many similar colours, I make a grid on the…

CLUB OF THE MONTH SOUTH AFRICAN STITCHERS This vibrant, Facebook group has over 370 members, which have regular gettogethers in different regions of South Africa to connect stitchers, inspire and create lasting friendships. They also hold monthly events like exchanges, Round Robins, Secret Stitchers Stash Swaps and so on. Email Nikki Loans on nikki@crossstitchsupplies.co.za for more info and to be added to the Facebook group. APPLY: Tell us about your club and you could win a goodie bag. Write to us (p17) or email letters@cross-stitching.com WHERE AM I? Here I am in front of the Science Museum, part of the stunning architecture of the Ciudad De Las Artes Y Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences). We enjoyed walking around the city in the beautiful sunshine and I even got to…

One of the most striking summer blooms around has to be the fabulous sunflower. Big and bold, with pretty yellow petals that shine as brightly as its namesake, this eye-catching plant is loved by young and old, making it the ideal subject for this sweet card set. Beautifully designed to spread greetings of joy, each card holds its own special charm – choose a field of sunflowers to say thank you, a pair of blooms standing tall and proud as a birthday greeting or a sweet seed packet for an avid gardener. Or, why not stitch all six and keep to one side? They’re sure to come in handy! While you can easily finish your chosen chart in just a few evenings, there’s plenty of detail to keep your attention…

Next month in Britain’s No.1 THE WORLD OF Cross Stitching THE WORLD OF cross stitching EXCLUSIVE MOON HARE Complete your stunning project of this magical scene – part two of the chart! CARDS FOR ALL Whatever the occasion, a cross stitched greeting will be sure to raise a smile PERFECT POPPIES Your favourite flower in cross stitch… Enjoy this timeless display LILI OF THE VALLEY So sweet! Capture the joy of a new party dress in this fab exclusive FOR THE KIDS Jurassic World here we come! Stitch a dinosaur-packed project, full of fun BABY WELCOME Create a sampler to treasure, celebrating a new arrival PLUS MUCH MORE Create unique makes with our autumn ABC and numbers set Your cross stitching queries answered by our experts Fun and quick Halloween…

Symbols Look for a symbol close to the chart centre – the arrows on our charts easily show the centre so you won’t need to count! Find this symbol in the key. The codes in that row show which thread shades to use for cross stitching blocks with this symbol. Thread brands The thread shades are listed in separate columns for the different manufacturer brands of thread. For best results, you should stick to one manufacturer for the whole of a design. Backstitch & French knot shades The shades used for these are listed under the cross stitch symbols. The number of strands needed for these can vary, so make sure you check how many to use, as specified in the key. Stitch count & Design area The finished size…

Are you a serial-starter who loves new projects, but never quite finishes them (too many UFOs in your cupboards)?! Or maybe, you’re good about completing each one before starting the next? I tend to fall in this category, but one area I’m not always very committed is to doing the finishing, or the making up. I bet that more than a few of you are ‘guilty’ of the same too. Actually doing the stitching is what we love, whether or not we have a finishing purpose for the project we’re making! Sound familiar? Recently I was searching for a project I finished a while ago (ahead of time, yay!) for a birthday gift… When looking through my stitching drawer of carefully stored projects, tissue paper thoughtfully layered between stitched aidas…

Be on the panel! Get a sneak preview Appear in the magazine Receive a stitchy gift Astrid Mayangsari-Gediman is a housewife from Istanbul What are you working on? A custom project of my late grandma with my son by Maria Diaz. I asked Maria to make a chart of them by mixing two of their best pictures into one and make a cross stitch chart. Who do you like to stitch for? Mostly for myself. I’ve also made some projects for my son, my cousins and my friend, who’s expecting a baby. Fave recent design? The space silhouette from issue 225. It was intended for my son’s room but, because it’s on glowin-the-dark fabric, my husband is the one who’s amazed with it. Proudest stitching moment? A birth record for…

Star Letter STITCHED TREAT Here is my latest finished project. I work in a busy restaurant, so the subscriber exclusive chart from issue 226 caught my eye immediately, especially when I found Jenny Barton’s 'Baked delights' designs in issue 230! I mixed the two designs together for a quicker finish, stitching the cupcake on plastic canvas and the rest of the pattern on black aperture card for the chalkboard effect. Now it is in our office cheering up everyone when we have a bad day at work! Bernadett Horvath, Skegness Ruth: Looks fab Bernadett. Check out page 18 for another tasty stitch idea. Win! The writer of our Star letter wins both of these Paddington Bear kits – 'Baking Sampler' (£19.99) and 'Sports Sampler' (£19.99) from Bothy Threads! MORE: For stockists,…

Print it out Q I recently subscribed to the digital version of your magazine. I wanted to know how can I print out a chart as I find it very difficult to follow on the iPad? Shweta Thapliyal, via email A Mike says: I hope you’re enjoying your App version of the magazine Shweta. A digital magazine has lots of advantages, not least the pinch-and-zoom facility, but also things like the reduced need for paper storage and, of course, the extra features you can enjoy too, like extra photo galleries. We’ve been undergoing lots of negotiations and development processes with the Apple team so that it’s easier to print pages from the Apps purchased by stitchers. My first suggestion is that you need to take a screengrab of the page…

Seaside stitch ideas GREAT FOR BEGINNERS GONE TO THE BEACH Beach huts in a row make a quintessentially English seaside scene, shown in this kit by Historical Sampler Company*. This accessible kit is done in whole stitches only, and is worked on 16-count aida, so it’s great for stitchers wanting to try a different count fabric. The design is also available with 32-count evenweave or as a chart pack for £9. Stitch count – 91 high x 213 wide, finished size 14x33cm (5¾x13¼in) on 16-count white aida BUTTON EMBELLISHMENTS BEACH-Y MOOD This folk-art-style picture by The Cross-Eyed Cricket from Sew and So* features motifs we love from the seaside: a seagull, starfish, flip flops and a sandcastle. The design is a chart booklet (95975), including sections enlarged for clarity. There’s also…

Summer is here, and with it long, sunny days for spending outdoors and having fun. Our cuddly Mr panda has been hard at work taking advantage of the warm weather and doing a spot of gardening. And, after putting in all the work, he is taking a welldeserved break in his pretty spotted hammock… cup of tea and cookie in hand. He isn’t alone though, a feathered friend watches over, hoping for a share of that tasty treat! Using a variety of techniques to create depth and shading in this delightful summery scene, you’ll whizz through the half cross stitch making up the background, while taking your time working the fractionals, backstitch and French knots that bring the foreground into vivid focus. Perfect for green-fingered friends, or as a reminder…

Stitching’s a breeze! Let Senior Technical Editor Anne show you how it’s done, in this guide 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…

Quarter The chart shows which corner has the fractional. Bring the needle up in that corner and down in the centre of the square, halfway across the diagonal (diagram 1). Three-quarters Work a quarter stitch, then, a half stitch across the other diagonal arm of the square as in diagram 2. Like quarters, three-quarter stitches can face any direction. Two symbols When two symbols share a square, work a fractional in each colour. Decide on the quarter stitch for the background colour, then a three-quarters stitch for the main one (diagram 3). Back-to-back For a stronger outline, work a three-quarter stitch in each colour, stitching them back-to-back (diagram 4). Make sure that the two half stitch arms lie neatly parallel to each other.…

MAGICAL GIFT Here is a photo of my lovely daughter, Becky, holding the subscriber exclusive unicorn name plaque (from issue 178) I stitched for her eighth birthday recently. We both love unicorns and all things fairy-like and I absolutely loved stitching it for her. I hit a few problems with framing it as the first frame I ordered was too small, and the replacement only arrived two days before her birthday, so I didn’t have much time to frame it. She loves it and it has taken pride of place in her bedroom. Cathy Harber, North Lincolnshire Fiona: We would love a name plaque like that too Cathy, so can understand why your daughter is so pleased! If you and Becky like fairy-like designs, you’ll love our Somebunny to Love design…

Nothing beats that feeling of the warm sun against your skin while sitting out in the garden with your stitching or reading your favourite book, and maybe even a cheeky glass of wine! We love the way Durene’s sweet scene captures that happy-go-lucky feel of summer, with pretty colourful flowers gently blowing in the breeze while busy bees buzz in and out of them. Stitched in soft, subtle shades but with funky styling, this project has a contemporary feel that would make a great gift for a friend, or an equally perfect present for a teenager. With plenty of detail worked in whole cross stitches, fractionals and backstitch, this little project is packed full of interest. Each individual flower has a different pattern, and you’ll need to remember not to…

Q I was wondering if Jenny could possibly chart me a courgette flower? I want to make some courgette relish for people as gifts this year, and its flower would be perfect for adorning the jars. Thank you! Tina, via email A Jenny says: That sounds like a lovely idea Tina, so hopefully my design does the job. Small enough to fit on a label stitched on 14-count aida for a jar, I think your friends and family will appreciate all your hard work... on the relish and stitching. This design was stitched using DMC stranded cotton 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. The right fit Q I have four…

Fun facts about greyhounds They are the fastest breed of dog around. They can reach speeds of up to 45mph over a short distance. Despite their speed, greyhounds are surprisingly not full of boundless energy. They’re quite content to spend a lot of time lying around, earning themselves the nickname “the 40mph couch potato”. In 11th century England, there was a law forbidding “commoners” from owning greyhounds. Design my pet! Q I am the extremely proud owner of a black and white retired racing greyhound, called Daisy, and wonder if you would be able to help with a cross stitch chart? I know they are not the most common pet dogs to have, but they are so graceful, calm and loving. I love her to bits! Hope you can help.…

Ready, set, shop! Getting started Where to buy your start-up kit – turn to page 96 to see exactly what you’ll need ANCHOR www.makeitcoats.com 01484 681881 For kits, fabrics & threads CRAFT CREATIONS www.craftcreations.com 01992 781900 For blank & aperture cards DMC CREATIVE WORLD www.dmccreative.co.uk 0116 275 4000 For kits, fabrics, threads and more JOHN JAMES NEEDLES www.jjneedles.com 01527 830941 For needles & sewing essentials MADEIRA www.madeira.co.uk For fabrics, threads & accessories, buy in the UK from Barnyarns www.barnyarns.co.uk 01765 690069 THE WORLD OF CROSS STITCHING SUBSCRIPTIONS www.subscribeonline.co.uk/world 0844 826 7341 ZWEIGART www.zweigart.de For fabrics, buy in the UK from Willow Fabrics www.willowfabrics.co.uk 0800 056 7811 Fun, colourful designs See all the latest must haves, like these cute charts, on PAGE 24 Your projects Find all the charts, kits, threads…

Loop start With both ends of a strand threaded, bring your needle up (1), leaving a loop at the back. Work the first arm of your stitch (2) & secure it by passing your needle through the loop. Backstitch Add detail and definition. Bring your needle up at (1) & down at (2), come up again at (3), then back down at (1) & so on, to direct each stitch ‘back’ towards the line of the growing backstitch. Cross stitch Bring your needle up at the bottom left corner (1) & down in the top right (2) for the first ‘arm’ of your stitch. Work the second arm, coming up in the bottom right (3) & going down in the top left (4). French knots Easy with practice – come…

Afghan – a woollen blanket with areas inset for cross stitching, often used for baby designs Aida band – a narrow strip of aida, available in varying widths, and finished with a decorative edge Aperture – a hole through which a design is seen in cards & frames Backstitch – used to add detail & definition. See how to stitch it in our diagram above! Beading needle – a longer, finer needle than a tapestry needle, used for adding seed beads to a design Counted stitches – embroidery stitches worked on counted, or evenly woven, fabrics like aida & evenweave. Cross stitch is the most basic counted stitch Floss – USA term for stranded cotton Fractional stitches – made from either a quarter or three-quarters of a cross stitch, these…