Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2017 i The World of Cross Stitching

Here’s a warm welcome to The World of Cross Stitching – warm to coincide with the warm summer weather, which I hope you’re enjoying! It’s just so wonderful, I think, to get outdoors and make the most of the clear light, ideal for stitching… maybe relaxing as you stitch in the garden, or on holiday by a pool – ahhh! And, speaking of dreamy scenes, you won’t be able to resist the beautiful country cottage on page 10. It’s just so ‘chocolate box’, isn’t it?! Plus we’ve lots more summery inspiration for you, too. Find Helz Cuppleditch’s sweet sailboat exclusive on page 18, or choose a tranquil garden pond with colourful koi (p58). Both are lovely reminders of sunny days. And our fun cuties on page 27 are great if…

GILL COOPER “If you enjoyed the larger Herbert Hedgehog design in last month’s issue 257 (August 2017), then you’ll definitely love this sweet birthday card! Wearing a party hat and clutching a fat envelope, Herbert can’t wait to wish your lucky recipient a very happy birthday!” NEXT MONTH: XMAS KITTIES! Don’t miss out on next month’s free 3-in-1 Christmas kittens card kit! Get to the shops on 15 August to pick up your copy of issue 259, or subscribe and the mag will be delivered to your door. Find this month’s fab moneysaving subscription offer over on page 44! Turn to page 44 to subscribe…

Small but perfectly formed, this mini seaside make is a riot of colour and texture. From the charming typography to the bijou sailboat, we could spend hours poring over every little detail in this piece. There’s the patchwork sail, sewn from pretty patterned fabrics, and the string of bunting fluttering in the sea breeze… And how could we leave out the intricate shell border, accentuated with a scattering of gold seed beads? With whole cross stitches, fractionals, backstitch, beading and an array of French knots, there’ll be plenty of techniques to keep you occupied in this gem of a project! Set off against subtle blue aida, creating a beautiful sky backdrop, the project isn’t densely stitched so you should be able to finish it fairly quickly. So, if you fancy…

FRESH AND MODERN Brighten up a loved one’s day with these beautiful floral cards – they’ll be a treat to open! From the posy in the teacup to the floral archway and the blooms entwined around the birdcage, each design in this set of cards is a feast for the eyes! Ideal for birthdays, thank yous and all manner of sweet sentiments, these all-occasion stitches are packed with gorgeous details that’ll be so wonderful to share with loved ones. We think these designs would be perfect for adding to your stockpile of stitchy cards. You’ll blend different shades of pinks and reds to recreate the lifelike rose petals – and the backstitch in complementary colours, rather than black, will give the finished designs a delicate and refined look. Plus, you…

Shimmering and shining as they glide through the water, iridescent scales catching the sunlight, these fish are a magnificent sight. We love that each koi has its own set of characteristic markings, meaning no two are quite the same – just like a cross stitched design! Recreated in breathtakingly lifelike detail, this stitched portrait truly is a work of art. Capturing a sense of movement, as well as depth and perspective, designer Carol’s detailed piece will have your needle dancing with joy through your fabric. The rich colours of stranded cotton fabulously mimic the scales of these elegant creatures, and you’ll also use several blue shades to give the effect of the light dancing on the rippling water. With every square of fabric stitched, this densely worked project is one…

READY, SET, BAKE! Raise a smile with these sweet mice, helping out in the kitchen HAPPY HALLOWEEN Spooky stitching! Create this project, adding charms for a fun finish PLUS MUCH MORE Elegant stitcher’s accessories – fab for you or great as gifts Best for stitching queries & hunting down elusive charts! Halloween Design Library: try glow-in-the-dark threads Stitches for the kids! Jolly teddy bears ABC they’ll love Your stories, inspiration & letters… plus much more FREE! 3-IN-1 CUTE FESTIVE CARDS KIT Christmas starts here, with everything to make THREE cards for your stash! Your freebie kit includes: 14-count aida 30 lengths of stranded cotton Tapestry needle Coordinating card blanks Envelopes GIFTS IN ONE! 3…

Be on the panel! Get a sneak preview Appear in the magazine Receive a stitchy gift Gemma Swain is a data coordinator from Liverpool Ideal way to spend a day? Staying inside on a rainy day with my stitching, Classic FM and a cup of tea. Worst stitching disaster? I once left my needle in a project for a long time. The needle rusted and it was impossible to remove the stain. I now have a supply of pincushions! Fave recent design? Cute Tatty Teddy from issue 256. Who do you like to stitch for? I stitch small projects for myself. I also stitch for my mum – and a Tatty Teddy I once stitched for my grandma has pride of place on her hearth! Best thing about stitching? It’s…

Fun facts about ... Norwegian forest cats! This breed is sensitive but sociable, and adapts readily to change They have insulated, waterproof double coats – perfect for keeping warm during cold winters They nearly became extinct in World War II, so an official breeding programme was set up after the war It’s thought that Viking explorers took the ancestors of this breed on their sea voyages, to hunt mice and rats on their vessels! Design my pet! Q Hi Durene, could you design me a chart of a black-andwhite Norwegian forest cat? We have one in our family called Jack, and he’s 17 years old. He’s very spritely for his age, though! Despite the many naughty things he has done over the years, I’d like something to remember him by…

Ruth Southorn Ruth, our Editor, has been a cross stitcher since she was tiny and is ready to share everything she knows Fiona Baker Fiona is our Technical Editor so she’s all ready to answer your problems on all things stitch and chart related Jenny Barton Design pro, Jenny has been creating projects for us for years and is ready to take on your design challenges Katie Lewis All set to hunt down those elusive charts and products, Katie’s here to find shopping answers that you need Katriel Costello Stitching guru Katriel has worked in the industry for years, so has ample knowledge to answer any queries CONTENTS 34 IN THE SPOTLIGHT Susan Bates, designer, on swapping thread shades 35 WISHES GRANTED Jenny’s designed a nurse to answer Sheila’s plea!…

CHILDREN WITH CANCER UK Did you know that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month? With that in mind, we think it’s the perfect opportunity to get behind the work of Children with Cancer UK – a charity that funds life-saving research into the causes, prevention and treatment of childhood cancer. Why not stitch to raise money for the cause? Find inspiration in our fairy-themed Design Library (p47), then host a coffee morning or a raffle, and donate the proceeds! MORE To find out how you can get involved and donate, visit www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk WHERE AM I? Here I am with my mag on the second largest island in the Mediterranean. It’s also home to four million sheep and many people over the age of 100! There’s lots of unspoilt beaches, and…

Inside your kit... To help you sort your threads, here is a list of the colours and number of lengths inside your free kit: STITCH COUNT 32 high x 19 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – 6x3.5cm (2_x1_in) This design was stitched using stranded cotton from your coverkit Cute character stitch Factbox Stitching Time Approx. 3 hours Type of Stitches Cross stitch, backstitch Ease of Stitching Beginner How to... mount your aperture card 1 After you have gently washed and pressed your finished cross stitching, carefully trim around your stitched piece with a pair of sharp fabric scissors. You’ll want to leave a border of at least seven squares of aida around Herbert, as this will make it much easier to stick onto the card. 2 Next, turn the…

By the seaside LOVELY LIGHTHOUSES Get ready to stitch up a storm with these bright and cheerful designs by Karen Carter for Heritage Crafts*! Part of her ‘By the Sea’ range, this quirky duo of lighthouses would add a delightful splash of colour to any home. We think they’d look particularly good displayed on a wall next to each other. Lighthouse by Day' (BSLD1388) and 'Lighthouse by Night' (BSLN1389) both come as kits, and include everything you need – Zweigart fabric in your choice of 28-count evenweave or 14-count aida, pre-sorted DMC threads, embroidery needle, chart and instructions. Each finished design measures 19x12cm (4¾x7½in). DRINK TEA AND STITCH Here at The World of Cross Stitching, we’re all self-confessed tea and coffee addicts! So, we couldn’t help falling in love with…

Kitchen ideas GREAT VALUE CLEAN MY KITCHEN A s messages to stitch for the kitchen go, this chart (SSN31977) by Bobbie G Designs is delightfully cheeky and will make a really fun stitching project. A goodvalue design that’ll suit beginners looking for a slightly larger stitch to get their teeth into, it does contain fractionals and French knots, but the manageable size and its whimsical style make it easy to grasp. The black-and-white chart is crystal clear, and the key lists 12 DMC thread colours. It’s available to buy from Stitcher*. Stitch count – 95 high x 67 wide, 17x12cm (6¾x4¾in) on 14-count aida QUALITY KIT KITCHEN SAMPLER T hea Gouverneur really does make stitching a treat… each thread is loaded onto an organiser and ready marked-up with symbols in this…

Open shelving, your very own stand mixer, and an array of beautiful crockery on display… Well, a girl can dream, can’t she?! If you’d love to turn your kitchen into a baking haven that Mary Berry herself would be proud to cook in, then this simple yet charming design is one to add to your must-stitch list. Stitched on lovely olive green evenweave, the design combines soft pastel shades with bolder reds and blues to give a mix-and-match charm to this collection of kitchenware. From Cornishware to gingham checks, this cosy corner will keep you engaged from the first stitch to the last – whether you’re an experienced stitcher, or looking to take on your first big stitching project. If you’ve never used evenweave before, this straightforward piece makes for…

Issue 257 Our August issue was filled with inspiring stitching ideas, including an adorable deer and butterfly design, a gladioli cushion and an Art Deco ABC. Plus, sundae cards, ships in bottles sampler, moonlight hare, summery floral garland, beautiful beach huts, Herbert Hedgehog and 39 science motifs! YOUR FREE GIFT: Beautiful Butterflies card kit Issue 256 Summer Rose card kit, Tatty Teddy, beaded owl, floral doorstop, roses cushion, camouflage ABC, geometric hanging Issue 255 Madeira threads and chartbook, Cookie Bear, new baby ABC, puffin, bluebell woods, stitcher’s saying, woodland wreaths Issue 254 Fizzy Moon card kit & Elegant Lady chart, exotic flamingo, lilacs, floral heart, cats cushion, new baby cards, Assisi motifs Issue 253 Woodland pals 3-in-1 cards kit, cottage kitten, spring sampler, wedding ideas, Easter cards, teddies motifs, butterfly…

ISSUE !"# ON SALE $" AUGUST UNDERWATER MAGIC Try a Stitcher’s Challenge: use metallic threads and seed beads for sparkle SPECIAL FRIENDS Meet Mittens and Cyril, making their magazine début in stitches! CUPCAKE TREATS ummy card makes you won’t be able to resist – exclusively from Joan Elliott SHABBY-CHIC BUTTERFLY Enjoy this pretty, collage-style project to bring out your girly side…

CHOOSE YOUR ESSENTIALS… Start with these must-have items !. 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…

At a recent catch up over at a crafty pal’s house, we were sharing what we planned to do with our latest projects. She’s excited to be coming up to completing hers, so we had fun discussing creative plans for the making-up. She moved into a new house this spring, so fully intends to put up her stitching everywhere! My current WIP is another gift (this time for my elder nephew’s upcoming birthday). I can’t help myself when it comes to stitching lots for others, sharing most of my projects as gifts or mini-makes for cards. It was part of the reason we chose a fun ‘Design a gift tag’ contest, for our World Craft Week social media celebrations a couple of months ago – did you join in? All…