Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2018 i The World of Cross Stitching

After an amazing six years at the helm, Editor Ruth has moved onto exciting new pastures. We wish her all the best and I’m thrilled to be joining the team! Your fave stitchy mag is still packed with designs you’re going to adore, and this month, love is in the air! Our cover star Cute Kittens will make the perfect gift to stitch for someone special. For true romantics, you’ll love our funny animal Valentine’s cards on page 64, and if you’ve got a wedding to go to, head over to page 20 for our pretty-in-pink sampler. We reckon Durene Jones’ king of the jungle lion cushion is going to be a roaring success – you’ll find him on page 84. And don’t miss our Funky Fruits sampler on page…

EDITH HOLDEN Edith Holden, a British artist and art teacher, grew up in a small Warwickshire village, where she wrote and illustrated her famous naturalist’s diary in 1906, later published as The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady. This pretty foxglove design is one of many illustrations featured in Edith’s diary, recording the flora and fauna of the English countryside. NEXT MONTH: IT’S COOKIE BEAR! Don’t miss out on next month’s free Cookie Bear cross stitch card kit! It includes everything you need to stitch a sweet Teatime Treats greetings card, so make sure you pick up your copy of issue 265 on 25 January, or subscribe and have the mag delivered to you. Turn to page 44 to subscribe…

Charting software Q What software do you recommend to create charts? Natasha Caden, via Facebook A Fiona says: Here at The World of Cross Stitching we use a publisher version of the popular Cross Stitch Professional Platinum, developed by DP Software*. We’ve found this to be the most comprehensive and easy to use software for bringing all the lovely patterns to you in the magazine as clear, full-colour charts. There are simple tools to create your own designs from scratch, which include all the basics as well as specialist stitch types and the option of selecting colours from the most popular thread brands. The simple layout is great for beginners, and there is also an automatic picture conversion feature, so you can create your very own chart from a photograph.…

KNIT FOR PEACE CHARITY OF THE MONTH Knit for Peace is a great way to send your knitting across the world to the people who need it most! This UK-based charity encourages knitters to donate warm clothes, hats, socks, blankets and more in order to help a huge range of communities. Visit their website to find a selection of free patterns that are perfect for donations. If you’re inspired to get involved, you’ll be joining a family of 15,000 knitters who love crafting for charity! MORE To find more information on how you can get involved visit www.knitforpeace.org.uk WHERE AM I? Here I am enjoying the sunshine and mountain scenery in a coastal town in the Costa del Sol. My family and I love the Easter procession, which happens here…

Find us online www.cross-stitching.com www.facebook.com/theworldofcrossstitching www.twitter.com/woxscrossstitch www.pinterest.com/worldofxs www.youtube.com/crossstitchtv Join us on Facebook Chat 24/7 on our Facebook page – here’s what you’ve missed! OUR FAVOURITE POST Jennifer Oyebola says: “Happy to finish this. I love her!” Well, Jennifer, we love her too! What a beautiful stitched piece. The aptly named ‘Innocence’ cross stitch kit is designed by Heidi Presse and is from Dimensions*. YOU LIKED Janis Hill says: “Just finished the ‘Tiger Chilling Out’.” We loved the colours and detail in Janis’ project so much that we chose it as our Project of the Week on Facebook. It seems lots of you agreed that this a stunning piece. And the winner is… We asked you on Facebook: Why is cross stitching a fab New Year hobby? We know you love…

Spring has sprung EXCLUSIVE Bring spring into your home with these bright daffodil stitches PLUS MUCH MORE A Delft pottery-inspired blue and white Design Library Stitched hoops that make a perfect beginner’s project Super-cute mother and baby koalas by Amanda Butler Your cross stitching queries answered by our experts Your stories, inspiration & letters… plus much more! FREE CUTE COOKIE BEAR CARD KIT Everything you need to stitch this cute Cookie Bear greetings card! Your free stitch gift includes: • 14-count aida • Stranded cottons • Tapestry needle • Colour chart • Illustrated card and envelope TO SUBSCRIBE ☎ 3330 162 147 CAN’T WAIT FOR NEXT ISSUE?…

Be on the panel! Get a sneak preview Appear in the magazine Receive a stitchy gift Sarah- Louise Johnson is a photographer from County Durham What do you love most about cross stitching? I love how relaxed it makes me feel. Last thing you made as a gift? I stitched a thank you card for my husband for looking after me while I recovered from my operation. Favourite project style? I love stitching flowers and animals, and turning these into cards for special occasions. Some projects can take a long time, so they mean so much when you give them away to family and friends. What’s your proudest stitching moment? My first attempt at stitching a greeting card! Fave recent design? My favourite so far was the Herbert Hedgehog gift…

Q We have a friend’s wedding coming up and my wife, a keen cross stitcher, would like to give them a gift of napkins to have on the table for the wedding breakfast as a personal gift. We have a design for the bride, but we were hoping that Jenny may be able to assist in a design for the groom? The groom is a keen cyclist so my wife would like to stitch a small motif of a bride and groom on a tandem. We have found this design on the internet but only in large patterns and nothing small enough to fit a napkin corner. I look forward to hearing from you! Gareth Knight, via email A Jenny says: Thanks so much for your request. I kept the…

Where can I find patterns of goslings? Tammy Litz, via Facebook Heather says: Although small, this gosling pattern (MLG1017) from Lucie Heaton* is available free of charge from her brilliant Free Pattern Library. The instant download pattern measures 6.5x3cm (2½x1¼in) on 14-count fabric, and uses just 6 DMC thread shades. You’ll have him stitched up and running around causing trouble in no time! I’m currently doing a pattern that requires French knots, but they’re my bane. Recently I’ve started using Mill Hill seed beads instead of French knots but is there a colour chart anywhere to compare Mill Hill beads with DMC thread colours? Vicky E Town, via Facebook Katriel says: Beads are a great substitute for French knots. Wichelt Imports* have a Bead to DMC conversion PDF for free on their…

Fun facts about cocker spaniels • The cocker spaniel is a gun dog, originally bred in Spain in the 1400s. • They’re slightly smaller than springer spaniels, as cocker spaniels were used to hunt woodcocks that fly close to the ground. • In the UK they became popular during Henry VIII’s reign. • The coat of a blue roan cocker spaniel can vary from white and black to dark grey. The nose, tail and sides of the head are usually black. Design my pet! Q Dear Durene, please could you chart a blue roan cocker spaniel for me? My friend who owns a tea shop in Portsmouth has a beautiful one called Bertie, so a stitched picture would make a great gift for him. Thanks in advance! Lauren, via email…

Perfect weekend stitch Factbox Stitching Time Approx. 4 hours Type of Stitches Cross stitch, fractionals, backstitch, French knots Ease of Stitching Advanced beginner/ intermediate TOP TIP If you’re not confident with French knots, visit www.cross-stitching.com and watch our helpful ‘How To’ video tutorial Inside your kit... To help you sort your threads, here is a list of the colours and number of lengths inside your free kit: Dark green x2 Green x2 Light green x2 Very dark pink x2 Dark pink x2 Pink x2 Light pink x2 Very light pink x2 Grey x3 Total: 19 lengths The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady™ © Rowena Stott (Designs) Ltd and Lilytig Ltd 2017 How to... mount your bookmark 1 After you have gently washed and pressed your finished stitching, carefully trim away…

Star Letter TAILOR-MADE TEASHOP Although I’ve cross stitched since I was six years old, I mostly stitched quick kits. I love the designs in The World of Cross Stitching, and finally got up enough courage to complete one of the projects. I decided on ’Rosie’s Teashop’ by Gail Bussi from issue 241. I went out of my comfort zone and made some changes to make it my own. I added bluejays as they’re my husband’s favourite bird, changed the name of the teashop to my own, and added bee buttons. It took me six months to complete, but I’m so happy with it! Amy Musclow, Ontario Hannah: What a beautiful piece, Amy. Your hard work has paid off! I’m so impressed with your own additions – it makes this a really…

Fiona Baker Fiona is our Technical Editor so she’s all ready to answer your problems on all things stitch and chart related Heather Nugent Heather is our Charting Assistant and is on hand to answer any technical stitching questions you have Jenny Barton Design pro Jenny has been creating projects for us for years and is ready to take on your design challenges Hannah Kelly All set to hunt down those elusive charts and products, Hannah’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 Creasing challenge Q I’ve just completed a large project but where I’ve used my hoop it’s left the circular mark. How can I get rid of…

Maxine Crowther: I have a 3-ring binder filled with sheet protectors. When I finish a project, the picture and the chart go in a sheet protector, left over floss is labelled and bagged. Marieve Dompierre: Floss is sorted by number and I’ve listed all the colours. Same for beads. All fabric is kept in one big box, another box for complete kits. All the patterns are scanned and sorted by theme. Ejay Stitch: I love this time of year. Once I’ve finished wrapping Christmas presents, I use the tubes in the middle to store my aida. You can keep them big or cut to size and then write the size and colour on the tube. It keeps the aida rolled up neatly, ready to use. Hannah Johnson: I keep my…

Stitch it with love SMALL BUT SWEET BE MINE VALENTINE This teeny chart by Lizzie Kate from SewandSo* says it all (952484). A single red rose, a heart in pretty variegated colours and the words ‘Be mine Valentine’ adorn this lovely design, which will make the perfect Valentine’s card. Worked on 32-count natural Belfast linen in Weeks Dye Works threads, this design has a wonderful homespun feel. Stitch count: 47 wide by 65 high, 7½x10cm (3x4in) on 32-count Belfast linen SWEET SAMPLER VALENTINE SAMPLER Full of love and whimsy, this enticing Valentines Sampler (CGS-0013) by Cottage Garden Samplings from The Patchwork Rabbit* celebrates Valentine’s by giving each letter of the alphabet a word connected to love. Stitch it for a couple celebrating a big anniversary, or for a pair of newlyweds.…

Forever friend The latest addition to the Little Friend collection at Heritage Crafts* is this adorable ‘Black Labrador’ kit (LFBL1425). We love this dog’s expectant little face, waiting patiently for his walk! The finished design measures 6x5cm (2½x2in) when stitched on 14-count aida. Each kit costs £10 and includes all you need to stitch the design. Cute bunny We are tickled pink to have discovered this lovely kit, which comes giftwrapped and with all you need to stitch it. ‘Bunny Cross Stitch Kit’ costs £14 when you buy online from www.little-beach-hut.myshopify.com*, and measures 11.5x11cm (4½x4¼in) when stitched on 14-count aida. Love birds Calling all bird lovers! You’ll have such fun stitching this lovely pair for Valentine’s Day. It’s a quick stitch, so a perfect chart to try if you’re a…

PICK OF THE MONTH Retro valentine NOSTALGIC STITCHES Go retro with your stitching this New Year, with these designs from tinymodernist.com*. We can’t resist this ‘All you need is love’ wreath, with its colourful flowers, which will measure 17x19cm (6.6x7.5in). This sample was stitched on 14-count olive hand-dyed aida by Fabric Flair*, and finished in a 20cm (8in) hoop. Also rather lovely for a possible Valentine’s gift is this ‘Pink retro typewriter’ design (14 or 16-count aida). And children will love the kissing giraffes 9x10cm (3.5x4in). Once you request the charts on the website, you’ll receive an email to download the PDF patterns – it’s as simple as that! FAB NEW SHADES! It’s been 20 years since DMC* last released new colours, so we were super excited when these 35…

How did you start cross stitching? Since childhood I have always loved to draw and experiment with different art and crafts techniques. I didn’t try cross stitch until I started working for DMC as a cross stitch designer. My first cross stitch project was a stitch-a-photo of myself and younger brother as children, but over 20 years later it’s still not finished! What inspires you? For inspiration, I have a LOT of art books and if I’m not actually producing art I’m usually reading about it! I particularly enjoy working with coloured pencils or pen as I can achieve very fine details with these mediums. I also love photography and I take my camera everywhere so I can capture inspirational moments in time wherever I go! Your favourite commission? Definitely…

Ready, set, shop! Getting Started Where to buy your cross stitch essentials. Turn to page 96 to see what you’ll need! ANCHOR www.makeitcoats.com Kits, fabrics & threads available in the UK from SewandSo www.sewandso.co.uk ☎ 0800 013 0150 CRAFT CREATIONS www.craftcreations.com ☎ 01992 781900 For blank & aperture cards DMC CREATIVE WORLD www.dmccreative.co.uk ☎ 01924 371501 For kits, fabrics, threads & 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.buysubscriptions.com/world ☎ 03330 162167 ZWEIGART www.zweigart.de For fabrics, buy in the UK from SewandSo, as above Products to drool over! Browse the latest stitching designs and ideas on PAGE 56 Your Projects Find…

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…

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…