Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2018 i The World of Cross Stitching

Say hello to our June issue! We’ve got heaps of new patterns and inspiration on offer that’ll put you in the mood for summer holidays. Jenny Van De Wiele’s Cornish village scene (p38) will bring some sunshine into your home, celebrate the classic British holiday with our collection of retro caravan cards by Rhona Norrie (p28) and Amanda Gregory’s two fruity bag designs (p76) are just perfect for taking on a picnic. We’ve included a simple step-by-step tutorial for making the bags, too. Our cover star this month is Lucie Heaton’s adorable Furry Tales design (p10). Created in whole stitches only, it’s a fantastic project for beginners who are ready to tackle something bigger. For another cute design, we love the cheeky cat perched atop the fresh laundry pile by…

Pensive pup The new ‘Bailey’ design from Heritage Crafts* is based on the photography of Villager Jim. This gorgeous boxer puppy is watching the world go by while he waits for his master to take him for a walk. The kit costs £21.95 and includes pre-sorted DMC threads, Zweigart fabric, needle, chart and instructions. Fish for compliments We’ve found just the thing for anyone who loves pets that are more fin than fur. This gorgeous contemporary ‘Goldfish’ PDF chart from Leafblowndesigns* on Etsy is available as a download for £7.15. It measures around 33x20cm (13x8in) when stitched on 14-count aida and makes an eye-catching piece of art! Blue is the colour Fans of felines will love this soulful ‘Russian Blue’ cross stitch kit from Riolis – it’s hard to resist…

Around the world Q I saw a book regarding cityscapes in cross stitch that I would like to receive as a gift. I cannot find it, however, as I don’t know the title. Could you help please? Thank you very much! Joseph Bordelon, via Facebook A Maria says: I reckon the book you’re thinking of sounds like my Stunning Scenery in Cross Stitch title for Tuva Publishing* (ISBN 978-605-9192-12-5). I am thrilled with this 128-page collection of scenery from around the world and hope you will be too! All the designs are based on actual landmarks and places. I am not widely travelled so cannot profess to having experienced them all first-hand, and it was tricky trying to filter down an endless list of wondrous scenes to decide what to…

THE WORLD OF Cross Stitching KNOW-HOW In the frame Q I’ve just started a large Bothy Threads design and it’s quite fiddly with the long length of fabric. I like to use hoops, but can you place a hoop over stitches already done, or will it damage them? What would be the best thing to use? Kayleigh Princess Weir, via Facebook A Fiona says: Grime guards could be your answer, Kayleigh, though they can’t be used well on round hoops – but how about trying one with a square or rectangular Q-Snap or rotating frame? Like hoops, these come in different sizes, and are available in plastic or wood as hand-held, lap or free-standing. A grime guard both offers protection for your stitching, and also allows you to tuck your…

How did you start cross stitching? I’ve always been very arty, and creative subjects were my favourites at school. But cross stitch was never something we learnt at school – it was a craft that I discovered later in life, through a love of tapestry, and from there I progressed into finding out about cross stitch. How long have you been a cross stitch designer? The first design I did for a magazine was in 2004 – a design called ‘Sleepy Cat’ for Cross Stitch Gold, issue 23, so I’ve been a designer for 14 years. I got up the courage to send examples of my work and some ideas to the editors at Immediate Media. Deep down I didn’t expect to hear anything back, so I was over the…

PRIZES WORTH £225 Flowery stitching Our friends at Zweigart* are offering you the chance to win one of these fantastic fabric bundles, worth £17. Each bundle comes with a piece of Belfast linen fabric in fresh spring green measuring 48x68.5cm (19x27in), PLUS Zweigart’s brand new ‘Flowers’ chart book. Get ready to start stitching a wonderful array of floral designs. We’ve got 15 bundles to give away to our luck readers! TO ENTER To enter text keyword WOXS268ZWEIGART or label a postcard ‘Zweigart fabric bundle giveaway (WOXS268)’ PRIZES WORTH £269 Birds of a feather Heritage Crafts* are offering Karen Carter’s latest ‘Tottering Tower’ (BFTT1442) cross stitch kit to give away to our readers! The kit contains Zweigart 14-count aida, DMC stranded cottons sorted on to numbered cards, a needle, and clear…

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…

Jennifer Sladek is a personal support worker from Ontario How did you start stitching? When I was in high school my mom taught me. I was going through her old binders with all her patterns and I was intrigued. What do you love to stitch? I love Halloween and Christmas projects as these are my favourite times of the year. I also like florals – mostly lilies, as they are my favourite flower. Fave design from a recent WOXS? I liked the detail in the Santa Claus design in issue 262 – it was a beautiful pattern. What do you love most about cross stitching? I love how it allows you to be creative and also provides ‘me time’. It makes me focus on what I’m doing, and not what’s…

THE WORLD OF Cross Stitching PICK OF THE MONTH Glow-in-the-dark GET GLOWING! The contemporary cross stitch designs from Bobo Stitch* are always on our radar, and this month we’re loving the brand’s fabulous glow-in-the-dark range – perfect for anyone seeking an innovative project. The collection includes two skull clothes patch kits as well as cute picture kits, so there’s something for all the family! Skull kits include dissolvable canvas, DMC stranded cotton, iron-on interfacing, needle, instructions, chart and guide (you just need to supply your own item of clothing). Picture kits include chart, aida, threads, needle and guide. Glow-in-the-dark threads are carefully integrated into each design, so you’ll get a completely different look from day to night! BRILLIANT BOOK Take a peek at the latest great cross-stitch book from designer…

Q I’m designing a pattern that measures 7x5¼in – what size 14-count aida would I need? Michelle Haseley, via Facebook Heather says: Fabric counts are based on the holes per inch (HPI), so the good news is you already have your required size of 14-count aida, with the pattern size in inches. To convert this to cm, simply multiply each value by 2.54 (approx. 18x13cm in this instance). Depending on the intended use, I’d always recommend then adding on at least 10cm for your cut aida size. Q Where can I find a small chart of a weightlifter – in particular a lady, if possible? Viv Threlfall, via Facebook Hannah says: It looks like Lucie Heaton’s* Motif Library has the perfect pattern, with this ‘Weightlifter Woman’ (MW18). It’s available as a downloadable…

Join us on Facebook Chat 24/7 on our Facebook page – here’s what you’ve missed! OUR FAVOURITE POST Kristy Mccoombes says: “Night train is finally finished! Labour of love, 200x200 stitches for my train loving boys!” We hope your boys appreciated all of your hard efforts on this magnificent piece, Kristy! It’ll look fab framed and hung somewhere you can all enjoy it. YOU LIKED Sophie Elliot says: “Just finished this gorgeous glistening owl out of issue 256. I love all the seed beads and how sparkly they make him.” We all agree with Sophie – this is a stunning shimmering project! And the winner is… We asked you on Facebook: What’s your idea of a perfect cross stitch holiday… The results are in and most of our readers would…

• Issue 267 Your latest issue is bursting with stitching treats. We have a sweet Bebunni exclusive, pretty girly dressing room design, stunning fairy silhouette, peacock-themed stitch accessories, Christening sampler, variegated thread cards and so much more. Plus, there’s expert stitchy advice and prizes to be won! 2-in-1 GIFT: Vintage-chic card kit + floral chalk art chart • Issue 266 Spring bird card kit, glam Margaret Sherry kitty, unicorn cards, Art Deco ladies, Venetian mask design, Easter baskets, Spring hanging • Issue 265 Cookie Bear card kit, spring blooms, Mittens & Cyril, ideas for Mother’s Day, cuddly koalas, colourful fish, Chinese dragon, hoop art for kids • Issue 264 Pretty foxgloves bookmark kit, tropical kitchen collection, lion cushion, fruity sampler, cute kittens, Valentine’s Day cards • Issue 263 Tatty Teddy…

• Choose your project… With our Factbox guide in every one of our projects, you can make sure you choose the right level for you. Absolute beginners should aim for a design without fractional stitches. • Buy your materials… To make sure your design looks great, use our Shopping List for each project, which specifies everything needed, like size of fabric and finishing materials. Using another fabric with different HPI, will give a different finished size of design. Calculate your fabric requirements like this: Stitch count divided by HPI of ‘new’ fabric choice = new size in inches. Add at least 10cm (4in) on each dimension to allow for mounting, or less for cards. • Get ready… We always recommend starting in the centre of a design and working outwards.…

FREE CHART BOOK SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE There are three different themes and styles for the ABC charts, so you’re sure to find something you like! PERSONALISED GREETINGS You’ll never be short of a card idea again – choose from our cool kites, beautiful butterflies or colourful craft motifs LEELA, DEPUTY ART EDITOR “I love the colour of these teal and raspberry threads – they really make our ABC designs ‘pop’… and the charts themselves are so versatile!„ Bonus threads gift available with print edition only.…

PURRFECT PAINTER I just wanted to share this gift that I made for my best friend some time back. She loves cats and is also into art, so I thought this Margaret Sherry picture from issue 192 (August 2012) would be perfect for her. She has recently started doing a few cross stitch projects of her own – I think she’s caught the bug! We both find cross stitching a great way to wind down after long days at work. Aimee Hardman, Stockton-on-Tees Sue: How fantastic that you found such a perfect design to give your cat-loving artist friend! I’m glad we could help. And I’m so pleased that Margaret Sherry’s funny feline design helped to inspire your friend to get into stitching too – I think that cross stitch is…

PET OF THE MONTH No. 1 pet Design my pet! Q Dear Durene, Is there any chance you could design my hamster, Castiel? He is two years and two months old – very old now for a hamster. I would love to cross stitch him, as he is getting frail now. Please make my dream come true. Thank you! Alyson Rowlands, via email A Durene says: Hi Alyson, I hope you like my cross stitch design of Castiel. He is such an adorable hamster – so fluffy! I have used a lot of white thread to bring out the texture of that lovely fur, with a little grey for definition, and some grey and blue backstitch for his outline. Pale pink threads are used for his ears, nose and paws,…

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 Editor and is on hand to answer any technical stitching questions that 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 So many beads Q I’m planning on stitching the owl in issue 256 twice, and I was curious as to how many packages of seed…

• Linda West: I like to start a new project on holiday – something not too big or complicated, as you might not always have good light. Pack spare needles and a magnifying glass too. • Juliette Hill: I have a plastic tube with a screw-top lid, in which my holiday project rolls up neatly… the threads, needles and folding scissors all safely cocooned in the middle of it all. • Katie Gee: If you’re lucky enough not to have to drive on road trips, you can get a lot done on the way… unless the view out the window is too magnificent! • Jainie Jolliffe: The free kits you get with magazines are perfect for holiday stitching as they contain all you need. I sort the threads, use a…

British scenes HISTORIC SCENE HARBOUR LIGHTS The Silhouettes series from Heritage Crafts* features sepia-toned designs of nostalgic scenes of a bygone British age. The atmospheric ‘Harbour Lights’ (PSHL973) is a great example, showing a small port and several docked boats. Whole stitches make up this small design, which is stitched on 14-count aida, with some long stitch and backstitch used for the boat detail. Two charts come with this kit (the second highlights the defining outlines). Stitch count: 70 wide by 70 high, 12.5x12.5cm (5x5in) on 14-count aida CHOOSE A CHART NORTH EAST If you’ve ever hankered to stitch your way around the British isles, you can do so with Susan Ryder’s The Cross Stitcher’s Guide to Britain series. ‘North-East England’ is represented in this chartbook (960040) from Sew and So*,…

ACROSS 1 Most cheerful and content (8) 5 Poke with a finger (4) 8 Large town (4) 9 Inessential but desirable item (6) 10 Another name for a moose (3) 12 Close by (4) 13 Jazz instrument (9) 16 Cooked chicken leg (9) 17 Try to persuade (4) 20 Flat hat (3) 22 Sewing implement (6) 23 Competent (4) 24 Simple (4) 25 Lowest floor of a building (8) DOWN 1 Conceal (4) 2 Tool used to break up rocks or ice (7) 3 Courageous (8) 4 Roof slate (4) 6 Course taken (5) 7 Early morning (8) 11 Extra reward payment (5) 13 Particular order (8) 14 Group of musicians (8) 15 Genuine and heartfelt (7) 18 Estimate (5) 19 Pavement edge (4) 21 Flat-bottomed river boat propelled with…

ISSUE 269 ON SALE 17 MAY CATCH YOUR DREAMS A whimsical dreamcatcher design to inspire yourself or gift to loved ones BLACKWORK FLORALS Stitch and send these wonderful blackwork floral greeting card designs HAPPILY EVER AFTER Celebrate the royal wedding – or stitch for anyone else you know who’s getting married! A NOSTALGIC JOURNEY Bring this realistic railway scene to life in stitches and reflect on days gone by THE WORLD OF Cross Stitching EXCLUSIVE Our adorable panda pal is sure to bring joy to all! Show someone special just how much you care by stitching this sweetest of scenes, perfect for any occasion PLUS MUCH MORE • Delve under the sea with the motifs in our Design Library • Stitch a trio of prickly cacti designed by Angela Poole…

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…

MAXIMUM STITCH COUNT 30 high x 40 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – 5.5x7.5cm (2¼x2¾in) These designs were stitched using your free threads Quick-to-stitch ideas Factbox • Stitching Time Approx. 2-4 hours each • Type of Stitches Cross stitch, fractionals, half cross stitch, backstitch, French knots • Ease of Stitching Advanced beginner/intermediate Shopping list • Zweigart* 14-count white aida measuring 10x10cm (4x4in) for individual letters, or 10cm (4in) x desired width • Stranded cotton as listed in the key or from your covergift • Size 24 tapestry needle • Craft Creations* square aperture card (AP55U) in pink (16) • Cushion pad to fit, backing fabric, ribbon, cardstock and hessian bag of your choice from local stores Thread & fabric cost Approximately £6 *For stockists see page 90 of…