Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2018 i The World of Cross Stitching

We’ve really got some treats in store for you this month, and I can’t wait to show you them all! From sparkling projects like Shannon Wasilieff’s Shoemaker fairy on page 10 to a classic seaside scene that’s perfect for stitching at the beach (p84), you’ll be spoilt for choice as you flick through the issue! Make a start on your summer birthday cards now, and you’ll be ready to make someone’s day. You won’t be able to resist the cute fawn in your fab free card kit (p8), plus don’t miss our stylish copper terrarium cards (p68) and the ‘turtley awesome’ pun greetings (p28)! Bring the outdoors in with the delicate sampler on page 20 celebrating the wonder of the humble herb, or combine the striking beauty of stained glass…

Blooming lovely VINTAGE TEA PARTY If you’re a fan of a nice cuppa and appreciate the delicate beauty of summer roses, then here’s a trio of designs that’s sure to delight! New from Luca-S and available at Past Impressions*, this collection is full to the brim with detail, from the ornate patterns on each china teacup to the stunning shading of every rose petal. Brought to life in soft shades of pink, blue and green, with touches of bronze, these pieces have a romantic charm – two are even stitched on pale pink aida to enhance the dreaminess further. ‘Three Stacked Cups’, ‘Blooms in a Teacup’ and ‘Stack of Teacups’ are all stitched on 16-count aida and will look gorgeous in vintage frames. SMILEY SET We love a fun way…

Friday freebies Q Is there anywhere I can find some small free patterns to stitch? I love the magazines and I don’t mind buying big kits, but smaller designs can get quite expensive if you have to buy each one separately! Becky Shaw, London A Durene says: I’m one of a number of designers who regularly offer free charts on my own Facebook page: www.facebook.com/DureneJonesCrossStitch. I originally started posting a ‘Friday Freebie’ pattern as a way to build up interaction on my page, but they also allow me to give a little something back to my loyal followers. My ideas come from all sorts of places, so they can vary from cute characters one week to sampler-style motifs the next, although I try to match them to the seasons, and…

ISSUE 271 ON SALE 12 JULY EXCLUSIVE Sizzling summer stitches for you You won’t be able to resist stitching our jolly bear and his cute puppy pal for your own ‘King of the Barbecue’ TO SUBSCRIBE ☎ 3330 162 147 CAN’T WAIT FOR NEXT ISSUE? PLUS MUCH MORE x Enjoy all things US of A with our Design Library motifs x Personalise gifts with the super-sweet ballerina ABC x Bring the outdoors in with Durene Jones’ terrarium x Your cross stitching queries answered by our experts x Your stories, inspiration & letters… plus much more FREE! FAB FASHION BOUTIQUE CARD KIT Everything you need to stitch this stunning all-occasion greeting card! Your free gift includes: • 14-count aida • Stranded cottons • Tapestry needle • Colour chart & key •…

Emma Minazza is a Contact Lens Advisor from Leicester How did you start stitching? I started cross stitching in primary school – it was a bunny for Easter – and I haven’t looked back since then! What’s your latest project? I have a few on the go at the minute, in varying sizes, but my go-to project is my Margaret Sherry kit called ‘Cattitudes’ – I love it! What’s your favourite project style and why? I love quick projects, but then the sense of achievement when you finish a large design cannot compare! I love stitching tigers and wolves, too, as they are so majestic. Who are your stitching pals? None of my family or friends cross stitch, so I’d love to find a local stitching group! Fave design from…

Q Hello Jenny, would it be possible for you to design me a chart of a pair of chocolate labradors for a friend’s birthday card? Thanking you in advance. Linda Moore, via email A Jenny says: Of course, Linda – I love any excuse to design adorable animals! To bring the gorgeous labradors to life, you’ll need six shades of brown and tan thread, and one shade of cream. There are just a few fractionals around the dogs’ ears and noses for shaping. I hope you like it! STITCH COUNT 23 high x 30 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – 4x5.5cm (1¾x2¼in) 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…

I wondered if there are any charts around steampunk? I recently went to a steampunk event at Whitby and it was fab! Betty Thompson, Rotherham Hannah says: We love this ‘Floating Island World’ PDF download chart by LuckyStarStitches* on Etsy, for £4.14. Measuring 13.5x10cm (5¼x3¾in) on 14-count fabric, it uses just 16 DMC colours to bring this miniature steampunk scene to life. The PDF includes a black-and-white, as well as colour, chart and key, and a colour photo of the finished design. Do you have any recommendations for where to buy famous cross stitch pattern brands? Rasha Aly-Vito, via Facebook Katriel says: There are lots of great cross stitch brands, so it really depends what type and styles you are into. Brands come and go, too, with new ones appearing on the…

This winning collection by Lisa Reakes is perfect for the sporting stars in your life! x 37 quick-and-easy motifs x Lisa Reakes’s design inspiration x Stitches for every skill level x Helpful tips and advice x Unique present ideas for your special someone PITCH PERFECT Stitch this repeat motif of hockey sticks (25) onto 1in-wide aida band with blue trim. It looks great on a drinks bottle or towel, and can be made to any length. MY NUMBER ONE Present this trophy (1) to someone special – whether they’re sporty or not, they’ll love the sentiment! A homemade gift tag is the perfect finishing touch. FINAL WHISTLE They think it’s all over… it is now! This whistle (15) is perfect for a referee or sports fan. Stitch it onto clear…

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 Natalie Kumm says: “I finished this BAP (Big Ambitious Project) at the weekend, it took me 5 and a half months and is 548 x 358 stitches.” What an achievement, Natalie! We’re so glad you stuck with ‘The Real Counties of Britain’ design – the blackwork detail is fantastic! 203 people like this YOU LIKED Everyone adored this beautiful birdhouse project shared with us by Svetla Shaedler. This design will certainly turn heads when hung in a kitchen or conservatory. 550 people like this And the winner is… We asked you on Facebook: How do you like to finish your cross stitch cards? The…

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…

Inside your kit… To help you sort your threads, here is a list of the colours and number of lengths inside your free kit: Black x1 Dark brown x1 Brown x2 Light brown x2 Very light brown x2 Cream x1 Dark cream x1 Light pink x2 Pink x2 Total: 14 lengths Fast to finish STITCH COUNT 27 high x 29 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – 5x5.5cm (2x2in) This design was stitched using stranded cotton from your coverkit “What an adorable card. I've got loads of summer birthdays coming up, so I'll definitely be stitching this sweet fawn for somebody – I wonder who the lucky person will be!”LEELA, DEPUTY ART EDITOR How to… mount in a shaped aperture card 1 Carefully trim around your stitched piece with…

Fiona Baker Fiona is our Technical Editor so she’s 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 Hang on! Q I want to hang a finished project, like a pennant, on a decorative wire hanger, but can’t find anywhere to buy them from…

x Isabel Freeman: I always use a beading needle, and when I want to use the beads I empty some onto a piece of fleece material, as then they don’t run all over the place. x Brooke Bonham Jackson: When working with different colours of beads, I use an egg carton to separate and store them. I’ve also learned that projects using many bead colours, but only one colour of thread, are intimidating looking, but they actually go very fast! x Helen Inglis: I use Shappy Big Eye beading needles, which are split almost along their whole length, so they’re a breeze to thread, but then compress to fit through the bead with no problem. They’re also very fine and flexible, which makes it easier to get the beads exactly…

Adorable furry friends BEAUTIFUL BACKSTITCH BUDGIE LOVE Two budgies nuzzle together in ‘Budgie Love’ (1019580), an endearing design from SewandSo*. Just a few fractional stitches are used to define each budgie’s features in this kit, in which mainly whole stitches are worked in almost 30 thread colours. We love how the backstitch outlines are partial in certain places. This creates a naturalistic feel to these popular pets as they perch prettily on branches, surrounded by flowers and leaves. Stitch count: 109 wide by 133 high, 20x24.5cm (7¾x9½in) on 14-count aida TRY PRINTED AIDA LAMB AND RABBIT If you’re impatient for this scene to be finished then you won’t have to wait for long – ‘Lamb and Rabbit’ (SSN42351) is a RIOLIS kit from Stitcher* and it’s one of its printed background…

Design my pet! Q Please could you chart a Bedlington Terrier for me. We have had three – all lovable rascals – and my friend also has one, so I would like to stitch one for her and one for myself. Pat Packington, Barrow-in-Furness A Durene says: Thanks for this request, Pat. I’ve heard of the Bedlington Terrier before, but I didn’t know much about it until now. It has a fascinating history and the dog itself is rather beautiful and unusual looking, too, so it made for a fun challenge! This design uses two shades of white and five shades of grey for the cross stitch, with black backstitch for the dog’s eyes and nose, and very dark grey backstitch for his shaggy coat. The backstitch fur is quite…

PRIZES WORTH €289 Stylish stitches Here at WOXS, we’re big fans of John Clayton’s Elegance range from Heritage Crafts*, so we’re thrilled to be offering five lucky readers the chance to win the ‘Zoe’ kit. The kits come complete with 27-count evenweave or 14-count aida fabric (prizes will be supplied on 14ct aida unless otherwise requested), DMC stranded cottons, needle, and clear charts and instructions. TO ENTER To enter text keyword WOXS270HERITAGE or label a postcard ‘Heritage Crafts giveaway (WOXS270)’ PRIZES WORTH €280 Lose yourself If you like modern, jazzy artwork then these three charts from Artecy* will be right up your street. Lose yourself in the incredibly detailed, realistic ‘Roses in a Garden’; be mesmerised by the spiralling flowers of ‘Mini Fractal’; or try something different and stitch ‘London…

x Issue 269 Your latest issue is filled with beautiful designs for summer, including the cutest panda with a bunch of blooms, a stunning wedding hoop, colourful cacti trio, dreamcatcher hanging and bumble bee sampler. Plus, stitch a vintage train, bold blackwork cards and great gifts with our sea-themed Design Library! Your Free Gift: Beautiful Hummingbird card kit CALL THE HOTLINE TODAY ☎ 03 330 162 1 37 x Issue 268 Thread pack + ABC chart book, Furry Tales exclusive, caravan cards, kingfisher ABC, Wild West motifs, fruity bags, fashion lady, lilac sampler x Issue 267 Vintage rose card kit + floral chalk art chart, Bebunni exclusive, peacock stitching accessories, fairy silhouette, Christening sampler x Issue 266 Spring bird card kit, glam Margaret Sherry kitty, unicorn cards, Art Deco ladies,…

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…

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.…

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…