Innholdsfortegnelse for Special 2018 i The World of Cross Stitching

Deck the halls with lots of stitching – we’re so excited for all the Christmas projects that we’ve put together for our December issue! From traditional designs to on-trend scenes, we’ve crammed the magazine with stitchy inspiration. There’s an extra-special project for you this issue – an exclusive star design (p64) stitched with brand new sparkly DMC Étoile threads! And you’ll find a free skein of DMC Étoile with the mag, too! The thread is beautifully soft and smooth to stitch with, and has a wonderful shimmery look. Let us know what you think! Those of you who love embellishing your stitching will have plenty to choose from this issue. Our cover star is Shannon Wasilieff’s charming Santa Claus (p10), who is sumptuously decorated with metallic threads and seed beads.…

Inside your kit… To help you sort your threads, here is a list of the colours and number of lengths inside your kit: White x3 Light grey x1 Pink x1 Grey x2 Cream x2 Violet x1 Light violet x1 Metallic teal x3 Total: 14 lengths Quick Christmas greeting Polar Bear key This design was stitched using stranded cotton and metallic thread from your coverkit Factbox ⨯ Stitching Time Approx. 4 hours ⨯ Type of Stitches Cross stitch, fractionals, backstitch ⨯ Ease of Stitching Beginner TOP TIP You don’t need to split the metallic thread included in your gift – use all six strands together…

Background fabric Q I inherited some fabrics in brown, dark red, bright blue and green and I was wondering what to do with them – what kind of design would be nice on these? Tanja Gruijthuijsen-de Bont, the Netherlands A Hannah says: Wow, what a fabulous stash of fabrics to choose from, Tanja! At WOXS, I often make decisions about what fabrics to use to best show off the designs. It can be tricky to judge, as the background fabric can so easily affect the final look of a piece. I love stitching on coloured fabrics, as they add an extra element to a design and are great if you’re short on time – a blue fabric can easily become the ‘sky’, or a green the ‘grass’ of a scene.…

KNOW-HOW To stabilise, or not to stabilise? Q I am just about to start my first cross stitch project in many years and I need some advice please – should I stabilise the fabric or not? I’m using 28-count linen and it moves a bit whilst I work on it. Thanks in advance. Annabelle Sullivan, via Facebook A Heather says: Whilst stabilising the fabric is recommended for machine embroidery, it’s not necessary for cross stitching, as the weave of the fabric used is larger and the holes are required for easy needle transfer through the fabric, too. You can however stabilise it after you’ve finished stitching, to help prevent the ends from loosening or becoming caught. There are four main types of stabilisation: cut-away, tear-away, wash-away and heat-away. Some, like…

Deck the halls PICK OF THE MONTH TRADITIONAL TREATS For those of you who love traditional Christmas stitches, check out the selection at Celtic Rose Needlecraft*! Featuring Victorian-inspired scenes, cute kittens and picturesque cottages, these nostalgic charts melted our hearts. They’re available as instant downloads, so you can get stitching straight away! All these designs would look lovely on your mantlepiece, especially as you snuggle up with a mug of hot chocolate to watch A Christmas Carol with the family. AN ELEGANT CHRISTMAS Add a touch of sophistication to your festive season with ‘Holly’, a ‘special edition’ to the Elegance range from Heritage Crafts*. ‘Holly’ was designed by John Clayton with Christmas in mind – the twinkling tree in the background really adds to the atmosphere. She looks absolutely stunning…

PRIZES worth over £1,064! PRIZES WORTH £263 Small wonders The best things come in small packages – especially when it comes to Christmas inspiration. We love the latest additions to Mouseloft’s* Stitchlets range, including an adorable dachshund sporting a woolly jumper and a pair of cosy owls in Santa hats! 11 lucky readers can win a bundle of eight festive Stitchlets, with a mixture of the new designs plus some old favourites. TO ENTER To enter visit our website www.cross-stitching.com or label a postcard ‘Mouseloft giveaway (WOXS275)’ PRIZES WORTH £249 Best in snow We bring you tidings of comfort and joy – especially if you’re looking for some quick-to-stitch Christmas goodies. Durene Jones* has come up trumps again with her adorable Happy Penguins and Happy Snowmen foursomes. These little sweeties…

MARIA DIAZ Stitch yourself a winter wonderland with Maria’s sampler (p38). It has lots of motifs associated with this fun season, from hot chocolate to skating! LUCIE HEATON You can’t help but smile at Lucie’s magnificent stag on page 58 – he’s managed to get himself a bit tangled up with a string of colourful Christmas fairylights! KAY WIDDOWSON Kay designed our Bethlehem cushion on page 26. We love her stunning depiction of this very special town, which is stitched on navy blue evenweave.…

Monty just can’t wait to surprise someone with a very special gift! Beautifully wrapped up in spotty paper, he knows the recipient will love it. This sweet stitch is ideal for your Christmas cards this year, and is also sure to thrill the lucky person who receives it! Surprise Gift Mouse key This design was stitched using DMC stranded cotton Missed a chart? ISSUE 274 Get cosy with Lizzie, who’s wrapped up warmly in her jumper and matching bow! ISSUE 273 Celebrate Thanksgiving with American friends and our sweet pilgrim. ISSUE 272 Monty is dressed in his vampire costume, ready to go trick or treating! For back issues, call ☎ 03330 162 137…

Q I have a bit of an odd request – a tiny jumping spider! Not everyone’s cup of tea, but I find these little critters absolutely adorable. I share my studio flat with my ‘pet’, Bobby B, and it would brighten the place up to put him in stitch form and frame him! Jo Arnell A Jenny says: Definitely a unique choice of pet! I hope you like this design. Add grey backstitch detail under the spider to give him some extra bouncy energy. Jumping Spider key 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. Hanging out Q I’m stitching the ‘Woodland Baby’ sampler…

Q Where can I find a pattern of a Maine Coon cat please? Anne Marie Little, via Facebook Fiona says: You’re in luck, Anne! We featured a pair of Maine Coon cats in issue 267 (May 2018) as our Pet of the Month design. Although white in colour, you could easily adapt Durene Jones’ simple design to suit what you’re looking for. You can order back issues from www.buysubscriptions.com, or why not check out the digital iPad or Android editions if the print edition is out of stock. Q Please could you tell me if the cross stitch pattern ‘Santa of the Forest’ is still available and where I could get it? Miss Christine Hibberd, by post Katriel says: ‘Santa of the Forest Chart - LL21 - 5078’ (11265) is available for…

39 BRIGHT IDEAS Stitch these fab designs by Lesley Teare for a fun look to your last-minute decorations ⨯ 39 quick-and-easy motifs ⨯ Lesley Teare’s design inspiration ⨯ Stitches for every skill level ⨯ Helpful tips and advice ⨯ Unique present ideas for your special someone PEACE ON EARTH Spread the message of Christmas to those you love with this pretty lettering (14). Why not bring out the colours by mounting it in a 3in hoop painted pink? DING DONG Can you hear the church bells ringing? Adorn your tree with this delicate design (39), stitched into a hanging and finished with a gold craft bell. Gorgeous! HARK THE HERALD… This pretty pink angel (6) is floating merrily on high around the tree. To make your own, back your stitching…

Vote for your favourites for your chance to win! We have £600 worth of Amazon vouchers up for grabs, so get voting for your crafting favourites right now! Whether it’s a product you couldn’t live without, a local retailer that always goes the extra mile, a talented designer who inspires you with stunning projects, a must-read blog or a craft brand you couldn’t live without, we want to know. Vote now and tell us who you think should receive one of our coveted British Craft Awards for 2019. We’re giving away a total of £600 Amazon vouchers!* SIMPLY VISIT www.britishcraftawards.com to have your say, voting opens on October 22nd! *T&C’s apply, 1x£100 voucher up for grabs for each craft category, see www.britishcraftawards.com for full T&Cs and more information.…

No. 1 pet Manx Cat key This design was stitched using DMC stranded cotton Design my pet! Q Hi Durene! I’ve seen so many wonderful kitty cat designs, but am desperate to find one of a white Manx cat with blue eyes. I’d love you to design our fave family pet, Baby. She is now close to two years old. Rita Turkowski, California A Durene says: Your gorgeous cat was a joy to design and I hope I’ve done Baby justice. What a lovely cat she is, with her blue eyes and unusual features. I’d love to know what your lovely cat is thinking about – snuggling up on your lap by a warm fire perhaps? I wanted the final design to really enhance the colours of Baby’s face, so…

EXCLUSIVE Snuggle up with Tatty Teddy! Dream big with this adorable new Tatty Teddy design, made with love and cuddles just for you PLUS MUCH MORE ⨯ Make some personal presents with our party penguin ABC⨯ New year… new you! Fab motivational Design Library⨯ Sweet Staffordshire china dogs, sure to make you smile⨯ Your cross stitching queries answered by our experts⨯ Your stories, inspiration & letters… plus much more PLUS: CHART BOOK & METALLIC THREADS 2 GIFTS IN ONE! Your 2-in-1 gift includes: • 16m of high-quality metallic threads • Chart book filled with 64 exclusive wintery charts – perfect for last-minute gifts, thoughtful thank-yous or relaxing holiday projects! TO SUBSCRIBE 03330 162 147 CAN’T WAIT FOR NEXT ISSUE?…

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…

Shayla Daschle is a midwife from South Dakota, USA What’s your favourite project? ‘Blue Geisha’ by Joan Elliott. What makes it most special is that I picked it up when my Grandpa was diagnosed with lung cancer. For the next six months, I stitched it when I was with him and it brought me a lot of peace. Favourite recent WOXS design? ‘Miniature Masterpiece’ from issue 271. It reminds me of the little fairy gardens my kids and I used to have. Proudest stitching moment? I finished a wedding pattern for my mom and her new husband this year and learned how to frame it myself. Which celebrity would you like to chat with? Dana Batho of Peacock & Fig. I have been stitching the same way for the last 30…

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 may 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 Inner peace Q I’m looking for Chakra patterns – are there any you’ve featured and available in back issues, or do you know where…

⨯ Lorna Wood: I always use gold-plated needles as I find them smoother. ⨯ Kay Nettina: I must have my OttLite lamp. It makes stitching so much easier! ⨯ Emily Tower: I never stitch without little snack-sized plastic baggies. They are perfect for keeping all of my colours sorted and storing leftover strands that are too long to discard. ⨯ Kathy Gallno: I have recently begun laminating copies of my patterns so I can use dry erase pens to mark my progress. Works well for non-coloured patterns. ⨯ Robin Beket Arnhold: My must-have is definitely a magnifier. ⨯ Emma Cromarty: A decent pair of scissors – can’t have blunt ones that end up fraying the thread. ⨯ Claire Kampowski: For me it’s stitchy friends and stitching groups that keep me…

Table runners DELICATE DETAILS PROUD DEER Inside Vervaco’s kit there’s a beautiful aida finished tablecloth (100% cotton) and the quality is so lovely it will inspire you to stitch. ‘Proud Deer’ from Sew & Craft* shows a reindeer with superb decorative antlers. Worked in rose, pink and bordeaux DMC stranded cottons, the reindeer is the focal point of this tablecloth design, with a snowflake in matching colours in each of the four corners. Stitch count: 210 wide by 40 high, 80x80cm (32x32in) on 14-count white aida GREAT FOR KIDS POLAR BEAR TABLE RUNNER This fun festive polar bear design from Permin (1020856) will certainly bring some fun to the table this Christmas. Stitch this as a long thin runner, with two playful bears at each end. The instructions include diagrams showing…