Innholdsfortegnelse for Christmas 2016 i The World of Cross Stitching

They say Christmas comes but once a year – although that’s not strictly true here at The World of Cross Stitching! We’re thrilled to be bringing you even more gorgeous festive designs to enjoy this issue, starting with our blue-nosed friend Tatty Teddy (p10), plus some adorable cards featuring animals in their Christmas stockings (p86). I think I’d just love to receive one of these six little cuties in my stocking, wouldn’t you?! They say Christmas comes but once a year – although that’s not strictly true here at The World of Cross Stitching! We’re thrilled to be bringing you even more gorgeous festive designs to enjoy this issue, starting with our blue-nosed friend Tatty Teddy (p10), plus some adorable cards featuring animals in their Christmas stockings (p86). I think…

DESIGNS FOR EVERYONE You’ll be spoilt for choice with 42 new and cutefestive motifs, created by four top designers exclusively for you TWO MADEIRA THREAD PACKS Enjoy using your top-quality Madeira metallic threads – 24m of stunning silver and turquoise, perfect for winter FREE THREADS & CHART BOOK “This chartbook is just perfect for cute, quick cards and tags to stitch during the busy holiday season. Plus, the free threads mean I can get started straight away!”…

 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  Jo Stenlake All set to hunt down those elusive charts and products, Jo’s on hand 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 Pretty Westie cross stitch Q My mum has asked me to try and find a cross stitch design for her birthday which…

So excited! This morning I’ve arrived in the medieval town of Bayeux, and am met by Fanny Garbe, who works at the museum of the Bayeux tapestry. I’m thrilled to be seeing this ancient piece of textile art which tells the story of the Norman conquest of England in the 11th century. First, Fanny leaves me to enjoy the tapestry, with an audio guide in English which talks me thorough each panel of the 70m-long embroidery. Around the walls of a climatecontrolled gallery, 70m is longer than I’d imagined! And I hadn’t realised, but Fanny tells me, “it’s not really a tapestry in the traditional sense. It’s not worked on canvas, but is on linen and the stitches are in wool.” Ten shades, coloured with three different natural plant dyes…

Ready, set, shop! Getting started Where to buy your start-up kit – turn to page 96 to see exactly what you’ll need ANCHOR www.makeitcoats.com For kits, fabrics & threads CRAFT CREATIONS www.craftcreations.com % 01992 781900 For blank & aperture cards DMC CREATIVE WORLD www.dmccreative.co.uk % 0116 275 4000 For kits, fabrics, threads and 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 % 0844 815 0049 ZWEIGART www.zweigart.de For fabrics, buy in the UK from Sew and So www.sewandso.co.uk % 01453 889988 Your projects Find all the charts, kits, threads & accessories featured this issue BELLE & BOO www.belleandboo.com BOTHY THREADS…

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…

 LISA REAKES` Lisa has been inspired by the wonderful winter landscape with her Design Library of motifs on page 47, each one touched with a sprinkling of snow!  ANGELA POOLE Stitch Angela’s ABC for little angels in your life, or simply as a reminder of the Holy story. These heavenly designs are perfect for personalised gifts. See page 75 now. RHONA NORRIE Rhona’s just one of the designers who’s created some cards for our fab free chart book this issue. We’re loving her beautiful bauble ideas in sparkly frosty shades! Cross stitch gets digital! Don’t miss out on any stitchy fun – get WOXS for your gadgets s MUCH MORE THAN A MAGAZINE… APPS TO GO! Here at The World of Cross Stitching we’re proud to be online! Download our…

Rustic designs PICK OF THE MONTH A BLUE 'BLUE CHRISTMAS' Celebrate winter with this beautiful Christmas collection from Little Stitcher Shop*. You’ll find four lovely winter scenes to be stitched together, or separately as seen here. What could be more festive than a darling little house, illuminated by lanterns and guarded by a snowman? How about Santa’s sleigh, piled high with pressies or stockings hung for Christmas morning? This PDF downloadable chartpack is perfect for creating ornaments, a Christmas sampler, or various decorations at an approximate size of 40x60 stitches each. Stitch them on rustic evenweave or 14-count aida for a classically delicate winter decoration. TAKE A TRIP Journey to the 'North Pole' (120633) with this kit from Mill Hill, available from SewandSo*. Perfect for seasonal décor, stitch this pretty…

Q I am in desperate need of a front porch chart. It’s for a friend who lost her mother recently. Her favourite memory with her mum was sitting on the front porch, singing, talking and feeding the deer every morning. I’d like it with two chairs in a country style, not wicker furniture. Thank you! Sherri Etheridge, via email A Jenny says: I hope this chart is what you're looking for, Sherri, and that it brings comfort to your friend. Rocking Chairs key STITCH COUNT 30 high x 30 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – 5.5x5.5cm (2x2in) 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…

Websites you’ll love Next time you log on, check out these amazing stitchy sites The ultimate guide for everything crafty, www.cross-stitch.craftgossip.com, is the go-to website for inspiration, tips and – you guessed it – gossip! With a section of the site just for cross stitch, you’ll spend hours reading about charts, must-stitch designs, techniques and all things stitchy from others who love it too. Simple contemporary designs inspired by nature, www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Happinesst is a treat of a shop! Visit for fab designs including simple geometric designs, flowers, trees and nature and even the cutest little typographic sayings – all available as PDF instant downloads so you can start stitching straight away! Blogger of the month Full-time stitcher, Kim enjoys being able to share her love for cross stitch and meeting like-minded…

Fun facts about shiba inus • Inu is the Japanese word for dog, and shiba means “brushwood”, a red tree – similar to a common coat colour • Shiba puppies are easy to train and often will housebreak themselves • Shiba inus nearly became extinct during World War II due to food shortages and post-war epidemics • They often clean themselves by licking their paws, like a cat •The oldest shiba died at age 26 and was the oldest dog alive at the time Design my pet! Q We have two dogs in our family which we love. My four children adore our shiba inus. As you may know, a shiba inu is the smallest of the six original and distinct spitz breeds of dog from Japan. It is also…

CALL THE HOTLINE TODAY 0844 826 7341 Issue 247 Last month’s issue was full of fun, winter designs including a cuddly snowman and a pretty Christmas wreath. There was a beautiful family tree, furry friends, Fabergé-inspired ornaments and a Christmas carols Design Library. Plus, gingerbread men ABC, nursery scene and all-occasion mouse cards and more! BONUS GIFTS: Wrendale Designs Calendar & robin chart Bebunni card kit, fairy, geese sampler, pheasant cushion, spooky decor, charity cards, folkart, autumn sampler, party ABC Thread cutter & rose chart, florals, party panda, floor cushion, desserts, birdhouses, seaside cards, peacock cushion, sport ABC Cookie Bear card kit & chart, Wrendale Designs duck, geisha, sunflower wreath, baby sampler, cute kitty, chalkboard birdhouses Cookie Bear card kit & chart, Wrendale Designs duck, geisha, sunflower wreath, baby sampler,…

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,…

Feeling inspired by our pals over at sister TV channel, Jewellery Maker, I’ve been making my own jewellery this month. It’s something I’ve dabbled with in the past – just like rainbow-coloured stranded cottons, there’s something so tempting about all those colourful beads! I’ve created a few pieces for myself, but I’m also thinking ahead to Christmas. I know what my female family members will be getting this year.... and who wouldn’t love a handmade gift from yours truly!? One of our freebies this month is a new beginner-friendly mag that’s all about making gorgeous jewellery, with over 30 projects inside...* I can’t wait to get started! I’m always amazed at the great ways people combine cross stitch and jewellery-making, too – check out Pinterest for cute brooches, necklaces and…

Inna Birchenko is a research grants project manager from Ukraine  How did you start stitching? I bought a kit at a craft market two years ago. At first, I attempted to stitch using all six strands of thread! After I finished, I swore I’d never cross stitch again, but couldn’t stay away for long. Now, I stitch every day. Favourite design? Emma Congdon’s typography project in issue 242. It is a timeless message, but the design is stylish and modern! What’s your favourite style? I am a biologist by training, so naturally I like stitching botanicals and landscapes. Do you have stitching buddies? Reddit’s cross stitch community are very welcoming, supportive and the projects people post are amazing! “Finishing a project is a satisfying end to a fun journey” Michelle…

Star Letter THE ROYAL TREATMENT Many thanks for the ‘All Our Yesterdays’ HM Queen Elizabeth birthday chart in issue 243. I enjoyed stitching it with a lovely group of ladies as a weekend Stitch-A-Long on Faye Whittaker’s ‘All Our Yesterdays’ Facebook page. We all stitched at weekends and posted update pictures weekly. It was lovely to be involved in this group and watch everyone’s progress. Here is my finished design which took me two weekends to finish. I look forward to your magazine here in Australia and can’t wait for it to arrive each month. Elaine Matthews, Australia Ruth: I love a Stitch-A-Long too, Elaine. I can’t wait to see what you and your friends decide to stitch up next! Win! The writer of our Star Letter wins both of…

Festive food ideas EASY AND FUN MAKE GINGERBREAD MAN I f we can’t tuck into this tasty-looking chap, then we can find lots more festive uses for him! Make this biscuit boy as a tree decoration or turn him into a row of bunting. Designed by Mouseloft*, this mini kit is full of cheer. You’ll need to work the backstitch carefully to recreate his cheeky expression, while fractionals round his edges nicely. Stitch count – 28 high x 22 wide, 5x4cm (2x1½in) on 14-count cream aida CHALLENGE YOURSELF GILDING THE GINGERBREAD C onstructing this gorgeous house by The Nutmeg Company* entails stitching the walls onto aida, then mounting them onto the pieces of plastic canvas provided in the kit. Best suited to a stitcher with experience, the kit includes gold beads,…

CHARITY OF THE MONTH CARING AT CHRISTMAS ‘Tis the season… to stitch Christmas cards! Stitch up some cards with the fab designs on page 86 and sell your wares to raise funds for Caring at Christmas charity. Their aim is to provide homeless people with warm and safe accommodation over the holidays, including food, medical services and entertainment, so get stitching to donate! MORE To find out more and details on how to donate, visit www.caringatchristmas.org.uk WHERE AM I? Hello! I took my favourite cross stitching mag on holiday with me. This photo was taken from my villa’s balcony overlooking this beautiful Italian town on the coast with the same name. It’s known for it’s dramatic cliffs, costal scenery and lemon groves. Juliane Gregg, via email Send in your travel…