Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2020 i The World of Cross Stitching

This is now the third issue of The World of Cross Stitching that’s been created from our makeshift home offices! The team and I have been working hard to bring you the usual stitchy projects each month. We’ve had to make a few small changes and to find workarounds for things like photography – plus avoiding distractions from pets, families and TV! We want to thank you for your support during this time, it means a lot to us. I hope the projects in these pages will keep you occupied this month. I’m thrilled to welcome back the Forever Friends bear on page 10 – stitch for a gift to bring a smile. If you’re looking for a wedding present, then Lucie Heaton’s Furry Tales sampler (p56) is for you.…

Fishing Mouse key STITCH COUNT 40 high x 39 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – 7.5x7cm (2¾x2¾in) This design was stitched using DMC stranded cotton Monty loves nothing more than fishing at the lake. He’s feeling pretty pleased with himself here as he just caught a fish! Stitch this fun design and patch onto coloured card to make a simple greeting card for fellow fishing fans! Missed a chart? ISSUE 295 Flossie is wearing her favourite fancy dress outfit – she’s a magical unicorn! ISSUE 294 Stitch Monty practising his keepy-uppy skills for footiemad boys and girls. ISSUE 293 Make way for Her Royal Highness, Princess Lizzie of Furry Tales, in her ballgown. For back issues, call ☎ 03330 162 137 or visit http://bit.ly/1NwX3Rv…

No. 1 pet Fun facts about Leonbergers • The popular legend is that they were bred to resemble the lion on the coat-of-arms of Leonberg, Germany. • Fastest time to catch ten items (sausages) by a dog is held by Hagrid the Leonberger – 14.76 seconds! • During WWI and WWII, the breed was used to pull ammunitions carts and nearly became extinct because of this. Leonbergers today can trace their ancestry back to the eight dogs that survived the wars. Design my pet! Q I love looking at the pets section of the magazine. It would be great to see a Leonberger as I’d like to stitch one for my friend – she has three! Maria Barnes, via Facebook A Durene says: Thanks for the request, Maria. Hopefully, this…

Q Hi Jenny, I would like to stitch a cairn terrier dog for my friend, who recently got a puppy. Could you please design one for me? Monique Weel, via email A Jenny: This sounds like a lovely idea to welcome your friend’s new puppy, Monique. I had fun researching this breed as they’re just so adorable, especially with their shaggy coats (note the backstitch used to show off that strokable fur). This would fit nicely onto a card or framed in a hoop. Cairn Terrier key STITCH COUNT 30 high x 30 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – 5.5x5.5cm (2¼x2¼in) 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…

FUN MAKING-UP IDEA MARITIME BELL PULL From the blue and white striped bunting down to the message in a bottle, this ‘Maritime Bell Pull’ (35-6120) by Permin of Copenhagen from Arts and Designs* is a decorative celebration of all things nautical. Worked in whole cross stitch and backstitch on 14-count ivory aida, 24 shades of thread are already sorted onto organisers for you in this quality kit (Breda bell pull ends not included). We like how large the chart is too – black and white symbols are printed over three A4 pages for ease of working this 435-stitcheslong bell pull. Stitch count: 70 wide by 435 high, 18x90cm (7x36in) GREAT VALUE SEASIDE POSTCARD A set of pretty-as-a-picture postcard designs shows the ocean on a sunny day as it laps the shores,…

CALL THE HOTLINE TODAY ☎ 03330 162 13 7 Issue 295, July Say hello to summer with a tropical toucan, picnic placemats, carnival party cards and a beach-themed ABC. And you won’t want to miss our stunning geisha, Hampton Court Palace traditional sampler and sweetpeas glasses case. Plus, make a colourful positive hanging to brighten up each and every day. YOUR EXCLUSIVE GIFT: a chart of a vintage-style summer garden shed by Siobhan Harrison at April Rose Issue 294, June Birthday card kit, British Design Library, Margaret Sherry cake cat, summer pier, Cornish harbour, tools ABC, spring SAL (part 3), Father’s Day cards, key pockets, citrus kitchen set Issue 293, May 3-in-1 cupcake card kit, tiger, blackwork hummingbird, farm motifs, Pepper pup, cute ocean cards, spring SAL (part 2), VE…

MARIA DIAZ Maria has created a striking samurai warrior on page 78 to accompany her beautiful geisha design featured in the mag last month. Stitch the pair! JANE HENDERSON Choose from three design styles to stitch and make handy pan holders to match your kitchen décor (p70). They’re easy to create – we show you how! ANGELA POOLE Celebrate milestone birthdays with Angela’s set of six cards designed for adults (p18). You’ll find a range of themes to suit birthday boys or girls.…

PICK OF THE MONTH Great outdoors BE BOLD Fresh and vibrant, these abstract landscapes from Hawthorn Handmade* will bring you a piece of the outside world to you whilst you’re settled indoors on your cosy sofa. With four breathtaking scenes designed by Stephanie Carswell, it’ll be hard to pick which one to stitch first – ‘Mountain Adventure’, ‘Rolling Fields’, ‘Blue Sky’ or ‘Sunset Beach’. These modern cross stitch kits are ideal for beginners with their large blocks of colour worked only in whole stitches, and just as fun for more experienced stitchers who want to immerse themselves in the mindfulness of cross stitching. Each kit comes with 14-count aida, pre-sorted DMC threads, a needle, guide booklet, chart and a 7in hoop you can use to hang your design. FAIR MAIDEN…

Fiona Baker Our Technical Editor Fiona is ready to solve any stitching dilemma and answer all your technique questions Heather Nugent Heather is our talented Charting Editor and is on hand to help you transform your stitching into finished items Hannah Erskine A lifelong stitcher, our Charting Assistant Hannah can answer any chart or stitching related questions Jenny Barton Design pro Jenny has been creating projects for us for years and is ready to take on your design challenges Hannah Fletcher All set to hunt down those elusive charts and products, Hannah’s here to find shopping answers that you need Twinkle toes Q I really want to stitch something for my ballet-mad granddaughter but I can’t find anything simple? My eyesight is not so good but it would really mean…

Malvina Yock: I take mine to a fab framer nearby. They always suggest picking out a double mat, with the step back one (that just rims the stitching) in one of the strong colours from the work. It makes it spring to life. Barbara Hicks: I frame my own work and mount on acid-free board. I look for frames in charity shops – all sorts of places – but we have found a person on the internet who makes them to our specifications. Debbie Wallace: I get the frame, mats, glass and mount board from my local framing shop, but I do the actual mounting myself. It’s not hard – I took a class years ago and was surprised to learn how simple it all was. Martha Ward: I have…

A short history of blackwork Sometimes called Spanish blackwork, it’s commonly believed to have originated during the Tudor period in England when Catherine of Aragon brought the style with her from Spain. However, mentions of black embroidery can be found in literature before this, although unfortunately few historical samples of it remain. Embroidery in black silk onto linen fabrics was a common technique for decorating clothing and furnishings, especially prominent during the reign of Elizabeth I (16th century). Blackwork continues to be popular, with modern blackwork now used to refer to the technique, rather than the colour of thread being limited to black alone. Blackwork technique Traditionally, blackwork embroidery would be done on plain-weave fabric but most stitchers today prefer to use evenweave or aida, where the weave of the…

This series has been designed by me especially for those of you who are keen to learn new stitches and treat yourself to a fun monthly challenge. The designs will cover a variety of styles and themes each issue and every pattern is small enough that it can be stitched over a weekend or in between larger projects, as well as finished in a manner of your choice, exercising your creativity! Although they may look intricate, my patterns are simple to follow, and I’ll give you clear step-by-step tutorials for the special stitches where needed. I do recommend practising the new stitches on a piece of scrap fabric before you start your main design. I hope you enjoy learning these new techniques! TOP TIP To get that beachy effect Faby…

ISSUE 297 ON SALE 10 JULY Fantasy artist Anne Stokes exclusive! Prepare for an epic adventure when you befriend this fair maiden and her mystical unicorn companion PLUS MUCH MORE Stitchers won’t have to fear frogging with Jenny Barton’s cute frogs alphabet set Be prepared for any occasion with Cheryl McKinnon’s typography Design Library You cross stitching queries answered by our experts Your stories, inspiration & letters… plus much more FURRY TALES CARD KIT Wearing a tie-dye dress and with flowers in her hair, Lizzie is ready to dance to some groovy tunes at a music festival. This will make a perfect summer birthday card. Your card kit includes: 14-count white aida 24 lengths of stranded cotton Colour chart & key Pretty illustrated card Handy envelope SWEET SUMMER STITCH! TO…

Be on the panel! x Get a sneak preview x Appear in the magazine x Receive a stitchy gift Carol Way Hefner is a retired school teacher from Lincoln, Missouri, USA How’d you get into stitching? In 1980 when my daughter was first in kindergarten, the mother of one of her little friends introduced me to cross stitching and I soon fell in love. Your favourite project type? Making greeting cards. It’s so much fun to create a card to specifically suit the recipient’s personality and interests. The Design Library of your magazine has been a wonderful resource for me over the years. Fave recent WOXS design? I really love the ‘Sunny Daffodils’ by Amanda Gregory in the April 2020 issue (292). The sight of the first spring daffodils is…

Star Letter BACK TO STITCHING I wanted to say a massive thank you for helping me get back into stitching after a long ‘slump’. The beautiful patterns and tips in the magazine helped to inspire me. I started again with the kits from the magazine. Then I moved onto stitching a couple of patterns for friends’ new babies, and now I’ve just finished this RTO ‘Red Mermaid’. I loved using the bright, rich colours, and it is my first ever stitch on coloured aida. The Cross-stitching.com Facebook group has turned a solitary activity into something to enjoy and share, and I have picked up so much advice from there. Stitching really helps with my anxiety, and I just cannot thank your lovely magazine enough for helping me to get re-bitten…

Thread conversions Q Is there a way to find the equivalent colour numbers for Madeira and DMC thread colours? Susan Bugbee, via email A Anita: My husband and I created www.cyberstitchers.com in 2003 as a way to share with other stitchers many of the tools he created for me. On the site you’ll find extensive lists of thread conversions between both various manufacturers, including DMC and Anchor, as well as some popular kit suppliers such as Design Works Crafts and Dimensions. Whilst we don’t feature Madeira on there yet, you may also find the Floss Conversion Calculator a handy tool, which makes it super easy to find the results you need. On our site you’ll find a collection of free patterns as well as a Pattern Directory, which helps stitchers…

Direction of half stitches Q How do I know what direction to make my half stitches? It never says on the pattern and it’s too small to see in the photos. Thank you for your help! Kimmi, via Instagram A Fiona: This is a common conundrum, Kimmi – ultimately, this is down to personal choice dependant on the way you also do your cross stitches. A half stitch is, as the name suggests, half of a whole cross stitch. It’s commonly used for shadows or backgrounds to create depth in a scene, as it has less dense coverage allowing some of the fabric colour to show through around it. The direction of the half stitches is never stated on the pattern unless it has a particular direction to stitch it,…

Find us online www.gathered.how/woxs www.facebook.com/theworldofcrossstitching www.twitter.com/woxscrossstitch www.pinterest.com/worldofxs www.instagram.com/worldofcrossstitching Share your stitches Enjoy a round-up of our fave makes from across our social community “WOXS 292 (April 2020), ‘Armchair Pincushion’ made into a hanger. Embellished with beads, mini skeins and buttons.” Linda West via Facebook How amazing is ameshow24’s making-up idea using the ‘Window Box Cards’ by Amanda Gregory in WOXS 278 (Mar 2019)? ameshow24, Instagram “Will finish these Emma Congdon designs (WOXS 263, Jan 2018) up as cards for teachers at the end of the school year.” Katrina Cornell via Facebook What fab work on our ‘Spring Sampler’ SAL by the Historical Sampler Company in WOXS 292-294 (Apr-Jun, 2020). Susan Bratton via Facebook Websites you’ll love Next time you log on, check out these amazing stitchy sites Take a class…

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. The most common fabric is 14-count aida. 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…