Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2021 i The World of Cross Stitching

If, like us, you’ve finished your summer stitching already and are starting to look ahead then you’re in for a treat with this month’s October issue. We’ve got a fantastic selection of projects to get you in the mood for autumn. This is my favourite time of year – I love the changing colours of the leaves and going for walks on crisp sunny days. The season is perfectly encapsulated in Nia Rhind’s colourful sampler (p26), Durene Jones’ basket brimming with harvest food (p66) and Kay Widdowson’s adorable hedgehog collecting fallen leaves for a snug hibernation (p38). Get your home ready for Halloween by stitching some super-cute bunting designed by Cheryl McKinnon (p74). This is a great project to get kids involved with too. If you’re after a slightly more…

Spooky Mouse key STITCH COUNT 38 high x 31 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – 7x5.5cm (2¾x2¼in) This design was stitched using DMC stranded cotton Flossie looks absolutely fang-tastic for Halloween this year. She’s dressed to kill in this black punk ensemble, which was surely inspired by Sunday Adams, and we think she’ll make a fab card to invite someone along to a costume party! Missed a chart? ISSUE 310 Monty with his blackboard is perfect for kids to stitch as a thank you to teachers. ISSUE 309 Stitch Flossie supermouse to say thanks to one of the superhumans in your life. ISSUE 308 Show someone that they’re out of this world with Monty in his space suit. For back issues, call % 03330 162 137 or visit…

Star Letter BRILLIANT BANNER I attend the Milton Keynes stitching retreats along with 30 to 60 fellow stitchers. At the first retreat it was suggested we make a banner, so attendees volunteered to each stitch a letter. The only stipulation was the size so that they would be uniform. We started after that first retreat in October 2016 and managed to collate all of the letters by the summer of 2019. I’ve now put them all together and we were able to hang our banner for the first time in October 2019. I thought you might like to see the finished result. I couldn’t quite believe how many different styles of letters there are, and I just love the variety! Sheila Webb, via email Hannah F: This is a really special…

I have enjoyed reading The World of Cross Stitching for years and your magazine brightens my day each time it arrives. My husband really liked the ‘Realistic Tiger’ designed by Jenny Barton that you featured in issue 293 (May 2020), so I had to stitch it for him. We have a wonderful framer, Lionel, who did an exceptional job finishing this off for me, and the tiger now hangs in our hallway, keeping an eye on all the family. Cathy Wilkerson, USA Sue: I loved this tiger stitch too, Cathy. There’s just so much detail and I love the colours. What a gorgeous gift for your hubby – it can be hard to find ideas for stitchy gifts for guys, but do take a look at page 35 for some inspiration.…

I am a schoolteacher and I love to stitch projects to decorate my classroom. The ‘Haunted House’ wreath from issue 298 (October 2020), which was designed by Heather Nugent, was so much fun to make, and the kids will love it! I am looking forward to more projects from The World of Cross Stitching to liven up my classroom. Lilly Anderson, USA Hannah E: I’ve always loved Halloween too, Lilly, and I really wish I’d had a teacher like you when I was at school. I bet the kids enjoy coming to your classroom. We’ve got a few holiday designs featured in this issue that I’m sure you’ll want to stitch for school this year! One of the most fun makes I’ve had a go at myself has to be Jenny…

Last year was very difficult for me. In January I lost my dear sister much too soon, and then Covid-19 hit our shores. In June, I then suffered a fall and fractured my kneecap, which left me homebound. To keep myself busy and, most importantly, to keep myself off my leg and promote healing (to avoid surgery), I have been enjoying sewing your cards and other patterns. I thought you might like to see a picture of me displaying my work, all the way from across the seas in San Diego. Happy stitching to all! Lela Saxton, via email Sue: I’m so sorry to hear about your difficult year, Lela. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that your leg is now on the way to healing! It’s so wonderful to hear…

Fiona Baker Our Senior Technical Editor Fiona is ready to solve stitching dilemmas and answer technique questions Heather Nugent Heather is a cross stitch designer and multi-crafter – she’ll 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 CONTENTS 32 IN THE SPOTLIGHT Amanda Gregory talks brilliant blooms for cards 33 WISHES GRANTED Jenny’s designed a double bass for Dot’s son-in-law 34 FRIENDLY ADVICE Help from fellow stitchers on getting kids…

Brilliant blooms Q I would like to stitch a card or picture for a lady who will be 90 this year and was wondering if you had a pattern for poppies and snowdrops as they are her favourite flowers? Kaza Draycott, via email A Amanda: A hand stitched card is such a lovely thought, Kaza. I love designing florals and you’ll find my small card-sized designs for both a poppy and snowdrop available as PDF instant download patterns at www.AmandaGCrossStitch.etsy.com. The poppy is part of my ‘Florals and blackwork’ set, and the snowdrop can be found with the ‘Christmas florals and blackwork’ set. Each are available as part of a set of 6 different designs, so you’ll get a great selection of patterns for future use too. Each set costs…

Q I am in the process of completing the ‘Together Forever’ design from Heritage Crafts for our golden wedding celebration later this year. My husband and I don’t have a dog, but the seat we used to sit on during our courting days has lots of squirrels nearby. I would love to add a squirrel but can’t find a small enough design. It needs to be only 15 stitches high to be in proportion. Please, can you help me? Elizabeth Atkinson, via email A Fiona: It’s always extra lovely to personalise a stitch, although this has proved to be a tricky request! We did manage to find a harvest card, designed by Jenny Van De Wiele, that features squirrels in issue 298, which may be suitable. Alternatively, you could submit…

With winter on the way, hedgehogs up and down the country are busy getting ready to tuck themselves in for the season and hide among the leaves and hedgerows. They typically hibernate until spring, so have a lot of foliage and food to prepare by sifting through the fallen leaves to build their nest and fatten themselves up. This cheerful creature has found that the best way to collect leaves is to stick them on its quills. We’ve turned Kay’s adorable hedgehog scene into a hanging with vivid orange backing fabric for a bright border and coordinating green tabs to hang. You could frame yours if you prefer though, or perhaps you fancy making a seasonal cushion to liven up your living space. You’ll use a palette of 24 vibrant…

Pumpkin spice and all things nice are in abundance at this fruitful time of year, and this selection of the most gourd-geous pumpkins, vegetables, wheat and apples looks ever so appealing in a country basket. The red check cloth and ribbon add that extra bit of detail to the idyllic autumnal harvest theme too. Framed by a border of crisp rustling leaves in golden hues, Durene’s seasonal scene is sure to look the part in any home and could be displayed throughout the year. You’ll stretch your skills with a mix of whole and fractional stitches, as well as backstitch in both one and two strands and French knots to bring all the elements of the design together. We’ve chosen a natural wooden frame to complement the finished stitch, but…

× Choose your project… Use the Factbox guide in every one of our projects, to make sure you choose the right level for you. Absolute beginners should aim for a design without fractional stitches. × Buy your materials… Use our shopping list for each project, which specifies everything needed, like size of fabric and finishing materials. Using another fabric with different HPI (holes per inch), 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. Our charts are marked with…

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). Threequarters 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.…

CHERYL MCKINNON Stitch Cheryl’s cute bunting to create spook-tacular décor to entertain guests at your Halloween party (p74). These are versatile and easy-to-stitch motifs. FIONA BAKER Fiona has created an out of this world starry alphabet set (p79) where the constellations are stitched using glow-in-the-dark thread! MOLLIE JOHANSON We welcome new WOXS designer, Mollie, as she conjures up a bewitching collection of Kawaii-style magic motifs in this month’s Design Library (p47).…

Inside your kit… Here are the colours and number of lengths of thread in your kit Black x1 Grey x2 Light brown x1 Orange x1 Blue x3 Brown x1 Dark blue x3 Total: 12 lengths Merry Christmas key STITCH COUNT 39 high x 39 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – 7x7cm (2_x2_in) DESIGNED BY Emma Congdon STITCHED BY Laura Boyter This design was stitched using stranded cotton from your coverkit Includes a wooden charm Fact box Approx4hours Crossstitchbackstitch Beginner TOP TIP At tach the charm to your finished stitch using two strands of dark brown thread through one of the holes in it and secure it to the aida as marked on the chart…

I made this for my sixth grandchild. I used Polstitches fabric and the design by Durene Jones was featured in issue 267 (May 2020) of Cross Stitch Crazy. I’ve adapted it by adding some treasures instead of stitched leaves. The baby’s nursery is jungle themed, and I am so happy with the result. Janie Holmes, Canada Fiona: This is a gorgeous stitch to celebrate a new arrival to your family, Janie. I love that you made it your own with embellishments too. Cross stitch does make a great personalised gift for newborns and for anyone looking out for a life-like animal stitch to welcome a child to your tribe why not try Carol Thornton’s ‘Sepia Elephants’ from issue 309 (August 2021) available to download via the WOXS app.…

I hope the team at WOXS are keeping well and not too busy with all the wonderful patterns coming out. Trying to find time to sit down and stitch has been difficult as I’m a paramedic and work’s been busy during the pandemic. But when I saw Lucie Heaton’s ‘Furry Tales’ series in issues 303 (February 2021) and 304 (March 2021) I just had to stitch them. I decided to merge the two patterns and change some colours to match what I wear to work as I thought it would make a lovely memento of this difficult time and put a smile on my face. Bronwyn Wilkinson, via email Hannah E: The ‘Medic Monty’ and ‘Rainbow Flossie’ stitches were designed to raise a smile during lockdown, so we’re thrilled they did…

This was a such a lovely stitch. Thank you to Jenny Van De Wiele for designing my favourite project in issue 298 (October 2020). I found the acorns and leaves under a beautiful oak tree on a woodland walk after a storm. Rest assured the acorns have now been returned to the squirrels! Susanne Hopkins, Hove Fiona: This is a lovely stitch to bring out again this autumn, Susanne, and I’m sure it gets heaps of praise.…

Q Are there any patterns within your magazine for work tools? I want to stitch a 70th birthday card for my partner and would love to incorporate things like hammers, wrenches and screwdrivers etc. Elaine Smith, via Facebook A Heather: Get ready to tool up, Elaine – we featured a brilliant alphabet set in issue 294 (June 2020), designed by Diane Machin, which should be just perfect for your special birthday card. You could spell out your partner’s name, include just their initials, or simply pull out a few tools of choice for adding to another design that you may already have in mind. This wonderfully versatile set can be downloaded as a digital back issue from www.buysubscriptions.com or via our app.…

Q Is there any chance of you designing a double bass? My son-in-law has just purchased one and is keen to have some pictures to hang on the wall in his music room. It’s taken him a long time to save up and it would be great to stitch him a birthday surprise! Dot Penn, via email A Jenny: It’s a pleasure to design this for your son-in-law, Dot, and what a thoughtful gift. I’m a huge music fan so it’s been fun to create this for you and it’ll look effective in a hoop for his wall. Double Bass key STITCH COUNT 30 high x 30 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – 5.5x5.5cm (2_x2_in) This design was stitched using DMC stranded cotton Please note: Jenny can only…

× Sarah Lou Stott: I got my kids (seven and nine) a beginners kit with simple stitches. I help them to thread the needle and read the pattern. I also work with them one at a time so they have my full focus and help whenever they need it. × Victoria Nichols: Find a subject matter they enjoy, and start with a stamped pattern to help them learn the basics without having to read the pattern right away. × Lauren Louise Marshall: I remember my mum got me a kit with 6-count aida, when I was younger, to get me started with her help. I would say stick to small and simple designs and provide lots of supervision if it’s needed. × Juliette Hill: I got my daughter into stitch…

Masculine designs INTREPID EXPLORERS SUNSET OVER MOUNTAINS Nature-loving Max from PigeonCoopDesigns* creates outdoorsy designs, inspired by his native Canada. There are lots of patterns to choose from in his Etsy shop, which gets rave reviews from beginners thanks to the detailed instructions and neatly packaged supplies in each kit. This mountain scene, which is part of the ‘Starry Sky’ series, really caught our eye and it’s available as a kit or you can download the PDF for £4.78. Stitch count: 85 wide x 78 high, 15x14cm (6x5½in) on 14-count aida KEEN CYCLISTS CYCLING FUN If you or someone you know loves to live life in the fast lane, this kit from Bothy Threads* will get your wheels in a spin. The design is worked on 14-count aida and uses whole stitches…

Bright Butterfly MAKE HEARTS FLUTTER A new addition to the huge range of stitches available from Heritage Crafts*, this gorgeous selection of four bright designs is certainly giving us butterflies! From the ‘Karen Carter Collection’, sized at 15x15cm (6x6in), each kit comes complete with Zweigart 14-count fabric, DMC stranded cottons sorted onto numbered cards, a needle and clear charts as well as instructions. If you’re a fan of vibrant nature scenes you’ll love stitching one of these up. Choose from ‘Red Butterfly’ (KBRB1598), ‘Orange Butterfly’ (KBOB1597), ‘Green Butterfly’ (KBGB1596) and ‘Blue Butterfly’ (KBBB1595).…

This fantastic colourful and graphic floral design from Magical Minnie Crafts* on Etsy is one you’ll want to stitch and gift again and again. It’s available as a PDF download to get started on right away, and we think it makes the most thoughtful present for birthdays, thank yous, christenings and more – that’s if you can bear to give it away. Great for beginners and accomplished stitchers alike, the pattern uses 19 glorious shades of thread in whole stitches only. ‘Fabulous Flowers’ is 72 stitches high by 73 wide and, when stitched on 14-count aida, it fits a 6in hoop, which you can paint in any colour of your choice, or you could mount and frame it in a natural wood frame. You could also have a go at…

Black cats, bats and spooky trees are familiar features of all the best Halloween scenes. Pair these with a special fabric, created just for this project, and you’re in for a real stitchy treat. Kate’s artwork has been lovingly converted into stitches to capture the eerie setting, so get ready for a night of frights as you depict these two prowling cats on their evening adventure. You can almost hear wind whistling between the branches, and the bats set against the ‘Midnight Glow’ aida from Sew-it- All complete the effect. Incorporating whole and fractional stitches, backstitch and French knots for the glowing red bats’ eyes, this pattern is ideal for those with a little experience who are ready to tackle some new techniques. The cats also make a great standalone…

When did you realise you could use craft to inspire others? I picked up a little cross stitch kit in 2008 for a fiver – a little teddy bear design – to keep me busy on a long train journey. I wanted to keep my mind occupied as I was in the middle of a difficult time. I was feeling burnt out in my job in the charity sector, and I missed being creative. This kit was small enough to put in my bag and it was accessible enough that I knew I could just pick it up without much stitching experience. I sat down and started it and an elderly couple sitting opposite me asked me what I was doing. Immediately, I thought: “If only I was cross stitching…

Designed especially for stitchers who are keen to learn some new techniques and set themselves fun new challenges, welcome to this month’s workshop, which focuses on dove’s eye stitch – an embellishment stitch that is attached to the centre of four woven bars. I aim to cover a variety of styles and themes each issue and every pattern is small enough to be stitched over a weekend or in between larger projects. My patterns are simple to follow, and I’ll give you clear step-by-step tutorials for any special stitches. As always, I recommend you get some practise in with this new stitch on some scrap fabric before you start the main design to get your stitches super neat and even. Add sparkle with beads Factbox Approx7hours Crossstitchsatinstitch, woven…

PRIZES WORTH £288 Perfect poppies Practical as well as pretty, Durene Jones’* brand-new beautiful poppy set comes in the form of two charts (RRP £4.80 each). There’s the ‘Poppy Scissor Case and Fob’, as well as ‘Poppy Humbug’, which makes the perfect pincushion – together they would make a brilliant floral gift for one of your stitchy pals, or a wonderful treat for yourself. We’re thrilled to have 30 bundles of the two charts for competition winners, thanks to Durene. Check out these new designs, plus lots of old favourites from the popular collection on Durene’s Etsy shop. 30 UP FOR GRABS! TO ENTER Visit our website www.gathered.how/woxs PRIZES WORTH £255 Life on the edge 8 UP FOR GRABS! Calling all free spirits… You’ll love the latest addition to Bothy…

ISSUE 312 ON SALE 7 SEPT START THE COUNTDOWN You’ll want to stitch up this advent calendar to put on display every year HAVE AN ICE DAY Send out seasonal greetings featuring Jenny Barton’s seven cute penguins HO HO HOME Visit a dreamy manor complete with Santa, his sledge and carollers galore STITCH-A-LONG Learn how to make up your very own quaint stitchy village Snow this is Christmas! You’ll adore Margaret Sherry’s adorable friendly snowman all wrapped up warm for winter and cuddling his kitten pal LIGHT SOMEONE’S DAY A series of vibrant coloured cards and tags to celebrate the festival of Diwali JOLLY HOLLY Traditional yuletide canvas designs make great gifts PLUS MUCH MORE Enjoya sunny Christmas with tropical festive motifs Feastyour eyes on Durene Jones’ Thanksgiving ABC DesignLibrary…

Yulia Kurtumerova works in digital marketing and lives in Dublin What’s your fave project style? I admire stitched landscapes and famous pictures, but I often embroider small quick-to-finish patterns that can be used for cards, bookmarks, or patched onto a bag. WOXS design you love? I really enjoyed (and already stitched) the motifs in Poppy Benner’s Design Library from issue 306 (May 2021). The stitches are timeless and look very fashionable made up for denim jeans. Top stitching tip? When preparing to stitch a project from a mag, I usually make a colour copy of the scheme, so I can mark off the stitches as I go, and I can use the charts again. Who are your stitching buddies? My mother has recently started stitching too, so now I can…

LIVING IT HYGGE My one friend, Steve, suffers from anxiety the same as I do. We often talk about mindfulness and a hygge lifestyle so, when issue 299 (November 2020) popped through my door with the hygge Design Library by Susan Bates, I decided to stitch him something as part of his Christmas present. I loved the look of the bookmark and I know he reads lots of books, so that seemed the ideal design. To go with it I found a notebook with a cover that complements it well. The bookmark was backed onto some lovely yellow card, which sets it off nicely. I’ll have to see at Christmas if he likes it. Jayne Perkins, via email Emily: This is a superb gift. Wellness and self-care are so important and…

So long, summer! As the nights draw in there’s even more time to cosy up with your next stitching project. The latest in Nia’s seasonal series for 2021, the autumn instalment’s colour palette of wonderful oranges, yellows and mauves, perfectly captures the time of year. The sampler also pays tribute to all the wonderful produce available to enjoy in these cooler months, such as apple pie, pumpkins and corn. There’s a nod to Halloween too with some cute stitchy characters and a couple of spiders just hanging out. With minimal backstitch in this design you can settle down and enjoy the easy whole stitches – there are just a couple of fractionals around the edges of the spiders, so it’s a great project for stitchers looking for their next challenge.…

Q What is the best size needle to use to attach smaller sized beads, as I no longer have a fine beading needle? annpotter389, via Instagram A Hannah E: A beading needle would be best as they’re super-thin and don’t have as rounded an eye as standard needles, ensuring it will fit through the centre of your bead. If you only have tapestry needles to hand, however, you may get away with a size 26 or 28, but you might find it trickier to use. Beading needles actually come in different sizes too – a size 10 or 12 is recommend for size 11/0 beads (the most common type featured on our patterns, such as Mill Hill* seed beads) but smaller beads will require needles that are even thinner than…

A beginner’s guide Q I am new to cross stitching and would like to know how to start my first project. Leeann Ellsmore, via email A Fiona: Welcome to the wonderful world of cross stitching, Leeann! Here’s a handy checklist for starting your very first project: firstly, choose your project wisely – we feature a Factbox guide on all our patterns so you can make sure to pick the right level for you. Absolute beginners should aim for a design without fractional stitches. Next, buy your materials – use our Shopping List for each project, which specifies everything needed including size of fabric and finishing materials. We’d recommend using 14-count aida to begin with, or even smaller aida, such as 11-count, if you’d prefer even bigger holes to help you…

MONTH No.1 pet Fun facts about rabbits • Female rabbits are called doe (like deer) while the male is a buck and the babies are known as kits. • Growing by around 2mm every single week, a bunny’s teeth never stop getting longer – they do manage to wear them down by munching on lots of healthy leafy greens, however. • These clever creatures have super hearing and can pinpoint the exact location of a sound. They’re also able turn their ears 180 degrees. Design my pet! Q Here’s a photo of my little boy bunny, Dandelion. I would like to have him turned into a chart because, sadly, he has recently been put to sleep and I’d love to have this memory of him forever. It will be worth…

Designed for Bothy Threads by Simon Taylor-Kielty as part of the ‘Elly’ series, the ‘Hallow Elly’ cross stitch kit, features our fave elephant character dressed up in a witchy Halloween costume, and includes all the spooky extras you’d expect, such as pumpkins and cauldrons. The design is worked on 14-count aida, the finished size is 20x20cm (8x8in) and, for a limited time, Past Impressions* is offering you an exclusive discount using the code WOXS311 online at www.pastimpressions.co.uk. Offer ends on 21 September 2021.…

Get together with a few friends and each stitch the canary to make a card to send to your local MP to encourage them to support the climate movement. Share it on social media to encourage others to join in and use the hashtag #CanaryCraftivists. Canary Craftivist 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…

Halloween is that exciting time of year we associate with haunted houses, creepy costumes, watching horror movies and of course trick or treaters. If you’re hosting a party this year and getting ready to show off your best spooky outfit, remember that this holiday isn’t just for scares – shake up your décor with a selection of cute Kawaii-style motifs to entertain your guests. With a witch, pumpkin, black cat, candy, ghost and spider to choose from, these designs are versatile for a whole host of easy-to-make themed decorations, or you could stitch them as party invites. Using mostly whole stitches with just a spot of backstitch, this is a great project to get kids involved in as well. Try stitching the designs on 11-count aida so it’s easier for…

CALL THE HOTLINE TODAY ☎ 03330 162 137 ×Issue 310 September Say hello to Country CompanionsTM pals, Ed Hedgehog and Tom Mouse in a sweet portrait. Relax with Fiona Baker’s tranquil garden scene, enjoy Emma Congdon’s herbal tea sampler and add colour to your home with Amanda Butler’s patchwork turtle. Plus there are sweet monster cards, tasty baking motifs, an artinspired ABC and modern magic as well as uplifting canvases. EXCLUSIVE GIFT: Delightful afternoon tea card kit × Issue 309, Aug Home sweet home kit, retro ice cream van, boho florals, Polaroid-style picnic scene, realistic elephants, kids’ bookmarks, magical mermaid and nautical ABC × Issue 308, July All-occasion gift tags, fantasy dragon, fruity beach accessories, Belle & Boo sea adventure, vibrant summer sampler, crafty pincushions and sunny Greek taverna ×…

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, & 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…