Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2025 i The World of Cross Stitching

Only £5.99 (inc P&P) Don’t miss it! Stitch a year’s worth of cards with this essential collection and get ready to celebrate! With 127 special occasions cards, you have the perfect sentiment to mark big events all year-round, from birthdays, weddings and much more! Get stitching: ❃ Last-minute Christmas cards ❃ Make Mother’s Day and Father’s Day cards ❃ 16 big events to stitch for ❃ 35 quick gift tags charts ❃ Welcome a new baby ❃ Celebrate birthdays and wedding anniversaries ❃ Stitch with love for Valentine’s Plus, thank you cards to show your gratitude, pretty positivity cards for friends, cool cards teens will love, retro-style cards and Easter sentiments too! ON SALE 13 NOVEMBER 2024 – ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY! ONLINE www.ourmediashop.com/FavCards24 CALL 03330 162 138+ and quote…

We are The World of Cross Stitching and we want our magazine to reflect the world we live in. We’re committed to creating content that is inclusive and celebrates the diversity of the cross stitch community. Stitching is for everyone, regardless of ethnicity, faith, culture, age, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. We have begun work on a plan to drive meaningful change, but we know it’s a work in progress. We want to listen to you, our readers. If you have any questions or thoughts, get in touch at theworldofxstitching@ourmedia.co.uk…

Inside your kit… Here are the colours and number of lengths of thread Light lilac x2 Dark lilac x1 Lilac x2 Green x2 Light green x1 Yellow x1 Pink x3 Dark Pink x2 Violet x2 Black x2 Total: 18 lengths Rose Pouch Kit key STITCH COUNT 33 high x 33 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – 6x6cm (2¼x2¼in) DESIGNED BY Fiona Baker STITCHED BY Laura Boyter This design was stitched using stranded cotton from your coverkit Gifts available with print edition only. Overseas gift may vary. TOP TIP If you find the ribbon starts to fray over time, add a very thin line of clear nail polish to the cut edges to seal the ends Finish in an evening Factbox × Stitching Time Approx. 5 hours × Type of…

PICK OF THE MONTH Pretty petals LET THE GOOD THINGS GROW Create your own bouquet that will never need watering with these floral hoop designs. They’ll add a vibrant, springtime touch to your home during the depths of winter. From Hobbycraft*, this motif series is inspired by the RHS Lindley collection of their botanical art. All six designs can be found on the Hobbycraft website and each kit comes with a bamboo embroidery hoop, aida, sorted threads, threader and full instructions. As well as being the perfect project for yourself, these kits will be ideal for another crafter in your life looking to take on a new activity. Let your walls bloom with these budding designs suitable for intermediate stitchers and beyond ready to take on a fresh piece. SNOWY…

When the streets are blanketed in soft, white snow and you can see your breath in the chilly air, all you want to do is wrap up in a woolly jumper. In winter, there are many activities to motivate you to get outside in the cold, such as sledging and skating with loved ones, or staying in the comfort of your home making baked goods and enjoying them next to a roaring fire. As you get cosy on the sofa to commence the final sampler in MiRu Makes’ seasonal series, take the time to enjoy every individual motif. Each one can be worked in as quick as an evening and before you know it you’ll have finished it! While being mindful of the backstitch in one and two strands, this…

Q My daughter is finishing her first year at university studying history and she is obsessed with Vikings! Could I request a small Viking man or ship design, please? Tracey Sharrock, via email A Jenny: What a wonderful idea, Tracey! This Viking is equipped for battle with his axe and shield. While he is putting on a strong face, you can’t help but think of how sweet he’d look as a patch on your daughter’s bag or into a card for her graduation that she’ll treasure for as long as time! 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. Viking key STITCH COUNT 30 high x 26 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI…

CALL THE HOTLINE TODAY ☎ 03330 162 137† × Issue 353, Special 2024 Go on a snowy walk with Elmer and his bluebird friends and encapsulate the magic of a wintry London inside a snow globe. Maria Diaz’s East Asian inspired triptych will bring good fortune for the New Year, all the while Margaret Sherry’s farm friends are dressed up for the festivities. Plus, sneak an exciting preview of 2025’s ‘A Year of Joy’ Stitch-A-Long by Durene Jones. Your gift: 3D gnome ornament for the tree × Issue 352, Dec Triple Christmas gift, Sledging Wrendale foxes, folk art stag hoop, mini birdhouse ornaments, sparkly penguin at the south pole and carol-inspired Christmas clock × Issue 351, Nov Stitchrovia calendar, Festive Peter Rabbit and Flopsy, sparkly snowmen, vibrant depiction of the magi, poppy…

Gift subscriptions FROM JUST £22.90 GREAT REASONS TO SUBSCRIBE Gift subscriptions from just £22.90! • Free delivery direct to your door • Fantastic Christmas savings YOUR TWO EASY WAYS TO ORDER Visit ourmediashop.com/x24ha Call 03300538660 quote code x24ha This offer closes on the 31st December 2024 and is valid for UK delivery addresses only. The discounts shown are savings calculated as a percentage of the full shop price. For overseas rates visit www.ourmediashop.com. All Christmas gift subscriptions will start with the first issue available in January 2025. Should the magazine change in frequency, we will honour the number of issues and not the term of the subscription. †UK calls will cost the same as other standard fixed line numbers (starting 01 or 02) and are included as part of any…

What do you like to do in between Christmas and the New Year? It’s a great time to finish off those pesky projects that are taking longer than expected and to make grand plans for your next year of stitching. We often hear about how our readers file and mark the projects in each of our issues, so they can find the charts again easily, ready to stitch – so now’s time for you to pick your favourites! Well, in our first issue for 2025, we’ve not held back and are gearing up for a year of stunning designs for all tastes, ages, levels of stitcher and more. As you can see on the cover, we’ve teamed up with fantasy artist Anne Stokes to bring a stunning new dragon design…

Your fave WOXS stitch? I really loved the ‘Wedding Mice’ project from issue 348 (August 2024). My husband and I celebrated 10 years this year and, with mice themed invites, mice as a cake topper and a mousey wedding sampler as a wedding gift, it feels like it was designed just for us. I’ll be aiming to have that one ready for our next anniversary. What do your family and friends think of your hobby? My family is in one of two camps – it’s either craft galore or they don’t see the attraction. Thankfully I inherited the crafty gene! Any advice you’d like to pass on to fellow stitchers? I use masking tape to seal the edges of my aida when working on a project – it doesn’t leave…

Recognised for her illustrations of magnificent creatures, this exclusive design by Anne Stokes will allow you to bring to life in stitches these entwined dragons encased in a Celtic knotwork border. We have featured other phenomenal dragons by Anne in issue 308 (July 2021) and issue 328 (Jan 2023), so if you’d like to expand your fantastical collection then you can purchase a digital copy via our app. Something to note is that this design is large and intricate, so while we consider this to be well-suited for advanced stitchers, if you’re looking to start your first big project then you’ll be sure to pick up some new skills. Try confetti stitches (single stitches worked in isolation for a pixel effect) and perhaps a new technique, such as the parking…

Known for their friendly demeanour by showering loved ones with plenty of affection, the King Charles spaniel is the perfect balance between a lap dog and an energetic, athletic breed that will always keep you on the go. That’s why it’s sometimes good to give yourself some downtime with this active breed by immersing yourself in this repetitive stitch design. While this pattern may look daunting with the multiple colour changes, there are some large blocks of stitching, allowing you to get through the design quicker than you expect. Moreover, Megan’s iconic mandala style will have you in a relaxed, tranquil state so you can appreciate the bursts of colour complementing the neutral tones of the spaniel’s fur. Mounted on canvas, this furry friend will make you thankful for the…

36 SPORTY IDEAS Get your heart pumping with Durene Jones’ inspiring designs that will get you moving about × 36 quick-and-easy motifs × Durene Jones’ design inspiration × Stitches for every skill level × Helpful tips and advice × Motivational reminders on ways to keep fit this New Year MEDITATION MANTRA This mindful design (9) is worked on 28-count evenweave then turned into a positive reminder to take a moment for yourself using a mini wire hanger. RUNNER’S HIGH Staying hydrated is key when doing physical activity, so dress up your water bottle with this continuous running trainers design (35) on a 1in wide 14-count aida band. NOTHING BUT NET Create a patch for a kit bag for your wheelchair-using friends with this inspiring motif (24). Fray one block of…

Putting up a new finish on the wall is always exciting and this offset hoop in wintry hues will attract plenty of compliments! While the design looks detailed, it is actually made up of whole cross stitch and backstitch only, making it an enjoyable project for advanced beginners and beyond. Susan has composed the stunning floral scene to position perfectly around the smaller hoop. Make sure to count your stitches carefully for the spacing between the floral stems on the right, so the offset hoop ring fits nicely in the space. Follow our full making-up instructions on page 65 when you’re ready to mount your piece. If the double-hoop effect is a little daunting, as an alternative you could fill the space with names and dates for weddings, anniversaries or…

ISSUE 355 ON SALE 28 DEC EXCLUSIVE New SAL! A kitty for all seasons Join in with our four-part seasonal Margaret Sherry stitch-a-long PLUS MUCH MORE × Exclusive book extract from Cross-Stitch in the Forest × Adorable baby hanging for the family’s newest arrival × Second part of the ‘A Year of Joy’ SAL by Durene Jones × Your cross stitching queries answered by our experts × Your stories, inspiration & letters… plus much more FOR SOMEONE VERY SPECIAL Quick-to-stitch, your coverkit won’t just be done in just a few short hours but can be gifted right before the most romantic day of the year. Make a special card for your partner, child or friend that they will cherish forever. LOVE-INSPIRED CARD KIT Your gift includes: • 14-count aida •…

ANNE STOKES Anne’s fantasy art transitions perfectly into cross stitch, and this time we’ve picked a beautiful pair of entwined dragons in a Celtic circle design (p10). SUSAN BATES If you love intricate florals and natural designs, Susan’s portfolio is full of inspiration. She loved designing a wintry barn owl for our offset hoop project (p60). DURENE JONES We asked Durene to design a New Year health and fitness library for everyone, so we hope you find something mindful or energetic to stitch from p39 onwards!…

PRIZES worth £1,048 PRIZES WORTH £255 Blossom and bloom Flowers are prominent in a lot of crafting hobbies, especially cross stitch and embroidery. Tilly Rose’s A Love of Cloth & Threads: Among the Wildflowers will provide endless design inspiration as this book draws on the beauty of the outdoors. Inside the book is a stunning collection of nature-inspired embroidery transfers showcasing Rose’s most-loved seasonal wildflowers. For those looking to add a rustic, cottagecore aesthetic to their home, this book will help you do that, all the while experimenting with embroidery techniques. Retailed at £14.99 at Search Press*, we’re glad to be providing a copy of the physical book to 17 lucky winners. TO ENTER Visit our website www.gathered.how/woxs 17 UP FOR GRABS! PRIZES WORTH £270 Changing seasons Capturing the beauty…

GET IN TOUCH FOR STITCHING HELP Don’t forget to send all your stitchy questions and design requests in to us! Email us at: theworldofxstitching@ourmedia.co.uk Send in queries via Facebook to: @TheWorldofCrossStitching Write to: Ask the Experts, The World of Cross Stitching, Our Media Ltd, Eagle House, Bristol BS1 4ST London sight-stitching Q I’m looking to stitch a big red double-decker bus as a memento from a recent holiday to London with my husband. We enjoyed our bus journeys around the capital and even had afternoon tea on one! Victoria Abraham, via email A Vicki: What a wonderful idea to capture your holiday memories, Victoria! Why not take a ride on this iconic red double-decker bus and go on a stitching journey around some of London’s most famous sights you may have…

Why not give your thank you cards this season a European feel with some alternative words in different languages? Whatever tongue your recipients speak, they’ll love opening these beautiful cards featuring some of our favourite flowers. As you may already know from previous issues, the Assisi design style leaves an unstitched area in the middle of the design, so the fabric shows through. You don’t need to learn any new techniques however, as the stitching is worked the same as any other design. With Assisi, the shapes are usually outlined in backstitch or Holbein stitch for impact. For these lovely cards, the outline around the words looks best worked in single backstitches, one-stitch long, so be sure to be consistent for a professional-looking finish. We made up this card set…

Thread colours are arranged in shade ‘families’ – these are groups of colours that create a gradient of shading. It helps to look at a shade card for the full palette when making colour comparisons (available from DMC and Anchor) as these are arranged within the shade families already. You can swap threads like-for-like to equivalent shades of another family, ie. light, medium and dark. You may want to change the hue of an entire pattern, or use up threads already in your stash to save money. You can also alter skin tones to create different ethnicities. We’ve included some examples of skin shade families below, but feel free to experiment with your own. You’ll need to select alternatives for mid-tones, highlights and shadows, depending on how many shades are…