Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2025 i The World of Cross Stitching

ON SALE NOW! JUST £9.99* inc free UK P&P WHAT’S INSIDE! x 132 pages of cross stitch inspiration x Cute characters, realistic blooms and fun sayings x Speedy designs you can finish in an evening Order your copy today! ORDER ONLINE www.ourmediashop.com/ultimate-cross-stitch25 OR CALL 03330 162 138+ and quote ‘Ultimate Cross Stitch Cards 2025’ +UK calls will cost the same as other standard fixed line numbers (starting 01 or 02) and are included as part of any inclusive or free minutes allowances (if offered by your phone tariff). Lines open weekdays 9am to 5pm. Overseas please call +44 (0)1604 973 746. Price. EUR price £11.99, ROW price £12.99. All prices include P&P. Please allow up to 28 days for delivery. Offer subject to availability.…

Amy Keller is from Yorkshire Most recent fave WOXS design? I love the ‘Sleeping Cat Cushion’ by Heather Nugent in issue 356 (Mar 2025). I’m a volunteer at my local cat shelter and I help the cats get used to human interaction through playing or providing comfort and love in the form of stroking and positive reassurance. What do you love most about cross stitching? The joy and happiness family and friends feel when I gift a cross stitch piece. Most of the time it is a surprise with consideration of their interest or something personal to them, so when I surprise them they are very touched. A stitching tip you’d like to pass on? Do a pattern that makes you happy especially when it’s a gift for someone else.…

A mid colours of a glorious flower garden with budding anemones and fluttering friends, you may spot a whimsical fairy paying a visit to your pretty petals. With her blushing red tunic and dainty wings, Jenny Barton’s garden fairy is the perfect companion for any green-fingered friend. We’ve stitched this design on ice blue evenweave for a soft sky effect and added white half-stitch clouds for a mellow backdrop. We’d recommend that you stitch this design on evenweave as there are fractional stitches – if you’re a beginner hoping to stretch your cross stitch skillset, then this is a good opportunity to try a new fabric type. Learn more about using evenweave in our Beginner’s Guide on page 78. When it came to choosing how to display this enchanting portrait, we…

Sometimes the dressing table needs a bit of TLC, which calls for the addition of plush jewellery boxes, pretty fabric and your favourite fragrances. By personalising your vanity with this ravishing bluebell set by Faby Reilly, you’ll be getting ready in style with these beauties. This set of three charts can be adapted to decorate many items. We stitched the large design to decorate a jewellery box, the medium size for a hanky corner and the small chart for a mini hoop that works as a pretty necklace. Be mindful of the split backstitch and French knots in this set, and remember to use a sharp pointed needle to pierce the aida blocks accurately. Faby’s project is great for getting to grips with soluble canvas, too, making hankies for all…

Bask in the beauty of the jungle with tropical foliage, lush landscapes and birds with their vibrant plumage, all stitched inside the silhouette of a cockatiel. Packed with detail, Perry Abdel-Hadi’s latest design is stitched using a whopping 33 different colours and is perfect for avid stitchers who are keen to bring the rainforest into their home. As there are a lot of colours, take the time to pre-sort and organise your collection of threads to minimise confusion and ensure you have everything you need. And remember, always work in good, natural daylight or invest in a daylight bulb craft light to distinguish between the similar shades of green. Easy to display using magnetic hangers, you’ll also save money without the need for custom framing – why not paint the…

We’re at the fifth part of our SAL, how quickly this piece is starting to grow – we’re on May already! As they say, “April showers bring May flowers”, which means our buzzy friends will start to make an appearance. It is also World Bee Day on 20 May, a day to celebrate and raise awareness of nature’s helpers and how much they support our ecosystem. So it’s the perfect time of year to stitch a classic beehive with pretty wildflowers. How are you all finding the SAL so far? Are you doing each section at a time or saving many to stitch them all in one go? Do you have any tips and tricks to share with other stitchers? Tell us all via our social channels or email! Guide…

PRIZES worth £1,021 PRIZES WORTH £250 Under the stitching sea 25 UP FOR GRABS! If you’re in need of some inspiration on what your next stitch should be, then check out all the latestdesigns available on Creative Poppy Patterns’* website! Browse from a vast range of stunning projects from designers such as Barbara Ana Designs, GERA! Kyoko Maruoka, Maria Diaz, and be sure to look out for their mesmerising mermaid designs. Take your pick from ‘Canned Beauty’, ‘Underwater City’, ‘The Little Mermaid’ and more aquatic designs, especially for the summer. We’re also delighted to say that we’ve teamed up with Creative Poppy Patterns to offer 25 lucky winners the chance of winning a £10 voucher to spend on all their favourite charts. TO ENTER Visit our website www.gathered.how/woxs PRIZES WORTH £255…

CALL THE HOTLINE TODAY ☎ 03330 162 137† ✘ Issue 357, April 2025 Gonks aren’t just for Christmas, so make Helz Cuppleditch’s magical friend for your home this Easter! Appreciate the beauty of a watercoloured kingfisher by Carol Thornton, while making some handy tote bags for your supermarket shops. Take a peek inside grandma’s pantry, designed by Gail Bussi, and add a bespoke touch to a wedding with our calligraphy alphabet. Your gift: Scenic coastal puffin bookmark ✘ Issue 356, Mar Buzzy bee keyring, Floral Forever Friends bear, springtime Paris in a snow globe, folk art moth, artistic puffin and lighthouse scene and cute cupcake sampler ✘ Issue 355, Feb Sweet balloons card, Margaret Sherry springtime kitty, dashing romantic couple, cool jellyfish ABC, exclusive blue jay hoop and adorable red…

With the May bank holidays swiftly approaching and we dream of sunnier days accompanied by warmer weather, we can’t help but turn to Maria Diaz’s idyllic seafront that is teeming with all the joys the summer provides. Dive straight into a bustling seaside promenade filled with ice cream vans, sandy shores, long-standing shops and most importantly cool waters to dip our toes into – it’s making me excited for summer just talking about it! Another trend animal we have been obsessed with here at WOXS HQ has been the capybara, so Jenny Barton’s capybara cuties relaxing in a hot spring will be sure to provide some peaceful respite. Plus, give your vanity some TLC with a stunning bluebell dressing table set, a brilliant way to not only use up leftover…

Steph Matthiesen of Fine Frog Stitching is from Wisconsin, USA finefrogstitching How it started: I have a long history of working in various art mediums, and pixel art was one of them. When I began stitching in 2019, I realised I could easily bridge the gap between the two. I decided to design patterns that I would want to stitch! Most recent design: I put out print releases at the Nashville Needlework Market in March. My newest PDF pattern is ‘Nimble Nightbringer’! Favourite designed piece: It would have to be one of my recent print releases, the Crow Librarian. I adore a good lime green! He will be available as a PDF in a couple of months. What you love about the cross stitch community: I love the enthusiasm and…

CARE PACKAGE Looking for a special gift to give someone who is interested in trying cross stitch or you just want to wow them? Innocent Bones’* ‘The Big Cross Stitch Gift Box’ will knock their stitchy socks off, for sure! This kit is jam-packed with incredible value for your money, including a cross stitch kit, embroidery scissors, magnetic needle minder, Innocent Bones branded tote bag, canvas project pouch, an ‘I love cross stitch’ keyring and a set of three needle threaders (as we all know they do come handy when in a pinch!). Pull a grand gesture out from your sleeve and surprise and delight them with a gift box brimming with amazing goodies. BUDDING BOOK Discover 26 simple designs of a wide variety of flowers, including buttercups, pansies, cowslip…

Merry around the maypole Q Have you ever done May Day patterns in your magazine? I’m looking for an easy pattern to stitch for my grandma. Toni Rights, via Facebook A Hannah: With a Furry Tales character for every occasion, of Lizzie Mouse dancing around the maypole. You’ll find the pattern in issue 345 (May 2024). Or, if you’re looking for something larger, you might like to check out this fun Margaret Sherry design of a whole menagerie of animals celebrating the festival in issue 255 (June 2017). This large design measures 20x31cm (7¾x12¼in) when stitched on 14- or 28-count fabric, but could be tackled by confident beginner stitchers, with the different animals helpfully break it down into manageable steps. You can get your hands on both issues as digital…

ISSUE 359 ON SALE 16 APRIL Sprinting ahead for the treats! You’ll adore this bounding Jack Russell terrier by Wrendale Designs! DELFTWARE DELIGHTS Stitch a pretty patterned tile in an assortment of blue hues onto this wooden bobbin. When finished, use it as a keyring and thread-sorter. There are two stitch designs to choose from too! Your gift includes: • Wooden bobbin and keychain • 12 lengths of stranded cotton • Chart insert HANDY 3-IN-1 GIFT! Contents subject to change. Gift(s) only with print edition, and overseas gift(s) may vary. PLUS MUCH MORE ✘ Futuristic ABC, ideal to put on the front of a notebook ✘ Durene Jones’ ‘A Year of Joy’ stitch-a-long – part 6 ✘ Dashing vintage dress cards by Rhona Norrie ✘ Your cross stitching queries answered…

FABY REILLY Fabulous for her floral designs, Faby’s latest project is a bluebell set that will elevate your dressing table. Turn to page 28 to create something beautiful. SUSAN BATES Get ready for your next read by stitching these wonderfully mini motifs for any literature lover (p39). We just know we’re going to make plenty of bookmarks! POPPY BENNER Get ready to run off to the circus with Poppy’s funfair cards (p67)! This card set is bright and bold, detailing the joy of carnival rides, fluffy candy floss and Ferris wheels. STITCHING HELP! Don’t forget to send all your stitchy questions and design requests in to us! Email us at: theworldofxstitching@ourmedia.co.uk Write to: Ask the Experts, The World of Cross Stitching, Our Media Ltd, Eagle House, Bristol BS1 4ST Send…

As the sun starts to come out and the temperature rises, it can only mean one thing… a trip to the seaside! Maria Diaz’s beach scene is bustling with people taking a dip in the water, building sandcastles, browsing the shops along the promenade and treating themselves to a well-deserved ice cream after a long day of having fun in the sun. As this large design may be daunting for some, we suggest breaking down the chart into sections. Roll the fabric between stitching sessions to not only give yourself a break but to help prevent damage as you work on smaller projects in between. Finish your stitch in a coordinating coloured frame – we opted for a light blue wooden frame, but red would also complement the details in…

These gentle giants of the animal kingdom are enjoying their time in the limelight as the latest creature to be popular on social media. As the largest rodent on the planet, the engaging and adorable capybara is renowned for its friendliness, social nature and chilled vibes. Their cute facial expressions make them extra lovable and this relaxed mother and baby pair will be an absolute pleasure to stitch. This fabulous chart is a great place to start if you’re looking for something a little more challenging. Get your threads sorted before you begin, due to the multiple shades of brown for the fur shading. We’d recommend starting with the whole stitches, before working on the half stitches for the water ripples and sky, finishing off with backstitch. When making up,…

Q Hi Jenny, can you turn this photo of my daughter’s dachshund into cross stitch, please? I’m thinking in advance for a Christmas present. Thank you! A Anne Pink, via email Jenny: Now this cutie is all ready to be stitched for your daughter, Anne! Turn this dashing dachshund into a pretty card, perhaps with some nice trimming round the edges, for a paw-some finish. 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. Dachshund key STITCH COUNT 30 high x 30 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – 5.5x5.5cm (2¼x2¼in)…