Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2026 i The World of Cross Stitching

Love is in the air with this sweetheart pair cuddling in complete adoration of each other. Margaret Sherry’s romantic illustration has come to life in stitches, where you can use your needle and threads to recreate her iconic fluffy texture. Spread the love to your Valentine or galentine by giving them this sweet stitch, to let them know you’re thinking of them. The design has been stitched on ‘Meadow View’, an over-dyed fabric from Sew-It-All. Pick the fabric position carefully before you stitch to capture the area with the best colour change. Cross stitch in one strand is used to add depth to the bushes and grass, along with backstitch in two strands for the cats’ eyes. Finding French knots tricky? Double up the strand for a ‘fatter’ finish. Using…

We have landed in the heart of Japan. Tokyo is a city where modern landmarks, such as Tokyo Tower, reside by historical buildings like Sensō-ji Temple and Chureito Pagoda. The towering Mount Fuji is visible from the city on clear days. In Japanese, the term hanafubuki translates to ‘flower snow storm’ to describe the flurry of petals during spring – Emma has captured this beautifully as blossoms blanket Tokyo. In continuation of the snow globe series, this piece is worked on light blue aida to illustrate the crystal clear skies of Tokyo. There are simple block stitches and shading, an ideal project for beginners, and most of the backstitch is done in grey, though do be mindful of the blue used to highlight the building windows. Finished in a simplistic…

Celebrate the importance of health, including those working in the industry, with Durene Jones’ mini motifs • 37 quick-and-easy motifs • Durene Jones’ design inspiration • Stitches for every skill level • Helpful tips and advice • Thoughtful makes for those on the road to recovery THINKING OF YOU For those who are on the mend, a handmade card will raise their spirits (9). Mount in an aperture card, either white or a complementing colour for a cohesive feel. SWEET TOOTH If you’re in dentistry, then this tooth patch (7) will go down a treat with your peers. Stitch onto plastic canvas and attach a pin on the back to fix onto clothes. SIGHTLY STITCHES Stylise the front of your glasses case with an opticians alphabet chart (1), which will…

How to… make your birthday calendar 1 Cut out the foam mountboard so it measures 36x25cm (14¼x10in), rounding off the corners slightly. Press the stitching, then lay it over the mountboard centrally. Wrap the fabric edges around and stick in place at the back, or lace the top and bottom, and side edges if preferred. 2 Cut out the individual flags from the plastic canvas, leaving a one square border around the outside edge. Round off the corners very slightly to ensure there are no sharp edges remaining. 3 Using a craft knife and cutting mat, carefully cut small slits in the unstitched holes at the top of each flag. Then lay them out for their corresponding months, ensuring you have the dates in the correct order for each too. 4…

Solve the clues then rearrange the letters in the coloured squares to spell a shade of blue (6) ACROSS 1 Vivid red (7) 5 Yellow-orange stone fruit (5) 8 Oil made from flax (7) 9 In the same way, as above (5) 10 Female goat (5) 12 These hold the thread in needles (4) 13 Picture symbol on a computer screen (4) 15 Ribbon decoratively tied (3) 16 Large town (4) 17 Tapering ice cream wafer (4) 18 Dark brown coffee and chocolate flavouring (5) 22 Dark bluish-grey (5) 23 Government rule or law (7) 24 Heraldry colour of black (5) 25 Rich purplish-red (7) DOWN 1 Leather with a fine and velvet-like texture (5) 2 Clear purple gem (8) 3 Yellow citrus fruits (6) 4 Sharp hooked claw (5)…

Subscribe today for just £29.49 every six issues and choose between two free Gorjuss kits from Bothy Threads – ‘Ray of Light’ or ‘Rainbow Wishes’! This free gift kit offer is available to new UK print subscribers only and subject to availability. Offer ends 28 February 2026. YOUR FAB GIFT! Turn to page 8 The first part of making bespoke essentials for your stitching toolkit, make this handy snowdrop scissor fob by Faby Reilly. Never lose your snips again! Gifts available with print edition only. Overseas gift(s) may vary.…

Mardi Gras Mouse key STITCH COUNT 40 high x 38 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – 7.5x7cm (2¾x2¾in) Mardi Gras is celebrated as the final day of indulgence before the season of Lent begins. New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro play host to the biggest Mardi Gras carnivals in the world, full of colour, music and energy. This year, Lizzie is participating in the festivities in her strikingly bold outfit! Missed a chart? For back issues, call ☎ 03330 162 137 or visit www.ourmediashop.com/world-back-issues…

Every letter writer gets a prize! Star Letter AWAY WITH THE FAIRIES Hello team WOXS, I thought I’d share my finished Flower Fairies projects with you. I’ve been working on them for the last seven years and have just framed the last one. When a friend’s mum passed away, she had boxes and boxes full of kits waiting to be stitched. I was lucky enough to be given them and I’m sure she’d be very pleased to know that I’ve stitched them all and they’re hanging on the wall in my spare room, which is where my granddaughter sleeps when she comes to stay. Marion Kinsman, via email Vicki: Aw Marion, this is so heartwarming to hear. They’re all a beautiful tribute to your friend’s mum’s memory. They make for a…

GET TO KNOW YOUR METALLICS There are many different types of metallic threads on the market but they all have something in common – they tangle, fray and are often frustrating to stitch with! The thread you’re using will vary depending on your project. DMC* Light Effects are widely available, divisible by six strands and presented as a skein, just like their stranded cotton counterparts, so you can separate the strands to use in the same way. DMC also produce a Diamant range, which is a smooth, single-strand thread on a spool, where one strand is equivalent to two strands of DMC stranded cotton. Kreinik* also have a range of spooled metallics in a variety of colours and thicknesses, which are also single-stranded. The most commonly used in cross stitching…

As cold winter days begin to thaw for spring’s arrival, we find ourselves daydreaming of the great outdoors. Lisa Reakes’ graphical mountainscape is inspired by patchwork, with each piece of the design featuring a different pattern, like a handmade quilt. It is beautifully reminscent of the Black Forest or the Alps with its stunning castle amongst the trees, and an excellent project to stitch as a holiday keepsake. Densely worked, this vista is a good design for beginners to stretch their skills with a larger project. Don’t let the stitching time daunt you, just work on each section piece by piece until you complete the full picture. Backstitch is in both one and two strands, so take your time when referring to the chart, especially as a lot of similar…

CHOOSE YOUR ESSENTIALS… Start with these must-have items FABRICS Most stitchers start off using aida – a block-weave fabric, which is divided into squares by a grid of holes, making it an ideal fabric for beginners. Each cross stitch is worked over one square. Or you may prefer evenweave, which is also woven in a grid but in a finer count. Each cross stitch is usually worked over two threads of the fabric (shown below), making it the equivalent size to stitching on aida (eg. 28-count evenweave would produce the same size finish as 14-count aida). Fractional stitches are easier to work on evenweave, as there’s a central hole spare so you don’t need to split a block as you do for aida. THREADS You’ll need stranded cotton – this…

Did you know there are at least 40 known species of seahorse, living in both temperate and tropical waters around the world? Though the cross stitch seahorse is the most unique of them all. Designed by Fiona as part of her underwater blackwork series, the next in the hoop display is this trio of seahorses swimming amongst reefs. Each seahorse is stitched in a different blackwork repetition, allowing you to play around with different patterns – this adds depth and variation, even while using only one colour. We recommend when working on dark fabric to place a white pillowcase or towel underneath so you can see the holes clearly. Be mindful of taking regular breaks to avoid eye strain and investing in a daylight lamp so always have good light…

Meet Maria Diazs Don’t you just love receiving a card from a secret admirer? It’s especially exciting when it’s handmade, but don’t let that limit you – this set could ideally be used as lovey-dovey party bunting as well. www.mariadiazdesigns.com Stitch in a day Factbox • Stitching Time Approx. 2-3 hours each • Type of Stitches Cross stitch, backstitch • Ease of Stitching Beginner TOP TIP Add embellishments to your cards using a small dab of craft glue – it’s a good idea to do this first before adding your stitching Valentine’s ABC key MAXIMUM STITCH COUNT 25 high x 25 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – 4.5x4.5cm (1¾x1¾in) STITCHED BY Lisa Horwood These designs were stitched using DMC stranded cotton Shopping list • Zweigart* 14-count white aida…

Retirement is one of those major moments in life that deserves its own celebration. We know our readers often look back on past issues for inspiration, especially cards, so this set by Susan Bates will be a handy one to pop on your to-do list. Each card is a piece of art in itself, packed full of detail, depicting snowy chalets, gorgeous gardens and tropical paradises – dream retirement getaways! Mix and match the greetings if preferred using a backstitch alphabet (it might be helpful to plot the letters onto graph paper first). We stitched the cards using Anchor threads, but you can use other brands with our handy conversion keys, just be mindful of the different colour finishes. Patch onto a deckle-edge coloured card for a fabulous finish and…

10 UP FOR GRABS! PRIZES WORTH £250 Springtime makes Long-time designer for WOXS, Durene Jones* is offering 10 lucky people the chance to win this springtime PDF bundle full of exciting 3D makes. Winners will receive ‘Running Rabbit’, ‘Dragonfly Sewing Pouch, Fob and Biscornu’ and ‘Butterfly Scissor Case, Fob and Pot’. Each design is worth £5, available to buy from Durene’s Etsy store. TO ENTER Visit our website www.gathered.how/woxs 25 UP FOR GRABS! PRIZES WORTH £250 Spring stitches Black Sheep Wools* is the shop to visit when you’re feeling ever-sew crafty. With a variety of seasonal projects ready for you to dip your needle into, why not invite budding blooms into your home with ‘Spreading Sunshine’, or honour your feline friend with ‘Ginger Observer’? Black Sheep Wools is offering 25 people…