Indholdsfortegnelse for March 2022 i CrossStitcher

Download your card and tags from our Facebook group at bit.ly/3HTh6ZJ Designed by: Susan Penny Stitch count: 44 high x 38 wide Design size: 8.5x7cm (33∕8x23∕4in) Stitch time: 6 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Make a… card Step 1 WORK the design using the chart and key in the centre of a 10x10cm piece of white 14 count aida. Download the card blank and tags from the CrossStitcher Digital Downloads Facebook group’s Files and print out on thin card. Step 2 TRIM the stitched fabric to fit your card front, then fray the fabric edges, removing one square of fabric. Step 3 ATTACH double-sided tape to the back of the stitching, then place it centrally on the card front – press it down well to…

WHERE MEADOWS & GARDENS GROW: THE EMBROIDERY OF JO BUTCHER INSPIRATION STUDIOS Just looking at the expertise of another stitcher can infuse inspiration into our own projects. In this book, embroidery artist Jo Butcher shares her layering technique, with a simple watercolour wash and a handful of embroidery stitches worked in a pretty palette. 12 scenes are showcased in all their glory, including a sun-kissed meadow, a woodland walk and a tranquil garden. A great choice for those looking to push the boundaries of their stitching. SISTERS GONNA STITCH: A FEMINIST EMBROIDERY GUIDE COTTON CLARA [HarperCollins] Cotton Clara is spreading the stitching word with a new collection of ‘funny, sassy and uplifting’ embroidery patterns. Packed with 50 engaging designs, the book includes embroidery hints and tips. Choose from lively designs…

Designed by: Durene Jones Stitch count: 135 high x 136 wide Design size: 26x26cm (101⁄4x101⁄4in) Stitch time: 43 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Carefully wash and press your stitching before framing it in the hoop How to… frame your work in a hoop Step 1 TRIM your stitching and a fabric piece into a circle slightly larger than your hoop. Place the inside hoop beneath the two pieces and the outer hoop on top. Centre and press over your work. Pull taut and tighten the screw. Step 2 TURN your stitching to the reverse and cut a piece of felt to fit inside the inner circle. Place the felt inside the hoop. You can use a bit of fabric glue to keep it in place.…

Half stitches often slant from the lower left to the upper right of a fabric square but our stitcher has chosen to slant the half stitch from upper left to lower right – the choice ultimately is up to you! Designed by: Maria Diaz Stitch count: 55 high x 79 wide Design size: 10x14cm(4x61⁄2in) Stitch time: 20 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. How to… frame a picture Step 1 CUT a piece of white mount board to fit inside your frame. Place your design centrally over the mount board and pin the fabric around the board to secure, starting at the centre of each side and working outwards. Step 2 PIN around the entire perimeter and check you are happy with the positioning of your…

We’ve had so many readers write in and tell us how much they enjoyed our 2021 Grimms’ Fairy Tales Stitch-A-Long. Emilia Kamila Szczurowska, a member of our CrossStitcher SAL Facebook group, shares her highlights of stitching it and her advice on tackling SALs – with some great top tips for anyone starting our new SAL (page 78) this month… Emilia’s stitching journey began in Poland where at elementary school she learned the basics of needlework. Then, when she went to high school in Warsaw, she came across some good stitching supply shops, which also sold cross stitch magazines. As her confidence and skills grew she was even a member of the DMC Mentor program. Her husband has been very supportive of her hobby. “A few years ago he gave me…

PART 1 Stitching your… afghan Step 1 LOOK at your half panel of Cotton-Anne cloth – it will have 28 small panels – seven high and four wide, and just less than a half panel on all four edges. Before you begin stitching, oversew the edges with a loose machine zig-zag stitch, or bind with masking tape to prevent fraying. Use four strands of stranded cotton for the cross stitch, working each stitch over two threads of fabric, and two strands for the backstitch. Step 2 NOTE that this issue we have given you six motifs. The layout plan opposite shows where we have stitched each motif in this issue, and the motifs that are planned in future issues. The six elephants in this issue are stitched in the centre…

Welcome to this month’s challenge! Spring has sprung, so we asked our three designers to think ‘green-fingered’ and come up with a fridge magnet featuring a short phrase and a garden scene. They also had to stick to just seven shades of stranded cotton, as specified by us. Take a look at their imaginative results below – we’ve provided a chart for each so you can ‘get growing’ and stitch your favourite! We hope this will inspire you to join in too – turn the page to see what our challenge will be for May – we’ve listed everything you need to take part. AMANDA BUTLER… DIGGIN’ FOR JOY MARIA DIAZ… LITTLE PIECE OF HEAVEN REBECCA SPENCER… DIG IT! Our designers used a clear fridge magnet case available from www.willowfabrics.com…

SPOTLIGHT ON… FRENCH KNOTS Since moving to our new home, I've been planning my ‘potager’. My bookshelf is full of garden design books, and I've been watching episodes of Escape to the Chateau to gather ideas for how I would like my beds to look. The heart I’ve designed here shows an orangery, surrounded by beds, with a rose arch and fields behind. It’s helped me to visualise my own future garden layout and also makes a pretty hanger in its own right. Don't pull hard on your thread when making a French knot or your knot will end up on the wrong side of the fabric! How to… create perfect French knots Step 1 START on the aida’s reverse side with a knot. Bring your needle up through a hole, where…

“After working from my couch and balancing a laptop or cross stitch on my knee for years, I’ve now converted what was formerly known as the snug into my office. It gets plenty of light in the afternoon and has a comfy pink chair for stitching in! I’ve chosen to use clear containers for my supplies wherever possible, so I can always see what fabric or thread I have on hand, and nothing ever gets forgotten at the bottom of a box or drawer. Plus all those pretty, bright fabrics and thread are decorative and should be seen!” www.fiddlesticksau.com Drop us a line to crosssstitcher@warnersgroup.co.uk with images of your craft space and a few words about it and our favourites could be featured in a future issue!…

Mindful Making kits from DMC – relax, unwind and calm your mind. Stitch, breathe, repeat… DMC MINDFUL MAKING KITS Mindful Making from DMC is a range of needlecraft kits designed to slow the mind, centre the spirit and help you find your flow. The kits focus on beautiful, achievable pieces with simple, joyful designs. Each kit comes with everything you need to make the design including, aida, DMC stranded cotton, embroidery hoop (duo kits only), needle and instructions. The Meditative Mandala (MM), The Serene Leaves (SL) and the Tranquil Rose (TR) have two designs in each kit (one hoop), while The Peaceful Flowers, (PF) The Woodland Glade (WG) and The Meadow Flowers (MF) each have one. Please add the code to the coupon for the kit you would like to receive.…

Hothouse hit! This is my first time writing to you! I live in Canada and access CrossStitcher via my local library. I finished the greenhouse pattern from the August 2021 issue today and I’m just dying to share it! I’m so happy with how it turned out! Hayley Hynes, Canada FIRST PAST THE POST! Jackie Unsworth was the first to send us a pic of her finished Love The View needlecase from issue 379 – she wins a selection of DMC stranded cotton skeins in 20 colours of her choice from Willow Fabrics. The first person to stitch and send us a pic of their finished card that came with this issue to crossstitcher@warnersgroup.co.uk will also win this great prize! Festive finish Hello, I just wanted to send a picture…

Designed by: Durene Jones Max. stitch count: 55 high x 40 wide Max. design size: 10.5x7cm (41⁄4x23⁄4in) Stitch time: 4 hours each These designs were stitched on 14 count aida fabric. *See ‘The Key’ on page 80. Make an… aperture card Step 1 WORK using two strands of stranded cotton for the cross stitch, and one strand for the backstitch, with two strands for the words in script. Step 2 TRIM the stitched fabric to fit your card, with the design centrally placed behind the card’s aperture. Step 3 ATTACH double-sided tape to the inside of the card around the edge of the aperture. Step 4 PLACE the stitching on the table right-side up, and then place the card on top, pressing down firmly on the tape. Step 5 CHECK which…

Designed by: Cheryl McKinnon Stitch count: 120 high x 90 wide Design size: 22x18cm (91⁄2x7in) Stitch time: 23 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. *See ‘The Key’ on page 80. Use an emulsion tester paint pot to paint the dowel to coordinate with your design Make a… wall hanging Step 1 TURN the left side of your stitched aida over onto the wrong side of the fabric, leaving 2cm (3⁄4in) between the stitched design and the fabric edge. Repeat for the right side. Press in place. Step 2 TURN over the bottom of your fabric, leaving 2cm (3⁄4in) of unstitched at the front. Turn the top of the fabric over, leaving 2.5cm (1in) of unstitched fabric showing at the front, but making sure there is enough…

Each month we publish a new letter and number set based on a theme, designed for you to cut out and keep for when you need it There’s no place like home! Whether you’re a lifelong townie or a little villager, we’re sure you’re going to find our cute alphabet, filled with streets of buildings and landmarks, a lot of fun to put together in stitched phrases and greetings. Perfect for everyday occasions and all ages, there are endless options here… Our Little Village alphabet letters were mounted in a card, hoop and athread-wrapped hoop. Each was stitched on 14 count white aida, and each letter is approximately 30 high x 30 wide. The design size for each letter is approximately 5.5x5.5cm (2¼x2¼in), and it took our stitcher four hours…

Welcome to our latest ‘classic’ project, designed with more experienced stitchers in mind. This month we’re waiting as eagerly as you are for spring to arrive, and with it, all the beautiful flowers and blossoms – the novelty never wears off year after year! We’ve gone all out to celebrate with a stunning display of vases and jugs filled with the very best of British spring flowers. Designed by: Amanda Butler Stitch count: 111 high x 210 wide Design size: 20.5x38cm (81⁄4x15in) Stitch time: 74 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. HOW TO… TAKE YOUR STITCHING TO THE NEXT LEVEL We have included some more advanced stitching techniques in this project to help you to develop your stitching skills, ready for your next challenge… FRENCH KNOTS…

RRP £12.99 £11.69 The book is aimed at stitchers of all abilities, from absolute beginners looking to learn a new craft to embroiderers and cross stitchers who want to do something different in cross stitching. For many, cross stitch conjures up images of cute kittens and country cottages, but this book shows people that there’s a different side to cross stitching, that it’s an art in its own right, and will encourage them to be a little braver with their art. Buy now: bit.ly/stitchingshop…

Hullo! We’ve been discussing noticing the little things in this series and one of the most important ‘little things’ to me (which doesn’t feel so little at all!) is slow and authentic connection with other people. I don’t know if you also feel this way, but I very much prefer to share little moments with others, than to experience them alone. Sure, those little personal moments are often precious, but – at least, my own personal preference is – being able to connect with others over a beautiful moment really heightens that experience! But sometimes if I’m caught up in my own daily stresses, I don’t pay attention in the moment and can miss those little things. We all get that way sometimes – I mean, life is hectic! But…

We asked our fans on Facebook, “Do you spring clean your stash or prefer to keep everything?” AMANDA WILSON I even keep the leftover thread from free gift kits. It only recently occurred to me to label these, so I know what brand and shade they are. SALLY TYSON-HALL I have found that over the years that my taste and what I sew has changed. So I sorted through my stuff with a critical eye on what I would and would not honestly do. KD BROOKS I have kept what I own and won’t get rid of them because I will stitch them one day. That may be next week, next month or at the rate I am going, next millennium, but I will get round to stitching them! MICHELLE…

PART 2 Designed by: Durene Jones Max. stitch count: 91 high x 61 wide (each) Design size: 16.5x11.5cm (6½x4½in) Stitch time: 19 hours (each) These designs were stitched on 14 count aida fabric. *See ‘The Key’ on page 80. Missed issue 369 which featured our first two Simple Pleasures pictures? Simply visit pocketmags.com to order a digital back issue! Displaying… your pictures Step 1 STITCH both of the designs as a separate design. For each, cut the aida to size, and then stitch the design in the centre of your fabric. Once stitched, wrap the fabric around a cardboard rectangle, securing the excess aida at the back with tape. Step 2 WRAP the cotton fabric around the large mount board, securing the extra fabric at the back. Place the covered…

We caught up with stitcher and author Rosemary Drysdale to chat about the best way to stitch mini motifs, her design process and her stitching life now spent in the USA in East Hampton, New York State… Hello Rosemary, tell us about when you first discovered cross stitch. I am a trained embroiderer, having attended college in the north of England and specialising in Needlework. During my college years I was exposed to and worked on many different types of stitchery, as well as studying the historical roots and significance of many traditions around the world. After training to be a teacher, I moved to the United States, where embroidery was experiencing a huge resurgence in popularity. My first job was as an embroidery teacher on Nantucket, MA – an idyllic…

Designed by: Cheryl McKinnon Stitch count: 56 high x 56 wide Design size: 10x10cm(4x4in) Stitch time: 13 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. We used a Pro Cook Round 500ml glass storage jar with a 10cm (4in) wooden lid, as available from www.procook.co.uk *See ‘The Key’ on page 80. Make the… jar lid Step 1 COMPLETE your stitching, place it in your hoop, and then cut off the excess unstitched aida around the edge, leaving 1.25cm (½in). Working on the back, push the inner ring down, and slightly away from the outer hoop, creating a ledge where the cardboard disc will sit. Step 2 GLUE the excess aida around the edge to the inside of the wooden hoop. Work slowly, and wait for the glue to…

Prize crossword Across Down Winning word clue: Vital organ for Valentine’s Day? (5) HOW TO ENTER COMPLETE the crossword and rearrange the letters in the shaded boxes to make up a winning word. Write your winning word and ‘Crossword 380’ on the back of a postcard or stuck-down envelope, adding your name, address and email address and post it to: CrossStitcher, PO Box 172, Northam, EX39 9DY Competition open: 25 January – 21 February 2022 For full terms and conditions, see page 82. Win! YOUR PRIZE This charming design ‘Buddleia Butterfly’ has recently been added to the Peter Underhill Collection at Heritage Crafts. With a completed design size of 12x17cm, the kit contains Zweigart fabric, DMC stranded cottons sorted onto numbered cards, a needle, clear charts and instructions. It’s available…