Indholdsfortegnelse for October 2023 i CrossStitcher

Use your keyring as a zip puller for a bag if you prefer! Designed by: Susan Penny Stitch count: 46 high x 37 wide Design size: 8.5x7cm (33⁄8x 2¾in) Stitch time: 7 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Make a… keyring Step 1 STITCH the design following the chart, using two strands for the cross stitch and one for the backstitch and French knots. Step 2 FOLD the bottom four aida squares onto the wrong side of the aida and catch-stitch in place. Place the stitched aida and the felt right-sides together, with the bottom edge of the felt level with the bottom of the stitching. Stitch up the sides of the design through both layers of fabric, leaving three blank aida squares outside of the…

I absolutely love collecting stitchy accessories (I have a tiny obsession with fun scissors!) but here are my top 5 things I can’t live (or stitch without). STITCHING BUDDY Not technically a stitching accessory but something that I can’t live without and that is my dog Barley who makes the best stitching buddy! He is super warm and cozy and is always snuggled by my side. FLOSS DROPS I recently discovered these super cool little gadgets called floss drops, they are used to store your threads on (by looping through the bigger section) you can also slide the DMC thread packaging on them so you know exactly what thread number you have in your stash, genius! I love these from Kate Blandford. SCISSORS I have an unhealthy obsession with my…

CROSS STITCH WITH CATTITUDE: 20 PAWSOME DESIGNS EMMA CONGDON Regular CrossStitcher designer Emma Congdon has done it again! Cross Stitch with Cattitude is billed as ‘the cross stitch equivalent of a bowl of cream for owners and admirers of feisty felines everywhere’ and is inspired by Emma’s own pet cats. Focusing not on the most well-behaved, but rather those causing a little chaos, the book includes fun samplers, posters and hoops such as “Don’t Ignore Me” and “Hiss Off!”. ENCHANTED CROSS-STITCH: 34 MYSTICAL PATTERNS FOR THE MODERN STITCH WITCH GRACE ISOBEL [Running Press] “The world of magic offers us a way to find patterns and meaning in the mysteries of the everyday.” You may know of Grace Isobel already through her Innocent Bones Cross Stitch brand. Here she creates projects…

CrossStitcher PROJECT PACK If you would like to stitch Fox In Fall, we have a materials pack with everything you need to get you stitching right away, and have it delivered straight to your door! Your materials pack contains: • Sampedro 14 count aida in White • Skeins of DMC stranded cotton • Two gold-plated tapestry needles; size 24 and size 26 How to order: Fill in the form on page 15 or go to www.willowfabrics.com to order your project pack at the CrossStitcher reader price of £26.50, or £32.40 including a 10in wooden embroidery hoop, all plus P&P. Designed by: Emma Congdon Stitch count: 133 high x 134 wide Design size: 24.5x24.5cm (9¾x9¾in) Stitch time: 48 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. *See ‘The Key’…

JACKIE NEVILLE Love Christmas stitching so I’m hoping, please, please, please that Durene Jones might be adding a Christmas Bunny Tin to her collection! JADE LAWLEY To stitch without my palms in my hands sweating while stitching, which I have always hated during stitching time. But, a fan has helped though. MARY KAY SARTOR Making Christmas ornaments for all my kids and grandkids! Everyone gets a new one. CLAIRE TAMS Cosy nights in whilst it gets darker earlier outside. Choosing my Halloween and Christmas cross stitching to do whilst catching up on my latest TV dramas and a hot chocolate. SARAH WARD The colours! Autumn stitching projects always have the most gorgeous colours. LINDA WEST I look forward to stitching a few small designs, for Christmas cards for close family…

You could back these with magnets to create cute kitchen fridge magnets if you prefer! Designed by: Maria Diaz Max. stitch count: 23 high x 22 wide (each) Max. design size: 4.5x4.5cm (1¾x1¾in) Stitch time: 2. hours (each) These designs were stitched on 14 count plastic aida. Make a… set of hens Step 1 STITCH each hen in the centre of the plastic aida, using two strands for the cross stitch. Finish the thread ends by weaving them neatly through the back of your stitches in the same way as for aida. Step 2 CAREFULLY cut out your hen, leaving one blank aida square outside the stitching – cut slowly and carefully, using the grooves in the aida as a cutting line. Where there is a gap between the neck…

With decades of experience behind her, Nancy De Waele continues to be inspired by cross stitch and often combines her stitching skills with her love of quilting. Nancy has been stitching for nearly 30 years. Based in Belgium, she finds most of her inspiration from magazines like CrossStitcher, Facebook groups and Pinterest. She stitches to relax while enjoying the hobby’s practicality, “Whilst you are relaxing you are also creating something beautiful for various occasions and purposes.” Living in East Flanders, Belgium, Nancy finds it increasingly hard to find supplies for her stitching. “There used to be some speciality shops but one by one they closed because of retirement. Since there was nobody to take over these shops, there are not a lot of shops anymore. Therefore I scout out bigger…

CrossStitcher PROJECT PACK If you would like to stitch Harvest Happiness, we have a materials pack with everything you need to get you stitching right away, and have it delivered straight to your door! Your materials pack contains: • Zweigart 14 count aida in Ice Blue • Skeins of DMC stranded cotton • Two gold-plated tapestry needles; size 24 and size 26 How to order: Fill in the form on page 15 or go to www.willowfabrics.com to order your project pack at the CrossStitcher reader price of £32, plus P&P. Designed by: Durene Jones Stitch count: 119 high x 90 wide Design size: 21.5x16.5cm (8½x6½in) Stitch time: 29 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. You could work this design on a pale green aida instead if…

Did you enjoy stitching our squirrel keyring? Now you’re a dab hand at key fobs, you’ll love this cute idea using an aida band! We asked our three designers this month to come up with a keyring. Our designers could only use the seven shades of stranded cotton stipulated, and had to work their design onto aida band for a quick finish. Take a look at their fab results below – we’ve featured a chart for each one so you can stitch your favourite! We hope this will inspire you to join in too – turn the page to see what our challenge will be for December – we’ve listed everything you need to take part. THE CHALLENGE • Zweigart cream aida band, ref: Z07002/0003/2.5; 25.5cm (10in)• Seven shades of…

THE ESSENTIAL KIT YOU’LL NEED TO START STITCHING FABRICS Aida is the ideal choice for cross stitch beginners – it is a block-weave fabric, which is divided into squares with a grid of holes. Each cross stitch is worked over one square. Aida comes in a range of sizes which are called counts. So 14 count means that there are 14 squares to the inch and this will make 14 cross stitches. Aida also comes in 16, 18 and 20 count. The larger the number, the more stitches to the inch and so the smaller the design will stitch up. Evenweave is a woven grid of threads in a finer count. Each stitch is usually worked over two threads, so a 28 count evenweave with each stitch worked over two…

PRIZES FOR YOUR PICS! EACH ISSUE we will be sending one lucky reader a gift of tea from CrossStitcher! This issues prize is New English Tea’s collection of English slogans. The gift pack contains three boxes of tea bags, with 30 bags in each – 10 breakfast, 10 afternoon, 10 English blend. For a chance to win, email us a picture of yourself stitching in your tea break, or where you like to stitch when taking a tea break. Send to crossstitcher@warnersgroup.co.uk with TEA BREAK as the subject. Open to UK residents only. Win! ISSUE 400’S WINNER Jennifer Moville likes taking a break from work by doing small projects so they can be turned into cards for birthdays and similar occasions.…

ISSUE 402 NOVEMBER 2023 On sale 3 October Inside this month ♥ Delicious designs: Yummy gingerbread house sampler ♥ Let it snow! Beautiful snowy house biscornu ♥ Christmas countdown: On-trend Advent calendar ♥ Ho, ho, ho! Traditional-style ‘Hollyberry Santa’ portrait YOUR CHRISTMAS BUMPER PACK! ♥ Stitch a 3D Gingerbread House decoration to hang on your tree ♥ Includes pre-printed templates ♥ Plus a bonus gift tag Contents subject to change. Overseas gifts may vary.…

AUTUMN LEAVES IF YOU liked our autumn projects in this issue, you’re sure to fall for these autumn leaf crafting treats too… WHO Sophie Allport’s beautiful new acorn and oak fabric is perfect for all and any seasonal cross stitch projects, as it will be ideal for backing cushions and bunting or lining bags and glasses cases or purses. www.sophieallport.com WHAT This ‘Change Is Beautiful’ Autumn Cross Stitch Kit makes for a simple celebration of the season. Each kit contains 14 count white aida, Size 24 needle, DMC embroidery threads, full colour chart, stitching guide and 6in wooden embroidery hoop. www.sewsophiecrafts.com HOW Embellish cards or home decor projects with this beautiful autumn leaves printed cotton ribbon, available per 2 yards or 30 yards. www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ShyMyrtle…

Mouseloft In the Woods & Mouseloft Halloween To celebrate Autumn we have a fab selection of Mouseloft kits, plus cards and envelopes at a reduced price. Firstly, eight ‘In the Woods’ Autumn kits – Ferdinand Fox, Harriet Hedgehog, Cyril Squirrel, Bartholomew Badger, Chirpy Bird, Rosie Rabbit, Tiny Toadstool Mouse & Old Ollie Owl. Then six Halloween kits – Pumpkin, Bat, Frankie, Spider, Witch & Ghost. All of the designs come with 14 count aida, needle, stranded cotton and a chart. You can also buy a card and envelope to fit the design. These designs are quick and easy to stitch, and can be stitched over and over again, for birthdays and other occasions. In the Woods; choose from: Ferdinand Fox 001, Harriet Hedgehog 002, Cyril Squirrel 003, Bartholomew Badger 004,…

Mix up the colour schemes to use up any leftover threads you have Designed by: Julian Odessa Max. stitch count: 48 high x 38 wide Max. design size: 8.5x7cm (3¼x2¾in) Stitch time: 6 hours each These designs were stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Make an… aperture card Step 1 WORK using two strands of stranded cotton for the cross stitch and one strand for the backstitch. 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…

Tania Santarelli’s work will be familiar to readers, as we included her cute ‘lavender lady’ cushion in issue 400! We chatted to her about her cross stitch origins and writing her new book Cross Stitch My Home… What do you think drew you initially to cross stitch? As a little girl, I had the opportunity to play with yarns and fabrics thanks to my family’s knitwear business. I had yarns at my disposal and a mother who was ready to teach me the secrets on how to use them. Later, growing up, I would embroider easy wool samplers – this led me to discover cross stitch at a very early age. Did you study textile arts or are you self-taught? I’m entirely self-taught. As mentioned earlier, I was always playing…

Welcome to a special selection of spooky designs for your Halloween celebrations! Whether you are holding a Halloween party or heading off with the kids to go trick of treating, we’ve got the motifs you need! Plus, we’ve included some horrifyingly good project ideas to help you decide what to make… Designed by: Cheryl McKinnon SPOOKY JAR We stitched the word Halloween and the night-time street scene onto the centre of 9cm (3 ½in) aida band, which we then wrapped around a large glass jar. The aida band was then sewn together at the back. We added LED fairy lights to make the jar glow! TRICK OR TREAT BAG The Trick or Treat bag has been made from a length of white 14 count aida which is folded in half…

Hullo! Recently, I was reading about someone who seemed to have suddenly found success. The comment section was a mix of reactions, some celebrating this achievement, others putting down their accomplishments, suggesting that they never ‘really’ had to work for it for one reason or another. It reminded me that when you read about success stories in the media, they often talk about someone being an ‘overnight success’. Rarely is this the case and these stories frequently ignore the years of tenacious work and honing of skills that get someone to a point where their success finds a footing. I mean, look at a stitcher you admire – they didn’t wake up one day able to create amazing fibre art pieces – it takes years of dedication and practice and…

Our Tobermory house’s story… Instantly recognisable, Tobermory’s brightly coloured buildings curve round its pretty harbour front and provide inspiration for many an artist and photographer. As the main town on the Isle of Mull, it is also the centre of population, with about 900 residents. Our pretty blue house can be found right there on the quay. For many, the picturesque town provides a happy memory for their children, as the waterfront was chosen by the BBC as the setting of the popular children’s television series Balamory, filmed on location there from 2002 – 2005. Tobermory itself was built in 1788 as a planned settlement by the British Fisheries Society, based on the designs of Dumfriesshire engineer Thomas Telford. Sampler chart positions We have printed on the chart the right-hand…

Designed by: Jane Prutt on Stitch count: 42 high x 120 wide Design size: 7.5x22.5cm (3x8¾in) Stitch time: 20 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. *See ‘The Key’ on page 79. Materials • Sampedro White 14 count aida; 12.5x30.5cm (5x12in) • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 24 tapestr y needle • Empty cardboard food pot Materials available from www.willowfabrics.com This would make a great back to school ’ gift for a young family member Make a… pencil pot Step 1 CHECK the size of your pot and cut it down to 7.5cm (3in) in height. Measure the circumference of your pot – the design will be 22.5cm (8¾in) when stitched, so if your pot is larger than this, just stitch more pencils…

Designed by: Cheryl McKinnon Max. stitch count: 23 high x 23 wide Max. design size: 4x4cm (1½x1½in) Stitch time: 2 hours (each) These designs were stitched on 28 count evenweave, over two threads of fabric. Make a… necklace Step 1 WORK your chosen design in the centre of the evenweave fabric, then trim so that when wrapped around the card circle the fabric overlaps onto the reverse side. Spread glue over the back of the card circle and stick the fabric overlap in place. Leave to dry. Step 3 CUT a short length from the elastic hair band to create a loop, enough so that when folded in half the necklace cord will easily pass through. With the elastic still folded, wrap stranded cotton around the two cut ends to…

We know how much you loved our seasonal colour swatch samplers, which we printed back in 2020/2021. So we’ve got a treat for you! Our autumn patterns sampler takes the swatch concept a step further – this time you'll be stitching intricate designs inspired by the season. From cobwebs to frost and from crunching leaves to baking bread, have fun capturing the magic! Keep this chart safe and stitch smaller sets of a few patterns this autumn for birthday cards Designed by: Susan Penny Stitch count: 186 high x 117 wide Design size: 34.5x21cm (13½x8½in) Stitch time: 45 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Materials • Sampedro White 14 count aida; 50x38cm (19x15in) • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 24 tapestry needle…