Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2026 i CrossStitcher

Download your card blank and tags by visiting the CrossStitcher Digital Downloads Facebook page Designed by: Susan Penny Stitch count: 53 high x 50 wide Design size: 9.5x9.2cm (3¾x3⅝in) Stitch time: 12 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Make a… card Step 1 STITCH your design in the centre of an 11x11cm (4⅜x4⅜in) piece of white 14 count aida. Work using two strands of stranded cotton for the cross stitch, and one strand for the backstitch. Step 2 DOWNLOAD your card (see tip). Trim the stitched fabric to fit your card, fraying its edges, by removing one square of aida around the its edge. Step 3 ATTACH double-sided tape to the back of the stitching, then place it on the card front – press it down…

Double-check that you’ll be stitching in the correct position on your fabric – it’s easy to accidentally stitch the design on the back cover! Designed by: Emma Congdon Stitch count: 83 high x 67 wide Design size: 15x12cm (6x4¾in) Stitch time: 27 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Make a… diary cover Step 1 WRAP your aida fabric around the notebook to check the position of the front cover, then mark the design area given below onto the fabric, using pins. Make sure you have left 1.25cm (½in) at the top and bottom of the fabric for turnings, and 5cm (2in) on the left and right-hand side for the flaps, centring the design between the flaps and the turnings on the book front. If you work…

From the sunny island of Cyprus, Oksana Shevchenko creates creepy, cute worlds that are overflowing with narrative whimsy. A former lead engineer, she found counting crosses helped her unwind after a long day in the office. That discovery became the seed for nathnolu, a name friends gave to her character in an MMORPG they played together in their youth. “Saying it meant ‘Created to be an artist,’” explains Oksana. “Whether that meaning is real or invented, I loved the sentiment and so have kept it as my creative pseudonym.” ‘Created to be an artist’ is very apt for someone so inventive. “Since childhood, I’ve had a very vivid imagination, which is why I avoid watching horror movies!” she laughs. Stories have always been at the centre of her creations. The…

Beverly, from Essex, has been stitching for over 50 years!. Retirement means stitching comes first most days, and hours of pure relaxation… Beverly Mullen’s stitching journey began almost as soon as she could hold a needle. “I’ve been stitching since I was very young, about 3 years old, but it wasn’t until I was about 8 or 9 that cross stitch played a big part in my life,” she recalls. “The whole class took part, boys too, which was unusual for the times (the Seventies) but great. The projects were a tray cloth, an apron, and smaller ones, such as bookmarks and keyrings. I haven’t stopped since!” Beverly’s love for cross stitch only grew as the years passed. “All the worries melt away when I’m stitching my projects, and it’s…

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…

Here are some things that I find essential when stitching or designing for kate-stitcher.com A BOX FOR NEEDLE MAGNETS You can use a small candy box if you like. I find it’s helpful to keep them all in one place. FLUFFY HELPER Our furry friends, such as my cat, are always ready to help you embroider or rip out your design! AN EMBROIDERY ORGANISER You can make it yourself! It’ll hold your project, thread, needle and scissors. You can take it with you on the go! A SPECIAL PLACE FOR CROSS-STITCHING I love to settle down on my favourite terrace outside the city, breathing in the fresh air while I stitch! CROSS STITCH TATTOO I love having a cross-stitch tattoo to remind me of my favourite hobby, even when I’m…

Subscribing to CrossStitcher has never been easier! Enjoy the convenience of subscribing using your local currency and secure your monthly stitching inspiration PLUS SAVE BIG ON THE SHOP PRICES! ■ EXCLUSIVE CROSS STITCH KIT with every issue ■ NEW & EXCLUSIVE DESIGNS for you to create ■ MUST-STITCH PROJECTS and community insights ■ SIMPLE STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS to make thoughtful gifts SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE TODAY bit.ly/CROSCURRENCY SCAN ME *T&Cs Apply: Print subscription available to UK and addresses outside of the UK. Digital subscriptions also available Print copies will be mailed to you when released. Kit is included in printed editions only.…

We asked our fans on Facebook, “If you were told you can only ever stitch on aida or evenweave, which would you choose?” LEILA BIDLER Naaah… linen or nothing :). CRAFT WITH CARTWRIGHT 14 count aida, for my eyes! CHARLEY JAMES Although I have used evenweave and it’s easier for quarter stitches, I’d have to choose aida. It’s much easier and simpler for my severely dyslexic brain. RHIANNON M JONES Evenweave for me every time. My favourite count is 27 Linda, as it’s a very cotton-rich fabric. MARITHA AGUIAR 16 count aida – always neat in a finished piece, as the stitches are close together and no white showing through. LIZ DRAPER I’m an aida person. Anything from 14 to 28 count; I loathe evenweave with a passion exceeding the…

CrossStitcher PROJECT PACK If you would like to stitch Hearth & Home, we have a materials pack with everything you need to get you stitching right away, and have it delivered to your door! Your materials pack contains: • Zweigart 14 count aida in Snow Glitter • Skeins of DMC stranded cotton • Two gold-plated tapestry needles; size 24 and size 26 How to order: Fill in the form on page 10 or go to www.willowfabrics.com to order your project pack at the CrossStitcher reader price of £13.95, plus P&P. Designed by: Emma Congdon Stitch count: 180 high x 116 wide Design size: 33x20cm (13x8in) Stitch time: 48 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Materials • Zweigart Snow Glitter 14 count aida, ref: 3706/011; 50x36cm (19½x14¼in)…

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK With simple shapes and bright colours, beginners can enjoy this as a first ‘larger’ project We made our own bottle cover from a recycled, thin fleece blanket, using the blanket stitch edging on the blanket, for the top edge of the cover. We used a hot water bottle to make a paper pattern, making the neck slightly larger, so that we could insert the bottle once the cover was finished Designed by: Cheryl McKinnon Stitch count: 70 high x 70 wide Design size: 12.5x12.5cm (5x5in) Stitch time: 23 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Materials • DMC Pale Pink Sparkly 14 count aida; 18x18cm (7x7in) • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 24 tapestry needle • Hot water bottle…

Step into an enchanting world with our fantasy terrarium of woodland animals and birds surrounding our Tree Of Life! Whether you love nature or know someone who does, this magical scene is a must-stitch! Worked on Celadon aida for a muted, natural look, this is a wonderful larger project for experienced stitchers, or those looking for a more challenging stitch. Materials • Zweigart Celadon Green 14 count aida, ref: 3706/611; 50x40cm (19½x15¾in) • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 24 tapestry needle • Frame with a 34x24cm (13⅜x9½in) aperture • Mount board to fit frame Materials available from www.willowfabrics.com Designed by: Maria Diaz Stitch count: 153 high x 110 wide Design size: 28.5x20cm (11¼x7⅞in) Stitch time: 45 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric.…

“I researched animals from snowy climes for my kits on page 9, and the Emperor penguin was my favourite. Emperors are the largest penguins, weighing in at a massive 88 pounds. They’re the only species to breed during the Arctic winter. The females lay a single egg, which the males balance on their feet for 65 days, until the females return from the sea to feed their chicks! January can be cold in the UK, and I like to think that we can huddle up warm with our families as we start the new year. I made my cotton reel wrap from Navy Blue evenweave, and on top, I have attached a stuffed circle of fabric to act as a pincushion!” You can buy all the materials we used to…

Hullo! I often find that January feels like standing in a doorway between the year just gone and the one beginning – and I’m not just talking about those crossover weeks where no one knows what day it is! But this year, that new year limbo coincides with other life changes. I recently had a treasured friendship that suddenly became distant. We’ve all experienced moments where things we thought would endure change in ways we didn’t anticipate, and the feelings that come up as a result aren’t always enjoyable. But the process of rupture and repair is a core part of life, and I’m making this an opportunity for a little human kintsugi (the Japanese tradition of repairing broken pottery with gold). In the same way that filling in colours…

Designed by: Emma Congdon Max. stitch count: 45 high x 45 wide Max. design size: 8x8cm (3¼x3¼in) Stitch time: 6 hours (each) These designs were stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Instead of hanging all three designs together, you could create individual hanging loops from ribbon for each one, if you prefer Materials • Zweigart Snow Glitter 14 count aida, ref: 3706/0011; 12.5x12.5cm (5x5in) x 3 • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 24 tapestry needle • Red felt; 12.5x12.5cm (5x5in) x 3 • 12mm red satin ribbon for hanging; 60cm (23¾in) • Pinking shears Materials available from www.willowfabrics.com Make a… hanging decoration Step 1 STITCH your motifs onto your aida square using two strands of stranded cotton for the cross stitch. Step 2 CUT roughly around…

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 We’ve got a squeak-tacular alphabet this month! Use our Christmas mice designs to create fabulous projects to give your hand-stitched gifts and more that extra-special touch. From adding names to stockings to monograms on gift tags, our merry mice are just the ticket to raise a smile over the festive season! Designed by: Fiona Crouch Our Christmas Mice alphabet letters were mounted in a card, aflexi-hoop and a thread-wrapped hoop. Each was stitched on Cream 14 count aida, and each letter is 30 high x 30 wide. The design size for each letter is approx. 6x6cm (2¼x2¼in), and it took our stitcher four…

Designed by: Susan Bates Stitch count: 22 high x 60 wide (one repeat) Design size: 4x10cm (1½x4in) Stitch time: 13 hours (one repeat) This design was stitched on 14 count aida band. Materials • Zweigart White/Silver aida band, ref: 7107/171.5; 5cm (2in) x length around cake • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 24 tapestry needle • Scraps of plastic aida for the cake toppers • Cocktail sticks Materials available from www.willowfabrics.com Make a… cake band Step 1 MEASURE the circumference of your cake, adding on enough for an overlap. Cut your aida band to this length. If you are just going to stitch the design once at the front, fold the aida band in half to find the centre and then start stitching here. If you…

LITTLE LIBRARY SAL The fifth book in our library is Peter Pan, written by Scottish author J.M.Barrie. This classic children’s story is about a magical boy called Peter Pan, who never grows up and takes the Darling children, Wendy, John, and Michael, to the island of Neverland. There, they meet the Lost Boys, fairies, mermaids and pirates led by Captain Hook, who famously lost a hand to a crocodile and wants revenge on Peter Pan. The narrative follows their adventures, facing dangers from Hook and learning about eternal youth, friendship and growing up. Peter Pan is one of the most famous and best-loved stories for children, a magical fantasy which has been enjoyed by generations. Start stitching the top left-hand corner of The Secret Garden, which was in issue 426, September…

ISSUE 431 FEBRUARY 2026 On sale 16 December Inside this month ♥ Snowdrops scene: first flowers of the season ♥ Heart to Heart: Valentine card set ♥ Perfect Puffins: winter wildlife picture ♥ Writer’s Retreat: William Morris’ manor house STOCKISTS WANTED! If you are an independent stitching shop, and would like to stock CrossStitcher magazine, please email NikkiM@warnersgroup.co.uk for more details. YOUR EXCLUSIVE KIT! All you need to create a Daisy Dreams pincushion, complete with ladybird charm! SECURE YOUR STITCHING INSPIRATION! Subscribing to CrossStitcher has never been easier! Enjoy the convenience of subscribing using your local currency and secure your monthly stitching inspiration – plus SAVE BIG ON THE SHOP PRICES! Turn to page 26 to subscribe. Contents subject to change. Overseas gifts may vary.…