Innehållsförteckning för December 2024 från CrossStitcher

Visit the CrossStitcher Digital Downloads page on Facebook to download and print your exclusive frame Designed by: Susan Penny Stitch count: 58 high x 58 wide Design size: 11x11cm (5½x5½in) Stitch time: 15 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Materials • 14 count aida; 14x14cm (5½x5½in)• Stranded cotton as listed in the key• DMC Light Effects as listed in the key• Size 24 tapestry needle• Craft foam pads for card-making• Silver star sequins• Pearl white seed beads• Baker’s twine for hanger Materials available from www.willowfabrics.com Make a… winter scene decoration Step 1 WORK using two strands of stranded cotton or silver thread for the cross stitch, and one strand of stranded cotton or silver thread for the backstitch. The French knots are stitched using one strand…

London stitcher, Liz Jones, found cross stitch invaluable when she began the road to recovery from bouts of depression. She’s been with CrossStitcher since our first issue and our cover kits have been a key factor in her recovery… Liz was about six years old when she first picked up a needle and thread – she went from embroidery to tapestry, dressmaking, smocking, and onto a City and Guilds Embroidery course, where counted cross stitch was her least favourite part! Fast forward over 20 years to her move to London, she found a local church that had just gained a new vicar. “At a ‘Meet the Vicar’s Wife’ evening, we were given a square of aida, some thread and a needle, to make our initials, as an ice-breaker. This led…

We asked our fans on Facebook, “What’s the longest stitching session you’ve completed and why?” LESLEY ROBINSON The day of the Royal Wedding (Wills and Kate), 8 months pregnant, finishing a beautiful wedding gift for my cousin. (It was a bride and groom’s feet on a beach with their names in a heart on the sand and matched their wedding invitations perfectly!) Must have stitched for eight hours in front of the TV, and had a dreadful blister on my finger the next day. Lovely memory. SHIRLEY CASLICK Around 6 hours at one time, to hurry to get a gift finished and she now wants two more. Have said it’ll have to be next year now as have too much else on at present! MARY KAY SARTOR Longest stitching time…

CrossStitcher PROJECT PACK If you would like to stitch Ho, Ho, Ho!, 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 20 count raw linen in Cork• Skeins of DMC stranded cotton• Cotton backing fabric• Silver-effect charms• Seed beads• Buttons• 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 £25.90, plus P&P. How to… stitch the design Step 1 WORK from the centre of the design out, using three strands for the cross stitch and two for the backstitch and French knots, working each stitch over…

It’s the night before Christmas and our happy house is filled with the joys of the season! As Santa prepares to deliver some presents, the snow-capped house has plenty of sparkling details to enjoy, with metallic threads and beads adding to this dazzling design. Last month we revealed a companion design – the Christmas House’s exterior! Stitch each individually or side-by-side. PART 2 Designed by: Amanda Butler Stitch count: 179 high x 120 wide Design size: 33x22cm (13x8⅝in) Stitch time: 96 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Materials • Zweigart Navy 14 count aida, ref: 3706/589; 50x40cm (19½x15¾in)• Stranded cotton as listed in the key• DMC Light Effects as listed in the key• Size 24 tapestry needle• Seed beads – White, Pastel Lemon, Blue, Gold, Red…

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…

Hullo! For many people, Christmas brings to mind frosty mornings, twinkling lights, and the soft swirl of snow. But for those of us who live in the warmer climes, like myself, the holiday season looks quite different! While my Christmases are spent basking in the sunshine, the whimsical world inside a snow globe still holds a special place in my heart. It offers a magical glimpse into a wintry wonderland full of magic, far removed from the heat of summer. Though I won’t be seeing a smattering of snow outside my window this festive season, I will not be denied a snow globe moment! What I particularly enjoy about smaller designs, like this snow globe, is that they make a great memento to replace a gift card or as a…

CrossStitcher PROJECT PACK If you would like to stitch Sleepy Santa, 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 Royal Blue• Skeins of DMC stranded cotton• Length of DMC gold Light Effects• Pearl seed beads• 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 £37.25, plus P&P. Designed by: Maria Diaz Stitch count: 147 high x 115 wide Design size: 27.5x21cm (10¾x8¼in) Stitch time: 60 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. When working on darker fabrics, it…

Zoe Ackett has turned her love for colour into a career, becoming known for her vibrant, hand-dyed threads. Through her brand, PaintBox Threads, she offers a kaleidoscope of vibrant thread colours that have captured the imagination of stitchers, quilters, and weavers alike. We had the chance to speak with Zoe about her creative process and the story behind her brand… PaintBox Threads officially launched around nine years ago, though Zoe’s journey began long before. “I am a weaver by trade,” she shares, reminiscing about her early days after graduating from the Royal College of Art. Her thread dyeing career began as a practical necessity – dyeing her own yarns for her handwoven accessories. “I love colour, but I didn’t have the money to buy all the shades I wanted. Dyeing…

“I love making Christmas decorations! But I would rather go to my scrap bag for the bits to make it than to buy new. I couldn’t resist keeping the scraps of 20 count linen cut from my stocking on page 54 to make a decoration. Use the template to cut a cardboard inner, then cross stitch a very simple house onto fabric (I stitched over two threads of linen to get larger windows and doors). Cut the stitching slightly bigger than the template, then wrap it around the cardboard before sewing down the side seam. Cut a base from cardboard and cover it with fabric, and a roof which you cover with white felt. Add a hanger to the top, and you have created a cute little house decoration to…

LIMITED TIME OFFER! This offer ends 25 November, or earlier if stock runs out! We have brought you a selection of lovely Christmas kits from Simply Make. These fun kits are budget priced and easy to stitch and come with everything you need to complete your picture. Choose from five cross stitch kits: ★ Festive Cat, ref: DSM106282 ★ Christmas Wreath, ref: DSM106186 ★ Robin, ref: DSM106188 ★ Tree on Car, ref: DSM106189 ★ Nutcracker, ref: DSM106187 Each contains 14 count aida, stranded cotton, needles, a threader, 7in plastic hoop, chart and instructions. Two embroidery kits: ★ Christmas Jumper, ref: DSM106412 ★ Snow Globe, ref: DSM106413 Each kit contains printed embroidery fabric, stranded cotton, needles, threader, 4in plastic hoop and instructions. Great Stocking fillers at budget prices! Cross stitch kits…

RSN STITCH BANK: 200 ESSENTIAL EMBROIDERY STITCHES THE ROYAL SCHOOL OF NEEDLEWORK [Search Press] The Royal School of Needlework (RSN) preserves the art of embroidery through its RSN Stitch Bank, which features 200 stitches with detailed instructions, illustrations and photographs. In this handy book, the stitches are split into seven chapters based on their usage, making them easy to apply. The book also shares historical pieces from RSN’s Collection and Archive, giving readers an insight into the past. HANDMADE HOLIDAY: FESTIVE EMBROIDERY PATTERNS AND TECHNIQUES FOR CHRISTMAS CRAFTING ALYSSA PLOOF [Rocky Nook] Infuse your holiday season with festive charm with 16 Christmas embroidery patterns for napkins, towels, garments and more. Whether you're a novice or an experienced embroiderer, the book provides a detailed guide to techniques and a stitch library. From…

How to… stitch the design Step 1 PIN one set of templates onto one piece of felt to check the position, and then mark around the edge of each using a water soluble pencil – this can easily be removed once the stitching is complete using a damp cloth. Cut out the bootie parts, but do not cut out the UPPER at this stage, just cut a 11.5cm (4½in) felt square. Repeat with the second piece of felt, remembering to flip the templates over – this will give you a right and a left bootie. Step 2 TACK the waste canvas centrally onto the square of felt, and stitch through the waste canvas, using it as a grid to position the stitches correctly. You may find it helpful to use…

Designed by: Cheryl McKinnon Stitch count: 77 high x 101 wide Design size: 14.2x19cm (5⅝x7½in) Stitch time: 18 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Materials • Sampedro White 14 count aida; 28x30cm (11x12¼in)• Stranded cotton as listed in the key• Size 24 tapestry needle• Rico house-shaped frame with a 20x16.5cm (8x6½in) aperture• Mount board to fit frame Materials available from www.willowfabrics.com CrossStitcher PROJECT PACK If you would like to stitch Joy to the World, 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: • Sampedro 14 count aida in White• Skeins of DMC stranded cotton• Rico house-shaped frame• Two gold-plated tapestry needles; size 24 and size 26 How to…

Sometimes we can be a little bit sneaky with our challenges! This time we not only asked three designers to come up with a design for a hanging decoration – but we gave them an extra challenge – they had to fit three designs, which worked in harmony, into bird frames that would then be hung together. They could only use the materials listed, and the seven shades of stranded cotton we chose for them. The apertures of the frames are small, but the results were joyful! We hope this will inspire you to join in too – turn the page to see our challenge for February – we’ve listed everything you need to take part. THE CHALLENGE • 14 count white aida • Seven shades of stranded cotton (shown…

Inside this month ♥ In a flurry: bring to life several sweet snow globes ♥ Special delivery: adorable Scottie dog festive cards ♥ New shoots: snowdrops in a vase ♥ Deck the halls: three stocking decorations ISSUE 417 JANUARY 2025 On sale 26 November YOUR FREE GIFT! Your exclusive 2025 calendar includes six ‘Bunny in a tin’ designs to stitch! MAGAZINE ORDERING SERVICE Did you know that most independent newsagents operate a ‘Shop Save’ service? They will order and reserve your own copy for you to collect and buy, and you are not obliged to purchase. So there’s no problem if you are away, don’t need that issue or simply buy it somewhere else. So don’t miss out – reserve your copy today – just ask instore at your local…