Índex per April 2016 a CrossStitcher

Stitch count: 33 high x 25 wide Design size: 7.5x6cm(3x2¼in) Stitch time: 4 hours This design was stitched on 14 count plastic canvas. Start with a loop knot and stitch your thread ends through the back of your work for a neat finish Make a… bunny brooch Step 1 STITCH the design on 14 count plastic canvas. Use a sharp pair of scissors to trim around the design, one full square outside the stitching. Step 2 TIE ribbon around the bunny’s neck, then sew a button in position on top of the bunny’s tail. Glue a brooch pin to the back of your stitching to complete. NEXT MONTH NEEDLECASE PROJECT We share our gorgeous bird design to make into a pretty felt case for keeping your needles safe in.…

Textile designer Rachel Parker got hooked on cross stitch as a child and today her work is inspired by the grids, patterns and ordering of colour that comes with working in cross stitch. “For me, cross stitch is repetition, symbols and memory. It’s graphic design in thread form,” she says. “I love drawing from embroidery pieces and deconstructing vintage patterns. Working from a hand-drawn line gives the piece a sense of energy.” www.etsy.com/uk/shop/  PixelAndThread…

CROSS STITCH MINI MOTIFS: FLOWERS JANE PRUTTON [Tuva] You’ll blooming love this book containing 54 floral motifs, from little floral garlands, to bold poppies and flowering herbs. Whatever you’re planning to stitch, you’ll find a design to suit here, or put several together to make up your own sampler! LUCY SPARROW’S FELT WORLD LUCY SPARROW [Prestel] Textile artist Lucy Sparrow has painstakingly hand-stitched hundreds of small-scale everyday objects from a tin of sardines and a packet of digestive biscuits, to landmarks such as Big Ben and Stonehenge, in this joyful coffee table book. Her stunning tapestry of the London Underground is also featured. PEN TO THREAD SARAH WATSON [Interweave] Illustrator and fabric designer Sarah Watson has hand drawn more than 750 motifs to add some inspiration to your embroidery. Embroidery…

Stitch count: 53 high x 40 wide Design size: 9.5x7.5cm (3¾x3in) Stitch time: 2 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Materials • Zweigart 14 count white aida, ref: 3706/100, 12.5x10cm (5x4in) • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 24 tapestry needle • Kraft card • Card to fit the design For stockist details see page 86 Cut a thread bobbin from Kraft card, wind with stranded cotton, then attach to your card with double-sided tape Make a… patch card Step 1 WORK all the cross stitch in two strands of stranded cotton, the backstitch in one strand and the French knots in one strand. Step 2 CUT around the stitching, and depending on the size of your card, leave between two…

Why not make a complete set of matching towels for your guest bathroom? Stitch count: 22 high x 121 wide Design size: 4x22cm(1½x8½in) Stitch time: 5 hours This design was stitched on a 14 count aida panel. Materials • Rico salmon guest towel, with a 14 count aida panel, 50x30cm (20x12in) • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 24 tapestry needle For stockist details see page 86 MORE LUXURY LOOKS... Our pretty hand towel design was taken from Rico’s Papillon chart book (no. 137). The book features several more beautiful designs for bathroom linen and accessories, featuring a range of themes and motifs, from sweet mini owls to retro blooms. The complete chart book is available to order from www.sewandso.co.uk , RRP £7.95,…

Customise your cake van by stitching it in your own choice of thread colours! Stitch count: 66 high x 84 wide Design size: 11x15cm (4½x6in) Stitch time: 26 hours This design were stitched on 28 count evenweave over two threads of the fabric. Materials • Zweigart 28 count blue Brittney evenweave, ref: 3270/550, 30x30cm (12x12in) • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 26 tapestry needle • Frame with a 19x19cm (7½x7½in) aperture • Mount board to fit frame For stockist details see page 86 MORE TREATS TO TRY... Our special delivery van comes from the new chart book, Retro Fun in Stitches by Jane Prutton. The book is packed with plenty more pretty pastel designs to choose from, including flowers, animals and even more fun retro…

Letter projects are great for using up any leftover threads in your stash! Welcome to the first alphabet in your NEW design library series. These fun letters, surrounded by cake making and cookery motifs, will give you a complete library of letters to use for all occasions. Perfect for whipping up gifts for foodie friends, you can use individual letters on cards or use together to create names, words or sayings. More to make... Mix and match your letters to create a host of fun projects. Here’s some ideas to get you started… 1 Create a great gift for a baking friend by taking a plain cotton apron and using waste canvas to add their initials to it. 2 Stitch the letters to spell out ‘Recipes’ on an aida patch…

Max. stitch count: 53 high x 39 wide Max. design size: 10x7.5cm (4x3in) Stitch time: 14 hours (all four) These designs were stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Materials For each card • Zweigart 14 count cream aida, ref: 3706/264, 12.5x10cm (5x4in) • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 24 tapestry needle • Card to fit the design For stockist details see page 86 Select one of the roses, stitch it and attach to a small card to make a matching gift tag Make a… patch card Step 1 WORK all the cross stitch in two strands of stranded cotton, the backstitch in one and two strands and the French knots in two strands. Step 2 CUT around the stitching, and depending on the size…

TOOLS OF THE TRADE NEEDLES For basic stitching you’ll need a tapestry needle that has a blunt tip and large eye. Use a size 24 needle for most aidas, and a size 26 for evenweaves and linens. Use a sharp embroidery needle for finer details such as backstitch and French knots. EMBROIDERY SCISSORS Embroidery scissors are an absolute must-have for stitchers and can be picked up for just a few pounds. Keep yours sharp by only using them to cut threads – that way a decent pair should last you a lifetime. STRANDED COTTON Embroidery thread is also commonly referred to as stranded cotton. Each thread length is made up of six strands of cotton twisted together. The chart key will indicate how many strands you’ll need to stitch your…

EASTER IS A BRILLIANT TIME of year for fun family gatherings – and on a sunny spring afternoon, what could be nicer than holding an Easter egg hunt in your garden? Like the idea? We did, so we’ve created a complete egg hunt kit to stitch (page 68), with signs and cute bunny ears to get your party started… all you have to do is add the chocolate eggs! Speaking of celebrations… with the Queen’s 90th birthday in June, we have a very special competition to win some fabulous Emma Bridgewater china and get your design published in CrossStitcher! All you have to do is design and stitch a bunting flag – turn to page 30 to find out more. We’re also starting a new ‘Letter Library’ feature on page…

COTTON CLARA Takingthreetofourhourstomake, thisneedlepointkitisaneasystitch. Itincludesneedle,leathercord, woolandplasticcanvasshapes. CHLOE REDFERN Welovethatthisbeautifulbluetit embroiderypatternalsocomes withideasforhowyoucanaddyour ownpersonaltouchestothepiece. HAWTHORN HANDMADE Howadorableisthisperfectpair? Welovethisneedlefeltkit,whichis suitableforage10andupand comesinabeautifulgiftbox.…

“Cross stitch often provides insights into the human psyche… this humble stitch can tell us a lot” Hello dear readers, this month I thought I’d have a Q & A session, so I called out on the Mr X Stitch Facebook page for questions and got a small deluge of them. Here’s just a few… Anne Marie asked, “My threads alwaystangle and get knotted. How do I prevent this? It makes me fume!” Each time you make a stitch you put a half twist in the thread. Over time these half twists add up and your thread starts to spool itself which, if unnoticed, can lead to accidental knots and all kinds of underside chaos. There are two simple solutions. One is to allow your needle to drop every now…

Venice Palazzo Triptych 1 kit This wonderful design from the watercolours of Michael Powell is the centre panel of a triptych. Featuring the architecture of Venice created in Michael’s amazing style, the kit contains 50 thread colours and is available to buy with 27 count evenweave or 14 count aida. The finished size is 45x22cm, ref: X62. The kit has an RRP of £48.99 – visit www.michaelpowellart.co.uk for more details. We have two kits to give away! Enter by post to the address below, labelling your entry ‘VENICE KIT GIVEAWAY 303’. Stitching bundle This fabulous stitching bundle contains a fat ¼m of 25 count Zweigart Lugana in Angel Blush, a John James tapestry needle pebble, ten skeins of stranded cotton and a pair of soft grip embroidery scissors, with a…

CrossStitcher, together with our sister magazine Cross Stitch Collection, are launching this month an exciting design competition to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday this June. You have the opportunity to design a bunting flag to commemorate this special event – the ultimate decorative touch for any street party! The winner’s design will be published in the Summer issue of both magazines, plus they will receive this fabulous prize of collectible celebration china and matching tea towel from Emma Bridgewater. To take part in our competition, all you need to do is design, chart and stitch a bunting flag to fit inside the marked area on the chart opposite (max. 100 high x 80 wide). The stitching must be on a 25.5x23cm (10x9in) piece of 14 count white aida fabric; please…

“Embroidery has this amazing ability to transport me away from the stress and anxieties of daily life” The first time we saw Sarah Benning’s beautiful embroidered plants we fell in love with them – and we just had to find out more about the stitcher behind the hoop. An American textile artist currently living in sunny Menorca, Sarah took a break from her busy travelling schedule to chat all things stitch… What’s the first thing that you remember stitching? It was a little quilt for my cousin when she was born. I was seven and my mum and I made it together. We didn’t have a sewing machine, so we stitched the whole thing by hand. Even then, I enjoyed how methodical and purposeful it felt. Have you always been…

I liked the Durene Jones design from issue 301 of CrossStitcher with the adorable kittens. One kitten jumped on my hoop! Malgorzata Zoltek, Ireland I made this from April 2012 when I had my second little girl. It took me a week to stitch – I loved it so much I couldn’t put it down! Jade Taylor, West Yorkshire Here’s my finished Four Seasons tree from issue 300. I stitched it as one big piece as I plan to make it into a bolster cushion. Kerry-Anne Swales, Doncaster This is my version of the lovely cuppa’ design from issue 301. I was able to change the pun by using an alphabet in the issue. Lauren Wilkinson, Australia I liked the just to say’ designs from issue 300, but decided to…

Leave out the wording and stitch the rabbit, egg and chick on aida to make special Easter cards Max. stitch count: 79 high x 80 wide Max. design size: 14.5x14.5cm (5¾x5¾in) Stitch time: 10 hours each These designs were stitched on 14 count plastic canvas. Materials Bunny ears & plastic signs • 14 count plastic canvas, 28x21cm (11x8¼in) x 2 • Size 24 tapestry needle • White plastic headband • Lolly sticks • White felt For stockist details see page 86 Make a… set of egg hunt signs Step 1 STITCH the sign designs onto plastic canvas, leaving at least five plastic canvas squares between each design. Step 2 USE a sharp pair of embroidery scissors to trim the plastic canvas and cut out the signs one full…

EASTER BUNNIES WE’VE GONE hopping mad for rabbits this Easter so here’s a selection of cute cottontails to stitch… WHO AddcrossstittchedinitialstothesesweetEaster bunnygift bags,handmadeby VasilinkaStore. en.dawanda.com WHAT Welovethisgeometricbunnypatternavailable asaninstantdownload,whichisafourcolour crossstitchon14countaida. www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MagicCrossStitch HOW Keepyourpinsandneedlessafewith thisknittedbunnypincushion,complete withfluffymohairtail. www.etsy.com/uk/shop/nervousstitch…

Stitch individual cakes and pastries from this sampler to make delicious smaller projects, such as cards and gift tags or to cover a recipe folder Stitch count: 136 high x 175 wide Design size: 24x30.5cm(9½x12in) Stitch time: 73 hours This design was stitched on 28 count linen over two threads of fabric. Materials • Zweigart 28 count antique white Belfast linen, ref: 3993/101, 43x48.5cm (17x19in) • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 26 tapestry needle • Frame with a 26.5x33m (10½x13in) aperture • Mount board to fit frame For stockist details see page 86 TURN TO PAGE 36 TO LEARN HOW TO FRAME YOUR PICTURE…

Remember ric-rac trim on pretty party dresses and skirts? Well, we’ve decided to bring this retro favourite bang up-to-date with three fun cross stitch projects. Layering ric-rac can create some great effects, so we’ve created a mini beach scene with ric-rac waves lapping the shore. Our string of mini ric-rac bunting, with flags stitched onto perforated paper, is the sweetest we’ve seen! But for pure cuteness, you just have to try our row of tiny ric-rac chicks, scuttling along to make the most adorable Easter card! This beach design would also make the prettiest picture to hang in a bathroom! MAKE A… BEACH SCENE BAG Make waves by simply layering up your ric-rac lengths Step 1 BEGIN by stitching your design (we’ve left our example unstitched here). Place your first…

It’s easy to add the wedding date to the car’s number plate using the alphabet provided Stitch count: 78 high x 120 wide Design size: 14x21cm (5½x8¼in) Stitch time: 26 hours This design was stitched on 28 count evenweave over two threads of the fabric. Materials • Zweigart 28 count ivory Brittney evenweave, ref: 3270/264, 30.5x33cm (12x13in) • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 26 tapestry needle • Frame with a 19x24cm (7½x9½in) aperture • Mount board to fit your frame For stockist details see page 86 Want to make your picture even more personal? Change the colour of the couple’s hair to match the bride and groom you’re stitching for! How to… frame a picture Step 1 CUT a piece of white mount board…

Pushed for time? Select just one of the design’s quarters to stitch on aida, then sew onto the centre of a plain cushion as a patch Stitch count: 161 high x 157 wide Design size: 30x28cm (11¾x11in) Stitch time: 80 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Materials • Permin 14 count natural rustic aida, ref: 375/50, 51x51cm (20x20in) • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 24 tapestry needle • Backing fabric, 43x43cm (17x17in) • Cushion pad, 40.5x40.5cm (16x16in) For stockist details see page 86 Make a… cushion Step 1 CUT your stitched cushion front to the same size as your backing fabric. With the stitching right side up, place the backing fabric on top. Pin, then machine stitch, the cushion front…

Use the metal circle in the lid to draw a circle around your stitching before cutting it out Can’t find an aida panel bib? Simply stitch onto an aida band and stitch the band to a plain bib MATERIALS Dummy • Zweigart 14 count white aida, ref: 3706/100, 10x10cm (4x4in) Welcome baby hanger • Zweigart 14 count white aida, ref: 3706/100, 13x13cm (5x5in) • Backing fabric, 13x13cm (5x5in) • Toy stuffing Bib • White baby bib with a 14 count aida panel For all • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 24 tapestry needle For stockist details see page 86 Make a… welcome baby hanger Step 1 STITCH the welcome design. Place the stitching and backing fabric right sides together. Step 2 CUT a length…