Indice dei contenuti per Summer 2017 in CrossStitcher

Stitch count: 15 high x 30 wide Design size: 4x7.5cm (1¼x3in) Stitch time: 3 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Make a… bracelet Step 1 MAKE your bracelet using the charts provided. Stitch your chosen design on aida, and then cut the fabric to measure 5x22cm (2x8¾in). You will then need to iron Vilene onto the back of the fabric, or use Fray Check or fabric glue on the edges to stop it fraying. Step 2 CREATE a way to fasten your bracelet onto your wrist, using either a button and loop, or purchase a 10mm (⅜in) silver press fastener kit, adding poppers to both ends of the bracelet. NEXT MONTH ICE CREAM NECKLACE PROJECT When the weather is hot, hot, hot, why not cool…

Sally is the owner and designer of Caterpillar Cross Stitch. “Alphabet art is an essential item for a child’s bedroom! My daughter, Felicity, loves singing her ABCs and pointing things out, so I thought it would be a great idea to make a game of it. I used three to four different shades of the same colour to add depth and give that ‘watercolour’ vintage style. I decided to use a mix of foods, animals and everyday items children would recognise.” www.caterpillarcrossstitch.com…

STITCHED SEWING ORGANISERS ANEELA HOEY [Search Press] This book contains 15 sewing organisers to choose from and ingeniously they have been designed to work together – so some of the smaller projects will fit inside the larger ones. If you’ve a lot of leftover pieces of fabric lying around, then why not mix and match them to make these useful items for your workbox? TILDA’S SEASONAL IDEAS COLLECTION TONE FINNANGER [David & Charles] The success of the ever-popular Tilda range of fabric and embellishments has spawned a range of individual books; Tilda’s Spring Ideas, Tilda's Summer Ideas and Tilda's Winter Ideas and this book is a compilation of them all, and packed with pretty sewing and papercrafting projects. CRAFTING FOR CAT LADIES KAT ROBERTS [GMC Publications] Love crafting as well…

 Stitch count: 84 high x 84 wide Paint your wooden hoops for a vibrant finish or wrap them in stranded cotton as we have done Design size: 14.5x14.5cm (5¾x5¾in) Stitch time: 14.5 hours These designs were stitched on 28 count evenweave over two threads fabric. Materials Large hoop • Zweigart White 28 count Cashel, ref: 3281/0100; 30x30cm (12x12in) • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 26 tapestry needle • Wooden embroidery hoop; 15cm (6in) diameter • Felt for backing Stitch count: 42 high x 42 wide Design size: 7.5x7cm (3x3in) Stitch time: 3.5 hours These designs were stitched on 28 count evenweave over two threads fabric. Materials Small hoop • Zweigart White 28 count Cashel, ref: 3281/0100; 20x20cm (8x8in) • Stranded cotton as listed in the key…

Pro Tip  Top designers share their favourite stitching tips "Let and the unwind needle itsel hang f to reduce tangling" Every Christmas I love to make my own Christmas tree decorations. I love to use metallic threads to add a sparkly festive touch. However, metallic threads can fray very easily. Therefore, every few stitches, I tend to just let the needle hang and unwind itself so that it reduces the tangling. Also, when I use metallics for backstitches I always use at least two strands as they can break too easily with one strand. FIRST PAST THE POST! Louise Bradley from Cheshire was the first to send us a pic of her zingy Citrus Coasters – she wins a selection of DMC stranded cotton skeins in 20 colours of her…

We thought we’d mix things up a bit this month and make the envelope the star of the show! Fabric ones are a little bit special, so we’ve created three ideas for you to try. First add a stitched fabric lining to an envelope. We charted some cheery bunting here, but there’s nothing to stop you from adding initials or a small motif. Next, make a fabric envelope from a heart shape – a few folds and that’s all there is to it! And finally, how about a fabric envelope made from four fabric circles? It’s actually a cinch to make!…

Harriet Riddell takes her pedal-powered sewing machine on the road, engaging the energy of passers-by to fuel her freeform embroidered art. We love how interactive her work is, capturing fleeting moments in thread and sharing her love of stitching with everyone who pedals for her. With the summer festival scene about to start, she’s preparing for a busy few months. We discover how it all began... How did you get started on your unique style? My mum taught me to use a sewing machine at the age of four or five. Then my grandma showed me freeform machine embroidery when I was about ten. I studied Contemporary Applied Arts at The University of Hertfordshire, and tried just about everything, including melting plastic bags, but nothing was doing it for me.…

Use metallic threads to give your seahorses an underwater sparkle Add a French knot or bead eyes for if the you seahorses prefer ’ This month we’re heading out to sea in search of the most beautiful seahorses for our alphabet and numbers. These elegant initials have been designed to keep on hand ready for when the next occasion you need them arises – whether it’s stitching for little ones or creating bathroom accessories for yourself. Whoever you decide to use them for, the result will be beautiful! Our seahorses were stitched on a 70x50cm (27.5x19.5in) white towel with a 14 count inserted aida panel, 9cm (3½in) wide. Each letter is approximately 38 high x 26 wide, with a design size of approximately 3x4cm (7.5x1¾in). It took our stitcher two…

THE CHALLENGE • One piece of white 28 count evenweave • Five shades of stranded cotton (shown above) • Three wooden flower pot shapes; 2.5cm high x 2.4cm wide • One mystery ingredient of your own choice THE RULES • The design is to be used for a summer birthday card • Only the materials above can be used • The design must be no larger than 56x50 stitches • No fractional stitches allowed • Be creative as possible! Summer’s here and when the weather’s warmer we get to enjoy being outside in the sun. Our Summer stitching challenge was to make a seasonal birthday card using one mystery ingredient as well as a wooden flower pot charm or two in their designs. Read the challenge rules on the left to see exactly what they were given. We hope…

 Stitch count: 168 high x 120 wide Use the park and stitch method for the block areas of colour in this design Design size: 30.5x22cm (12x8¾in) Stitch time: 38 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Materials ZweigartWhite14countaida, ref: 3706/100; 51x41cm (20x16in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 24 tapestry needle Frame with a 34x24cm (13½x9½in) aperture Mount board to fit frame 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…

WE HAVE TO CONFESS that we are a bit nosy and love to know what other stitchers get up to. This is how our Cross Stitcher Correspondents feature came about and it’s been amazing sharing what cross stitchers enjoy around the world. There’s always room for more, so if you’d like to be one of our correspondents, the details are on page 48. There’s even more behind-the-scenes action this issue. We’d like to say a special hello to our brand new columnist from the US. It’s Lizzy Dabczynski-Bean, probably best known to you as the designer behind Stitch People. We are thrilled to have her on board and can’t wait to have a glimpse into her world. She’s waiting to introduce herself on page 14 and share the start of…

SHUGEICRAFT This adorable Kawaii Japanese Cat Fabric in cotton and linen by Kobayashi comes in half yard lengths, and is made in Japan. HAPPILYAFTERDESIGNS Got an embroidery machine? Make this Kitty Cat feltie design that comes in a digital file with three sizes, all fitting a 4x4in hoop. PIKOBEAGLE2000 Oh my goodness, can you resist the cuteness? Make these Triplet Cats using the wool felting technique, each is 4.5x4.5cm when finished.…

Lighthouse by Day kits Evoking memories of childhood holidays on the British coast, Lighthouse By Day is the latest in the By The Sea range by Karen Carter for Heritage Crafts. The kit contains Zweigart aida fabric, DMC stranded cottons sorted onto numbered cards, a needle, and clear charts and instructions. The finished design size is 12x19cm (4¾x7½in) and the RRP is £22.50. The kit is available to order from www.hcrafts.com. We have two kits to give away! Enter by post to the address below, labelling your entry ‘LIGHTHOUSE KIT GIVEAWAY XST319’. Beryl Cook Wheels kits If you are a fan of the wonderful character paintings of Beryl Cook, now’s your chance to recreate one in stitches. ‘Wheels’ shows two of Beryl’s instantly recognisable ladies on a summer tandem ride…

Your materials pack contains: • Zweigart White 28 count Cashel OR 14 count aida • White 14 count perforated paper • Two gold-plated tapestry needles; size 24 and size 26 • Skeins of DMC stranded cotton • Two wooden embroidery hoops; 6in and 4in NOTE: Suedette cord, beads and felt are not included in the pack How to order: Go to www.willowfabrics.com to order your project pack at the CrossStitcher reader price of £26 (cashel pack) or £24 (aida pack), plus P&P.…

SARAH MCKEOWN I have folders for each project so 'in theory' nothing should go missing. These are great to grab and go – I have a needle, needleminder and unpicker in each. Once the project is complete I can empty it out and put a new project in. I have a few of these. CLAIRE KAMPOWSKI I always take my stitching with me. I use a folder that closes (a zip) so nothing falls out; pattern, scissors, aida, etc. I put my threads in a small thread box, otherwise they will tangle. When stitching outdoors on holiday it can be windy so look around for a nice rock to put in a plastic bag to hold things down. STACEY RICH I use a bag from Muju with pockets and zips…

Step 1 WORK out the lining size by unsealing your chosen envelope, ours measures 10x13cm. Draw and trace the lining area, with the exception of the gum strip. Use this envelope to create your own from patterned paper. Step 2 STITCH your design using the chart below then interface your stitched fabric and position the lining template you made in step 1, by centring the stitched area within the triangular flap. Pin in place and then cut out. Step 3 Step 4 FRUMBLE  www.frumble.co.uk A super fabric and haberdashery stockist that has a wonderful choice of fabrics, trimmings, interfacings and just about everything else you need! SLIDE the fabric lining into the envelope and trim it down slightly to fit if necessary. Mark the fold line of the envelope flap…

 Designed by: Becky Spencer to If you stitch ’d prefer these houses as pictures, why not stitch the set in a row to create a complete street design? Stitch count: 116 high x 56 wide Design size: 22.5x10.5cm (8¾x4¼in) Stitch time: 30 hours This design was stitched on 27 count evenweave over two threads of fabric. Materials ZweigartWhiteLinda27count, ref: 1235/100; 33x23cm (13x9in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 26 tapestry needle Backing fabric; 28x16.5cm (11x6½in) Toy stuffing For stockist details see page 85 Make a… house cushion Step 1 CUT your stitching to the same size as your backing fabric, making sure the house is in the centre of the fabric. Place your stitching and backing fabric right-sides together, and then sew around three sides of…

Choose your cushion fabric colour by picking out your favourite shade from the design itself Stitch count: 111 high x 129 wide Design size: 20.5x23.5cm (8¼x9¼in) Stitch time: 60 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Materials ZweigartParchment14countaida, ref: 3706/3740; 35.5x40.5cm (16x15in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 24 tapestry needle Backing fabric for cushion; 25.5x35.5cm (10x14in) x 2 pieces Fabric for mitred corners; 35.5x7.5cm (15x3in) x 2 pieces; 33x7.5cm (14x3in) x 2 pieces Cushion pad; 33x33cm (13x13in)  For stockist details see page 85 Make a… cushion Step 1 NOTE that the finished size of your cushion will be 33x35.5cm (13x14in). Cut your stitched aida cushion front so that there is 2.5cm (1in) of blank aida around the design. Pin your front panels…

If you like, you can back your stitching on plastic canvas with some felt for a neat finish MATERIALS Straw toppers (each) • 14 count white plastic canvas; 6.5x6.5cm (2½x2½in) Smile sign • 14 count white plastic canvas, 11x11cm (4½x4½in) Glass wrap • 14 count white plastic canvas; 22.5x5cm (9x2in) For all • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 24 tapestry needle For stockist details see page 85 FABRIC & THREADS Our designs were stitched on 14 count plastic aida. The cross stitch is in two strands and the backstitch is in one strand of stranded cotton. The stitch count, design size and stitch time will depend on which motif you choose to stitch. More to make... Our emojis are great for creating all sorts of…

Your projects For all the basic supplies you need to make the projects in this issue… WILLOW FABRICS  www.willowfabrics.com For Zweigart evenweave, aida, linen, Cashel, wooden embroidery hoops and all kinds of stitching fabrics COTTON PATCH  www.cottonpatch.co.uk 0121 702 2840 For stuffing, wadding, interfacing, Bondaweb, scissors and a range of haberdashery supplies FRED ALDOUS www.fredaldous.co.uk 0161 236 4224 For general craf t and haberdasher y supplies as well as mount board for framing your work JOHN JAMES NEEDLES  www.jjneedles.com 0152 783 0941 For all kinds of needles and needle packs JOHN LEWIS  www.johnlewis.com 03456 049 049 For a wide range of stitching and sewing supplies, including cotton printed fabrics SIESTA FRAMES  www.siestaframes.com 0120 281 3363 For stitching frames, hoops and lamps CLOUD CRAFT  www.cloudcraft.co.uk For 100% wool felt in lots…

Stitch count: 9 high x 8 wide (earrings); 12 high x 10 wide (pendant) Design size: 1.5x1.5cm (5/ ₈ x5/ ₈ in); 2x2cm (¾x¾in) Stitch time: 4 hours for the set These designs were stitched on 14 count plastic aida. Materials White14countplasticcanvas; 10x10cm (4x4in) Silver earring hooks x 2 and Silver split rings x 3 Suedette or ribbon cord for necklace Mill Hill Green seed beads, ref: 02074 Mill Hill Blue seed beads, ref: 02074 Mill Hill Pink Medium bugle beads, ref: 82050 Assembling your… earrings and pendant Step 1 STITCH your design onto plastic canvas, taking care to finish your thread ends by running them through the back of your stitching. You will need to leave at least three blank squares of plastic aida between the earrings…

The felt backing does make the feathers rather heavy, so you may prefer to leave them without backing for this headdress Max. stitch count: 69 high x 21 wide Max. design size: 12x4cm (4¾x15/ ₈ in) Stitch time: 3 hours for each feather These designs were stitched on 14 count perforated paper. Materials White14countperforatedpaper; 15x23cm (6x9in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 24 tapestry needle Felt for backing Large beads x 5 Thick cord or crochet cotton Make a… feather headdress Step 1 CUT out your perforated paper feathers, leaving one blank square outside the stitching. Cut felt to fit the back of each feather and then glue or sew in place. Step 2 SNIP six lengths of cord or crochet cotton, long enough so that…

When pressing stitching use a damp tea towel between the iron and your work to help protect it and get rid of any stubborn creases Stitch count: 21 high x 477 wide Design size: 3x68cm (1¼x26¾in) Stitch time: 12 hours This design was stitched on 18 count aida fabric. Materials ZweigartSunnyYellow18count aida, ref: 3793/002; 10x91.5cm (4x36in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 26 tapestry needle D-ring swivel lobster clasp; 2.5cm (1in) x 2 Make a… camera strap Step 1 COMPLETE your stitching then fold the aida lengthways, bringing the long edges together, with the right side of the fabric on the inside. Machine stitch down the long seam with a 1cm (⅜in) seam allowance, creating a tube. Step 2 TURN the tube to the right side,…

If you are stitching your design onto a new item of denim, wash it first to remove some of the dye from the garment and soften the fabric Stitch count: 49 high x 46 wide Design size: 9x8.5cm (3½x3¼in) Stitch time: 6 hours for main design on the centre back of jacket; 2 hours for each rose These designs were stitched using 14 count waste canvas. Materials 14countwastecanvas 15x15cm (6x6in) for main design; 7.5x7.5cm (3x3in) each rose Stranded cotton as listed in the key Make an… embroidered jacket Step 1 PLACE the waste canvas where you would like to stitch your design. Tack in place around the edges. Stitch in the normal way, following the chart, working over the waste canvas threads like a grid, taking care…

DAISY CHAIN Zweigart White 14 count aida: Willow Fabrics; www.willowfabrics.com Self-cover button blanks; 29mm diameter: Willow Fabrics; www.willowfabrics.com Garden wire: Garden centres UK-wide Elastic: Willow Fabrics; www.willowfabrics.com Olive vine leaf ribbon trim: Willow Fabrics; www.willowfabrics.com BOHO BABE White 14 count plastic canvas: Willow Fabrics; www.willowfabrics.com Silver earring hooks: Willow Fabrics; www.willowfabrics.com Silver split rings: Willow Fabrics; www.willowfabrics.com Suedette or ribbon cord for necklace: Hobbycraft; www.hobbycraft.co.uk Mill Hill beads: Willow Fabrics; www.willowfabrics.com SNAP HAPPY Zweigart Sunny Yellow 18 count aida: Willow Fabrics; www.willowfabrics.com D-ring swivel lobster clasp: Amazon UK; www.amazon.co.uk READ THE RUNES Zweigart White 27 count Linda: Willow Fabrics; www.willowfabrics.com Self-cover button blanks; 29mm diameter: Willow Fabrics; www.willowfabrics.com Handmade paper: Ellie Poo Paper; www.elliepoopaper.co.uk FESTIVAL FEATHERS White 14 count perforated paper: Willow Fabrics; www.willowfabrics.com Felt: Hobbycraft; www.hobbycraft.co.uk Large beads: Beads…

MAGICAL MANDALAS OUR DREAMCATCHER design on page 16 is influenced by mandalas. Here’s some more of these perfect patterns to enjoy… WHO Sheena Rogers has designed this stunning mandala cushion kit, which gives the illusion of crochet stitches. www.sheenarogersdesigns.co.uk WHAT This colourful wooden mandala box, which is perfect for storing buttons and trims, is handmade in Delhi, India, using traditional and artisan techniques. www.iansnow.com HOW Keep your current WIPs together to take with you on your summer holidays with this red mandala tote bag available in five sizes and made from 100% natural material. www.zazzle.co.uk…

“My latest Chakra Mandala designs are inspired my personal effort to be more mindful and spiritual” Summertime is here and may I just tell you how excited I am to soak in everything summer has to offer? For me, summer means sunshine, swimming in lakes, hiking in the mountains and poking around outside in my mediocre, little excuse for a garden. (I’m determined to develop my inner ‘green thumb'!) I’m Lizzy Dabczynski-Bean, owner and designer of Stitch People, and I’m so thrilled to be a new contributor for CrossStitcher Magazine! For those of you who may be unfamiliar with Stitch People, you can head on over to stitchpeople.com and explore our products that focus primarily on customised cross-stitched family portraits. We’ve created patterns and instructions to help you put together…

When backstitching the lettering, finish your thread after each word, so as not to trail it across the back of your work Max. stitch count: 58 high x 40 wide Design size: 10.5x7.5cm (4¼x3in) Stitch time: 8 hours each These designs were stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Make a… patch card Step 1 FOLD the fabric in half both ways to find the centre and start stitching at this point. Complete all the cross stitch in two strands, the backstitch and French knots in one strand, and the lettering in two strands. Step 2 CUT your stitched fabric to fit the front of your card, then fray the outer edge by removing two or three threads from each side of the stitching. Use double-sided tape to attach your…

 Designed by: Emma Congdon Stitch count: 180 high x 119 wide Design size: 33x21cm (13x8¼in) Stitch time: 62 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Materials ZweigartWhite14countaida, ref: 3706/100; 46x33cm (18x13in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 24 tapestry needle Frame with a 34x24cm (13½x9½in) aperture Mount board to fit frame  For stockist details see page 85 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 design, then…

Change the message on your envelope by working out the lettering first on a piece of graph paper to create your own chart MAKE A… FABRIC ENVELOPE Cut a heart from a favourite scrap of fabric to make this simple idea. Step 1 BACK your fabric with iron-on-interfacing, opt for a fine cotton lawn as this will fold neatly and easily to make your envelope. Enlarge and trace around the heart template below and cut out. Step 2 PLACE your fabric face down and make a fold at each side of the heart, as shown on the template and in the photo above. Iron along each fold to secure them in place. Step 3 TURN the fabric so the point is facing away from you, and then fold the bottom…

STITCHING THE BORDER STITCH the inner blue border one square outside of the design. Start in the top left-hand corner making 109 stitches across the top and also across the bottom, and 225 stitches up both sides, counting the corner stitch in both directions. As you only have six seasonal designs already stitched, count carefully when working the bottom section of the border to make sure it’s in the correct position. The green border design should be stitched outside of the blue, leaving one square of blank evenweave between them. THE ESSENTIAL KIT YOU’LL NEED TO START STITCHING 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…