Table of contents for May 2017 in CrossStitcher

Becky created our balloon design on page 66 , “I live in Bristol which has a balloon festival every year, so I wasn't short of inspiration. I wanted the shape of the balloon to be created by the cross stitches as I didn't want to overcomplicate an already busy design. I wanted to use colours that were vibrant but as I have a tendency to use bright, primary colours that can sometimes look a little childish, I made an effort to pick a more mature palette.” pernickety snippets-blog.tumblr.com…

EMBROIDERED MANDALAS VARIOUS [Lark Crafts] We think this idea is brilliant! This title is really an instant mandala embroidery kit, complete with reusable iron-on transfers. The embroidery-ready transfers make it so easy to start stitching. Make embroidery-hoop pieces, or decorate items such as bags, shirts or pillows. Once the pattern is transferred, you can stitch along the lines any way you’d like – so can include as much or little cross stitch as you want. SEWING FOR BABIES AND CHILDREN LAURA STRUTT [Cico Books] A new arrival in the family? You’d better go and grab this handy book, packed with projects to make for little ones. Ideas include a jersey romper suit, slouchy leggings and a top-knot hat. There’s also a Peter Pan collar dress, denim dungarees for playtimes and…

Pro Tip   Top designers share their favourite stitching tips “Don cut your threads too long” This sounds obvious, but it is something I often do, because I think I'll save time from not having to stop sewing to cut more thread, thread a needle and cast on/off. But it doesn’t – when I cut the thread too long, thinking, “It will be ok, I’ll get away with it this time,” I never do. The thread twists, and knots and generally gets in a mess. I then waste large amounts of time undoing all this and generally not enjoying my stitching at all. So it’s a basic tip, but one I often forget, which is why it is my tip for happy stitching. FIRST PAST THE POST! We’ll feature the…

Wanting to celebrate a special occasion? We thought we’d show you how to create a pop-up card to mark it in style! Using perforated paper and simple card cutting and folding techniques, these designs are easy to achieve. The birthday card uses fold-out boxes for each stitched present to attach to, and the cute church with mini paper bunting uses just a few card folds to create this sweet little scene. And finally, for those who are moving house, we have a little birdcage aperture card. MAKE A… POP-UP BIRTHDAY PRESENT CARD The easiest of our cards – our present card is a cinch to stitch and make. Step 1 CHOOSE a 5x15cm sheet of card which is patterned on one side. Place the pattern side of your card face…

You could change the thread colour of the word pirate to tie in with room your scheme child if ’s you prefer Stitch count: 121 high x 180 wide Design size: 22x33.5cm (8¾x13¼in) Stitch time: 60 hours This design was stitched on 27 count evenweave over two threads of fabric. Materials ZweigartAntiqueWhite27count Linda, ref: 1235/101; 33x41cm (13x16in) Side panel cotton fabric; 12.5x33cm (5x13in) Backing fabric; 33x53cm (13x21in) Cushion pad; 30x50cm (12x20in), or toy stuffing Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 26 tapestry needle 2 large buttons  For stockist details see page 89 Make a… cushion Step 1 COMPLETE your cross stitch then place the stitching and the cotton side panel right sides together, so that the stitching is on the right-hand side of the cushion front.…

 Max. stitch count: 51 high x 53 wide Use beads for the noses of the mice, to add a fun 3D finish! Max. design size: 9x9cm (3½x3½in) Stitch time: 5 hours each These designs were stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Materials For each card Zweigart White 14 count aida, ref: 3706/0100; 15x15cm (6x6in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 24 tapestry needle Blue card blank; 15x10cm (6x4in) with aperture to fit design For stockist details see page 89 Make an… aperture card Step 1 WORK all the cross stitch in two strands of stranded cotton, and the backstitch in one strand. 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…

THE CHALLENGE THE RULES Welcome to our May stitching challenge. For our stitching challenge this month we’ve asked our three designers to create a design to go on the front of a modern needlecase. Their thread choices were limited, but they were allowed one mystery ingredient and each of them had to also include a strip of patterned Liberty fabric. Read the challenge rules on the left to see exactly what they were given. We hope this will inspire you to join in too – turn the page to see what our challenge will be for July – we’ve listed everything you need to take part. FAYE WALSH… UNDER THE SEA “The first thing I thought of when I saw the…

Start stitching… on aida Step 1 CUT a 40cm thread length, and thread your needle with two of the six strands. Knot one end and start with a waste knot (opposite). Make a diagonal half cross stitch across a single aida block. Step 2 MAKE a second diagonal stitch to make the cross. You can work a row of half cross stitches first, then work back on yourself to complete the stitches. All the top stitches should face the same way. and… on evenweave INSTEAD of taking your needle diagonally across a single aida block, take your needle diagonally across two evenweave threads, creating a half cross stitch as before. STARTING A THREAD 1. Away waste knot KNOT one end of your thread and take it down through…

MAY IS A LOVELY spring month, not least because it has two bank holidays in the UK. It would be rather good to think of these as extra stitching days but the kids may not go along with that idea! But if we were to make a stitching wish list, it would be tricky to choose what to start first this issue. While stitching for an occasion is fun, we quite like to have a little something stored up just in case it’s needed. It always feels rather good to be able to produce a lovely cross stitch card at a moment’s notice or a handmade something for the many school fairs! Durene Jones’s Word Search designs (page 41) are the perfect quick stitch to have to hand. Leave the…

GO GEOMETRIC GEOMETRIC PATTERNS are on point right now, so if you like our geometric cushion on page 14 and pair of cats on page 28, you’ll love these… WHO Camelot are the creators behind this cool London Fog Geo In Rainwater fabric, which is subtle enough to match with all manners of stitching projects. www.frumble.co.uk WHAT These unique Large Round Filigree Geometric Beads in Antique Silver are perfect for dressing up your projects with. www.hobbycraft.co.uk HOW Store buttons, pins and threads in these bright Berber Bread Baskets, handwoven by Berber tribes in Morocco from natural raffia stalks wound with dyed wool. postcardshome.co.uk…

“One of the aims of the designs was to use some interesting DMC threads, particularly their Light Effect ranges” Hello dear readers! I’ve been working on an exciting project – designing patterns for the 2017 DMC catalogue! I’ve been getting to know the fine folks at DMC for the past few years and it was a great honour when they asked me to be involved. I worked closely with the team at DMC to narrow down some design concepts and then cracked on with developing them. It’s fascinating when you move from designing patterns for the internet to designing for the commercial market, as the standards are a touch higher and you do have to consider your audience and move towards designs with mass appeal. One of the aims of…

DANI HUNT I find aida ideal for useable items (such as bookmarks) as it’s much stiffer; evenweave is better for household items (like cushions). SANDY CAMILLOCCI I like using aida so much better. On small pieces you don’t even have to use a hoop. The weight of the fabric makes for a more substantial piece and is good for cards, ornaments, and framed pieces. A good all-purpose fabric which is easy to stitch on. ELISA BENSON I like both. For a big, solidly stitched design I prefer aida as it’s quicker and less tiring, but I prefer the feel of evenweave and the fact I can do petit point on it and make tiny designs for my doll's house. HEATHER MARALDO There is nothing more satisfying than a finished cross…

Chilean textile queen Karen Barbé has been bringing colour and cosiness to our homes (and Pinterest boards) for over a decade now. In her new book, Colour Confident Stitching, she advises stitchers how to understand and use colour – as well as how to transform regular patterns and kits into unique works of art. We found out more… How did your book come about? I started teaching embroidery five years ago and I soon realised that one of the most common complaints among my students was about the colours used in their samplers. Alhough the students were able to get the stitches right, they still felt disappointed with the colour palette that they had chosen. I decided to teach a workshop about creating beautiful colour palettes – it is a…

The Japanese love of all things ‘kawaii’ has inspired our oh-so-cute alphabet and numbers sets this month, with each letter featuring a different kokeshi doll, dressed in a traditional outfit. Sarah Cookland has carefully designed each doll to be unique, so whatever you decide to use these motifs for, you’re guaranteed a quirky and creative result… Our Kawaii Kokeshi dolls were stitched on Zweigart Minty Glitter 14 count aida, ref: 3706/6219, and each letter is approximately 28 high x 28 wide. The design size for each letter is approximately 5x5cm (2x2in), and it took our stitcher 12 hours to complete our ‘kawaii’ kokeshi dolls. More to make... Mix and match your letters to make more cute projects. Here are some ideas to get you started… 1 Stitch an initial on…

Cross Stitcher PROJECT PACK Itching to start our balloon? Order our materials pack with everything you need to get you stitching straight away, and have it delivered straight to your door! Your materials pack contains: Zweigart 28 count evenweave 14countaidaboth in Antique White Two gold-plated tapestry needles; size 24 and size 26 Skeins of DMC stranded cotton Quiltinghoopnotincluded How to order: Go to www.willowfabrics.com to order your project pack at the CrossStitcher reader price of £16.50, plus P&P. Why not try stitching on pale blue fabric for a gorgeous sky effect? Stitch count: 163 high x 103 wide Design size: 32x19.5cm (12⁵/ ₈ x7¾in) Stitch time: 35 hours This design was stitched on 27 count evenweave over two threads of fabric. Materials ZweigartAntiqueWhite27count Linda, ref: 1235/101; 51x51cm (20x20in) Stranded…

Turn a plain tea caddy into pretty gift by adding a motif as a simple patch, frayed at the edges MATERIALS Teapot Zweigart White 28 count Cashel, ref: 3281/100; 10x10cm (4x4in) Orange & red china Zweigart White 28 count Cashel, ref: 3281/100; 30.5x24cm (12x9½in) Frame with a 19x14cm (7½x5½in) aperture Mount board to fit frame Cups & saucers Zweigart White 28 count Cashel, ref: 3281/100; 20x20cm (8x8in) Cream card; 14x14cm (5½x5½in) For all Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 24 tapestry needle For stockist details see page 89 More to make... Our crockery motifs are perfect for all sorts of projects. Here are some more easy ideas you could make... 1 Sew a teabag-sized pouch and decorate with a teacup to carry your favourite flavour of fruit…

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 craft and haberdashery 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 of colours…

FABRICANDRIBBON White Mice Cotton Fabric by Makower from the Cats Collection features cute little clockwork mice in pretty green and red shades. RICRACSEWS Make your very own mini mice plush toys with this Darla & Bean sewing pattern available as an instant PDF download. BOBOSTITCH One of our favourite designers has this sweet Woodland Mouse kit in her shop which is perfect for beginner stitchers.…

For a different look attach coordinating ric-rac or pom-pom trim before sewing your cushion sides together Stitch count: 180 high x 180 wide Design size: 33x33cm (13x13in) Stitch time: 100 hours This design was stitched on 27 count evenweave over two threads of fabric. Materials ZweigartRaw27countLinda, ref: 1235/0101; 46x46cm (18x18in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 26 tapestry needle Backing fabric; 38x38cm (15x15in) Cushion pad; 35.5x35.5cm (14x14in) For stockist details see page 89 Make a… cushion Step 1 CUT the finished stitching to the same size as the backing fabric, making sure the design is in the centre. With the stitching right-side up, place the backing fabric on top. Pin, then machine stitch, the cushion front and back together with a 1.25cm (½in) seam allowance,…

Last May I started your Fit For A Queen sampler from issue 304 as a surprise for my mum’s 90th birthday. By June I had the first image done and the rest followed slowly, as I am a full-time carer for my mum and couldn’t do it when she was about. I had sometimes been getting up at 5am in the morning from June onwards in case I ran out of time as I organised her birthday party surprise. I did all the catering and the cake myself with my husband's help for 70 of Mum's friends from throughout her years from different clubs she is in. The colours in this design are lovely bold strong colours so she can see them well – I had every display frame and…

Not using DMC threads? Some match shades , so you don’ could t have decide a direct by eye which threads from your stash you’d like to use instead Stitch count: 60 high x 60 wide Design size: 11.5x11.5cm (4½x4½in) Stitch time: 7 hours These designs were stitched on 27 count evenweave over two threads of fabric. Stitch count: 60 high x 37 wide Design size: 11.5x7cm (4½x2²/ ₃ in) Stitch time: 7 hours These designs were stitched on 27 count evenweave over two threads of fabric Materials For each hoop Zweigart White 27 count Linda, ref: 1235/100; 24x24cm (9½x9½in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 26 tapestry needle Wooden embroidery hoop;15cm (6in) diameter For stockist details see page 89…

Finish your stranded cotton after each letter, so you stranded don’t trail cotton the across the back of your work Stitch count: 53 high x 54 wide Design size: 9.5x9.5cm (3¾x3¾in) Stitch time: 2 hours These designs were stitched on 27 count evenweave over two threads of fabric Materials Card Zweigart Antique White 27 count Linda, ref: 1235/101; 15x15cm (6x6in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 26 tapestry needle White card blank; 14.5x14.5cm (5¾x5¾in) For stockist details see page 89 Make a… patch card 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 stitching to the front of the card. Stitch…

 Stitch count: 185 high x 85 wide Giving your sampler as a gift? Extract motifs to stitch for a matching tag and card Design size: 32.5x15cm (12¾x6in) Stitch time: 43 hours This design was stitched on 28 count evenweave over two threads of fabric. Materials • Zweigart Pale Cream 28 count ref: 3281/099; 46x33cm (18x13in) • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 26 tapestry needle • Frame with a 35.5x20cm (14x8in) aperture • Mount board to fit frame For stockist details see page 89 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…

Make Your Dreams Happen kit New from Peter Underhill for Heritage Crafts, Make Your Dreams Happen is the latest in a series that Peter has created. The kit includes Zweigart fabric, DMC stranded cottons sorted onto numbered cards, a needle, and clear charts and instructions. Its finished size is 10x19cm (4x7½in), and it’s available from www.hcrafts.com, RRP £17.90. Enter by post to the address below, labelling your entry ‘MAKE YOUR DREAMS HAPPEN GIVEAWAY XST317’. Pug kit Pug is one of four new character dogs created by Hannah Dale for Bothy Threads. The design is worked in stranded cotton on speckle printed 14 count aida and measures 26x26cm. This super-cute design only uses full cross stitch and backstitch and if you know someone who loves their pug, this will be just…

Desperately seeking Hello, I am writing to you from Canada. I got one of the CrossStitcher kits (that I think was included with the magazine) at a thrift shop. It has no chart and I’m hoping that someone may still have the chart. The kit is called Oriental Beauty and it was on sale around 2007. Is there any chance someone might still have this pattern? Thank you for your assistance. Kathy Fisher, Alberta, Canada Email: katfish@telusplanet.net I am looking for a chart of a snowman with a cat surrounded by an arch of trees which I think is from a 2012 issue of CrossStitcher. If anyone has this issue I would love to stitch the design – please get in touch. Regards. Trish Edwards Email: trish.edwards@hotmail.co.uk Hello. I am…