Table of contents for October 2022 in CrossStitcher

 SUBSCRIBE FOR JUST £29.99 A YEAR! That’s only 8p a day! No.1 for design Cross Stitcher Get instant access to 7 years’ worth of back issues, plus 20 rare editions of the much-loved Cross Stitch Collection! Be inspired by irresistible cross-stitching projects, enrich your knowledge with advice from top designers and enjoy stitching over 5,500 charts with our fully searchable digital library! BENEFITS OF SUBSCRIBING: • The latest digital issue before it goes on-sale in the shops • Instant access to nearly a decade of issues • The most environmentally friendly option • Read it on any device - wherever you may be! • Risk free - cancel at any time SCAN MEWITH YOUR CAMERA Subscribe today: bit.ly/CROSLIBRARY *Offer is for an annual digital library subscription, available on a UK Direct…

When the cross stitch boom was happening across America in the 1980s, the wave of enthusiasm gradually made its way to the UK. Though needlecraft magazines had been popular in this country through until the early sixties, none had successfully survived the seventies. It was in that craft drought that Needlecraft magazine made a huge mark in 1991. From the reader response it was obvious where the big demand was. Thousands of cross stitch enthusiasts had been buying kits of American origin and they wanted designs that reflected their own interests and where they lived. INSTANT HIT The first response was the quarterly Cross Stitch Collection providing large and detailed designs, but the demand was still for broader coverage, with a mix for all levels of stitcher – something to…

Take advantage of our exclusive offers to UK readers and receive special discount prices… To celebrate Halloween and autumn we have two great Mouseloft kit offers for you this issue… For Halloween lovers we have a spooky collection to frighten even the bravest of stitchers! These six designs are easy to stitch and can be mounted in a card for sending. Choose from Pumpkin, Bat, Monster, Spider, Witch and Ghost. The ‘In the Woods’ kits range features British woodland animals. Each one of the eight designs would make a great card for an autumn birthday or special occasion. Choose from Ferdinand Fox, Harriet Hedgehog, Cyril Squirrel, Bartholomew Badger, Chirpy Bird, Rosie Rabbit, Tiny Toadstool Mouse, and Old Ollie Owl… or why not stitch them all! Each of the kits will…

Designed by: Durene Jones Stitch count: 48 high x 38 wide Design size: 9x7cm (31⁄2x23⁄4in) Stitch time: 7 hours each These designs were stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Make an… aperture card Step 1 WORK using two strands of stranded cotton for the cross stitch, and one or two strands for the backstitch, as marked on the chart. 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 to the inside of the card around the edge of the aperture. Step 4 PLACE the stitching on the table right-side up, and then place the card on top, pressing down firmly on the tape. Step 5 CHECK which flap will fold onto the back of the stitching,…

Cross Stitcher PROJECT PACK If you would like to stitch our squirrel cushion, we have a materials pack with everything you need to get you stitching right away, and have it delivered straight to your door! Your materials pack contains: Zweigart 28 count Cashel OR 14 count aida in Antique White Skeins of DMC stranded cotton Two gold-plated tapestry needles; size 24 and size 26 Thechartbackingfabric and cushion pad are not included in this pack. How to order: Fill in the form on page 19 or go to www.willowfabrics.com to order your project pack at the CrossStitcher reader price of £36.20 for the 28 count Cashel, or £34.70 for 14 count aida, both plus P&P. Please mark your coupon with which fabric you would like to receive. Designed by: Amanda…

Material Zweigart Orange Linda 27 count evenweave, ref: 01235/4112; 12x12cm (43⁄4x43⁄4in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key Étoile thread as listed in the key Mill Hill beads as listed in the key Green florist’s wire Brooch back, 38mm Size 24 tapestry needle Felt; 9x9cm (31⁄2x31⁄2in) Cardboard; 7.5x7cm (3x23⁄4in) Wadding; 7.5x7cm (3x23⁄4in) Materials available from www.willowfabrics.com For a super-quick finish, work your design on 14 count plastic canvas instead, trim and attach the brooch back straight onto the canvas back Designed by: Maria Diaz Stitch count: 28 high x 34 wide Design size: 5x6.5cm (2x21⁄2in) Stitch time: 7 hours This design was stitched on 27 count evenweave over two threads of fabric. Make a… pumpkin brooch Step 1 COMPLETE the stitching, then place a piece of white paper over the…

Spend autumn indulging in our stunning ballroom dancers scene! Keep your needle busy as we await the next series of Strictly and use a variety of techniques to create our dancing couple. Ballroom dancing always includes a touch of sparkle, and so seed beads are scattered throughout. The magic doesn’t stop there – blended threads help to add a more subtle, fluid look to the fabric of the ballroom outfits too. Enjoy! Materials DMC Iridescent White 14 count aida, ref: 222C/blanc; 55x50cm (211⁄2x191⁄2in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key DMC Silver Metallic 5 Pearl, ref: 5283 Mill Hill Ice seed beads, ref: 2010 Size 24 tapestry needle Frame with a 34x24cm (131⁄4x91⁄2in) aperture Mount board to fit frame Materials available from www.willowfabrics.com Use a bead nabber to pick up…

DREAM DESTINATIONS: AGRA DREAM DESTINATIONS SAL Agra is the eighth destination of this year’s Stitch-A-Long design. Over the year we will be bringing you 12 destinations. We have greyed out the border which appeared in the March issue. The grid lines are correct for the complete design, but the centre marks indicate the centre of just this motif. Designed by: Amanda Butler Stitch count: 50 high x 50 wide Design size: 9.5x9.5cm (3¾x3¾in) Stitch time: 12 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. THE CHART EACH square on the chart represents a single cross stitch. Start from the centre of the design and your fabric. The centre of our charts are indicated by arrows at the designs’ edges. To find your fabric’s centre, fold it in half…

ISSUE 389 NOVEMBER 2022 On sale 4 October Inside this month ♥ The ultimate festive view: stunning winter window ♥ Scandi style! Beautiful Christmas stocking ♥ Purrfect cards set: festive feline designs to stitch & send ♥ Deck the halls! Fun decorations and 3D makes YOUR CHRITSMAS BUMPER PACK! ♥ Advent calendar, Part 2 ♥ Festive Felt Frames ♥ Pull-out Christmas cards chart collection Contents subject to change. Overseas gifts may vary.…

Stitch a kinder world with this stunning collection of heartfelt designs RRP £16.99 £15.29 Whether it’s a declaration to a soulmate, gratitude for a true friendship or compassion for the whole of humanity, this celebration of love in all its forms will heal your heart, one stitch at a time. This collection features 20 exclusive designs, each with an easy-to-read full colour and symbol chart. Alongside the designs, Emma Congdon shares her thoughts and inspirations for each one, with a detailed materials list and instructions for stitching. Shop now: bit.ly/CROSSHOP *This product is subject to availability and priced correctly at the time of publication. Geographic restrictions may apply.…

Four Seasons Time to celebrate the seasons in stitches! The Queen of modern folk art, Maggie Magoo Designs has brought out four new kits in collaboration with Cloud Craft. Each design is inspired by a season. Nicole from Cloud Craft says, “With an A3 colour chart, great quality supplies and several evenings of enjoyment in each kit, we hope that they will encourage stitchers to slow down, enjoy the process and treasure their beautiful, finished piece. And we’re so proud to say that our kits are made by us in the UK and are plastic-free.” www.cloudcraft.co.uk MAKING WAVES KAREN CARTER has done it again, with another quirky, detailed design that’s sure to raise a smile! Dolphins, ref: KCDO1637, measures 14x20.5cm once stitched. There is a Seals design in this new…

Hullo! Have you noticed how if you’re in the market for, say, a new cross stitch frame, that you suddenly see them everywhere? It isn’t that everyone else suddenly had the same idea as you – they were there the whole time! You’ve started specifically paying attention to them. It’s amazing how the mind can filter out what we perceive as trivial or zero in on what we deem important. Because the value we place on things can change (often rapidly), our brains are highly adaptable in altering focus. This adaptability makes searching for silver linings in tricky situations extra important. When life hits the proverbial fan, it can be tempting (and feel gratifying) to wallow in that. Of course, it’s always healthy to sit with less pleasant feelings –…

Sarah Craven, from Rochdale, Manchester, has mastered the art of making time for cross stitching, even when life threatens to get in the way! She also has given her family the stitching bug, including setting up business with her husband and attending stitching club with her daughter and other family members… Sarah’s latest stitching success is our elephant blanket that was first featured in issue 380. It was created for her youngest daughter, then her husband gave it a bespoke quilted finish. “It’s stitched on Zweigart Palisade cloth which is bigger than Queen Anne Cloth but so soft,” she explains. “It’s stitched four over two and I worked it out to be 24450 stitches completed over 26 days, which is about 900 stitches a night, when Evelyn and Clara (our…

We chat with the delightful Rhonda Knauf, owner of Miss Prim Cross-Stitch, about her modern take on traditional cross stitch designs, how an unexpected event set her on this path, and how she finds inspiration in almost everything… Hi Rhonda! How did you first discover cross stitch? I learned from my mom as a child – she was into all kinds of crafts. In the sixties and seventies there were often free patterns in the ladies’ magazines, and I stitched a lot of pieces as gifts. When did you start designing your own patterns? I earned a degree in Graphic Design 35 years ago after which I worked as a freelance designer and Art Director in advertising. Later, I designed home décor projects for national craft magazines, mostly decorative painting.…

Boo! Halloween is just around the corner and things are getting spooky! We asked three designers to come up with a terrifyingly simple, yet effective, door hanger, using only the six shades of stranded cotton stipulated, plus some silver metallic thread for highlights. We also let our designers go to town with a few frightfully fun buttons for decoration. Take a look at their results below – we’ve featured a chart for each one so you can stitch your favourite! We hope this will inspire you to join in too – turn the page to see what our challenge will be for December – we’ve listed everything you need to take part. THE CHALLENGE THE RULES AMANDA BUTLER… A WITCH IN TIME I…

“After working from my living room floor for many years, I've now converted our spare room into a tiny rainbow stitching studio. I painted the walls and even the ceiling to give it a cosy and vibrant feel that’s very onbrand! I chose to use predominantly furniture from Ikea to create a modular organised space. My favourite part of the room is definitely my shelves of rainbow DMC thread and my pegboard that makes it a lot easier for finding my tools, and also my fluffy colleagues who sometimes choose to join me.” www.ellbie.co Instagram & Tiktok: @ellbieco Drop us a line to crosssstitcher@warnersgroup.co.uk with images of your craft space and a few words about it and our favourites could be featured in a future issue!…

SEWING KNOW-HOW [CICO Books] Learn new techniques or brush up on basic skills – this handy reference guide will help you to master everything, from preparing a pattern and cutting out your fabric, to adding zips and making hems and darts. The first chapter takes you through all the tools you will need. If you’re already an experienced dressmaker, you’ll still benefit from the top tips on perfect French seams, buttonholes and topstitching. A great machine sewing guide for all skill levels! RSN: FINE WHITEWORK JENNY ADIN-CHRISTIE [Search Press] This is the fifth title in a series of books showcasing the RSN’s techniques as it celebrates its 150th anniversary. RSN tutor Jenny Adin-Christie shares her expertise on many techniques involved in fine whitework, and provides two projects so you can put what…

Cross Stitcher PROJECT PACK If you would like to stitch Ode to Autumn, we have a materials pack with everything you need to get you stitching right away, and have it delivered straight to your door! Your materials pack contains: Zweigart 28 count Cashel in Blue Spruce Skeins of DMC stranded cotton Skein of DMC Étoile Mill Hill seed beads Two gold-plated tapestry needles; size 24 and size 26 How to order: Fill in the form on page 19 or go to www.willowfabrics.com to order your project pack at the CrossStitcher reader price of £30.80, plus P&P. Designed by: Cheryl McKinnon Stitch count: 180 high x 120 wide Design size: 31x21cm (121⁄4x81⁄4in) Stitch time: 70 hours This design was stitched on 28 count linen over two threads of fabric. Work…

8 EXCLUSIVE XMAS DESIGNS! Key Fob Designed by: Susan Bates Stitch count: 42 high x 12 wide Design size: 8x2.3cm (31⁄4x7⁄8in) Stitch time: 3 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Make a… key fob STITCH the design twice onto a piece of Navy 14 count aida fabric, creating a long thin strip of stitching. We backed the aida with felt, stitching down the long sides to hold it in place, then frayed the long edges. We then folded it in half, so that the design would be on both sides of the key fob, then used a rose gold key fob end to clamp the raw edges together. Designed by: Susan Bates Stitch count: 26 high x 59 wide Design size: 5x10.5cm (2x41⁄4in) Stitch time: 8 hours…

Prize crossword Across Winning word clue: Don’t let this bag of bones scare you on Halloween! (8) Down HOW TO ENTER COMPLETE the crossword and rearrange the letters in the shaded boxes to make up a winning word. Write your winning word and ‘Crossword 388’ on the back of a postcard or stuck-down envelope, adding your name, address and email address and post it to: CrossStitcher, PO Box 172, Northam, EX39 9DY Competition open: 6 September – 3 October 2022 For full terms and conditions, see page 82. YOUR PRIZE Cross Stitch for the Heart is the latest book from CrossStitcher designer Emma Congdon. It’s filled with designs celebrating love, kindness, compassion and connection. Stitch a kinder world with this collection of heartfelt designs, available for RRP: £16.99 from davidandcharles.com. We…