Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2018 i Cross Stitch Crazy

… to the December issue of Crazy! I’m so excited to be at the helm of your favourite cross stitch mag – we’re going to have so much fun together! I’m also pleased that my first issue as Editor contains so many wonderful festive projects, from the exclusive The Snowman™ cross stitch scene on page 10 to the colourful Christmas Eve box for kids on page 66. If you’re in need of a quick-to-stitch gift or card, you’ll love our winter forest gift ideas on page 20, as well as the fun Assisi-style mitten alphabet on page 47. Then, to deck your halls in stitches, turn to page 54 for a set of fuzzy arctic animal hoops, and to page 37 to make a wintry folk art wreath. And be…

By the light of a flickering lantern, this trio of mice are singing their little hearts out, no doubt treating a lucky audience to some classic Christmas carols! This adorable scene, created in Margaret Sherry’s signature heart-warming style, is a fun, quick-to-stitch project perfect for the run-up to Christmas. The small design has plenty to keep your interest, including a few fractionals and plenty of delicate backstitch to create the mice’s fur and whiskers. Plus, you’ll add some twinkling detail with gold metallic threads, stitched in three strands for an extra-luxe finish. Once you’ve completed this delightful stitch, simply pop it into the jolly red hoop provided and hang it in pride of place. Whoever sees it is sure to have a very merry Christ-mouse indeed! Carol-singing mice GIFT AVAILABLE with…

Norman is best known for his role as crossbow-toting, zombie-slaying Daryl Dixon on The Walking Dead. There’s more to this brooding actor than his career as a TV superstar, however – he’s modelled for some of the biggest names in fashion, is an avid motorcycle fan with his own travel show and is also an accomplished photographer. This portrait is created in just whole stitches, so it’s a great easy-to-stitch gift for a fan of Norman’s many talents! Norman Reedus Reader’s pick! Requested by SARAH ELMER Who would you like to see as a Crazy Celeb stitch? It might be your favourite actor, a Hollywood icon or even a sporting great! Email your requests to celebstitch@cross-stitching.com or post them to: Celeb stitch, Cross Stitch Crazy, 2nd Floor, Tower House, Fairfax…

JUST DANDY Wear your creations with pride with Dandelyne’s hoop necklaces. Made from hand-finished plywood, the hoops are sold individually, in packs or even as kits with all you need! To buy, visit www.dandelyne.com HEXIE HOOP Frame your tiny creation in this laser-cut 30x25mm (1x1¼in) hexagon, then just add a chain! The hoop costs £2.38, and there are lots of other shapes available. To buy, visit www.mavenembroideryart.etsy.com RABBITING ON Make tiny stitching even cuter by framing it in this bunny-shaped DMC + Kircum pendant. The kit costs £4.99 and includes a 4cm (1½in) hoop, silver chain, backing piece and full instructions. If you like the animal theme, there are tiny bear and kitten hoops available in the range, too. To buy, visit www.cloudcraft.co.uk…

Reader’s pick! Requested by ANGIE JENKINS Previously you’ve been Crazy for… What are you crazy for? Tell us what you’re mad about stitching! We’ll gather together the most popular requests and ask one of our top designers to create a whole spread of designs – just for you! Fill in and cut out this coupon (or photocopy it) and send it to: Crazy for… Cross Stitch Crazy, Immediate Media Company Bristol Ltd, 2nd Floor, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN or email your requests to: crazyfor@cross-stitching.com Back issues! Crazy hotline 03330 162 133…

10 PRIZES worth £265 Bothy Threads kits! Get the brandy butter ready – it’s pudding time! You’ll love this yummy Slightly Dotty Xmas Puds kit from www.bothythreads.com, and we’ve got 10 to give away. To enter for your chance to win, visit www.cross-stitching.com to enter for free, or send a postcard labelled ‘Bothy Threads 249 giveaway’ to the address listed below. 21 PRIZES worth £252 Maria Diaz charts! We’re excited to be offering 21 lucky winners four of Maria’s chart collections, including Christmas jumpers and stained glass effect cards. For more, go to www.mariadiazdesigns.com or call ☎ 01543 683 677. To enter for your chance to win, visit www.cross-stitching.com to enter for free, or send a postcard labelled ‘Maria Diaz 249 giveaway’ to the address below. 11 PRIZES worth £…

One of our favourite moments each December is when we get to pull on our favourite mittens and feel our fingers get toasty, even in the cold. Celebrate that cosy feeling with these charts, designed in the Assisi style – that means each letter is left unstitched but is surrounded with designs. In suitably wintry colours like icy blue, frosty lilac and crisp turquoise, these mittens are formed in whole stitches, so it’s easy to stitch one in an evening. Backed with colourful felt and decorated with blanket stitch, they’ll make for a fun take on festive bunting inside your home this Christmas. Or, turn them into quirky decorations to give to each of your family members, create quick-stitch gift tags or whip up easy stitchy Christmas cards. Those who…

Need to know Stitch Time 2-3 hours each (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch, backstitch ShoppingList… Threads - Stranded cotton as listed in the key Needle - Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric - Zweigart 14-count white and Christmas red (954) aida measuring 15x15cm (6x6in) for each design. To buy, visit www.sewandso.co.uk or call ☎ 0800 013 0150 Extras - 3in wooden embroidery hoops (EH3). To buy, visit www.siestaframes.com or call ☎ 01202 813 363; white paint, felt for backing and ribbon of your choice from local stores White reindeer Blue stars White snowflakes Blue reindeer White hearts White stars Blue trees…

Rediscover your love of stitching 1 If you’re bored with a piece, switch to a smaller project or try something different – perhaps a practical design, such as a needlecase or Christmas decorations. 2 Try a project with a stitch or technique you’ve never attempted before, such as the starry smyrna stitch or blackwork – or have a go at perfecting your French knots. 3 Promise yourself you’ll stitch for at least 10 minutes. The chances are that you’ll get absorbed in what you’re doing and forget all about the time! 4 When progress is slow, try this trick to inspire yourself – take a picture of your piece at the end of each stitching session so you can see the progress you’ve made! 5 Flick through a copy or…

Perfect for beginners Small, quick-to-stitch designs, such as the vest opposite, are ideal to try if you’re new to stitching. For more simple designs, take a look at these: ▶ PAGE 16 Cheeky walrus ▶ PAGE 20 Geo forest gift ideas ▶ PAGE 34 Crazy for… hedgehogs ▶ PAGE 59 Fair Isle baubles ▶ PAGE 65 Blue Christmas motifs Understanding charts and keys Follow the steps below for an introduction to getting started, then use the simple instructions opposite to learn each stitch! Reading the chart Our charts are printed with coloured squares containing a symbol that represents squares to be stitched on the fabric. The key alongside the chart will tell you what colour thread each symbol corresponds to, so you know which one to thread your needle with…

Katie Kegie Art Editor This month… “Lucie Heaton’s animal hoops on page 54 are just so cute!” Emily Godwin Designer This month… “I’m planning lots of gifts using the geometric forest designs on page 20” Fiona Baker Technical Editor This month.. “You’ll find my Fair Isle baubles on page 59 – I hope you like them!” Heather Nugent Charting Editor This month… “I’m a huge The Walking Dead fan so I’ll be stitching Norman Reedus on page 19!” Hannah Erskine Charting Assistant This month… “I know my family will love the pretty bow-embellished cards on page 74” Contact crazy www.facebook.com/crossstitchcrazy www.twitter.com/crazy_magazine www.cross-stitching.com ☎ 0117 300 8788 Cross Stitch Crazy Immediate Media Company Bristol Ltd, 2nd Floor, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN Download our app! Take Crazy with you…

Combining on-trend geometric prints with favourite winter woodland motifs, Durene has created a versatile set of designs that’s perfect for this time of year. These contemporary charts are not only ideal for quick-stitch Christmas gifts but will also make wonderful winter birthday presents. Plus, the minimal colour palette of green, white, black and silver means they’re sure to appeal to anyone on your gift list! Need to know Stitch Time 1-6 hours each (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch, fractionals, backstitch ShoppingList… Threads - Stranded cotton as listed in the key Needle - Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric - Zweigart 14-count white, black (720) and Christmas green (6037) aida measuring a maximum of 15x15cm (6x6in) for most designs, and 2in wide white aida band cut to desired length. To buy,…

One of the lovely things about Christmas is seeing front doors decorated with pretty wreaths, and this cheery stitched version is sure to make yours stand out this season! Heather has designed seven charming floral motifs, so you can mix and match the flowers you want to include. You can also stitch each motif several times if you’d like to decorate your wreath with more blooms. We chose to back our flowers with felt and attach them to a gold-coloured rattan wreath, but the creative possibilities of this project are endless. Make yours unique by changing the type of wreath, or by adding other embellishments such as pompoms or ribbons. Need to know Stitch Time 3-6 hours each (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch, backstitch ShoppingList… Threads - Stranded cotton…

We’ve all been there: you find a great new recipe to try out, but the measurements are in a different unit to the one you prefer. So, you have to look up a conversion at the back of a recipe book, or find the answer online. But not any more – stitch Emma’s retro-style measurements chart, and you’ll always have the right information to hand! Designed in pretty pastel shades and embellished with cute kitchen utensil motifs, it’ll make a baker’s Christmas to find this under the tree – or whip it up as a sweet treat for yourself! Need to know Stitch Time 35 hours (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch, backstitch, French knots ShoppingList… Threads - Stranded cotton as listed in the key Needle - Size 24 tapestry…

These snowy critters become soft and fluffy thanks to wool blend Lana thread. Simply stitch as normal, then rub the areas of Lana with a wire brush to achieve a fabulous fluffy finish! Framing them in wool-wrapped hoops adds even more cosiness, making this the perfect project to snuggle up with this winter. Need to know Stitch Time 10-12 hours each (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch, fractionals, backstitch, French knots ShoppingList… Threads - Stranded cotton and Madeira Lana thread as listed in the key Needle - Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric - Zweigart 14-count white aida measuring 25x25cm (9¾x9¾in) for each design. To buy, visit www.sewandso.co.uk or call ☎ 0800 013 0150 Extras - Madeira Lana Brush, 6in wooden embroidery hoops, fluffy wool and white felt for backing of…

Containing small gifts such as pyjamas, cookies and a book, Christmas Eve boxes are a great way to make the night before Christmas memorable and magical. This year, you can add a crafty twist to the tradition by getting kids to decorate their own boxes using this fun design – or stitch it up for them as a surprise! Let young crafters enjoy the challenge of creating the lettering and present motifs, or stitch the main design while they personalise the box with the matching tag. So fun! Need to know Stitch Time 15 hours (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch, backstitch ShoppingList… Threads - Stranded cotton as listed in the key Needle - Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric - Zweigart 14-count white aida measuring 22x30cm (8¾x11¾in) for the main…

There’s something very invigorating about watching sports on ice and snow. Join in all the action with these quick-to-stitch charts Cool moves £6.46, Snowboarder by Koekoek www.koekoek.etsy.com When you buy, you’ll get a chart of a female snowboarder and another of a male… two for the price of one! Stitched on 14-count aida or over two threads on 28-count evenweave, it will fit nicely within a 5in hoop to finish. Best shot £2.80, Ice Hockey by Gala Born Patterns www.galabornpatterns.etsy.com Perfectly pitched at beginner stitchers, this simple project can be completed in a couple of hours. It’s worked in just one shade, so you can grab some fabric and threads from your stash and charge full speed ahead! On ice £4.28, Ice Skating by Hello Hoop www.hellohoop.etsy.com This design would…

AFGHAN – a woollen blanket or rug with areas for cross stitching AIDA – the most common cross stitching fabric, made up of thread woven in blocks rather than singly AIDA BAND – a thin strip of aida with a decorative edge, used to adorn towels, bookmarks, etc. Comes in various widths APERTURE – the space through which a design is shown (mainly on cards and in frames) BEADING NEEDLE – a long, fine needle that slides easily through seed and bugle beads DESIGN AREA – the measurement of the finished design, depending on the count of fabric used EVENWEAVE – fabric made from evenly-spaced woven threads. It’s softer and more flexible than aida FABRIC COUNT – the number of holes per inch (HPI) on your fabric. The higher the…

Jainie Jolliffe Surrey Which cross stitch designer would be your dream dinner party guest? Lesley Teare – I currently enjoy stitching a lot of blackwork designs, and it would be great to find out how she puts her charts together. Which project are you most proud of? It’s a Dimensions Gold Collection kit called Memory Lane. This was my first big project and also my longest WIP, taking me 17 years to complete! Who do you most like to stitch for? My children. I love making them stitchy cards, bookmarks and framed pictures. They love getting handmade designs. Which occasion gets your needle twitching? Birthdays! I love stitching designs to turn into cards and send to family and friends – it’s a year-round stitching occasion! Amy Talmage New Zealand How…

CRAZY LOVES! In the hoop New to Hobbycraft and in good time for Christmas are these two seasonal and stylish hoop kits. Wonderful Time of the Year and Polar Bear Pair each measure 15.2x15.2cm (6x6in) and use whole stitches, backstitch and French knots. The kits, which cost £6, come with threads, a needle and instructions, and also include a hoop to frame the designs when complete – although they’d also make fab cards when mounted in a circular aperture card! To buy, www.hobbycraft.co.uk or call ☎ 0330 026 1400 Warm and fuzzy These Christmas critters are all wrapped up to face the winter chill in the cutest, fluffiest accessories, courtesy of Madeira’s textured Lana thread. The Xmas Fox, Xmas Bear and Xmas Moose kits cost £9.49 each and come with…

Captured in stitches It was when I was clearing out for a house move that I came across a news cutting from 1992 called Stitch Your Village. I thought that Newport-on-Tay, with its recognisable buildings, was the perfect community to gather together and ‘stitch our village’ – fortunately, many others agreed and volunteered! Tessa Durham and Cat Jones, who had both been involved in the Great Tapestry of Scotland, converted the chosen photos of the villages into designs. Initially, we thought we’d do 10-12 panels, but we underestimated the huge level of interest! As the number of volunteers grew to 25, so too did the panels increase – to 27! The project was completed over 12 months and first went on display in June. Already we’ve had ideas for three…

FANTASTIC MR FOX Perfect for little fingers, this cute Christmas Fox kit costs £2 from Hobbycraft. Buy online at www.hobbycraft.co.uk or call ☎ 0330 026 1400. DECK THE WALLS Easy and fun – Christmas Themed Cross Stitch Cards, a pack of eight perforated paper shapes, costs £3.75 from Cloud Craft at www.cloudcraft.co.uk ROUND ROBIN Wrapped up warm, this feathered friend will be child’s play to stitch! This Christmas Twitt card kit costs £6.95 from www.fatcatcrossstitch.com…

Those of you who love a traditional Christmas colour scheme will enjoy stitching these charming cards and tags, featuring classic motifs such as baubles, wreaths and gifts. Then, create a fun 3D finish for your makes with the addition of a bow – it will tie in with beautifully with your stitching! Need to know Stitch Time 2-5 hours each (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch, backstitch, French knots, bow embellishments ShoppingList… Threads - Stranded cotton as listed in the key Needle - Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric - Zweigart 14-count white aida measuring 15x15cm (6x6in) for each card and 10x10cm (4x4in) for each tag. To buy, visit www.sewandso.co.uk or call ☎ 0800 013 0150 Extras - 6mm Double Sided Super Sticky Tape. To buy, visit www.lakesideneedlecraft.co.uk or call ☎…