Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2016 i Cross Stitch Gold

Stitchy stress relief This is my daughter Esther’s finished project from issue 102. It took 18 months and she has used the development of this hobby towards her Girl Guiding Senior Section award. She also says it has been a great thing to sit and do in the evenings to combat the stress of studying for her GCSEs. She’s now looking through my back issues for her next big project to see her through her exams next summer. Leanne Farley, Lee-on-the-Solent Sarah: As well as receiving her Girl Guide award for her stitching, we’d also like to send Esther the Cross Stitch Gold star letter prize!…

Blissful bathroom Find charts for fish, flowers and geometric patterns in the new Vintage book (No.152) from Rico Design. The soft palette is perfect for bringing a sense of calm to your bathroom, and luckily, there’s a range of beautiful towels and wash cloths to complement your stitching, also available from Rico. Gorgeous motifs, subtle patterns and shades of pink, grey, blue and green come together in a whole range of elegant combinations, which are sure to add a luxury spa feel to any bathtime. Buy the booklet for £10.50. Visit www. spinningjenny. co.uk  or call 01756 749200 All my love To make someone’s Valentine’s Day extra special, combine cross stitch and photo memories in this adorable heart-shaped frame from Tiger Stores. Priced at…

Dream come true FRAGILE MIRACLES (9979), Design Works, £30 What’s in the kit Black and white chartZweigart 14-count white aidaStranded cottonTapestry needle Size of finished design 35.5x28cm (14x11in) Stitching this kit Created by Gold favourite, Joan Elliott, this piece is centred around a dreamcatcher – a woven decoration that originates from Native America and is thought to filter out bad dreams, allowing only positive ones to enter. This design is worked in whole stitches, with lots of intricate backstitch and just two French knots. The border areas are densely stitched while the areas around the dreamcatcher and lettering are sparser, contrasting with the white aida and allowing these areas to stand off. To bring to life the feathers, you’ll work delicate lines of backstitch on top of each other in…

Stockist details Here’s your handy directory of the best national retailers for cross stitching materials COATS CRAFTS UK Visit www.makeitcoats.com Call 01484 681881 CRAFT CREATIONS Visit www.craftcreations.co.uk Call 01992 781900 CRAFT DEPARTMENT Visit www.craftdepartment.com Call 01539 823199 DMC CREATIVE WORLD Visit www.dmccreative.co.uk Call 0116 2754000 FRAMECRAFT Visit www.framecraft.com Call 01543 373076 MADEIRA For stockists, visit www.eqsuk.com Call 0116 2710033 MICHAEL WHITAKER FABRICS Visit www.mwfabrics.co.uk Call 01535 636903 RIVERBANK WOODCRAFTS Visit www.riverbank-woodcrafts.co.uk Call 07860 355820 SEW AND SO Visit www.sewandso.co.uk Call 0800 0130150 TRIMCRAFT Visit www.trimcraft.co.uk Email marketing@trimcraft.co.uk WILLOW FABRICS Visit www.willowfabrics.com Call 0800 0567811 US stockists 1-2-3 STITCH Visit www.123stitch.com Call 1-800-996-1230 ABC STITCH THERAPY Visit www.abcstitch.com Call 1-877-863-9111 ARTS CRAFTS USA Visit www.artscraftsusa.com Call 1-301-379-7126 JULIE’S X STITCH Visit www.juliesxstitch.com MADEIRA For stockists, visit www.taconysewingcentral.com…

Mount free I started this design as I would any other ‘lady’ design. First with the face and hair, before allowing the rest of the scene to develop from there. I think it works best without a mount, as the bubbles and swirls create their own natural frame for the mermaid. Sea sparkle Beads and metallic threads are essential for a design like this, as they give the impression of light reflecting off the water. They’re also just incredibly pretty – another good reason why they’re definitely required here!…

THE EXPERTS JO BENNER Jo is an experienced stitcher and crafter, who writes for several cross stitch magazines. She can help with chart queries and stitching know-how, as well as product questions. FIONA BAKER Fiona is the Technical Editor for Cross Stitch Gold and our sister magazines. She is a talented cross stitch designer, too, and can answer any of your stitching queries. SARAH TREVOR Sarah has worked on cross stitching and craft magazines for over six years. She’s an avid stitcher, and is ready and raring to help you with any of your craft or cross stitch dilemmas. SNAG-FREE STITCHING Q At the moment I use a wooden hoop and it works very well, but I do sometimes get my threads caught around the screw and there are a…

The meaning of flowers Pink roses are a classic symbol of grace and elegance, and are the most common in the wild, although this doesn’t detract from their beauty in any way. They make a perfect gift when you want to show gratitude or admiration for someone you love. Essential sparkle It’s almost obligatory to use metallic threads when working on dark fabrics, as they show up so beautifully. In this piece, light gold metallic thread brings an extra level of detail to the ornate corners, which are worked using cross stitch in two strands and backstitch in one.…

How to read our charts All our charts are printed in both colour and symbols. Each square on a cross stitch chart contains a symbol, and each symbol corresponds with one stitch. The key that accompanies the chart tells you what thread colour each symbol corresponds to, and how many strands to use for each cross stitch, backstitch or French knot. It also gives you the design's dimensions – you'll need these to cut your fabric to size. The thread numbers listed in the first column of the key refer to the brand that we've used to stitch the design. Conversion numbers for two other brands are given, but they're not always exact equivalents. Avoid mixing more than one brand in the same design. Sometimes you'll need more than one…

Puppy dog eyes As an avid dog lover, I couldn’t resist this little cutie that appeared in issue 122 of Cross Stitch Gold. Even though I’ve never owned a retriever, who could resist that gorgeous face? He was a pleasure to stitch, and now has pride of place on my mum’s living room wall. Thank you for another winning project Cross Stitch Gold! Now what’s next...? Marie Jade Greenhalgh, by email Sarah: The shading in this design by Jenny Barton is just wonderful and you have stitched it beautifully, Marie! Winter wonderland I rarely stitch a pattern more than once, but I was so enamoured with this chart from issue 105 of Cross Stitch Gold that I stitched it four times. Three are going to Germany to my aunts and…

Round in circles It’s always nice to take a break from the norm and present your cross stitch in a different way. I love the challenge of creating circular designs and think this one has turned out beautifully. The hoop is a novel way to present it, or you could choose a circular mount and square frame instead. Subtle outlines I’m not really a fan of backstitch, but I do know that it serves a purpose! Most of the detail in this piece is achieved using shading, but you’ll find a small amount of backstitch to define certain areas, using a dark grey shade that isn’t as harsh as black.…

Child safe When I’m stitching a design for a child’s room, I often turn it into a cushion or bag so that they can play with it. If you do decide to frame the picture, make it more child-friendly by using a frame without glass. Pick a colour, any colour There are so many thread shades in this design that you could choose a frame or mount in a number of different colours. I like the pink frame we’ve used, but if you’re unsure, take your stitching along to your local framer to see what suitable shades they have on offer.…

Filled to the brim Most people choose to stuff their draught excluder with hollowfibre filling, which is great if you suffer from allergies. But if you have very strong draughts to block out, you might prefer to use wheat, which is more heavyweight. Add a sprinkling of lavender to give the draught excluder a lovely scent. Versatile design If you’re lucky enough not to need a draught excluder, this piece would make a lovely bellpull, hung vertically on a wall in your home.…

Buttons and bows When you’re looking for that little something to make your stitched project extra special, Stampin’ Up! is a great place to start. We love this rustic Burlap Ribbon and the subtle shimmer of the Basic Gold Metal Buttons, both perfect for embellishing cross stitch cushions. Visit www2.stampinup.com or call 0808 2344765 for more details. We have 18 sets of ribbon (4.6m) and buttons (pack of 32) up for grabs, worth £14.50 each. The text keyword is GOLD126STAMPINUP. See the blue box for full entry details. The magic of nature Part storybook, part chart book, Secret Garden Embroidery (£14.99), features 15 botanical-themed projects filled with flowers, butterflies and bees. The style is light and folky, with plenty of beautiful floral motifs for you to stitch as they are,…