Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2017 i Cross Stitch Gold

Meet the designer Janet Stever Janet is a life-long artist and illustrator, and one of America’s top painters of Christmas art. She loves the feel of paint on paper, and is delighted to see her work translated into cross stitch for a new audience. When she’s not drawing, Janet enjoys singing in her church choir, reading a good book and walking in the woods. “Building a snowman is one of my best-loved memories of childhood, and I loved creating this scene of two friendly fellows in the snow. I hope it will become a family favourite for you” stitch tip Lay a white pillowcase on your lap while stitching, to help the holes in the navy fabric show up Stitcher’s guide This design is worked on 28-count navy evenweave over…

GOLD STAR BUY Heaven sent If you want a spectacular, detailed Christmas design to power through for this Christmas, this design is great (or if you’d prefer you can take it at a more leisurely pace in time for next year’s festivities!). Heaven on Earth II (Artecy) by Artecy Cross Stitch is based on a painting by American artist Nicky Boehme. It’s available as a chart for £13.50 or a kit for £69.95, and measures an impressive 43x54cm (17x21in) on 14-count aida when complete. Buy from www.country-designs.co.uk or call 01327 314400 Winter wonderland These kits from RIOLIS are colourful treats to help you get well and truly into the Christmas spirit. Clockwise from top left: Ice Cabin, Cabin with a Bell, Cabin with Sleigh and Winter Cabin are all 15cm…

THE EXPERTS JO BENNER Jo is an experienced stitcher and knitter, who writes for several craft magazines. She can help with chart queries and stitching knowhow, 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 seven years. She’s an avid stitcher, and is ready and raring to help you with any of your craft or cross stitch dilemmas. PASSION FOR PARIS Q I’m looking for an unusual chart or a kit featuring Paris so that I can make a special present for a friend who loves all things French. Can…

Durene Jones Prolific designer Durene Jones creates cross stitch charts for a range of stitching magazines. Her work is well loved for its modern and colourful tone, but she is a versatile designer and can turn her hand to any theme or style. Before starting on her creative cross stitch career Durene worked as a graphic designer. “Kids will love the ritual of putting this place mat out for Santa each Christmas, with sherry, mince pies and a carrot for Rudolph. Santa is sure to appreciate the personal touch, too!” stitch tip Try to resist the mince pies until you’ve finished stitching, so as to avoid greasy marks on your stitching! Stitcher’s guide This design is worked on 28-count white evenweave over two threads of the fabric in 18 shades…

Here’s your handy directory of the best stitching retailers UK stockists CRAFTWORK CARDS Visit www.craftworkcards.co.uk Call 0113 2877794 COATS CRAFTS UK For stockists, visit www.makeitcoats.com Call 01484 681881 DMC CREATIVE WORLD For stockists, visit www.dmccreative.co.uk Call 0116 2754000 MADEIRA For stockists, visit www.eqsuk.com Call 0116 2710033 MILL HILL For stockists, visit www.hantex.co.uk/millhill Call 01754 820800 SEW AND SO Visit www.sewandso.co.uk Call 0800 0130150 US stockists 123 STITCH Visit www.123stitch.com Call 1-800-996-1230 ABC STITCH THERAPY Visit www.abcstitch.com Call 1-281-205-7507 ARTS CRAFTS USA Visit www.artscraftsusa.com Call 1-866-621-7779 JULIE’S X STITCH Visit www.juliesxstitch.com…

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…

Get in touch! Email: sarah@cross-stitching.com Write to: Sarah Trevor, Cross Stitch Gold magazine, 2nd Floor, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN Join us at: facebook.com/crossstitchgold Tweet us: @CrossStitchGold Tree of life My friend asked me to create a tree of life cross stitch for her in January 2016. Here she is with the finished product. It took me over a year to stitch and create, but I’m so happy with the finished project – and she’s over the moon, too! It has pride of place on the wall in her hallway.  Jennifer Potter, Cumbernauld Sarah: I absolutely love it, Jennifer – I bet the hanging looks fantastic in your friend’s home. Thanks for sharing your work with us. Blackwork success I thought you might like to see the card…

Maria Diaz Maria has always had a passion for needlecraft, since learning to sew as a child on her greatgrandmother’s ancient foot-treadled Singer machine. After art college she landed a job as a printer that led to her becoming DMC’s first in-house designer, where she worked for eight years. She is now an independent designer and lives in the Midlands with her two sons, Lincoln and Hudson. “This design has got me in the mood to do some festive baking with my boys this year. Bring on the gingerbread men and Christmas pudding!” stitch tip See our handy steps on p24 and turn your work into a beautiful hanging Stitcher’s guide This design is worked on 28-count white evenweave over two threads of the fabric in 18 shades of…

Carol Thornton Watercolour artist Carol sketches and paints her gorgeous works of art before turning them into cross stitch designs. She creates charts for various magazines and has attracted legions of fans who love her distinctive style of artwork, which translates beautifully into cross stitch. “I couldn’t resist turning my painting of a hare into this cross stitch design for you. The dark fabric is a beautiful backdrop for his warm golden fur and the twinkling stars overhead” stitch tip Back your fabric with dark interfacing before starting, to prevent trailing white threads showing through Stitcher’s guide This design is worked on 28-count navy evenweave over two threads of the fabric in nine shades of stranded cotton. Cross stitch is in three strands of thread on the dark fabric, and…

Emma Congdon Emma is a London-based graphic designer with a passion for typography. Her interest in needlework began as a child when her grandparents taught her to sew. Years later, wanting to stitch something for her home but not finding anything that suited her style, she created her own chart and soon started to gain a following with her unique, modern designs. “I hope you’ll enjoy these simple-to-stitch designs, which are great for lastminute greetings or gifts. The white snowglobe cards frame the colourful village scenes perfectly” stitch tip For extra sparkle, add some white or silver seed beads to the stars in each design Stitcher’s guide These designs are worked on 28-count ice blue evenweave over two threads of the fabric in 20 shades of cotton. Cross stitch is…

Nature designs I’m drawn to designs depicting the natural world and animals, and loved working on the Wrendale Designs projects featured in Gold’s sister magazine, The World of Cross Stitching. I like designers who put their own stamp on their work too, and really make it their own style. Margaret Sherry’s cats and mice also make me laugh with their comedy antics. My hobbies I’m an amateur photographer, and love the rolling landscapes and wildlife in the nearby countryside. On a recent trip to Scotland I got the opportunity to photograph the Northern Lights, which was definitely an evening to remember. I also practise tai chi, and enjoy escape room games with friends, which I find really challenging and fun. Winter holidays I love nothing better than wrapping up warm…

Joanne Aston Cross stitch designer Joanne has a degree in Fashion and Textiles from The University of Central England. She has worked as design manager at Coats Crafts and is now a freelance designer, taking on commissions for a wide range of cross stitch projects. “This scene is so inviting, drawing you in from the snowy street with a warm, golden glow. I loved creating the traditional toys for the shop window display, and imagining the look of wonder on the children’s little faces” stitch tip Grid your fabric to correspond with the chart gridlines on this densely stitched design Stitcher’s guide This design is worked on 28-count white evenweave over two threads of the fabric using 31 shades of cotton. Cross stitch is in two strands of cotton, and…

Shannon Wasilieff Canadian designer Shannon has always been passionate about creative pursuits, but it was when she started designing cross stitch that she truly found her calling. Her talent is evident in her beautiful designs, and her great eye for colour and detail helps to make her unique creations into true masterpieces like this one. “The Sugar Plum Fairy is a true ballet beauty. I’ve given her lots of movement with a twirly tutu and a swish of seed beads in the air, while metallic gold thread adds festive sparkle” stitch tip Look closely when working the facial details, as you will need to work some squashed fractionals Stitcher’s guide This design is worked on 28-count grey evenweave over two threads of the fabric in 23 shades of cotton and…

£250 in prizes to win! Seasonal shopping Christmas has come early this year with a fantastic giveaway from Creative Poppy. Featuring designs from all over the world including popular patterns by Shannon Christine, Barbara Anna, Lesley Teare, Faby Reilly and so many more, Creative Poppy is a great resource for any stitcher. With downloadable charts and a wide range available, you’ll be sure to find your next project here. Now, 25 lucky readers can win a £10 voucher to spend on anything from Creative Poppy. For more printable patterns, tutorials and tips, or to sign up to the free Creative Poppy newsletter, visit www.creativepoppypatterns.com We have 25 vouchers worth £10 each to give away. The text keyword is GOLD142POPPY. See the blue box for entry details. £254 in prizes to…

Fiona Baker Fiona has always had a passion for art and design from an early age, and loves the creativity as a designer and also in her role as Technical Editor for Cross Stitch Gold, as well as our sister magazines Cross Stitch Crazy and The World of Cross Stitching. “My walls at home are full of cross stitch pictures already, so I wanted to make a practical item that would bring a stylish Scandinavian feel to my festive decor this year” stitch tip Choose a different colour scheme to suit your home – blue and white would look great all year round Stitcher’s guide This design is worked on 28-count white evenweave over two threads of the fabric using three shades of cotton. Cross stitch is in two strands…