Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2025 i CrossStitcher

Christmas and beyond Fill your hoop over the festive and New Year seasons with one of these fabulous new designs from Heritage Crafts. From the Karen Carter Collection, there is Hattie (KCHT1842), with a design size of 14.5x14.5cm. Then how can you resist the gorgeous goose who is the star of Christmas Scarf (LCCS1844)? He’s by Sarah Reilly and measures 15x15cm. Finally, there are two delightful donkey designs to enjoy – one for Christmas and one for the New Year. The festive Donkey’s Wish and the floral Pip and Poppy are too cute to resist! Donkey’s Wish measures the same as the goose and Pip and Poppy is 28.5x19.5cm. www.hcrafts.com ARCTIC ANIMALS WE LOVE this adorable set of five Arctic Animal cross stitch patterns! Featuring an Arctic fox, polar bear,…

Hullo! With the hustle and bustle of the holidays behind us, I’m trying to ease into a new year a little more mindfully. Last year I found myself on the pointy end of burnout, which is never a fun place to be. In an attempt to not repeat that this year, I’ve been looking for some inspiration and guidance. I found it in my favourite fluffball. When it comes to self-care, there’s no better teacher than a cat. These graceful, independent creatures are experts in setting boundaries, taking rest when they need it, and living life at their own pace. When dealing with burnout or stress in the coming year, adopting some of a cat’s natural habits can be a powerful way to protect our well-being. Burnout often comes from…

Enjoy everything CrossStitcher magazine has to offer with our ultimate subscription bundle including… • A printed copy of CrossStitcher delivered to your door each month – including your cover kits! • Digital access to every new issue PLUS over 10 years’ worth of past issues • Exclusive digital access to past issues of Cross Stitch Collection Magazine • A welcome gift of your choice – choose from either a pair of DMC Golden Stork Embroidery Scissors OR a £10 M&S gift card ALL THIS FOR JUST £39.99 EVERY 6 MONTHS Save over £30 a year on the shop prices To claim your scissors, go to: bit.ly/CROSStork24 To claim your M&S gift card, go to: bit.ly/CROSGiftCard24 £10 GIFT CARD *T&Cs: Receive a pair of Stork Embroidery Scissors OR a £10 M&S gift card…

Designed by: Cheryl McKinnon Max. stitch count: 48 high x 39 wide Max.design size: 9x7.5cm (3½x3in) 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 strand for the backstitch as indicated 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 3 Step 5 CHECK which flap will fold onto the back of the…

CrossStitcher PROJECT PACK If you would like to stitch New Beginnings, we have a materials pack with everything you need to get you stitching right away, and have it delivered to your door! Your materials pack contains: • DMC 14 count sparkly aida in White • Skeins of DMC stranded cotton • Card and envelope • Two gold-plated tapestry needles; size 24 and size 26 How to order: Fill in the form on page 10 or go to www.willowfabrics.com to order your project pack at the CrossStitcher reader price of £23.80, plus P&P. Materials For the picture: • DMC White sparkly 14 count aida; 40x35cm (15¾x13¾in) • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 24 tapestry needle • Frame with a 25x20cm (9¼x8in) aperture • Mount board to…

CrossStitcher PROJECT PACK If you would like to stitch Snowed Under, we have a materials pack with everything you need to get you stitching right away, and have it delivered to your door! Your materials pack contains: • Zweigart 14 count aida in Pewter • Skeins of DMC stranded cotton • Two gold-plated tapestry needles; size 24 and size 26 How to order: Fill in the form on page 10 or go to www.willowfabrics.com to order your project pack at the CrossStitcher reader price of £25.30, plus P&P. Designed by: Faye Walsh Stitch count: 180 high x 118 wide Design size: 33x22cm (13x8¾in) Stitch time: 40 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Select your favourite globe to stitch alone for a card or as a mini…

“The saying ‘When robins appear, loved ones are near’ is a belief that robins are messengers from the spiritual world, bringing visits from deceased loved ones. On my walk with the dogs a chirpy robin followed me through the churchyard. There was something magical about that moment… So as you stitch my Christmas Robin decoration, I hope it brings you comfort and wraps you with love and cherished memories!” SHOW OFF WHAT OR WHERE YOU STITCH… WE’D love to see what or where you stitch on your break. Send to crossstitcher@warnersgroup.co.uk with TEA BREAK as the subject. If you’re featured you’ll receive a mystery prize! ISSUE 415’S TEA BREAK WINNER “A very quick Christmas project! Done with second-hand materials. It’s a third smaller than the one in issue 416. The…

IT IS VERY easy to think that big is beautiful at this time of year – the tallest Christmas tree, the largest family gathering and, of course, the biggest presents! We suggest sparing a thought for the small things, and we don’t mean tiny gifts in a pale blue box marked ‘Tiff any’ (though that would be nice!). A little bit of time spent creating something small and thoughtful is pretty powerful. Think of how much a stitched card means to someone. And if you give a cross stitched card to a fellow stitcher, you may well find it divested of its card mount and turned into a tree decoration the following year! Time to stitch is certainly at a premium at this time of year, but don’t be defeated! Think…

WATERCOLOUR PAINT, BRUSHES, CAMERA AND PHOTOSHOP As with any project, it’s a process, one which I follow religiously with every design. My first port of call, especially for nature, is my camera. I have amassed numerous photographs of animals, birds, insects and natural settings not to mention the chocolate box cottages that are ever so popular. I then compile the images into a composition using Photoshop until I have the desired image to work from using my Cross Stitch software. ANCHOR & DMC THREADS I swap from Anchor to DMC and back again. It depends on the shades used within the design. Anchor tends to be more earthy, subtle and graduated whereas DMC tends to be bright and colourful which makes it perfect for my Eckley Tales designs. I store…

SEW MUCH LOVE LESLEY DOMIER [Tuva Publishing] Unleash your creativity with this collection of sewing and quilting patterns. From pouches to chic bags and a table runner design, this book caters to both beginners and skilled sewists. The designs are perfect for personalised gifts or unique additions to your sewing room or home. Make it your New Year’s resolution to use up some of your stash of fabrics, plain or patterned, to create some of these pretty makes, then add a cross stitch motif or two! THE ART OF EMBROIDERY DESIGN CHRISTI JOHNSON [Storey Publishing] Learn to create your own mystical and spiritually themed embroidery designs. In this book, Christi Johnson shares techniques and exercises for stitchers of all levels. From developing a vision, to choosing colour palettes and creating textural effects,…

Jennifer lives in Castletown, Caithness, on the north coast of Scotland. She is a prolific stitcher, with many completed projects under her belt, but more recently she ventured into creating a design from scratch for a special occasion… “For my friend Maca’s birthday in December I charted a design myself on graph paper from a photo of his truck,” she explains. “I stitched it on 16 count Granite aida. It was the first thing I have charted myself. It was a combination of working from a photo onto graph paper, and some eyeballing of the design proportions as I went. It was challenging to get angles right, and the hardest part was trying to get wheels to look circular on squared aida! I resorted to a little embroidery for the…

CrossStitcher PROJECT PACK If you would like to stitch Silent Night, we have a materials pack with everything you need to get you stitching right away, and have it delivered to your door! Your materials pack contains: • Zweigart 14 count aida in White, Blue and Navy • Skeins of DMC stranded cotton • Two gold-plated tapestry needles; size 24 and size 26 How to order: Fill in the form on page 10 or go to www.willowfabrics.com to order your project pack at the CrossStitcher reader price of £23.80, plus P&P. Designed by: Emma Congdon Max. stitch count: 100 high x 67 wide Max. design size: 18.5x12.5cm (7¼x5in) Stitch time: 14 hours each These designs were stitched on 14 count aida fabric. When stitching on the blue fabrics, use a…

There’s something very special about our snow queen scene. Not only have we used a printed fabric to give a subtle woodland background, but beads, metallic threads and French knots have been used to great effect to bring the deer and snow queen to life. The result means the frosty, icy atmosphere of this design is truly palpable. Enjoy taking your time with this stitching challenge. Designed by: Durene Jones Stitch count: 161 high x 118 wide Design size: 29x21cm (11½x8¼in) Stitch time: 50 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Materials • Fabric Flair Winter Forest 14 count aida with sparkles; 50x45cm (19½x18in) • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • DMC Light Effects as listed in the key • Size 24 tapestry needle •…

Inside this month All at sea: bring to life our stunning historic ship A special chapter: stitch Beatrix Potter’s house Night visitor: Owl worked on dark blue Be my Valentine: bold typographic cards ISSUE 418 FEBRUARY 2025 On sale 24 December YOUR FREE GIFT! Create a cute cottage that doubles as a handy storage pot! Contents subject to change. Overseas gifts may vary. MAGAZINE ORDERING SERVICE Did you know that most independent newsagents operate a ‘Shop Save’ service? They will order and reserve your own copy for you to collect and buy, and you are not obliged to purchase. So there’s no problem if you are away, don’t need that issue or simply buy it somewhere else. So don’t miss out – reserve your copy today – just ask instore…

We have brought you a selection of lovely kits from Trimits, just right for a last-minute gift, stocking filler or fun projects to stitch yourself through the festive season. Each one would make a lovely Christmas Card, or could be framed as part of a Christmas display. Choose from 12 cross stitch kits: Christmas Jumper, ref: GCS104 Merry Christmas, ref: GCS38 Gingerbread House, ref: GCS163 Reindeer, ref: GCS63 Nutcracker, ref: GCS37 Santa, ref: GCS86 Dachshund, ref: GCS35 Robin, ref: GSC41 Stockings, ref: GCS162 Christmas Pudding, ref: GCS161 Penguin, ref: GCS40 Scandi Dove, ref: GCS62 Each kits contains 11 count white aida, stranded cotton, needle, chart & instructions – some kits contain pom poms for hats. Trimits Cross Stitch kits for £3.50 each; or two for £6.50; four for £13 Please…

WINTER ANIMALS LOVED THE winter animals alphabet in this issue? We’ve found a few other wintry feathered and furry friends for you to stitch… WHO Megan Caines has designed this merry reindeer, who is worked in her usual distinct style. Using whole stitches only, the finished size is 17.5x14cm (6.9x5.6in). melocadesigns.com WHAT Complete a snowy robin design in time for Christmas ! Worked in whole stitches, this sweet pattern is simple to stitch and 13x13cm approx. once complete. It can be displayed in a 5in hoop throughout the winter season. gingerandstitchco.etsy.com HOW Let it snow with this pretty darn cute penguin snow globe-themed cross stitch kit! Your kit comes with thread holder, fabric, pattern, seven shades of thread and needle. www.caterpillarcrossstitch.com…

Materials • DMC Pink Sparkly 14 count aida; 11.5x14cm (41⁄2x51⁄2in) x 2 for the purse; 4x4cm (11⁄2x11⁄2in) for the heart • Stranded cotton as listed in the key • Size 24 tapestry needle • Pink zipper; 10cm (4in) • Pink felt; 4x4cm (1½x1½in) for the heart • Pink button Materials available from www.willowfabrics.com Designed by: Emma Congdon Stitch time: 8 hours Stitch count: 40 high x 60 wide purse; 10 high x 11 wide heart Design size: 7.5x10.8cm (3x4¼in) This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. *See ‘The Key’ on page 79. Why not stitch the heart charm again as a stylish zip-puller for any purses or bags you may already own? With a limited colour palette, whole stitches and a large area of blue to start you…

LORELLE HAMILTON Definitely the knots especially when I don’t notice till a few rows later. IRENE MCINTOSH For me, it’s backstitching. Not the simple type that goes from hole to hole but the more detailed backstitching that requires small stitches that pierce a block or thread and such. Definitely time to use a sharp needle if you want a smoother look. EMMA URBANSKI French knots have always been a struggle for me, instead, I buy small beads in the colours I need and use them instead, I find it gives my finished pieces a little something extra. SALLY JOELLE Knots. Especially in white threads! The only way I’ve found has a bit of an impact is railroading. Takes longer but is much less irritating than the dreaded knots! PEARL LEE Knots…

CrossStitcher PROJECT PACK If you would like to stitch Enchanting Eve, we have a materials pack with everything you need to get you stitching right away, and have it delivered to your door! Your materials pack contains: • Zweigart Anne Cloth in White • Skeins of DMC stranded cotton • Two gold-plated tapestry needles; size 24 and size 26 How to order: Fill in the form on page 10 or go to www.willowfabrics.com to order your project pack at the CrossStitcher reader price of £56, or £12.50 for the Anne Cloth only, both plus P&P. Designed by: Durene Jones Max. stitch count: 40 high x 40 wide (each) Max. design size: 11x11cm (4¼x4¼in) Stitch time: 8 hours each This design is stitched on 18 count fabric, working over two threads…

Floral-themed embroidery is both timeless and full of charm and Susie Johns’ newest book, aptly named Flower Embroidery, certainly lives up to that assessment! We caught up with Susie to talk about the book, her creative process, and how cross-stitchers can integrate embroidery into their craft. Susie Johns has been a stalwart in the craft world for years, known for her versatility across multiple mediums, including knitting, crochet, sewing and painting. Her latest book, Flower Embroidery, offers over 100 floral designs, with projects ranging from bags and bookmarks to blankets and borders. Though the idea came from her publisher, Susie embraced the challenge with enthusiasm. “I’d like to take full credit for the idea, but this one was commissioned,” Susie explains. “I was asked to submit a proposal based on…

A new year means turning over a new leaf! We’ve asked three designers this month to come up with a design for an inspiring affirmation that could then be displayed in their home using the magnetic hanging frames we gave them. They could only use the materials listed on the left, and the six shades of stranded cotton we chose for them. Take a look at their results below – we’ve featured a pattern 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 March – we’ve listed everything you need to take part. JANE PRUTTON… ACT YOUR SHOE SIZE This is one of my favourite phrases. I think…

THE ESSENTIAL KIT YOU’LL NEED TO START STITCHING FABRICS Aida is the ideal choice for cross stitch beginners – it is a block-weave fabric, which is divided into squares with a grid of holes. Each cross stitch is worked over one square. Aida comes in a range of sizes which are called counts. So 14 count means that there are 14 squares to the inch and this will make 14 cross stitches. Aida also comes in 16, 18 and 20 count. The larger the number, the more stitches to the inch and so the smaller the design will stitch up. Evenweave is a woven grid of threads in a finer count. Each stitch is usually worked over two threads, so a 28 count evenweave with each stitch worked over two…