Cross Stitch Crazy

welcome…

Come and stroll through the beautiful vistas inside this issue; walk under the scented arbours and through the gardens with their vibrant borders, stopping only to arrange a beautiful display in a vase for the windowsill. We all love to give and receive flowers, they fit almost any occasion and there’s no better way to tell someone you’re thinking of them than to stitch them a beautiful flowers card. From the simple tulip and papery blossom to the ornate lily, all our favourites are here. We get to know and enjoy our seasons by them too, from the poppy in summertime to the show of spring blooms we look forward to each year. They come in all forms here, seen in the Tiffany windows-inspired cards and sketchbook botanicals by Amanda Gregory. And…

artist’s sketchbook

Intended to reflect a designer’s sketchbook, these country blooms have the style of pencil drawings and watercolours painted in a sketchbook. Designed by Amanda, she says this picture closely resembles her own sketchbook, which is always close at hand in summer, a time when she is at her most creative. Three different kinds of roses are captured in stitches, as well as beautiful foxgloves and daisies for extra interest. With lots of delicate detail to retain your interest, this will be a therapeutic stitch as you while away the evenings immersed in your design and reflecting on the beauty of our countryside. You will need Threads: Stranded cotton, as listed in the key Needle: Size 26 tapestry needle Fabric: 28-count white evenweave, measuring 53x41cm (21x16in) Extras: Canvas, measuring 33x25cm (13x10in) Stitching Factbox Stitching time: Approx 60 hours Type…

botanical beauties

The study of flora and fauna has produced some of the most stunning illustrations we’ve seen and for hundreds of years, artists have been painting and sketching perfect replicas of nature’s splendour. So, what better way to carry on this tradition than recreating a botanical study in stitches? Amanda has captured the detail and delight of some of our favourite blooms in this charming set of postcard-style charts. Plus the garden insects and shabby chic style ephemera – like the pocket watch and postmarks – are a fun touch. Use a gorgeous colour palette to create the vintage feel, as each card is densely stitched in whole stitches, fractionals and backstitch. You will need Threads: Stranded cotton, as listed in the key Needle: Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric: 14-count cream aida measuring 10x13cm (4x5in)…

folk art

Teatime is the most important part of the day. Even if you drink tea all day long, it’s great when a friend pops over unexpectedly and you can take a break from whatever you’re doing to sit down and enjoy a natter over a proper pot for two. A nice tea cosy really adds to the sense of occasion, and folk art design makes a really vibrant look for your tea set. The tea cosy is symmetrical in its design, but not symmetrical in colour, it’s good to mix things up! The entire tea set is abstract in style, with bright, vibrant colours and folk art hearts, flowers and birds too. The motifs are really striking. You will need Threads: Stranded cotton, as listed in the key Needle: Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric: 14-count…

sweet dreams

The story of the dreamcatcher begins with the ancient legend of a tribe who believed that these magical webs, woven onto willow hoops, would filter out bad dreams and allow only good thoughts to enter our minds while we sleep. What better way to weave one of these enchanted talisman than with a needle and thread? Our design is worked on 28-count antique white evenweave to give it a delightfully delicate finish, and to make all those little fractionals a breeze! In soft pastel shades, this pretty hanging is a lovely addition to any bedroom – simple to finish with a no-sew backing of iron-on interfacing so it fits in with any style, making it perfect for young and old. You will need Threads: Stranded cotton, as listed in the key Needle: Size…

summer poppies

Poppies are a welcome reminder of summer and their scarlet papery leaves and intense dotty centres are easy to spot in the long meadow grass. This flower makes a wonderful subject for cross stitch, as Carol’s cushion demonstrates. The flowers are so eye-catching, with their vivid red petals set atop elegant stems, especially against a summer sky-blue background as provided by the evenweave fabric. Carol’s design is densely stitched and uses lots of fractionals to give the flowers a realistic shape, so the first part of your stitching will be quite time-consuming. However, the backstitch is minimal, so will be finished in a jiffy. Your completed cushion will look at home in any room, and bring the summer inside. You will need Threads: Stranded cotton, as listed in the key Needle: Size 26…