Love Embroidery

It might be cold (and dark) outside, but that doesn’t mean our hoops can’t be ablaze with colour and creativity! In fact we are already switching up our winter hues for punchy spring palettes (hello cover star, p14). And we’re stretching our stitching skills with Rachael Dobbins’ effortlessly stylish 3D hair tutorials (p11) too. If you’re like us, you’ll have also been thinking about your stitching resolutions – we’re welcoming in a new year after all – and finding that more time to embroider will be at the top of your list. With this in mind, we’ve packed this issue with lots of quick designs for you to try, including a tutorial for how to start your own thread journal, which you’ll be able to pick up and stitch whenever…

Happy new year to all our lovely readers. We hope you’re ready to kick off your stitching year in style… starting with all the stunning makes in this jam-packed January issue! From pennants and cushions, to gloves and hoops, we’ve got projects that will challenge, inspire, and bring colour to your home, all month long. We’re so excited to bring you Part 1 of our new stitch-along – abeautiful countryside scene by the talented Georgie Emery. We’ve even created a special subscribers’ stitch-along kit for it (see p24)! Pushed for time? We’ve thrown in a few fun and speedy makes that you can fit around the day job, plus our cover gift (a deep dive into the world of embroidered hair) is broken into lots of smaller sections that you…

Thrifty stitches Scottish knitwear designer and creative mender Flora Collingwood-Norris is on a one-woman mission to make sure we never throw away a holey jumper or a pair of trusty gloves again. Her affordable video tutorials will give you the confidence to use embroidery and darning skills to fix small holes right up to more extensive damage, and create your own unique hand-stitched works of art along the way. Visible mending with an arty twist? Sign us up! www.collingwoodnorrisdesign.com Nature’s bounty  Australia’s known for some of the most beautiful creatures on the planet, so it’s not a surprise that these glorious patterns hail from down under. Designer Donna Smyth specialises in detailed butterflies and moths that look just like the real thing. They are designed to be displayed in a…

For your project book, turn to p85 T his issue, we’re are delighted to bring to you a LE masterclass in embroidered hair! Inside your 48-page book, embroidery artist Rachael Dobbins (@usedthreads) shares seven step-by-step tutorials for creating realistic hairstyles plus two extra-special hair portraits for you to stitch. Try your hand at creating free-flowing locks, double buns and bantu knots, as well as on-trend ponytails, a voluminous afro, and more. Plus, discover how to select the threads to match your chosen hair colour; play hairdresser with tips for trimming and combing; and find out how to attach the different styles to your fabric. As with real hair, each design can be adapted to suit your own style and there is no right or wrong way to do it -…

Wakey wakey... Nothing beats a weekend stroll to a local cafe, enjoying the warmth of your hands wrapped around a silky-smooth latte and tucking into a freshly-baked treat. In her new book, 3D Embroidery, artist Ashley Denn (@formedfibers) captures the essence of a lazy Sunday brunch perfectly, using raised stitches to create the three-dimensional mug. With 20 exciting projects to get stuck into – we’re talking 3D plants, flowers, beach scenes, and a even a delicious ramen bowl like nothing you’ve seen before – you’ll bring new dimensions to your stitching repertoire. 3D Embroidery by Ashley Denn, £12.99, published by Search Press, www.searchpress.com…

01 02 03 04 05 06 MATERIALS • Cotton fabric: 30x25cm x2, off-white • DMC stranded cotton: 1 skein each of 433 (brown), 469 (olive green), 470 (green), 518 (blue), 601 (dark pink), 603 (pink), 712 (cream), 722 (peach), 726 (yellow), 744 (lemon), 783 (mustard), 816 (red), 915 (magenta), 946 (dark orange), 956 (bright pink), 970 (orange), 986 (dark green), 3685 (dark magenta) • Embroidery hoop: 15cm diameter • Lightweight iron-on interfacing: 30x25cm 6mm wooden dowel: 20cm • Twine: 30cm • Sewing machine with standard foot • Machine thread: 1 spool of white • Basic embroidery kit STITCHES USED French Knot, Fishbone Stitch, Fly Stitch, Lazy Daisy Stitch, Satin Stitch, Split Stitch, Stem Stitch, Woven Wheel Dreaming of sunnier days ahead? Yep, us too! Which is why we’re so delighted…