Cross Stitch Collection

It's an incredible honour to be at the helm of Britain's longest-running cross stitch magazine. So it's with a huge lump in our throats that we have to let you know that this edition of Cross Stitch Collection is the very last we will publish. The publishing industry has changed so much in the last 20 years and of course the internet has transformed cross stitching in many great ways. The downside is that it's easy for people to share our pages online without considering the long-term effects on creative work. But that's a rant for another day! We want to go out with a bang, so we've packed this issue with the very best designs. From classic spring flowers (page 10) to a giant chart of collectable costume dolls, our designers…

Meet the Cumberstitch Queen Colleen Carrington came to our attention thanks to her colourful designs of foxes, birds and flowers inspired by folk art in her Etsy shop, The World in Stitches. “I like to use these popular, timeless motifs and give them my own twist.” Colleen’s true love, however, is creating designs of her favourite celebrities, including a certain A-list actor: “I love Benedict Cumberbatch from Star Trek and Sherlock,” she exclaims. “He has a fun personality as well. Who wouldn’t be inspired by a talented actor with lovely eyes, who photobombs U2 and gets compared to an otter?” Her cross stitch designs of the star are now contained within a book, Benedict Cumberstitch, published by Kyle Books (www.kylebooks.com). “I had so many ideas I wanted to include, but we had to…

Tell us about yourself: I live in Devon with my husband. My passions are stitching, knitting and my garden. I’m a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother to my lovely family. We live a very busy life but my favorite time is my home time, doing all the things that make me happy. When did you fall in love with cross stitch? I first fell in love with cross stitch at school at the age of five, and again in the 1990s after the loss of one of my daughters. It gave me an inner peace that I was looking for at the time, and that was it, I never looked back. What sort of things do you most like to stitch? I love to stitch pretty things, best of all flowers, ladies, and the four seasons.…

Leaping Rabbit, £5.23 Designed by Helen at Bustle & Sew, this colourful rabbit is jumping for joy! Using just four colours, the repeating motif that makes up the rabbit’s silhouette is a simple chart with a big impact. We love the shades Helen has chosen, but you could swap them for other colours to match your bunny to your décor, then mount it in a 7in hoop or turn it into a cushion. You can buy the chart from www.bustleandsew.com . Rabbit and Carrots, £4.92 We love this bunny design, showing a rabbit apparently taking a breather in the midst of a race between rabbits and carrots. There’s a hint of Alice In Wonderland about the dreaminess of the design – and every possibility that these carrots may bite back! Stitch it in…

How to stitch You will need… Zweigart 32 count Belfast linen platinum, ref: 3609/770, 14.5x10.5cm (5¾x4¼in) for house cover; 12.5x9cm (5x3½in) for needle pad Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 26 tapestry needle Backing fabric 14.5x10.5cm (5¾x4¼in) for house cover and 14.5x10.5cm (5¾x4¼in) x 2 for lining; 12.5x9cm (5x3½in) for needle pad Lightweight wadding 12.5x9cm (5x3½in) Beads large x 2 Ribbon 33x1cm (13x⅜in) Stitching the design FOLD the fabric both ways to find the centre and start stitching here. Use two strands for the cross stitch, one for the backstitch and French knots. Make a house needle case 1 PLACE the bottom edge of the stitching and a piece of lining fabric right-sides together – the bottom of the house will be facing the centre seam. Stitch this seam with a 1.25cm (½in) seam allowance. Join the backing fabric to…

Meet the designer... Amanda Butler “The inspiration for my design came from a visit some years ago to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, which holds a large collection of lovely Victorian botanical illustrations. The design brings together a mix of Victorian heritage and a more contemporary feel through the centrally-placed still life, which is surrounded by a botanical study of nature’s floral splendour. The scene evokes a tranquil memory of sitting in a field making a daisy chain. The heat of the sun warms my face while a gentle summer breeze blows the country flowers into a merry dance. The lively flowers move across the landscape displaying a vast array of colours as they carry along a scent explosion.” Stitch summer memories with our gorgeous country meadow design Our gorgeous flower picture…