The World of Cross Stitching

This month’s July-themed issue is bursting with treats! Summer 2023 heralds the start of the women’s FIFA World Cup, and this versatile set of designs from Lisa Reakes (p20) is perfect to stitch for soccer-mad fans, both young and old. And continuing Fiona Baker’s blackwork underwater creatures series, she brings you an intricate shark (p78)! Have you got a holiday planned or know of someone jetting off to sunnier climes? Inspired by vintage travel posters, Maria Diaz has created a brilliant collection of motifs that can be used to make personalised accessories, cards and gifts for intrepid explorers (p47). I’m so excited to be working with Great Ormond Street Hospital to bring you a magical Peter Pan and Tinkerbell project! The characters from the timeless childhood story are instantly recognisable…

Stella Curry is a retired civil servant from Northumberland What is your idea of cross stitch heaven? I was lucky enough to receive the DMC storage cabinet with all the threads as a birthday gift. It was cross stitch heaven to see all the drawers full of bobbinated threads in order. A WOXS design you love… I loved Elçin Olmez’s creation of the ‘Flower Picker’ by John William Waterhouse in issue 324 (Oct 2022). I’m a huge fan of Pre-Raphaelite paintings, so this was just delightful. Any stitching disasters? I made a huge mistake when completing my year-long project of John Constable’s painting, The Hay Wain. I ended up creating an additional column so had to adjust the second section by adding in an extra column so that it fit…

Basketball Mouse key STITCH COUNT 40 high x 40 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – 7.5x7.5cm (2¾x2¾in) Charlie is getting his practice in for this summer’s Basketball World Cup! The funpacked design featuring Charlie throwing some hoops will make a fab birthday card for a basketballmad teen, or to wish a player well on their next tournament! Missed a chart? ISSUE 333 Stitch Flossie the cheerleader and her colourful pompoms for your squad! ISSUE 332 Take your needle on a journey to the Stone Age with Lizzie the cavemouse. ISSUE 331 Flossie’s salon is open for business and she’s waiting with open arms! For back issues, call ☎ 03330 162 137 or visit http://bit.ly/1NwX3Rv…

Lighthouse Bookmark key STITCH COUNT 83 high x 27 wide DESIGN AREA 14 HPI (28-count evenweave) – 15x5cm (6x2in) DESIGNED BY Durene Jones STITCHED BY Angela Griffin This design was stitched using stranded cotton from your coverkit Gifts available with print edition only. Overseas gift may vary. Inside your kit… Here are the colours and number of lengths of thread White x2 Light green x2 Green x2 Black x3 Red x4 Grey x2 Yellow x2 Gold x2 Light blue x2 Dark blue x2 Blue x2 Dark red x3 Perfect weekend stitch Factbox × Stitching Time Approx. 9 hours × Type of Stitches Cross stitch, half cross stitch, backstitch × Ease of Stitching Advanced beginner TOP TIP Use the design to stitch more bookmarks as gifts – simply fray aone-squareborder and…

Hold your horses – you won’t want to miss stitching this beauty as it gallops by! The realistic detail and stunning shading will have you neighing for joy as you get stuck into this fantastically lifelike portrait. Hang in a hallway or living room for classy décor, or, perhaps it belongs in a horse-lover’s bedroom, displayed pride of place among all the coloured rosettes! With 28 thread colours there’s a lot to organise, especially with so many similar brown and tan shades. With a bit of thread management however, this whole stitch and backstitch only design could be tackled by a confident beginner eager for your first big project. Gridding the fabric before you start will help keep your place, too. If you wish to alter the shades of this…

Star Letter FRIENDS FOREVER Here’s a photo stitch that I’ve just finished and wanted to show you. This is my best friend Jessie. I rescued her in April 2007 when she was 10 months old. I took this photo of her not long after her 15th birthday, but very sadly Jessie died when she was 16 years old. Losing her has broken my heart. We shared so many wonderful and happy years together and life just isn’t the same without her. This cross stitch took me 11 months and I’ve enjoyed doing it. I’m going to get it framed and it will take pride of place in the memorial that I have for Jessie at home. Jessie will always be the bestest friend I could ever have wished for.Cheryl Ellis,…