Cross Stitch Favourites

welcome

It's Christmas! Well, before you know it, it will be, and stitching at this time of the year is such a thrill. With so many friends and family members to make cards and gifts for, not to mention those all-important decorations for your own home, it can be hard to know where to begin. That's why we're making it easy for you to get your festive stitching off to a great start with this fantastic compilation of charts, brought to you by some of the UK's very best cross stitch designers. Stitchers of all abilities are catered for in this collection of seasonal designs, with really quick and easy motifs that are perfect for beginners as well as more challenging projects for confident stitchers to get their teeth into, and everything…

cross stitch favourites

MEET THE TEAM Editor Marie Parry Art editor Scott Purnell Technical editor Fiona Baker Charting editor Heather Nugent Charting assistant Hannah Erskine Cross stitch designers Susan Bates, Gail Bussi, Maria Diaz, Amanda Gregory, Lucie Heaton, Mollie Johanson, Diana Machin, Lisa Reakes, Jody Rice, Amanda Stevenson, Lesley Teare, Shannon Wasilieff Managing Director, Craft Kerry Lawrence Managing director Andy Marshall Group advertisement manager Laura Gibbs Brand sales executive Anna King Head of direct marketing Jacky Perales-Morris Direct sales manager Kevin Slaughter Production director Sarah Powell Production manager Rose Griffiths Ad designer Catherine Howlett Distribution Frontline Printed by William Gibbons…

santa claus is coming

Shopping list Threads Stranded cotton and metallic thread as listed in the key Needles Size 24 tapestry needle Beading needle Fabric 14-count white aida measuring 35x35cm (14x14in) Extras Mill Hill seed beads as listed in the key. Frame of your choice with a minimum aperture of 22x25cm (9x10in) Stitcher’s guide This festive heirloom is stitched onto 14-count white aida using 19 colours of stranded cotton and metallic thread. It is worked in whole cross stitch, fractionals and backstitch in both one and two strands, and there are French knots and seed beads too. We think it’s a really great choice for stitchers of all abilities, especially those who relish a challenge. How to stitch our Santa Claus 1 Find the centre of your fabric by folding it in half both horizontally and vertically. Follow the arrows on the chart to find its…

christmas parade

Shopping list Threads Stranded cotton and metallic thread as listed in the key Needle Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric 14-count white aida measuring 15x15cm (6x6in) for each design Extras Single-fold scallop edge cards Colourful patterned backing papers of your choice Stitcher’s guide These designs are worked on 14-count white aida using 11 different shades of stranded cotton and one metallic thread. They use whole cross stitches in two strands of thread, along with fractionals, also in two strands. Backstitch is worked in one strand to add definition to these designs, which we think are ideal for intermediate stitchers, as well as confident beginners. How to stitch the Scandi horses 1 Find the centre of your fabric by folding it in half both horizontally and vertically. The centre point is where the two fold lines meet and form a cross. Follow the arrows…

a holy choir

Shopping list Threads Stranded cotton and metallic thread as listed in the key Needle Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric 14-count light blue aida measuring 15x15cm (6x6in) for each design Extras Backing fabric, ribbon and wadding of your choice Stitcher’s guide Our angelic alphabet is stitched onto 14-count light blue aida using 15 colours of stranded cotton and metallic thread. Each letter is worked in whole cross stitch and fractionals, plus backstitch for definition. As they only take a couple of hours to complete, we think these letters are ideal for beginners who want to extend their skills. How to stitch the angels alphabet 1 Find the centre of your fabric by folding it in half both horizontally and vertically. Find the centre of the chart and start stitching from here, in the centre of the fabric, working your way outwards. 2 Complete all…

what a cracker!

Shopping list Threads Stranded cotton as listed in the key Needle Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric 14-count red or white aida measuring 20x20cm (8x8in) for each design Extras Card and ribbon of your choice Cracker snaps (optional) Stitcher’s guide Our crackers are stitched onto 14-count white or red aida using just red or white stranded cotton for each design. Worked in whole cross stitch and backstitch only, these simple designs are so quick to stitch that we think they are the ideal project for complete beginners. How to stitch the cracker designs 1 Find the centre of your fabric by folding it in half both horizontally and vertically. Follow the arrows on the chart to find its centre and start stitching from here, in the centre of the fabric, working your way outwards. 2 Complete all the cross stitch first using two strands…