CrossStitcher

makes of the month

Designed by: Susan Penny Stitch count: 45 high x 43 wide Design size: 8x8cm (3¼x3¼in) Stitch time: 4 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Our festive deer decora tion only takes four hours to stitch – so why not whip up a whole set for your Christmas tree? Make a… tree decoration Step 1 START stitching in the centre of a 12x12cm (4¾x4¾in) piece of aida, using two strands for the cross stitch, and one for the backstitch (except the parcel bow which is two). Step 2 PLACE your stitching and 13x13cm (5x5in) of backing fabric right-sides together. Fold some ribbon in half and place in the centre on the top edge, with the folded end inside the layers and the cut ends just over the seam. Stitch around the edge of the design, leaving one…

exclusive festive stitch-a-long!

Make a… mini sampler Step 1 TAKE 16.5x16.5cm (6½x6½in) 14 count aida. To allow for Part 2 and Part 3 of the design to fit onto your fabric, which will be in issues 363 and 364, start stitching the teal border stitch, in the top left-hand corner of the design, nine squares down and nine squares in from the top left-hand corner of the fabric. Step 2 USE two strands for the cross stitch, one for the backstitch, and one for the French knots. Add some gold beads on the fairy’s wand and as a row above Noel. You will need more beads for part 2 and part 3 of the design, which are coming in the next two issues of CrossStitcher. Step 3 NOTE that the remainder of the design, with charts and instructions on…

welcome

THERE’S ALWAYS A sense of autumn being a ‘new term’ with lots of plans to make as the season turns. So many people have recently discovered crafts like ours for the first time, or come back after a gap, that we predict an even more stitchy Christmas than usual. With that in mind, you can get started this issue with a festive stitch-a-long kit (the first of three!) and a set of Scandi-style motifs (page 29) you can stitch in an evening and turn into cards or decorations. They look particularly good as decorations! We had great fun creating a Christmas ‘wall tree’ to show them off at our photo shoot. It’s perfect for small spaces or for those who dread having to clear up pine needles! Before we get too…

out there

Imagination unwound New book Textiles Transformed by Mandy Pattullo is a journey into ‘thread and thrift with reclaimed textiles’. Anyone with a passion for thread and fabric will be inspired by Mandy’s skill in repurposing fragments and vintage scraps into works of art, creating imaginative collages, quilts, bags, books and heaps more unique textile items. Mandy shows how you can do the same, with instructions for working with quilts, patchworks, linen, lace and wool and how to use stitching and appliqué for decoration. Textiles Transformed is published by Batsford. MY CRAFT ROOM: NINA AND SONYA MONTENEGRO We get to see a glimpse of two designers’ sewing space… “For four years our studio has been nestled in the corner of Nina’s living room/kitchen. We built shelves that make the most of the wall space and…

stitching with jess

Hullo! As a kid I was a voracious reader – the adventures of plucky young heroines in stories were far more interesting than homework or chores! Reading those stories and letting my imagination run wild with what could have happened after the book ended helped to solidify my love of creating. I didn’t start cross stitching until I was an adult – I was an imaginative soul who landed in a very practical and non-artistic family, so I had to find my own way when it came to creativity. But I still remember the bubbling sense of joy cross stitch gave me when I first tried my hand at it in my early twenties! This month’s bookmark tries to recreate that mixture of adult skill with child-like joy. It also speaks…

crafty bookshelf

TEXTILE TRAVELS ANNE KELLY [Batsford] Well-known textile artist Anne Kelly shows you how to capture your travels, past and present, in stitches. She explores the influence of cultures from across the globe, from India and Peru to Scotland and Scandinavia, so you can harness the techniques, fabrics, motifs and colours to use in your own work. This book is essentially both a practical and beautiful guide to getting textile artists, embroiderers and makers to use travel as a theme in their work. PUNCHED STACIE SCHAAT [Interweave] Punch needle art is enjoying a surge in popularity right now and here textile artist Stacie Schaat shares all you need to know to take a stab at it! Discover tools and techniques to make a collection of stylish home makes with step-by-step mini-lessons plus info on how to…