CrossStitcher September 2021

Designed by: Susan Penny Stitch count: 39 high x 32 wide Design size: 7x6cm (2¾x2¼in) Stitch time: 8 hours This design was stitched on 14 count aida fabric. Make an… elephant needlecase Step 1 STITCH the design onto the centre of 7x7cm (2¾x 2¾in)white 14 count aida. Use two strands for the cross stitch and one for the decorative backstitch, worked in one strand on top of the cross stitch. Trim once finished, leaving two blank aida squares at the sides and bottom, but leaving the top edge uncut. Step 2 USE the template to cut two elephant shapes from two 16x10.5cm (6⅓x4¼in) pieces of beige felt. Place the stitched flap on top of one shape and mark the eye position with a pin. With one strand of black stranded cotton, make a few long stitches to create an…

WHAT SAYS SUMMER to you? Is it the amount of water the garden needs, young voices declaring they are bored, or maybe the chance of a trip to the coast? Like so many families, we love the coast – and are lucky enough to live not far away. As regulars, we hear the local gossip and often the latest story about the increasingly cheeky seagulls taking advantage of visitors. Of course we couldn’t resist this as a subject for cross stitch. Emma Congdon has done us proud with her swooping gull design on page 18. You’ll spot beaks full of chips, a whole pasty and even an ice-cream cone, complete with flake! If your summer is more about plants, then our mini 3D greenhouse design (page 26) is perfect for you.…

Forever summer As summer fades and autumn arrives, stitching provides a great way to capture the magic of summer flowers all year round. Rico’s latest chart booklet – No. 174 Transformation – Dried, Pressed & Loved Flowers contains fab ideas for using cross stitch to ‘preserve a piece of summer’ and takes inspirations from pressed flower blooms, all worked in a soft colour palette. Use the pretty motifs to make gorgeous floral napkins, table cloths, wall hangings, cushions and embroidery pictures. For details of your local stockist, visit www.rico-design.com. MEET MRS PRICKLES NEVER LOSE a needle again while cross stitching, with the adorable new Mrs Prickles hedgehog needleminder from Caterpillar Cross Stitch! She attaches to the front of your fabric with one magnet and the other magnet secures behind your fabric. Your needle…

“I turned my bedroom's cupboard into a craft room which is great because when I’m done crafting I can just shut the doors and hide all the mess! I made sure it had lots of shelves and drawers to keep everything organised and labelled my threads and aida so they are easy to find. I love my pegboard which has all the main bits and bobs I need, both for stitching and also packing up orders, within easy reach. I always make sure to have a stash of kits ready so I can get them out to customers as quickly as possible.” hanniebeedesigns.etsy.com Drop us a line to crosssstitcher@warnersgroup.co.uk with images of your craft space and a few words about it and our favourites could be featured in a future issue!…

Hullo! The last year and a half has been a quiet time for us all. But one person you’ve been able to talk to through even the harshest lockdown is yourself. Sometimes we forget to pay attention to what that inner monologue is saying, but this month’s flower can remind us to listen more closely. We’re stitching the beautiful iris, flower of wisdom and of eloquence. Sometimes if I’m having a bad day, I catch myself saying some crappy things inside my own head; “that was so stupid!”, “what a dumb thing to say!”, “you’re a bit useless!”. I would never say these things to other people, and yet here I am beating myself up. If I don’t catch myself thinking these things, those words end up colouring my day in…

RSN ESSENTIAL STITCH GUIDES: BLACKWORK BECKY HOGG [Search Press] Learn techniques and tips from the best with the RSN’s very own tutors in their Essential Stitch Guides series. Out in large format paperback, this title on blackwork is written by graduate apprentice and tutor, Becky Hogg. Follow the detailed instructions and enjoy photos of traditional and contemporary embroideries – there’s even a look at the history of blackwork. Learn the stitches and how to create different shading techniques, too. CROSS-STITCH LIKE A QUEEN Described as a celebration of the mantra ‘love is love’, we think that crafty queens and drag enthusiasts alike will love this book with 25 designs inside. There’s also an alphabet template and extra elements so you can make your own custom cross stitch patterns and crafted quotes. Choose from…