Stitchの December 2025/January 2026 の目次

Hello, Stitch readers! Welcome to the Christmas issue of Stitch, packed with festive wonder and inspiration to make your holidays extra special. There truly is something magical about this time of year — the quiet sparkle of frosted mornings, the joyful buzz of festive preparations, and the simple delight of gathering with loved ones. We’ve tried to capture that magic throughout this issue to celebrate the season in style. We begin with Amelia Stitches’ winter wreath hoop, stitched with a golden message of cheer — a project that radiates warmth and joy. Amelia also joins us for an exclusive interview, sharing her love of handmade traditions and the stories woven into her work. Our front-cover star, Jo Lochhead, takes us on an Arctic adventure with her needle-felted polar bear, captured…

FIND TEMPLATE FOR THIS PROJECT ON PAGE 60 Some of my first embroidery hoops were made for friends and family at Christmas — there’s something truly magical about seeing them brought out year after year. Each festive season, I add to my hand embroidered collection, and this reindeer is set to take pride of place above the fireplace, right next to my children’s stockings. I absolutely loved stitching this piece — every stitch felt like adding a touch of festive magic, and you can easily adapt it to suit your seasonal style. I hope you enjoy stitching it just as much as I did! YOU WILL NEED MATERIALS: • Cotton/linen fabric • Two pieces of ribbon to hang and finish hoop off, 30cm • Felt to back • DMC threads:…

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FIND TEMPLATE FOR THIS PROJECT ON PAGE 61 In honour of Burns Night, I’ve created a project to celebrate Scotland. The Scottish thistle is the oldest recorded national flower and a widely recognised symbol of the nation. Resilient and hardy, this wild plant has flourished across the Scottish landscape for centuries. With its bold and distinctive form, the thistle continues to inspire artists and embroiderers alike. To accompany the design, I’ve included a line from an old Celtic blessing that I love: “May your blessings outnumber the thistles that grow, And may troubles avoid you wherever you go.” YOU WILL NEED MATERIALS: • Two pieces of natural linen union or twill fabric, 20x20cm • Appletons Crewel wool: ○ Jacobean Green: Light - 293, Medium - 295, Dark – 296 ○…

Tell us your name, role and a little about the group. I’m Anne Wadey, Chair of the Border Textile Group. We’re a longstanding group of textile enthusiasts based in the central and eastern Borders of Scotland and north North umberland. Our membership is usually between 50 and 60 people, with regular attendance of around 40 or more, plus guests who are always very welcome. How did the group start? We were originally part of the Embroiderers’ Guild. However, because this is a region where incomes can be lower, we became independent some years ago to make membership more affordable and accessible for everyone. Where and how often do you meet? We meet at Foulden Village Hall, which has a stunning view of the Cheviot Hills. Our Our nearest town is…

FIND TEMPLATE FOR THIS PROJECT ON PAGE 59 There’s nothing more festive than a beautiful wreath — and making one that will last forever was such a joy! Featuring a classic festive lyric at the centre (which you can easily swap for a name, date, or favourite quote), this wreath is a wonderfully beginner-friendly project, packed with lovely details to keep you company as the evenings grow longer and the nights turn cosier. As always, feel free to play with colours and stitches to suit your personal style — or simply use what you already have in your stash! This is the perfect opportunity to make something that fits your own unique festive vibe. I’d love to see what you create, so don’t forget to share your photos with me…

FIND TEMPLATE FOR THIS PROJECT ON PAGE 59 This relaxing polar bear project is a gentle introduction to mixed-media textile art, combining three simple yet effective techniques: needle felting, felt appliqué, and embroidery. Working in a ‘painting with wool’ style, you’ll layer soft wool fibres to create a beautifully blended background, then bring the polar bear to life with felt and delicate stitched details. Finished with simple embroidery to add snow-dusted trees, frosty foliage and stars, it’s a calming, creative process – perfect for beginners and mindful makers looking to explore texture, layering and mark-making with just wool and thread. YOU WILL NEED MATERIALS: • White or cream felt fabric, 24x24cm (for the polar bear) • Turquoise marl felt fabric, 24x24cm (for the backing) • Felting wool in the following…

FIND TEMPLATE FOR THIS PROJECT ON PAGE 62 In the Scorpio pattern, I’ve used rich, layered stitching and a bold palette of deep reds, fiery oranges and glints of metallic gold to reflect the intensity and depth of this powerful water sign. Scorpio is known for its passion, mystery and emotional strength — a sign that feels deeply and transforms constantly. Whether you’re stitching it for yourself or as a meaningful gift, this design captures the magnetic energy of Scorpio and makes a striking piece to treasure. YOU WILL NEED MATERIALS: • White cotton drill fabric, or organic calico with a cotton back, 10x10in • Black felt to back your work (before your start your embroidery, trace a circle around the outside of the inner hoop in order to give…

BEAUTIFUL BOTANY, NATURE’S ALCHEMY – A STITCH & MIXED MEDIA EXHIBITION BY THREADMILL Exhibition dates: 22nd November 2025 – 22nd February 2026 Venue: Warrington Museum & Gallery, Bold Street, Warrington, WA11 1JG Opening hours: Wednesday-Friday 10.00-16.30, Saturday 10.00-16.00, Sunday 11.00-15.00 Tickets: Free Art and nature intertwine in this new exhibition by Threadmill, a collective of 15 talented artist/makers. Inspired by the museum’s extensive plant specimens and its unique Economic Botany Gallery, the exhibition explores the incredible connections between plants and our lives. From natural dyes and fibres to local botanical history, Threadmill’s artists transform historical resources into stunning contemporary pieces. Bountiful Botany: Nature’s Alchemy is for anyone curious about the beauty of botany, the power of creativity, and Warrington’s rich heritage. www.threadmill.org.uk www.wmag.culturewarrington.org CRAFTING LIVE (SANDOWN) Event dates: 27th-28th February…

Back stitch Bring thread through on the stitch line and take a small backward stitch through the fabric. Bring the needle through again a little in front of the first stitch, take another stitch, inserting the needle at the point where it first came through. Repeat. Buttonhole Stitch Worked as Blanket Stitch with similar decorative variations. However, the stitches are tightly packed so no ground fabric is seen between – as if forming a buttonhole! Looks good worked on curves and is often used in cutwork. Chain stitch Bring the thread up at the top of the line and hold it down with the left thumb. Insert the needle where it last emerged and bring the point out a short distance away. Pull the thread through, keeping the working thread…

When Amelia Rogers’ A-Levels were cancelled in May 2020 due to the pandemic, she could never have imagined it would spark the beginning of her creative business, Amelia Stitches. What started as a way to pass the time (and save up for a laptop) has grown into a flourishing embroidery brand that now includes best-selling kits, portraits, and designs inspired by everything from musicals to literature and pop culture. Graduating with her Master’s degree in Strategic Communication this month, Amelia has now just started running her business full time — and she’s only just getting started. Could you tell us about your background and how you got into embroidery? My mum first taught me cross-stitch when I was six, and the first thing I ever made were samplers as gifts…

ALL-NEW TWENTY TO MAKE: CHICKEN SCRATCH EMBROIDERY By: Carolyn Forster Publisher: Search Press. February 2026 ISBN: 9781800923553 RRP: £6.99 Pages: 64 (HB) Chicken scratch embroidery (known also as Amish embroidery, Broderie Suisse, Depression Lace, Hoover Lace, Snowflake Embroidery, Australian Cross Stitch and Tenerife Lace) is an easy-to-learn technique that involves embroidering a handful of stitches on to a gingham surface to create stunning motifs with a lace-like appearance. The size and colour of the squares can influence the look and scale of the motif, as well as your chosen thread colours, and the result can range from beautifully simple to exquisitely complex embroidery designs. The 20 gorgeous embroidery patterns in this book are suitable for all skill levels 5 COPIES TO GIVE AWAY PUNCH NEEDLE By: Caroline Colam Publisher: Crowood,…

PROJECT ON PAGE 60 FIND TEMPLATE FOR THIS Jane Austen’s legacy mirrors the quiet strength of hand embroidery — an art rooted in patience, precision, and purpose. Like each deliberate stitch, her words reveal deep truths about character, society, and the human spirit. Her belief that “It’s not what we say or think that defines us, but what we do” echoes in every pull of the needle, turning the ordinary into something meaningful. For anyone who’s ever embroidered, this rings true. A design isn’t made real by ideas alone, but through the steady rhythm of each stitch. Likewise, our character is shaped by action — the small, consistent choices that bring meaning to life. Like embroidery, life is built stitch by stitch — with patience, intention, and quiet persistence. Austen…

FIND TEMPLATE FOR THIS PROJECT ON PAGE 62 This tree is one of my all-time favourites to stitch. Common across North America and often used as a Christmas tree, the Douglas fir has especially thick bark that helps it survive wildfires — giving it an impressively long lifespan. Despite its name, the Douglas fir isn’t actually a fir at all! It’s neither a spruce nor a pine, but a unique species all its own. In this pattern, you’ll learn how to ‘draw’ with embroidery stitches to create an evergreen tree inspired by scientific illustration, set against a festive backdrop. I’d love to see what you create, so don’t forget to share your work and tag me on Instagram! YOU WILL NEED MATERIALS: • Two pieces of Kona cotton in natural,…