Tabla de contenidos para February 2017 en Cross Stitch Collection

Wooden cat buttons, £1.85 These brightly-painted kitties are ideal for adding a feline touch to any project you’re stitching for a cat lover. Created by Karen Allan in Nottingham, They come in generous sets of 20, in a variety of colours and expressions, and measure approx 16x20mm (6x8in) each. We love how much personality their little painted faces show! You can buy the set from www.Crafting forjoy.etsy.com. Multi-coloured horse buttons, from £1.20 There’s a hint of folk art about these pretty patterned horses. The swirls, circles, geometrics and stars will please anyone with a passion for all thing equine, or simply fans of decorative motifs. They measure just 29x27mm (1⅛x1⅛in) each, but you can buy them in herds of 10, 20 or 40 from £1.20. Go for a mixed pack or…

Our sweet card is sure to be a hit with any bicycle lovers or romantics this February. You could also change the message to make a greetings card for any occasion. You will need… Zweigart 28 count Quaker Bantry white, ref: 3993/100, 19.5x19.5cm (7¾x7¾in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 26 tapestry needle Card blank white, with a 9.5x12cm (3¾x4¾in) rectangular aperture For stockist details see page 58 Stitching the design FOLD the fabric in half both ways to find the centre and start stitching at this point. Complete all the cross stitch in two strands before adding the backstitch detail in one strand, and the French knots in one strand. How to mount a card 1 TRIM your stitching to fit inside your card, with the…

You will need… Zweigart 32 count petit point linen natural with red dots, ref: 3609/5391 for each purse Stranded cotton DMC 321 DMC light effects E168 silver, E3852 gold Size 26 tapestry needle Lining fabric for each purse Purse kit with clasp for each purse For stockist details see page 58 Stitching the design 1 CUT your petit point linen using the template provided with your purse kit. Some kits have a gusset piece and others just a front and back. The illustration provided shows how the stitches should be worked on the dotted fabric. Use this only as a guide, adding more or less stitches depending on the shape of your purse. 2 WORK the blocks of five cross stitches in DMC 321 red, using two strands of…

Our series of mini pictures shows the best of each season We all have our favourite time of year, but there is something special to cherish in every season. Our series of mini pictures shows the best of each season, viewed through a pretty window. In the next few pages, you will find the designs for for autumn and winter. You will find the spring and summer designs in our March edition, issue 272. The measurements, stitch count, design size, time and materials are for the complete design. You can either wait for the second part to be published and then start in the centre of the design, or you can complete this chart entirely before moving onto the spring and summer chart. Make it yours You will need… Zweigart…

You can buy a digital edition of Cross Stitch Collection – ready to read whenever you want. Single issues and subscriptions are available and every issue you purchase is stored in your magazine library permanently. Once the magazine has downloaded, an internet connection is not required so you can take your magazine with you, wherever you go. You’ll also find a huge range of back issues online too – go and have a browse to see what you’ve missed! EVERY ISSUE features easy-to-use charts you can zoom! Go to Apple Newsstand for iPad and iPhone www.bit.ly/AppleCS Collection Go to Zinio for Android or PC/Mac www.zinio.com/ crossstitchcollection…

Making it personal Lizzy Dabczynski-Bean is the talent behind Stitch People, offering gorgeously unique custom-designed cross stitch portraits and patterns. She fell in love with designing cross stitch portrait patterns after making a few for herself and loved ones. She was soon addicted to creating the quirky portraits.“I love how personalised they can get and how people really see themselves in the portraits due to just the smallest little tweaks in the patterns,” she says. “With just a few small, seemingly-inconsequential stitches, you can add jewellery, buttons, and all sorts of details to make a pattern truly personal. The most common portrait requests are related to special occasions, from engagements and weddings to new jobs and births. “One of the very first portrait orders I received in 2012 was for…

Meet the designer... Amanda Butler “You know spring has arrived when you hear sweet, melodic bird song signifying a triumphant end to winter, their merry song floats in the air bringing our gardens to life. A wondrous new season begins as our lovely garden birds busy themselves with finding a suitable better half to raise a family of little chicks. My husband and I often spend time watching the goings on in the garden, either filming or taking photos for our vast nature library, which is my first port of call when designing anything to do with wildlife. We've set up a bird's restaurant in the garden so there's usually a few birds. We can also often be found at various RSPB nature reserves up and down the country, clicking…

Meet the designer... Durene Jones I loved designing this paper tab doll so much as it was very nostalgic to me. I can remember spending hours playing with this type of doll as a child. Although with this design I was able to really spoil my paper doll. I don’t think my dolls ever had a little dog, with his own clothes, nor did mine have such an array of splendid outfits for all occasions, or toys of her own. But with this design – and with so much space to work with – I could add in whatever took my fancy, which was a treat to my inner child. When you are stitching this design, make sure to pay extra attention when it comes to adding the backstitch to…

Nothing beats sharing all your latest news with a good friend over a cup of tea and a few biscuits. Sometimes it's not possible though, so our pretty card is the next best thing. You will need… Zweigart 27 count Linda antique white, ref: 1236/101, 20x15cm (8x6in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 26 tapestry needle Card blank pink, with a 14.5x9.5cm (5¾x3¾in) rectangular aperture For stockist details see page 58 Stitching the design FOLD the fabric in half both ways to find the centre and start stitching at this point. Complete all the cross stitch in two strands before adding the backstitch detail in one strand. How to mount a card 1 TRIM the stitched evenweave to fit inside your card, with the design placed centrally…

Collection 267 • Leap into Christmas with our magical flying reindeer • Celebrate autumn with our woodland fairy and six seasonal pincushions • Escape to the country with our Impressionist scenes • Make a nostalgic paper doll picture • Stitch a stunning festive sampler with the help of our giant fold out chart • Make a golfer’s day with our card and gift tag set Collection 268 • Capture the magic of a winter walk with our stunning cover project • Make nativity decorations inspired by carols • Stitch our cosy polar bear project designed by Jayne Netley Mayhew • Make a stocking sampler • Find the first half of our stunning Christmas Eve house design • Stitch Snowy the jolly snowman and his friends Collection 269 • Complete our…

Tell us about yourself I’ve been retired for eight years after a 30-year career with IBM. I’m a wife, mother, grandmother, horsewoman, china painter, doll maker, knitter, portrait painter, cross stitcher, designer and published author. When did you fall in love with cross stitch? I discovered needlework when I was nine years old. I’m an only child and we lived out in the country, so I found things I loved to do to entertain myself. My passion has never waivered. What sort of things do you most like to stitch? I love stitching on 40 count silk gauze the best – samplers, tiny foot stools, chair cushions, wall tapestries – you name it. However, give me a project that speaks to me, no matter the size, and it can consume…

Meet the designer... Shannon Wasilieff “In order to get inspired for this pattern, I watched a few classic Jane Austen films and fell in love with the period and the mannerisms of the time. Some of the Regency era's traditions have stuck around for centuries and still remain strong in our modern day. Women still swoon at the gestures of love from their suitors and the excitement of love remains timeless. Jane Austen's work is the embodiment of romance, elegance and chivalry, and I wanted to depict that in this cross stitch design.” Our romantic design is sure to thrill Jane Austen fans Our romantic literary design inspired by Emma is sure to thrill all Jane Austen fans. We love all the details of Regency dress that Shannon has put…

Star letter The winner of the star letter will receive an engagement card kit from Lifetime Samplers. This lovely design features a wide trellis border in subtle shades of peach, green and gold and is finished with beads and gold metallic thread –a lovely personalised gift for the happy couple. Available online from www.lifetime samplers.co.uk  for £19.95. Well done to Dot Fenwick who will receive her prize in the post very soon. Pretty palomino I stitched Jayne Netley Mayhew’s horse design from issue 263 for a work colleague. Her granddaughter, who lives in Poland, loves horses so I just couldn’t resist making this for her. I had some hand-dyed fabric, which I thought looked perfect for this design. I really enjoyed stitching the horse, the different shades of…

Raid your button tin to complete our romantic design Our delightful mini heart sampler is inspired by vintage patchwork quilts covered in blousey roses. We think it would look just the thing displayed above a spare room bed, piled high with flowery cushions and quilts. We've added interest and texture to the design by making the central heart out of pearly shirt buttons in different sizes –the perfect chance to raid your button tin! Make it yours You will need… Zweigart 28 count Cashel antique ivory, ref: 3281/233, 51x43cm (20x17in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 26 tapestry needle Shirt buttons – a selection Frame with a 28x28cm (11x11in) aperture For stockist details see page 58 Stitching the design FOLD the fabric both ways to find the…

Getting started   Try these three ways to get going, then choose the one that suits you best Select your needle TIP To attach beads, use a beading needle or a size 28 tapestry needle. Loop start When stitching with two threads Cut a single thread that’s twice as long as you need, and thread both ends through your needle. Come up through the fabric and make a half stitch, then pass the needle through the loop that’s formed at the back to secure it. Loose end start When stitching with any number of threads Bring your needle up through the fabric, and be sure to leave a little piece of thread at the back. Hold this thread underneath the area to be stitched so that you will secure it…