Tabla de contenidos para December 2016 en Cross Stitch Collection

Merry Christmas, £6 This stunning design sums up the anticipation of Christmas Eve as Father Christmas and his reindeers swoop above a town of colourful houses. The design uses only full cross stitch and backstitch, with 20 thread shades to keep your attention! Your finished picture will measure 200x200 stitches – a treat to settle down with on winter evenings. You can download the chart at www.StitcheryStitch.etsy.com. Silent Night, £9 A clutch of buildings and fir trees make up a peaceful scene where the only sound is falling snow. We love the shadows stretched out from each items, emphasising the stillness of the village as everybody sleeps through the frozen night. The kit comes complete with pre-sorted threads, 16 count aida, full instructions, the chart and a gold plated needle.…

You will need… 14 count aida ivory, 9x7cm (3½x2¾in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key Peach felt 10x15cm (4x6in) Blue felt 10x15cm (4x6in) x 2 Teal ribbon 6mm x 25cm (10in) Size 24 tapestry needle For stockist details see page 58 Beautiful blue bird Stitching the design STITCH the design using two strands for the cross stitch, and one strand for the backstitch. Make a needle case 1 FOLD the peach felt in half lengthways and cut your stitching to fit the front when folded. Pin, then use two strands to attach the stitching to the felt using running stitches as shown above. 2 PIN the blue felt leaves inside the needle case. Sew down the spine of the needle case, through all the layers, using small running…

You will need… 14 count aida white 5.5x4cm (2½x1½in) x 5 Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 24 tapestry needle Iron-on Vilene 5.5x4cm (2½x1½in) x 5 Downloaded card Baker's twine Stitching the design STITCH your flags using two strands of stranded cotton for the cross stitch and one strand for the backstitch. Make a bunting card 1 DOWNLOAD the card design, template and full instructions from www.willowfabrics.com. Iron the Vilene to the back of each flag and cut out using the downloaded template. 2 FOLD over the blank aida squares at the top of each flag and use double-sided tape or a few stitches to secure over the baker's twine. Attach the twine to the front of your card using strong glue. Make two small twine bows and…

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…

Visit the stitch library Seeking some sweet and speedy designs to while away wintery afternoons? Lucie Heaton has come up with a brilliant and very generous idea! The designer has created a free pattern library, which you can find at www.lucieheaton.com/cross-stitch-patterns-and-designs/free-easy-small-cross-stitch-patterns. “I decided to open the library as a free resource for stitchers who are looking for quick and easy patterns that they might not be able to find anywhere else,” Lucie says. “I have over a thousand of these small designs that I’ve produced during my designing career and I really like the idea of sharing them with my stitching fans.” Currently you can download more than 60 free PDF patterns to stitch, with hundred more motifs in the pipeline. Designs to choose from are really diverse, ranging from…

You will need… Zweigart 14 count aida platinum, ref: 3706/770, 23.5x40.5cm (9¼x16in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 24 tapestry needle Lining fabric 23.5x40.5cm (9¼x16in) Notebook 21x13cm (8¼x5¼in) For stockist details see page 58 Make a recipe book cover 1 WRAP your aida around the notebook to check the position of the front cover and then mark the design area given above on to the fabric using pins. Make sure you have left 1.25cm (½in) at the top and bottom of the fabric for turnings, and 6cm (2½in) on the left and right hand side for the flaps, centring the design between the flaps and the turnings on the book front. If you work on a slightly larger piece of fabric you can cut this to size…

Star letter The winner of our star letter will receive In a Weekend, containing over 50 fun projects, which will help you create unique Christmas decor and clever gift ideas. Each of the designs can easily be made in a weekend using the most affordable and accessible materials. This fabulous book is published by Search Press, RRP £6.99. Well done Lisa, who will be getting her book very soon. Beautiful bookmark I’ve just finished this project from August’s issue. This was the first time I had worked a project off my iPad edition of the magazine and I stitched it over a couple of weeks working on it in bed just before going to sleep. I thoroughly enjoyed working this project and this particular colour palette – I think it…

Stitch our elegant Christmas tree design to add a hint of Christmas glamour to any room of the house. One of the things we love about this design is how easy it would be to customise to your Christmas colour scheme – just swap out the colour of the evenweave and the cross stitch that makes the Christmas tree to completely change the palette. The lightweight embroidery hoop frame without any glass also makes this design the perfect gift to send in the post to far-flung friends and family. Get stitching now to finish before the last posting dates! Stitch your Christmas tree You will need… Zweigart 18 count Davosa emerald green, ref: 3770/630, 30.5x30.5cm (12x12in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key DMC light effects as listed in the…

Meet the designer... Jenny Barton My main inspiration for my Christmas Eve design was our beautiful log burner and fireplace. Our lounge has an instant festive feel to it when the log burner is in use. At Christmas time, I love having a decorated fireplace rather than it being surrounded by the kids’ toys! My favourite Christmas book as a child was The Night Before Christmas. I now read the same book to my children every Christmas and so I thought I'd create my own modern version of one of the pictures from the book. For my final ‘homely’ touch, I decided to add a cute sleeping pet in front of the fireplace. We actually have pet parrots, a gerbil and stick insects so I felt that a sleeping pet…

Tell us about yourself I am currently living in southern California but am originally from Colorado. I am married with no children, but we just got a kitten who keeps us busy. I am currently working as a tutor and am working toward my Masters degree in Teaching. When did you fall in love with cross stitch? I fell in love with cross stitching after my second project. I started it at first as a way to keep busy because I didn’t want to spend every evening just watching TV and it kind of exploded from there. I discovered cross stitch through my mom. What sort of things do you most like to stitch? I’ve always liked stitching really big projects. My first project ever was the Candy Cane Santa…

Meet the designer... Shannon Wasilieff Almost everyone can relate to the hustle and bustle of the season, running into people who you haven't seen in a while. I wanted to capture that in this design, with my lady reaching for the post box and turning around as if she heard her name from a friend, who could also be on their way to the Christmas party. My colour pallete was inspired by a gorgeous vintage Christmas card from the 1950s that used teal and pink with gold accents and just a hint of the usual go-to colours of Christmas. I've used Wisper thread to add some lovely texture to the stitching. To fluff up the Wisper thread to it's full fuzziness, I recommend stitching it, then running a clean toothbrush…

It's the personal touches that make giving and receiving presents a special part of Christmas. Our stitched gift tags, complete with lace trim, are just the thing to let someone know how much you care about them. You can use our alphabet chart to add your own message underneath the Christmas designs. If you are keen to reduce waste, you could make a tag for each member of your family and use the same tags for your presents every year. You could go one step further and make reusable wrapping paper by hemming large squares of festive fabric. Stitch a tag You will need… Zweigart 28 count Cashel blue, ref: 3281/513, 11.5x8.5cm (4½x3¼in) for each tag Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 26 tapestry needle Backing fabric 11.5x8.5cm…

Stitch our winter pincushions as gifts for your crafty friends The third instalment of our seasonal pincushions series features six Christmas scenes, each with a lovely wintery border to match. They would make perfect Christmas presents for your sewing circle, or you could attach a ribbon hanging loop into the top seam as you make them up and display them on a Christmas tree or door wreath. The designs are also just the right size for Christmas cards for your nearest and dearest. If you missed our summer or autumn pincushions by Sheena, you can find them in issues 263 and 267 respectively. “Our pincushions celebrate the best things about winter” “Add a ribbon to the top to make your cushions into tree decorations” Make it yours You will…

You will need… 28 count evenweave white, 15x12.5cm (6x5in) Backing fabric 15x12.5cm (6x5in) Ribbon 10mm (3/8in) x 7.5cm (3in) Stranded cotton as listed in the key Size 26 tapestry needle Split ring Toy stuffing Stitching the design COMPLETE all the cross stitch using two strands of stranded cotton before adding the backstitch in one. Birdcage keyring Make a keyring 1 PLACE the stitched front and the back right sides together. Fold the ribbon in half and slip the loop between the two layers at the top of the birdcage. 2 STITCH together all the way around, a short distance away from the birdcage edge. leaving a small gap along one side for turning. 2 TURN the birdcage right sides out and slip stitch the gap closed. Thread the split ring…

Stockists   Seen something that’s inspired you? Here’s where you can buy it… ANN’S ORCHARD www.annsorchard.co.uk 01342 311545 For contemporary and traditional bead and needlework kits, plus frames to display them in. BARNYARNS www.barnyarns.co.uk 0176 569 0069 For Anchor, DMC and Madeira threads and all kinds of haberdashery supplies. COTTON PATCH www.cottonpatch.co.uk 0121 702 2840 For fabrics, books, wadding, notions, and accessories and other haberdashery. CRAFT LAMPS www.craftlamps.co.uk 01373 454448 Stocking a fantastic array of craft lamps including desk, floor and magnifying lamps, including DaylightTM lamps. CROSS STITCH GUILD www.thecrossstitchguild. com 01285 713678 Online shop selling books, kits, supplies, tools and chart design software. DKH CREATIONS www.dkhcreations.co.uk For cross stitch kits, threads, aida and accessories. DP SOFTWARE www.dpsoftware.com 01454 612598 Software for creating charts for cross stitch and…

Collection 265 • Find the first half of our giant Venice street scene • Save your place with our Art Deco bookmarks • Stitch a stunning dolphin portrait designed by Jayne Netley Mayhew • Make a summery picture with our Kilner jar flowers • Top your home-made jam with our sweet cover • Share some bunny hugs with our adorable picture • Stitch a wild rose sampler 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 Collection 266 • Stitch a sweet feast with our cupcake…