Table of contents for Christmas 2018 in Cross Stitch Crazy

Katie Kegie Art Editor This month… “I’m so pleased that my first issue of Crazy has Tatty Teddy on page 10!” Alison Maney Production Editor This month… “I’m ready for a stitchy challenge, so I’m making the 3D train on page 44” Emily Godwin Designer This month… “The little festive cars on page 53 are just so bright and cheerful!” Fiona Baker Technical Editor This month… “Lesley Teare’s elegant fairy cards on page 64 are top of my stitch list” Heather Nugent Charting Editor This month… “Turn to page 74 and learn how to make my fun snowball shooter project!” Hannah Erskine Charting Assistant This month… “I’d like to make a set of tags using the winter floral alphabet on page 37” Contact crazy www.facebook.com/crossstitchcrazy www.twitter.com/crazy_magazine www.cross-stitching.com ☎ 0117 300…

Christmas can be one of the busiest times of the year – just ask this family of robins! These sweet birds are hurrying about to get ready for the holidays, hanging stockings and baubles, setting out candy canes and making sure the mistletoe is fixed just so – it’s no wonder one of them literally has his skates on! All of this zooming about will be worth it, of course, once they get their festive to-do list done and they settle down to enjoy the spirit of the season together. Requiring whole stitches and backstitch only, each design can be stitched in a single sitting – useful if you too are hurrying about! Once you’ve finished creating this little troupe of Christmas birds, use double-sided tape to attach each finished…

Add a touch of glamour to your handmade gifts this year with festive motifs in rich purples, cool teals and sparkly metallics! Whether you’re stitching baubles for a modern Christmas tree, creating a stylish advent calendar for the kids or making a pretty card for a friend, these designs will give an extra-special touch to all your presents. Plus, you’ll have so much fun stitching them in just whole stitches and backstitch, you’ll feel like you’re treating yourself, too! Need to know Stitch Time 1-8 hours each (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch, backstitch Shopping List… Threads - Stranded cotton and metallic threads as listed in the key Needle - Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric - Zweigart 14-count white aida measuring a maximum of 15x15cm (6x6in) for most designs and…

Among the jewel-toned buildings of Bethlehem, two new parents huddle inside a humble stable. They peer down lovingly into a manger, entranced by the small miracle inside. Soon angels, kings and more will arrive, but right now all the world seems quiet for this little family. Relive the story of the Nativity with this sumptuous design, created in just whole stitches and backstitch. Turn it into a hanging for your home, or give it to your own loving family this Christmas! Need to know Stitch Time 60 hours (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch, backstitch Shopping List… Threads - Stranded cotton and metallic threads as listed in the key Needle - Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric - Zweigart 14-count navy (589) aida measuring 45x32cm (17¾x12½in). To buy, visit www.sewandso.co.uk or…

Cross stitch for the win! My mother, Maureen Walters, at the tender age of 81 years and three months, was persuaded to enter the Guernsey Eisteddfod needlework exhibition for the first time in her life back in 2017. For her first project, she chose to stitch the first verse of what is recognised as Guernsey’s national anthem. She was awarded a certificate of merit for her effort! Everyone was extremely happy with what she achieved. Mum then entered two pieces of work in the 2018 Guernsey Eisteddfod. One was of a geometric lion from Crazy issue 228, for which she won a merit award. The other was a feeding cockerel, for which she was awarded an honours prize. The funny thing is, she absolutely hated the cockerel design! She pulled…

Start a stitchy snowball fight, no matter the weather! Come rain, shine or snow, these snowball shooters are an easy way to keep kids happy over the holidays. Stitch your favourite designs – the snowman is easiest for new stitchers – and wrap them around cardboard tubes. Then, cut a balloon in half and stick it to the top. Load your tube with cotton wool or paper balls, then pull back the stretchy balloon hat and release to shoot! Shopping List… Threads - Stranded cotton as listed in the key Needle - Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric - Zweigart 14-count pearl flecked white (11) aida measuring 15x20cm (6x7_in) for each design. To buy, visit www.sewandso.co.uk or call ☎ 0800 013 0150 Extras - Cardboard tubes (we used 4.5cm (1¾in) diameter…

… to the Christmas issue of Crazy! It’s the most wonderful time of the year for stitching, so inside you’ll find an amazing 140 charts to inspire you! Start with your fab gift – a set of cute robin gift tags on page 8 – then turn to page 10 for some festive fun with Tatty Teddy. For quick and easy gift ideas, you’ll find a sumptuous selection by Emma Congdon over on page 18, along with a bright retro reindeer table set on page 57. Be sure to check out the beautiful Bethlehem scene on page 28, too – it’s an heirloom you’ll want to bring out every year! As we welcome our new Art Editor Katie to the team this month, I’ll also be bidding a fond farewell…

Crazy loves! Holiday humour These jolly kits are sure to keep you chuckling this Christmas! Fa La La La Llama and Up to Snow Good cost £9.99 each, but you can buy the pair for £17.50 from The Geeky Stitching Company. Hang them in your home to add a cheeky touch to your festive décor, or give them as gifts to a friend with a good sense of humour! To buy, visit www.thegeekystitchingco.com Crazy loves! Teal and treasures Invite the three kings from the Nativity story to visit your home this Christmas! They’ll happily join in on your holiday feast when you stitch them in cool modern teals and blues. This Three Kings Table Runner kit by Haandarbejdets Fremme costs £42.67 and comes with all you need to stitch this…

OVER £1,0 1 2 IN PRIZES TO BE WON! Heritage Crafts kits! Crack open the fizz, pull the crackers and carve the turkey – it’s time to tuck into this splendid stitchy Christmas Dinner design from Heritage Crafts’ Karen Carter Collection. With a delicious Christmas pudding plopped cheerily on the table and bright baubles hanging in the background, this scene will put you right in the mood for holiday fun! This mouth-watering kit is available from www.hcrafts.com or when you call ☎ 01889 575 256, and we have 10 to be won. To enter for your chance to win, visit www.cross-stitching.com to enter for free, or send a postcard labelled ‘Heritage Crafts kits 248 giveaway’ to the address listed below. Tiny Modernist vouchers! We’re big fans of Tiny Modernist’s fresh…

Quick and easy to stitch one a night! Need to know Stitch Time 4-6 hours each (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch, backstitch Shopping List… Threads - Stranded cotton as listed in the key Needle - Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric - Zweigart 14-count white aida measuring 15x15cm (6x6in) for each design. To buy, visit www.sewandso.co.uk or ☎call 0800 013 0150 Extras - 6mm Double Sided Super Sticky Tape from www.lakesideneedlecraft.co.uk; Dala Horse Basics Paper Pack from www.stickerkitten.co.uk; cardstock with hand-cut apertures from local stores Christmas roadster Jolly pickup truck Merry campervan Festive woodie Holiday town car Winter retro car Cheery caravan…

As the free-spirited Maria from The Sound of Music and the fantastical nanny of Mary Poppins, Julie Andrews enchanted children and adults alike with her crystal-clear singing voice and wholesome beauty. Her dreamy eyes and winsome smile shine from this beautiful portrait, capturing the actress’ charming and effervescent spirit. Stitch her to brighten up your home, or give it to a friend who loves a spoonful of sugar or two! Julie Andrews Reader’s pick! Requested by MARIA ELSLEY Who would you like to see as a Crazy Celeb stitch? It might be your favourite actor, a Hollywood icon or even a sporting great! Email your requests to celebstitch@cross-stitching.com or post them to: Celeb stitch, Cross Stitch Crazy, 2nd Floor, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN. If the celebrity you…

Understanding charts and keys Follow the steps below for an introduction to getting started, then use the simple instructions opposite to learn each stitch! Reading the chart Our charts are printed with coloured squares containing a symbol that represents squares to be stitched on the fabric. The key alongside the chart will tell you what colour thread each symbol corresponds to, so you know which one to thread your needle with (see right). Where to start The centre of our cross stitch charts is marked out using small arrows on the edge of each side of the chart. This is the best place to start stitching, so you end up with the design in the middle of the fabric. To find the centre of your fabric, fold it in half…

Emily Tower USA Which project are you most proud of? I’m most proud of a Noah’s Ark quilt I stitched for my daughter while I was expecting her. My husband was deployed to Iraq with the US Army at the time, and it kept my mind focused on the wonderful things to come. Who do you most like to stitch for? I love to stitch for my friends and family. I enjoy giving gifts that have taken time, and that can be personalised with my loved ones’ favourite colours and activities! Which occasion gets your needle twitching? Anything, I suppose! As long as I’m breathing, my needle is twitching. I always have a project or three underway! Who’s your favourite character to stitch? Santa Claus! He’s one of my favourite symbols…

SHADE CARDS BE MY ANCHOR If you love stitching with Anchor threads and have leftover strands that you just can’t identify, use this shade card, costing £19.99, to figure out the thread numbers. This way, none of your miscellaneous cottons will go to waste. It’s so satisfying to get the most out of your stash! To buy, visit www.shop.katzxstitch.co.uk or call ☎ 01237 237 171 MAKE IT SHINE If you’re not sure which Kreinik threads you have already, double check them against this Kreinik Metallic Thread Colour Card! The booklet costs £19.99 from Lakeside Needlecraft, and is easy to fan out and search through. It’s a must-have for sparkle fans! To buy, visit www.lakesideneedlecraft.co.uk or call ☎ 0333 050 1184 DMC FOR DAYS We use a lot of DMC threads…

Fresh poinsettia blossoms, delicate holly boughs and spindly sprigs of ivy twist around romantic calligraphy in this alphabet and numbers set. They bring to mind roaring log fires studded with chestnuts, homemade mince pies, carol singers at the door and all the other jolly Christmas traditions we share with our loved ones every year. Just looking at them makes us excited for hot chocolate, presents and, of course, gorgeous winter florals! To create the curves of the letters and the delicate details of the flowers and fronds, you’ll use a mixture of whole stitches, fractionals and backstitch – great for stitchers looking to practise their stitchy skills! Use a single letter to initial a card or tag, or stitch out a full name to attach to a stocking or sign…

Pouring out a plume of steam from its chimney and pulling carriages fit to burst with sweet festive treats, this delightful stitchy train is chugging its way into all of our hearts! After separately stitching each piece of your steam engine and carriages on plastic canvas, you can learn to make up this tiny marvel on page 48. It’s bound to be the centre of attention, whether you place it on your mantel or under your Christmas tree. All aboard for stitchy fun! Need to know Stitch Time 30 hours for engine + 2 carriages (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch Shopping List… Threads - Stranded cotton as listed in the key Needle - Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric - 14-count clear plastic canvas. To buy, visit www.lakesideneedlecraft.co.uk or call…

Need to know Stitch Time 40 hours for the set (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch, fractionals, backstitch, French knots Dancing the day away and helping to decorate with jingling bells, these doe-eyed prancers will be an uplifting addition to any dinner table. If you’re short on time, the coaster and cutlery holder make an enchanting two-piece set, while stitchers working ahead can whip up the full collection to join in all the reindeer games! Shopping List… Threads - Stranded cotton as listed in the key Needle - Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric - Zweigart 14-count white aida measuring 20x40cm (7¾x15¾in) for the table runner, 22x18cm (8¾x7in) for the cutlery holder and 15x15cm (6x6in) for the coaster available from Sew and So. To buy, visit www.sewandso.co.uk, or call ☎ 0800…

Fluttering their wings as they dance through the air, these Christmas fairies look so elegant on their cards and tags! Each enchanting design is quick to stitch, but the French knots and metallics will offer a fun and interesting challenge for experienced stitchers. Go on, give your holiday cards some sparkle this year! Shopping List… Threads - Stranded cotton and metallic threads as listed in the key Needle - Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric - Zweigart 14-count white aida measuring 15x15cm (6x6in) for the cards and 10x10cm (4x4in) for the tags. To buy, visit www.sewandso.co.uk, or call ☎ 0800 013 0150 Extras - Snowflakes On Pale Blue (SR157P) and Pink Small Stars (SR084P) backing papers. To buy, visit www.craftcreations.com or call ☎ 01992 781 900; 6mm Double Sided Super Sticky…

AFGHAN – a woollen blanket or rug with areas for cross stitching AIDA – the most common cross stitching fabric, made up of thread woven in blocks rather than singly AIDA BAND – a thin strip of aida with a decorative edge, used to adorn towels, bookmarks, etc. Comes in various widths APERTURE – the space through which a design is shown (mainly on cards and in frames) BEADING NEEDLE – a long, fine needle that slides easily through seed and bugle beads DESIGN AREA – the measurement of the finished design, depending on the count of fabric used EVENWEAVE – fabric made from evenly-spaced woven threads. It’s softer and more flexible than aida FABRIC COUNT – the number of holes per inch (HPI) on your fabric. The higher the…