Table of contents for May 2019 in Cross Stitch Crazy

… to the May issue of Crazy! We’ve had travel on the brain this month, so we wanted to bring you stitchy inspiration from around the world. First, let’s take a trip under the sea to visit our adorable mermaid cover stars, designed by Belle & Boo. Then, we’re stopping off to visit Amsterdam, Morocco and Japan – in stitches, of course – so be sure to take the holiday set on page 50 with you. It includes a passport cover, a luggage tag and a postcard! While we’re away, we’ll pretend we’re stitchy secret agents, thanks to the super fun spy kit for kids on page 64. And of course, we won’t be able to resist posting a few cards back home – turn to page 37 to stitch…

As the flowers of May start to bloom, you just might find this adorable pair frolicking among the flowers at the bottom of your garden! Whether they’re taking a nap in a handkerchief hammock or climbing flower stems to get a better look at butterflies, these mice are making the most of their balmy spring afternoons. Take a page from their book and enjoy a relaxing warm-weather stitching session as you capture these charming scenes using whole stitches, fractionals and dainty French knots, as well as lots of backstitch for detail. You’ll find everything you need to stitch these cuties inside your kit, plus two floral aperture cards and envelopes – post your finishes to a friend to brighten up their day! These cheerful mice are sure to delight adults…

When she’s not busy questing for ancient artifacts in Tomb Raider, cursing princesses as the wicked fairy in Maleficent or training newbie assassins in Wanted, Angelina Jolie spends her off-screen time helping those in need! This Hollywood heroine works tirelessly alongside international charity projects to provide aid to refugees all over the world. Whether she’s winning an Academy Award or collaborating with the United Nations, Angie’s a star worth celebrating in stitches. Angelina Jolie 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 request is picked to…

You may remember, a few months ago, nominating and voting for your favourite stitching choices for 2019. All of your votes have been counted, and the winners were announced at a glamorous awards ceremony held in February at the Craft Hobby + Stitch International show at the NEC in Birmingham. The room was buzzing with some of the biggest names in British craft, and glasses of fizz were enjoyed all around. And now we can finally reveal whether your top stitchy choices picked up an award this year! DESIGNER OF THE YEAR Sally Wilson “Wow – I’m so thrilled and grateful for this award! What an honour it is to receive this recognition from you, the stitchers. I absolutely love this inspirational stitching community and will continue working hard to…

Discover the beauty of Japan as you stitch these graceful letters and numerals! Catch sight of swirling koi karp, be amazed by towering pagodas and marvel at the falling cherry blossoms that accompany each character. The bold alphabet and numbers are stitched in the style of traditional ink brushstrokes, and the elegant motifs beside them are inspired by Japanese crafts, flowers, architecture and more. Give yourself a stitchy challenge with the dainty French knots and fractionals in these designs, then use your finished stitches to create a new cushion for your sofa, as we did, or embellish a jacket, transform a tote bag or personalise any gift you like for a friend. As you stitch, pop on the kettle for some sencha tea, flick on your favourite Japanese movie or…

Watch all the wonders of springtime burst to life on your aida as you stitch this set of darling Easter basket scenes. Filled with bold flowers, chirping birds and vibrantly coloured eggs, these stitches are sure to brighten any recipient’s day. Bring them to life using whole stitches, fractionals and backstitch, then attach them to pretty pastel cards and tags to finish. Send them to friends and family to become everybody’s favourite Easter bunny this year! Need to know Stitch Time 2-5 hours each (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch, fractionals, backstitch ShoppingList… Threads - Stranded cotton as listed in the key Needle - Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric - Zweigart 14-count white aida measuring 12x12cm (4¾x4¾in) for each card and 10x10cm (4x4in) for each tag. To buy, visit www.sewandso.co.uk…

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…

Katie Kegie Art Editor This month… “I’ve already started the sweet mouse cards on page 8 – I couldn’t wait!” Lou Smith Production Editor This month… “I’m just so in love with the pretty Amsterdam hoops on page 42” Emily Godwin Designer This month… “I’m planning on using the Japanese alphabet on page 57 to make a purse” Fiona Baker Technical Editor This month… “The sparkly heart tree on page 28 fills me with joy every time I see it!” Heather Nugent Charting Editor This month… “I had so much fun creating the chart for Angelina Jolie’s stitchy portrait on page 19” Hannah Erskine Charting Assistant This month… “Emma Congdon’s Moroccan gift ideas on page 20 are so colourful” Contact crazy www.facebook.com/crossstitchcrazy www.twitter.com/crazy_magazine www.cross-stitching.com ☎ 0117 300 8788 Cross Stitch…

Bring the colours of Morocco to your own living room as you stitch this elegant set of motifs! As you create these bright lanterns, luscious tagines and stunning tiles, your needle will take you on a journey through the buzzing souks and twisting medinas of Marrakech, Fez and more. Best of all, most of these small charts will only take you an evening to stitch, so you can whip up fab gifts faster than you can say ‘salaam’! Need to know Stitch Time 1-5 hours each (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch, backstitch ShoppingList… Threads - Stranded cotton 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 14-count white 1in aida band…

With sparkles in every stitch, this colourful tree will brighten any spot you hang it in! If you’re a beginner looking to move on to your first big project, look no further. Each heart-shaped leaf uses whole stitches framed with bold backstitch, making this a relaxing project that’s fun and easy to create! Stitch your tree in DMC’s glittery new Étoile threads, or use this design as a fab stash-buster – just swap out the shades we used for any cottons you have going spare in your collection. You could even try to work each ‘leaf’ in a different colour! Just be sure to stitch this whole project with love. Need to know Stitch Time 15 hours (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch, backstitch ShoppingList… Threads - Stranded cotton as…

New to stitching Here’s my first-ever stitch! I decided to start off small, so I purchased a little kit from Mouseloft. I didn’t think that I would be able to complete it, but I did! It’s a little messy on the back and I’ve made a few errors, but I’m super proud of it. I plan on turning it into a birthday card for my mum. I’ve now subscribed to Crazy and am looking forward to seeing what other people have stitched. My next project is the pretty bookmark from issue 252, which I’ve started already. I think I’ll keep this one for myself when it’s finished. I like how stitching relaxes me after a long day at work. Plus there are so many possibilities of things I can stitch…

Pack your bags and jet off around the world with this stitchy set! If you fancy an exciting trip abroad, use whole and half stitches as well as bold backstitch to personalise your luggage with a cute tag – then, whip up a trendy passport cover using our step-by-step tutorial on page 54. Or, if you’re planning to hop in the campervan for a romp around the country, stitch and send a delightful roadtrip postcard – it’ll let your loved ones know how much fun you’re having! Need to know Stitch Time 20 hours for set (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch, half cross stitch, backstitch ShoppingList… Threads - Stranded cotton as listed in the key Needle - Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric - Zweigart 14-count cream (0770) aida measuring…

PSYCHEDELIC PETALS We love the dazzling colour combination in this mandala design. The Modern Mandala downloadable PDF costs £4.18 from Stitching Land. To buy, visit www.stitchingland.etsy.com BAGS OF STYLE Raise the fashion stakes and put your stitching on show with this stylishly spiritual tote. Tiny Modernist’s Sew Boho Mandala project costs £7.66 from www.tinymodernist.com BLOOMING BRILLIANT! Meditate on these pretty kaleidoscopic floral sprays as you stitch this joyful design. The Flower Mandala chart costs £3.69 from Axebe. To buy, visit www.axebe.etsy.com…

Louise Rousell Hampshire Which project are you most proud of? My mum’s recent Christmas present – it was Ducks and Daffs from Bothy Threads’ Wrendale range. It now hangs in her kitchen for everyone who comes around to see and admire! Who do you most like to stitch for? I love to stitch for my mum. She appreciates the time and effort that goes into every stitch. How cross stitch crazy are you? I’m far too cross stitch crazy. I have too many kits but still can’t resist picking up new ones, especially if I can get them for a bargain. Who is your favourite character to stitch? I love to stitch anything and everything Disney! I’m lucky enough to have a few of the Disney Dreams and original Disney…

Star letter You are a winner! P Steel Finally finished Hello, Crazy team! I just had to send you a photo of my latest finished project. I did this for my partner, who was over the moon with it. I started it on 5th June 2016 and finished it on 6th November 2018. Not bad for an 85-year-old! This project helped me get through losing my oldest son to cancer. P Steel, Somerset Alison says: What an intricate and striking piece. The whole Crazy team wishes you and your family the best, and I’m pleased that stitching this project was such a comfort to you. We hope that you’ll share more of your work with us in the future! Card convert I wanted to share with you the first card…

Colour splash These jazzy Embroidery Hoops from Milward are here to add a pop of colour to your stash! For £10.80, you can stitch your WIPs in these bright beauties. They come as a set of four, each in a different size and colour – purple (3in), blue (5in), red (7in) and green (9in). And as an added bonus, these hoops have clever grooves that lock your work into place so you can keep your fabric taut and your stitches nice and even. To buy, visit www.sewandso.co.uk or call ☎ 0800 013 0150 CRAZY LOVES! Away we go! Get yourself in the holiday mood when you stitch the new Travel the World collection by Rico Design. Inside, you’ll discover swaying palm trees, fancy flamingos, iconic buildings, scenic landscapes and more!…

Let these relaxing pastel projects transport you to the capital of the Netherlands, where canals filled with bobbing boats flow gently past colourful shopfronts and world-class art museums. Amsterdam is filled with unique sights and experiences, and you can capture a bit of its magic when you stitch these sweet scenes. Whether you make them into hoops, turn them into album covers or transform them into mini-cushions, your finishes will take you on a stitchy journey every time you see them! Need to know Stitch Time 18 hours each (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch, fractionals, backstitch ShoppingList… Threads - Stranded cotton as listed in the key Needle - Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric - Zweigart 14-count white aida measuring 23x23cm (9x9in) for each design. To buy, visit www.sewandso.co.uk or…

Stitching with children 1 Use plastic needles rather than metal ones. These are bigger than tapestry needles, so they’re easier for little fingers to hold – plus they’re not as sharp! 2 Pick really easy kits, particularly when kids are just starting out. Mouseloft has a huge range of cute, simple-to-stitch designs available. 3 You can buy aida with bigger holes to make stitching easier, or try plastic canvas, which is a bit easier to hold and more robust. 4 Try to find kits with the design printed directly onto the fabric. With these, your little one won’t need to count their stitches. 5 Choose something useful for them to make, such as a pen-topper or bookmark, so they can show their hard work off to their friends. Makes like…

Every budding bobby needs a detective’s toolkit to help them save the world, so we’re on a mission to assist you in cracking open those big cases! Keep your all-important documents safe, protect your hideout from potential spies and let everyone know you’re on the case with this investigator’s set! You’ll make quick work of these designs, as they’re created with mostly whole stitches with just a tiny bit of backstitch. Good luck, Agent Stitcher! Need to know Stitch Time 10-12 hours for the set (approx) Stitch Types Whole cross stitch, backstitch ShoppingList… Threads - Stranded cotton as listed in the key Needle - Size 24 tapestry needle Fabric - Zweigart 14-count white aida measuring 15x15cm (6x6in) for the badge and stamp and 15x20cm (6x¾in) for the hanging. To buy,…

With May flowers on the way, celebrate the wonders of wet weather with these quick charts Stormy weather £3.85, Rainy Cloud by Stitchonomy www.stitchonomy.etsy.com Beginners can stitch this cloud in all its rainy glory using just three shades of thread. Kids may want to try stitching it on 11-count aida as a first project, or you can stitch it on 14-count aida or over two threads on 28-count evenweave. Love cats £3.36, Cats Love Under the Rain by Cross Stitching For Fun www.crossstitchingforfun.etsy.com These cats look so in love! This would make a cute birthday or anniversary gift for your special someone. It’s stitched in 20 colours using whole stitches and backstitch, and measures 15.5x12.3cm (6x4¾in) on 14-count aida. Drops of love £4.64, Cloud by Cross Stitch Factory www.crossstitchfactory.etsy.com If…

Perfect for beginners Small, quick-to-stitch designs, such as the apple opposite, are ideal to try if you’re new to stitching. For more simple designs, try these: ▶ PAGE 8 Spring mouse cards ▶ PAGE 20 Moroccan gift ideas ▶ PAGE 34 Cute meerkats ▶ PAGE 57 Japanese-style abc ▶ PAGE 77 May Day designs 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 symbols that represent 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…