Table of contents for January 2017 in Cross Stitch Gold

So what if it’s a little cold and dark outside? The beauty of stitching is that it can transport you to a much sunnier, exotic world when you need it most. And that’s exactly what we have in mind for you, with this your latest issue of Cross Stitch Gold … We have a beautiful butterfly cushion by Fiona Baker (p52), pretty French bicycle hoop courtesy of Durene Jones (p20) and fabulous Flamenco design from Lesley Teare (p12) – all intended to help you shake off the new year blues and bring a little sunshine into your life! We also have a very cute, jute shopping bag (p46), a perfect gift idea for a shopaholic friend, and of course, there are our seriously adorable cover stars, the darling ducklings by…

A little French fancy The wording ‘Le vélo’ offers an additional emphasis on the continental theme of this design, and its swirly, handwritten style aims to complement the pretty stitched images alongside the wording. Backstitch in blue thread helps the letters to stand out perfectly against the muted background of the light mocha cashel linen. A flurry of French knots I’ve used lots of French knots in this design, which help to create the definition and texture of the pattern that surrounds the bicycle and wording. Seed beads can be substituted if you really hate French knots, but the matt texture of thread will work better with the style of this design than sparkly beads, so if you’re able to make French knots it will really add to the overall…

THE EXPERTS JO BENNER Jo is an experienced stitcher and crafter, who writes for several cross stitch magazines. She can help with chart queries and stitching know-how, as well as product questions. FIONA BAKER Fiona is the Technical Editor for Cross Stitch Gold and our sister magazines. She is a talented cross stitch designer, too, and can answer any of your stitching queries. SARAH TREVOR Sarah has worked on cross stitching and craft magazines for over six years. She’s an avid stitcher, and is ready and raring to help you with any of your craft or cross stitch dilemmas. MAGNETIC APPEAL Q I’ve seen some magnetic pottery pin dishes on the internet but I’m not sure if they would work. Surely they should be made of some sort of metal?…

Bobbin’ along During cold winter days there is nothing more cheering than spotting the flashy red of a little robin as he bobs along. Now you can stitch your own with this adorable kit from Bothy Threads. Designed by Hannah Dale it comes with 14-count Zweigart aida with a printed speckled background, pre-sorted stranded cottons, a needle, stitch diagram and instructions. To buy, visit www.bothythreads.com or call 01900 828844. We have 10 Jolly Robin kits worth £27.49 each to give away! The text keyword is GOLD135ROBIN. See the blue box below for entry details. Cheeky chappie Stitching this handsome West Highland White Terrier in a flowery meadow is the perfect way to spend a cosy evening! Adapted from a painting by Leslie Stones, this gorgeous Westie design is available from…

UK stockists CHARLES CRAFT For stockists, visit www.dmccreative.co.uk Call 0116 2754000 COATS CRAFTS UK For stockists, visit www.makeitcoats.com Call 01484 681881 CRAFT CREATIONS Visit www.craftcreations.com Call 01992 781900 CRAFT DEPARTMENT Visit www.craftdepartment.com Call 01539 823199 DMC CREATIVE WORLD For stockists, visit www.dmccreative.co.uk Call 0116 2754000 MADEIRA For stockists, visit www.eqsuk.com Call 0116 2710033 SEW AND SO Visit www.sewandso.co.uk Call 0800 0130150 US stockists 123 STITCH Visit www.123stitch.com Call 1-800-996-1230 ABC STITCH THERAPY Visit www.abcstitch.com Call 1-281-205-7507 ARTS CRAFTS USA Visit www.artscraftsusa.com Call 1-866-621-7779 JULIE’S X STITCH Visit www.juliesxstitch.com…

How to read our charts All our charts are printed in both colour and symbols. Each square on a cross stitch chart contains a symbol, and each symbol corresponds with one stitch. The key that accompanies the chart tells you what thread colour each symbol corresponds to, and how many strands to use for each cross stitch, backstitch or French knot. It also gives you the design's dimensions – you'll need these to cut your fabric to size. The thread numbers listed in the first column of the key refer to the brand that we've used to stitch the design. Conversion numbers for two other brands are given, but they're not always exact equivalents. Avoid mixing more than one brand in the same design. Sometimes you'll need more than one…

Works of art I recently stitched these exhibits for charity. They are artworks by prolific Filipino National Artist Fernando Amorsolo, who is believed to have had a total artistic output in the tens of thousands! His family’s art foundation authorised the conversion of 26 of his paintings to cross stitch, working with DMC Philippines. With aida as canvas, needle as brush, threads as paints and patterns as inspiration, cross stitching brings out the artist in me, albeit a frustrated one! I feel transported to the time and place, capturing the scene side by side with the artist. Grace Perez, Philippines Zeena: A fantastic way to look at your hobby, Grace, and what wonderful stitching too – fabulous interpretations of this artist’s work. Christmas magic I loved Durene Jones’ Christmas sampler…

Lift off! For something fun and utterly adorable, look no further than this design by Margaret Sherry. Up, Up and Away is one of the new Ted & Ed series created exclusively for Bothy Threads, centred around a teddy and his pet dog. In this picture Ted is reaching for the skies with a handful of balloons. Ed is looking on with a worried expression, but Ted is still having fun! The kit comes with 14-count cloudy blue aida, stranded cottons, needle, chart and instructions as well as a signature wooden ‘paw print’ button to make the Ted & Ed logo. The finished design measures 22x25cm (8.6x9.8in) and it uses whole stitches, backstitch and a few fractionals. Buy your kit for £17.99 at www.blacksheepwools.com One vision Let there be light…

Purple reign The various shades of purple used in this design are vital to achieving the realistic look of the buddleia, though I admit they can be a bit of a headache! There are four shades used for this plant so make sure you don’t get them mixed up! Good daylight (or a Daylight lamp) is a must, and it’s also a good idea to take regular breaks and not stitch when you’re tired and more likely to make mistakes. Please do email us a photo of your beautiful finished design – I’d love to see your work! Back to black In these designs black thread doesn’t just add essential detail and outline through the backstitch, it is also used to important effect in the cross stitches themselves. Black stitches…

In the frame I’ve designed my spring ducklings scene within a circular cross stitched frame, using colours that extend out from the main design. This frame device helps to give the picture additional focus and depth, especially as the bottom part of the scene spills out from this rounded frame shape, offering the finished picture a three-dimensional quality. Just make sure you keep an especially close eye on the chart as you stitch this part of the design, to ensure the circular shape remains nice and smooth. A gentle outline I felt that black thread would be too harsh to use for the backstitch in such a sweet and delicate stitched scene, so instead I have used dark smoke grey for the backstitch detail on both the ducklings’ faces and…

Finish your greens With eight different shades of green thread used in this design, you can achieve a great level of naturalism on the countryside in this scene. However, it also means it can be more difficult to keep track of which shade you’re meant to be using. Take your time and always stitch in a good light to ensure you get the right colours in the right places! It’s in the detail This picture really comes to life when you add the backstitch detail. There’s not a huge amount of it, but it adds essential definition to the girl and the poppies in the foreground to create the focal point of the scene and add a sense of depth. It’s especially important to take care when working the backstitch…

Bit by bit One way to order your stitching of this shopping bag design would be to stitch it panel by panel. It really lends itself to this way of stitching, and gives you the chance to take a break after completing each part. You’ll also get a tremendous sense of satisfaction as you watch the design grow, square by square! Tied in knots There are no fractional stitches in this design, and no backstitch either – though there are plenty of French knots! These offer extra texture and detail to the patterns and flowers, and really add to the overall look of the design so they’re well worth the effort! See above for instructions to help you.…

Bright and beautiful GARDENING SAMPLER (BK1459), DMC, £28.95 What’s in the kit Black and white chart 14-count white aida DMC stranded cotton Tapestry needle Size of finished design 25x33cm (9›x13in) Stitching this kit This is a treat for anyone who loves their garden, whether it’s you or someone special to you. It features 12 garden-themed motifs, including flowers sitting in all kinds of rustic pots, and even a cute gnome! Each motif on the sampler can be treated as a project in its own right, making this more relaxing than most large pictures. You may even decide to stitch some images on their own afterwards, as projects for cards and smaller gifts. Most of the detail in this kit is brought about by shading and colour, rather than the use…

1 Trim the stitched piece so that it measures 42cm (16?in) square, making sure the design is in the centre of the fabric. 2 Cut two pieces of fabric measuring 42x28cm (16?x11in) for the envelope-opening back panel. Pin and sew a 1cm (›in) double hem along one long edge of each piece and press. 3 With right sides facing, pin one back panel at the top of the cushion and one at the bottom, so that the two pieces overlap each other. 4 Pin and sew all the way around the edge of the cushion, using a 2cm ( ¾ in) seam allowance. Trim the corners, then turn through to the right side and press. 5 Sew a straight line of stitching all the way around the cushion, 3.5cm (1…