http://www.gathered.how/woxs The World of Cross Stitching 89
Time to Chat
Where inspires you?
All around, wherever I am, my mind
always seems to be taking notes. I
might see some lovely flowers, an
allotment, cottage garden, chickens in
a pen, old tapestries, even the colours
and light on water in a river.
How do you create your cross
stitch designs?
A lot of my cross stitch design work
usually starts as a painted watercolour.
I can also draw directly onto the
computer using special cross stitch
software when needed.
Do you stitch for pleasure or
prefer designing?
Stitching is very relaxing, and you get
a real feeling of achievement when
a project is finished. At the moment
I prefer the buzz of thinking up new
ideas and designing.
Do you have any other hobbies
or past times?
Yes! Past times, quite literally. I have a
real interest in history and I especially
like the textiles and hand sewing
related to it.How else do you like to
relax and destress?
Well, looking around old
buildings when I can, and I do
a lot of reading at home. I live out
in the sticks, so I try to balance the
design work by being out in the fresh
air as much as possible, often going
walking or working outside in the
garden (it’s quite wild so needs a lot
of work to maintain it). Occasionally,
I also go into the city for a complete
contrast and recharge.What are your ambitions
for the future?
In the future I would like to travel
more, perhaps make some trips
abroad just to paint.MOR E: Turn to page 38 to find Carol Thornton’s
stunning recreation of Notre Dame in stitches.
The lifelike detail and realistic shading will feel
like you’ve been transported right to Paris.Out in the fresh air: Walking
amongst the flowers in her garden
is where Carol is the most contentVibrant patterns: From big,
splashy colours, to minute floral
details, Carol has a varied style
rooted in her love for nature