Watercolour artist Carol
sketches and paints her
gorgeous works of art
before turning them into
cross stitch designs. She
creates charts for various
magazines and has
attracted legions of fans
who love her distinctive
style of artwork, which
translates beautifully
into cross stitch.Meet the designer
Carol Thornton
Riverside
retreat
Beneath the cherry blossom, down by the river, our
cottage is the perfect place to escape to this spring
Stitcher’s guide
This design is worked on 28-count ice blue
evenweave over two threads of the fabric
in 30 shades of cotton. Cross stitch is in
two strands of cotton, with lots of fractional
stitches throughout. The backstitch is
worked in one strand, and French knots also
add extra detail in one strand. This project is
recommended for experienced stitchers.How to stitch the design
1
Find the centre of your fabric by
folding it in half horizontally and
vertically. Follow the arrows to find the
centre of the chart and start stitching
here, working your way outwards.2
Work the cross stitch over two threads
of the fabric using two strands of
cotton. For every tiny symbol you see on
the chart, work a fractional stitch.3
Work the backstitch using one strand
of cotton.4
Work the French knots in one strand
of cotton.5
Check over your stitching and prepare
for framing.“A beautiful, crisp
spring day – in real life
or in stitches – is the
perfect tonic for me
when I need lifting
and recharging.”You will need
Fabric Zweigart 28-count ice blue
evenweave (3270/550) measuring
44x44cm (17¼x17¼in)
Threads Stranded cotton as listed in the key
Needle Size 24 tapestry needle
Extras Frame and mount of your choice
with a minimum aperture of
29x29cm (11½x11½in)FOR STOCKISTS’ DETAILS turn to page 59Spring cottage