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
Secret
garden
Join this sweet cat and find a warm and sunny
spot to enjoy this peaceful courtyard scene
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 fractional stitches for
extra detail. Backstitch defines the design in
one strand of cotton, and French knots are
also worked 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
on the chart, work a fractional stitch.
3
Work the backstitch using one strand
of cotton.
4
Work the French knots using one
strand of cotton.
5
Check over your stitching and
prepare for making up.
“Whether you sit
outside or inside to
stitch, the detail in
this design will keep
your needle busy for
many happy hours.”
You will need
Fabric Zweigart 28-count ice blue
evenweave (3270/550) measuring
44x47cm (17¼x18½in)Threads Stranded cotton as listed in the key
Needle Size 24 tapestry needle
Extras Box canvas of your choice measuring
25x30cm (9¾x11¾in)FOR STOCKISTS’ DETAILS turn to page 59Sunny courtyard