CharlotteVickyAlesyaJoyEver wondered what stitchers like us are up to in diff erent parts
of the globe? We’veasked readers fromnear and far to become
correspondents for us and share with us their cross stitch news...
Correspondents
Joy Snouff er,
Hagerstown,
Maryland, USA
What comes to
mind when you
think of February?
Bleak, cold days?
Snow? How about love and heartsand
fl owers and chocolates? Yep, me too!
February is the season of love,
especially for me and my ‘Handsome
Hunnie-Man’! On 2 February we are
celebrating our 26th year of wedded
bliss! In the USA,that is also
Groundhog Day, where the coming
of spring is predicted by a pudgy,
sleepy rodent.
In the USA,we have other holidays
in February, such as Presidents’ Day on
the 20th. Many people also celebrate
Shrove Tuesday/Mardi Gras which falls
on 28 Februarythis year. More reasons
for stitching! (As if we need a reason!)
February in Maryland can get rather
cold and snowy, which I really don’t
mind at all! I absolutely love sitting in
the sun room, sipping hot cocoa while
watching the snowflakes softly falling.
Add in a bit of cross stitching and my
day has been made!
Despite the cold weather, toward
the end of the month we’ll start seeing
signs of spring. The American Robins
return, crocuses and snowdrops peep
through the soil, and the buds start
swelling on the trees. February offers
some great topics for our stitching:
hearts, fl owers, cupids, and Valentine’s
Day cards. Our springtime stitching will
also help cheer us during the cold days
of winter. Whatever the weather in your
corner of the world, I hope you fi nd
something wonderful to stitch!
A couple of my Valentine’s designs
2 & 3
American Robin 4
Charlotte McFall,
Sheffield, South
Yorkshire, UK
In 1382 Geoffrey
Chaucer penned
the words which
would forever
associate the feast of St Valentine with
love and romance.
‘For this was on seynt
Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth
there to chese his make’
Translation: For this was on St
Valentine’s Day, when every bird
cometh there to choose his mate.
Over the centuries Valentine’s gifts
have changedfrom handwritten
poems, fl owers picked in the meadow
or in the gardens, to purchased gifts
and cards. It is so nice to go back to
creating a cross stitch giftfor your loved
one, a coaster for his/her cup at work or
at home. Create your own sampler from
scratch featuringsome meaningful
phrases or words you have shared,
using a free alphabet in your recent or
back issues ofCrossStitchermagazine.
My husband isn’t a Valentines Day
person but he’ll never turn down a
handmade card or gift.
Projects such as this Love Tree design
from Bothy Threads make the perfect
Valentine’s gift 1
Charlottewritesunder the nameof
Misty Shaw,and pensromance for
MyWeekly PocketNovels and Mills
and Boon.Shewas the winnerofthe
CarinaMills and Boon Christmasin
July Competition.
Michelle