Cross Stitch Gold - UK (2019-07)

Hilltop

hideaway

Make your way through beautiful summer blooms

to climb this hill and reach the castle in the clouds

Meet the designer

Carol Thornton

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.

“This scene brings

nature and history together in a soft,

summer-inspired

palette, complemented

beautifully by the antique-style frame.”

Stitcher’s guideThis design is worked on 14-count white

aida in 31 shades of stranded cotton. Cross stitch is in two strands of thread, 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 densely stitched project is

recommended for experienced stitchers.

How to stitch the design

(^1) centre of the chart and start stitching Find the centre of your fabric by folding it in half both ways. Find the
here, working your way outwards.
(^2) see on the chart, work a fractional stitch.Work the cross stitch using two strands of cotton. For every tiny symbol you
3 Add the backstitch detail using one strand of cotton.
4 Work the French knots using one strand of cotton.
5 Check over your stitching and prepare for framing.
You will need
Fabric Zweigart 14-count white aida measuring 44x44cm (17¼x17¼in)
ThreadsNeedle Size 24 tapestry needle Stranded cotton as listed in the key
Extras Frame of your choice with a minimum aperture of 29x29cm (11½x11½in)
FOR STOCKISTS’ DETAILS turn to page 57
Summer castle Summer castle
50 Cross Stitch Gold Cross Stitch Gold^51
Beside the
seaside
Admire the fashionable beachwear of the 1920s and
soak up the summer vibes with this vintage scene!
Meet the designer
Jenny Barton
Jenny has been passionate about the creative arts
since she was a small child, and went on to
study graphic design at university. Soon after,
she landed a job as a needlework designer for
DMC Creative World, and became a freelance
designer a couple of years later. She loves being
able to work with cross stitch every day!
“Sand, sea, sun, and a friend to enjoy it all
with – what more do
you need? I’m longing for a sunny day to hit
the beach, just like
these stylish ladies!”
Stitcher’s guide
This design is worked on 14-count white aida in 34 shades of stranded cotton.
Cross stitch is in two strands of thread, and backstitch is worked in both one and two
strands. Half cross stitch in two strands is used for the sky. There are also French knots
in two strands, and fractional stitches. This project is suitable for experienced stitchers.
How to stitch the design
(^1) centre of the chart and start here. Find the centre of your fabric by folding it in half both ways. Find the
(^2) see on the chart, work a fractional stitch.Work the cross stitch using two strands of cotton. For every tiny symbol you
3 Work the half cross stitch in two strands of cotton.
4 Add the backstitch detail using one or two strands of cotton.
5 Work the French knots in two strands of cotton.
6 Check over your stitching and prepare for framing.
You will need
Fabric Zweigart 14-count white aida measuring 39x42cm (15¼x16½in)
Threads Stranded cotton as listed in the key
NeedleExtras Size 24 tapestry needle Frame and mount of your choice with
a minimum aperture of 23.5x27cm (9¼x10¾in)
FOR STOCKISTS’ DETAILS turn to page 57
Beach scene Beach scene
18 Cross Stitch Gold Cross Stitch Gold 19
This beachy scene
is complemented perfectly by a pale,
driftwood-style frame
Stitch tip
8 large designs in every issue
The world’s best designers
Expert stitching advice and tips
Dear reader,
If you love to get a good deal
on your stitching essentials,
then look no further than this
great offer. Save a huge 50%
on the shop price of Cross Stitch
Gold and pay just £26.95 for 9 issues!
Don’t miss out on this fantastic saving

• treat yourself today, or delight a fellow

stitcher with a gift subscription.

In every issue of Gold:

Zeena, Editor, Cross Stitch Gold

Your questions answered

Prize winner!

Q

It’s up to me to buy the

main raffle prize for our cross stitch circle. I’ve

been told I can spend up to £50 but I’m trying for best value – it’s

for fundraising so I don’t see the point in spending it all. Can

you find me a prize that will sell tickets, please?

Esther Golding, Lanarkshire

A

Fiona:Mouline Étoile I think DMC’s

make a super top Collector’s Tin would

THE EXPERTS

JO BENNERJo is an experienced

stitcher and knitter, who writes for several craft

magazines. She’s on hand to help with chart

queries and stitching know-how, as well as

product questions.

FIONA BAKER Fiona is the Technical

Editor for Gold and our sister Cross Stitch

magazines. She is a talented cross stitch

designer, too, and can answer any of your

stitching queries.

HEATHER NUGENTHeather is the Charting

Editor for Gold and our sister Cross Stitch

magazines. With a passion for stitching and

sewing, she is here to help with charting and

making-up questions.

prize, and it’s only £30! This lovely silver box contains all 35

new colours of this sparkling DMC thread. The thread is just

as easy to stitch with as normal stranded cotton, but the sparkly

shimmer will add another dimension to your stitching.

Made from 73% cotton and 27% Lurex, it’s the perfect

thread for stitchers who like the effect of metallics, but don’t

like stitching with them. There

Cross Stitch Gold 41

are also some free charts in the tin to

give an eager stitcher inspiration. To buy

the tin go to http://www.sewandso.co.uk.

Easy

threading^

Q

My mum can still

but she has trouble cross stitch

threading her needles. I usually thread

them for her, but she finds this frustrating,

and sometimes I am away at weekends so I’m not around.

Q

My husband mends computers, so I would

for his birthday that relates love to stitch a present

to his job. I would prefer a chart, as I have lots of threads

and can then stitch it with his favourite colours.

Debra Johns, Leeds

A

Jo: is available as a This fun design

a kit for £29.95) and comes chart for £10.95 (or

with four computer-related sayings. If you don’t like

the one featured you can

choose from: ”When life gives you questions, Google

has answers”; “No I won’t fix your computer”; and “To

err is human, but to really screw things up requires a

computer!”. This design would look great on a wall, or you

could sew panels of fabric at each side to make it into a

cushion. The finished size is 28.5x28.5cm (11¼x11¼in). To

buy, visit http://www.stitchtastic.com.

COMPUTER CROSS STITCH!

Are there any other ways to help her?

Sheena Fairley, Surrey

A

Heather: really like I

threading needles these easy-

from John James. The needles have a ‘Calyx

Eye’ which means the eye has a small slot in

the top – all you have to do is lay the thread

across the top and pull it down into the

eye. To buy a pack of four size 28 needles

for 99p (plus postage) go to http://www.mariescrossstitch.co.uk.

Stitch this fun design to delight a techy friend!

This special tin makes a perfect stitchy raffle prize

Try Calyx Eye needles if you find normal

needles hard to thread

Straighten up

Q

When I’ve finished stitching, I like to iron

and straighten it up at the same my project on the back

time. I don’t have a lot of space but would like

something more professional than

the old towel I use! Is there a

blocking board that is fairly

reasonable?Fran Collins,

by email

A

Heather:The Prym

board cover ironing

does double is fantastic. It

duty as a normal ironing board cover

but with the added features of measurements, to help you pin

and block your fabric to shape. The cover is a single layer of

fabric, so it would be best to put it over your old ironing

board cover to make sure you

have the padding you need. Don’t worry about taking it

off when you do your normal ironing – as the cover is cotton,

it can be used for clothes and sheets, as well as your cross

stitch fabric. To buy it for £9.99 go to http://www.johnlewis.com.

Grime guards

Q

I use Q-Snap frames and have seen grime

various forums. Will they make guards mentioned on

a difference and are they very expensive?

Lorraine Holloway, Plymouth

A

Fiona: Yes, they

big difference to make a

the edges of your fabric, which can

easily get dirty with the constant

movement of your hand whilst

stitching. The added bonus

is that they can hold rolled-up fabric

tidily, which again, keeps it out of the way – and

clean. If you can sew, there is a handy tutorial to make your

own at http://www.thread-bare.com/2017/12/30/how-to-make-

a-grime-guard. They can be made to fit any Q-Snap frame,

circular frame or rotating frame. For a ready-made version,

visit http://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Woodandcat. They have a

selection of grime guards – just choose your size and the fabric.

Prices range from £4.72 for a small one to £11.81 for a large.

Stitch trouble

Q

How do I do a three-quarter stitch? My

spectacularly rubbish so far. attempts have been

Daisy Lee, by email

A

Fiona: take a bit of practice. This stitch does

and a quarter stitch, so try Basically it’s a half stitch

to think of it as two separate stiches and it

won’t seem so bad. The

way to do it is to work the

quarter stitch first – in the example above,

you would bring the needle up at the bottom left of the

aida block and take it down in the middle. Next, work a half

cross stitch in the opposite direction – top left to bottom

right. This results in a shaped stitch that’s ideal for creating

curved edges and extra detail.

White on white

Q

I’m stitching a white section in my project

and I can’t get it to

show up – it just looks flat and slightly grubby. What can I do?

Angela Gerrish, Coventry

A

Jo:swapping your usual You could try

a silkier, glossier thread, which embroidery thread for

will reflect the light and make your white stitches shine. We

like Anchor’s Coton à Broder (non-divisible) and DMC’s Satin

Embroidery Thread (divisible into six strands). To buy a

30m skein of Anchor Coton à Broder for £1.25 go to http://www.

sewandcraft.co.uk, or buy an 8m skein of DMC’s Satin Thread

from http://www.dmc.com for £1.25.

40 Cross Stitch Gold

Q

My little girl is fascinated

I’ve found a printed by Hello Kitty.

Hello Kitty duvet set for her room, but

would love to stitch

her something a little different to

add to the theme. Charlotte Redkin,

Swansea

A

Jo:stitch cushion kit This chunky cross

of colour to her room! There should add a burst

are a few Hello Kitty designs in the Vervaco range but this

one, with its little trumpet and blue background, isn’t

the traditional pink that most little girls have. The design

measures 40x40cm (16x16in) and, with 14.4 holes per inch,

it will stitch up quickly using the acrylic yarn included in

the kit. Buy it for £34.61 at http://www.sewessential.co.uk.

HELLO

KITTY!

Your questions

Keep the edges of your work clean with a pretty

fabric Grime Guard

This ironing board cover is an asset to any craft room

There are many colours of Coton à Broder to choose from for your project

Chunky cross stitch is quick and easy

Ask the experts

Send your questions to [email protected] or Ask the experts,

Cross Stitch Gold, 2nd Floor, Tower House, Fairfax St, Bristol BS1 3BN

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