The World of Cross Stitching - UK (2020-04)

http://www.gathered.how/woxs

Pet of the Month

Pet of the month

We know you’re huge fans of pets, so have us design a cross stitch of a beloved animal!

Q

Hello Durene!

I have a very

unusual stitching

buddy... a bearded dragon! He likes to

sneak around and lay in the sunny spots.

I’d love to see how you make him into

stitches. Many thanks!

Sasha Cole, via email

A

Durene says: Hi Sasha, I hope you

like my cross stitch design of this

bearded dragon. These reptiles have such

a striking look which I think translates very

well into cross stitch. Here I have this

dragon posed with his head held high,

looking for warm sunshine to bathe in.

To create lifelike shading and realistic

detail, I’ve used a combination of different

cream, sand and khaki thread colours.

You’ll be using backstitch to bring the

famous ‘beard’ to life, just under his chin,

as well as his outline to make him really

stand out. Finally, there is only one French

knot in the whole design used to create

the eye (if you prefer, you can always swap

this for a black seed bead instead).

To finish, we’ve created a hanging with

matching green and yellow fabric to

complement the bearded dragon’s

colouring. Hang somewhere with plenty

of light, so this stitchy reptile can enjoy the

sunshine like his real-life counterpart.

Design

my pet!

Project

• There are eight species of
  bearded dragons, affectionately
  referred to as ‘beardies’.


• They’re one of the most popular
  pet reptiles due to their gentle nature
  and being active during the day.
  
  
  • When these dragons feel
    threatened they will puff out their
    beard – the spines found underneath
    their chin and on their necks. Their
    beard can also change colour to black
    when they are feeling stressed.
  
  
  
  

Fun facts about bearded dragons

PE

T^ O

F^ TH

E MON

TH

PE

T (^) O
F (^) THE MO
N
TH
No.^1
pet
72 The World of Cross Stitching
Shopping list
Zweigart 14-count white aida measuring
15x15cm (6x6in)
Stranded cotton as listed in the key
Size 24 tapestry needle
Backing fabric, dowel rod and ribbon of
your choice from local stores
Thread & fabric cost
Approximately £14
For stockists see page 90