When Mr X Stitch began cross stitching, he enjoyed the simple creativity of it as an accessible form of embroidery.

 Today he's trying his hand at railroading his stitches and wanted to share his thoughts...

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"When I discovered the software that allows you to turn any picture into a cross stitch pattern it opened me up to a myriad of possibilities fro me and I became absorbed in creating new patterns from graffiti, comic book artwork and graphic designs that I liked the look of.

"From there, the evolution to designing my own patterns and making stitcheries based on offhand remarks, snarky phrases or even spam email titles. I had a lot of fun exploring what I could get away with.

"But lately, I've been developing an interest in the process of stitching, and more specifically the value of railroading. It all began when a good friend of mine, Stitchalicious, visited from Germany. She's an extremely talented stitcher and she showed me the benefits of taking the time to get my threads laying flat.
"I won't lie, it's taken me some time to find my groove. Previously, I'd just stitch away without a care in the world but now I'm finding that a bit of extra time spent making sure the stitches sit next to one another is more rewarding in the long term.


"For this experiment (above) I've taken a highland cow chart and inverted the pattern so it's stitched on black aida instead of white and will turn out blue instead of brown. But wait for it... I'll be adding glow in the dark backstitch too!

"Rather than invest in a specific laying tool, I've found that my twin pointed quick stitch needle does the job nicely. And over time I've surprised myself by adapting to the new, slower, approach to stitching, but it feels like the right thing to do.

"I might not be able to crack the pieces out as quickly as I could, but the improvement in quality is worth it. I'm sure it's a Zen thing..."

In the current issue of CrossStitcher you'll find an inspiring interview with wildlife expert Simon King and a delightful puffin chart that his crafty sister Debbie Cripps helped create.

This exclusive chart was created from a photograph Simon took on the Shetland Isles and we've got a special insight into the story behind that picture just for you. So, scroll down for an interesting insight into his world of wildlife... and craft!



Wildlife expert Simon King has been painting and drawing for as long as he can remember, and with his creative sister Debbie Cripps offering cross stitch as inspiration, he’s a man who knows a thing or two about craft! “This puffin photograph was taken in 2006 at Sumburgh Head in mainland Shetland, home to a colony of around 2,000 pairs of puffins alongside guillemots and razorbills. Treshnish, Farne Isles, the Isle of May and Lundy are but a few place to see puffins in the wild, but the Shetland Isles are one of the few places in the UK where you can get within a couple of meters of them!”

Besides his passion for the natural world, Simon has always had a lively interest in crafts. He grew up in a creative household, so it’s not surprising that he’s already worked on a series of cross stitch kits for his sister’s company ‘from Debbie Cripps’. “Debbie and I don’t have many opportunities to work together,” says Simon, “so to see one of my photographs turned into cross stitch with such sensitivity and flair is wonderful.”

But, it’s not just sister Debbie who is a dab hand with crafts! “I’ve had a go at sculpture and wood carving too!” says Simon. “I think birds make particularly good subjects for craftsmen, especially when they’re in flight. They make such beautiful shapes!”

It was the work of Sir David Attenborough and cameraman Hugh Miles that inspired Simon’s career in wildlife photography, but what is it about puffins that made Simon head to Shetland to study them in their natural habitat? He says, “They’re everyone’s favourite birds, you’ve just got to love them! Puffins are utterly charming. They’re sweet, pompous and comical. You can really see their gentlemanly characteristics as they strut along cliff tops!”

When it comes to travelling, Simon’s had his fair share of exploration but when it comes to favourite places his little puffin friends make the Shetland Isles hard to resist. Simon said: “As far as the most inspiring place I’ve ever visited, there really is too many places to mention. I suppose if pushed it would be hard to choose between Shetland and Africa as they are so diverse.”

You'll find Simon and Debbie's puffin chart in issue 223 of CrossStitcher, which is on sale until 25th February. 

PS: Don’t forget to drop us an email if you stitch this chart... as always, we love to see your finished pieces!

Cross stitch is a gateway craft, I'm certain of it. It seduces you with how easy it is and what a simple pleasure it provides. But it’s not long before you start wanting more…

I started cross stitching over six years ago, and for a long time I was content to merely follow prescribed patterns and really enjoyed the meditative state of stitching and create lovely pieces of stitched art. But after a couple of years I began realising that just wasn’t enough for me.

And so I began exploring ways of making my own patterns, seeking out alphabets and border patterns that could be combined in new and interesting ways to better reflect my world view.

The pleasure in creating a snarky phrase, juxtaposing it with a floral border was immense.

Much enthusiasm and merriment was had in finding new ways to deliver subtle sarcastic stitcheries that would immediately offend people’s sensibilities.

There has been a rise in the number of people doing snarky stitching. Subversive cross-stitchers all over the world are stitching phrases that you wouldn’t necessarily show your grandma but it’s been a great way of introducing the craft to a new range of people who may have ignored it otherwise.

For me, the stitching of swearwords and obvious insults doesn’t tickle my fancy – it’s a bit obvious and although I do possess some pretty rude pieces of embroidery, I don’t tend to stitch that kind of thing any more. I’m more interested in that fine line between insult and humour; that backhanded complement that you only work out five minutes after the fact, by which time it’s too late to do anything about it.

One of my best friends, Beefranck, is a very talented stitcher who is perfecting the art of snarky stitching and combining it with traditional colour palettes to create pieces that look like antique phrases, but have an extremely contemporary dose of sarcasm. I love ‘em. But you know what, even that’s not enough any more.

So, now I’m broadening my horizons. Among my Christmas gifts this year was an Embroidery Stitch Bible, with over 100 new types of embroidery and needlepoint for me to try... and you know what, I’m going for it!

Don’t get me wrong, I will always love cross stitch. It’s where I began and it’s something I will always come back to (partly due to the vast number of WIPs I’ve got on the go) but the thought of being able to use split stitch, Norfolk stitch or Siberian sheep shank stitch * is quite thrilling.

Who knows where I’ll end up after that...


* This is not a real stitch, but it sounds like it should be!

PS: You'll find Mr X Stitch online at www.mrxstitch.com and www.etsy.com/mxstitch

You may recall we invited Mr X Stitch,  aka Jamie Chalmers, to join our blog as a regular columnist back in April and we’re glad to say he’s back with this fascinating second instalment.

As a champion for male stitchers everywhere Mr X Stitch covers some of the most bizarre and quirky alternative cross stitch movements on his blog, which we think is well worth a visit! For now, we’ll leave you to ponder over this hilarious take on ‘Works In Progress’… we’ve all got them!

Enjoy!

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Works In Progress, also known as the Never Ending Story

I’d like to take a moment to discuss the phenomena known as the Work In Progress.

I’ve been stitching for over six years and my largest WIP turns five this Christmas. If I was talking about a child, I’d be very proud on how well he was doing at school and what kind of friends he’d made, and I’d have pieces of his ‘art’ stuck on the fridge. However because my WIP is a huge stitchery of “The Kiss” by Klimt, all I can do is periodically dust him down and contemplate finishing him.

If The Kiss was the only WIP I had, it wouldn’t be so bad, but I am the proud father of two other large WIPs as well, based on my own graffiti pattern designs – Panika, aged two and a half and Miss71 aged one and three quarters.

I’m always impressed with the dedication of people who start a large stitching project and follow it through to completion without deviating from their mission. If I don’t have a time constraint on a piece, then at some point there is inevitability to its evolution into a WIP in a stationery holding position. As well as my three big pieces, I also have at least five small WIPs on the go, and like an entertainer on the Generation Game, I keep those WIPs spinning, getting ever closer to completion.

On the face of it, the reason for WIPs is fairly simple – after a long period of time spent focussing on one piece, a certain ennui sets in and the joy of creation loses its magic slightly. For me a lot of this is to do with the colour palette that I’m stitching at the time – The Kiss is predominantly yellows and golds, Panika is purples and blues and Miss71 is a contemporary palette including teal, grey and pink. After a while of stitching the same spectrum of colour, I find myself starting to go slightly loopy, often staring into the distance without stitching anything, at which point my wife will come along and remove the WIP from my floor standing frame, therein breaking my trance.

I’m confident that one day I’ll finish these WIPs, and I shall frame them and stick them on the walls of my lounge with small signs indicating how long they took to complete. I know I will. But I think it’s best not to ask exactly when that will be…

Over to you, dear reader, how old is your oldest WIP?

Don’t be ashamed to answer, we’re all friends here…

"Today I am celebrating a whole two weeks of being a vegetarian. I have managed this life choice before - for three years - but returned to being an omnivore when I became pregnant with my first daughter. For me, it's a simple equation in that when I see an animal and think 'ahh, how cute', I can't then go to the fridge and fry it up. My dilemna, my body, my choice.

I find the older I get the more I entertain things that I would see as 'self improvement'. I realise it could be compensation for a face that is slowly melting in front of the mirror, but it works for me. I choose to shift my focus to the inside rather than the outside. I try to look after myself, I try to eat well, I try to practice living in a spirit of understanding, tolerance and forgiveness... I try and I fail, every day.

I was in my studio earlier, pondering all things 'spiritual'. Soft music was playing on the radio and I was thinking happy thoughts and wafting around feeling I should be barefooted, dressed in white linen and indian beads to match my mood. I was feeling mellow, I was feeling righteous! The postwoman knocked on the door. Oooo, a delivery for me - life is good! I had forgotten I had ordered a book called 'Living the Wisdom of the Tao' which was ordered to encourage the new vegetarian, love-and-peace, hippy-celebration that I felt was now the real me. I flicked through the pages, just a short book, "I will read it tonight" I thought, and absorb it's wisdom. It will make me a better person.

Just as I was closing the book, I noticed a small moth fluttering around my wool. The animals are my friends these days, but moths and wool? No way. Before I knew what I was doing, I shut the book and with a scream of "WHAT THE..." brought it smashing down on the poor little creature.

I feel ashamed, dear reader. But like I said, I try and I fail every day."

 

Top designer Emily Peacock has taken some time out from her hectic schedule to reveal how she overcame a kit-related mishap.

Emily suffered for her art

Emily writes:

"I’m in agony. Having packed kits for the last month the middle finger of my right hand – my ‘winding finger’ – has quit without giving notice.

For me, so much lies in the presentation of my kits. I get secret pleasure from seeing my wools lying inside the pack in neat rows, twisted into bright, fat, little caterpillars. The method for achieving such greatness lies in the folding of workable lengths of wool, inserting my winding finger in the loop and making small circular motions until the desired tension is achieved... not too tight you understand, nor limp and apologetic. Just so. The ends are then inserted through the loop, the tension is adjusted evenly and there you have it: Perrr-fection.

I rub my finger feeling sorry for myself and wonder how on Earth I can continue working. Rest, after all, is the cure for such repetitive strain injuries.
“We could use a pencil instead of your finger,” says my youngest daughter.
“Good idea, but it would take too long.”
“Could you use your other hand?” says my eldest.
“The same might happen – and these days I am trying to learn from my mistakes.”
“What if I take one end,” jokes my husband, “and run around you in circles, in a sort of homage to a May Pole dance?”
Ordinarily I would have laughed, but I am not to be amused. They back off.

I grump into the kitchen to cook dinner and soon various sounds emanate from the living room. A snap is followed by a silence, a whirring noise and the sound of two girls giggling.

Hubby emerges pink-faced and beaming into the kitchen. “I have it,” he says.
He holds up a contraption that has clearly taken inspiration from Wallace and Gromit. The hook of a coat hanger has been jammed into the front of a cordless drill, which he proudly demonstrates with a whirr.
“I call it The Peacock 3000– it’ll be patented as a wool-winder, but you could probably also whip up a mean omelette.”

The finger is now beginning its recovery process and I am one happy wool-winding bunny. I look at my husband with a new-found curiosity and wonder where all this ingenuity could take us... Hmmmm. Something for catching spiders and opening jars perhaps... "

• For more of Emily's sumptuous designs, visit her website.
  

For those of you who enjoyed reading our interview with Charlotte Liddle in issue 199, you'll be pleased to hear that Charlotte's brand new redesigned and updated website has just been launched.



Click here to take a look at all the fabulous things you can buy, all designed by Charlotte, including brooches, cards and kits, and browse through the Gallery to see her work to date. Make sure you keep an eye on the News and Events page for details of Charlotte's workshops. If you need any more details she would love to hear from you! All the contact details are on the website.

www.charlotteliddle.co.uk

After a very hectic time during the last six months and in between writing two new books for David & Charles (3D Rubber Stamping, and Cross Stitch 100 Cards) I've just completed my brand new website and I'm so excited about it I had to tell you all!

You can find freebies and new charts to download at www.joannesanderson.com  I will continue to add new charts almost daily and I have plenty more freebies to add too, so watch this space. Readers can also email me on the contact form – I would love to hear from you.

With only a few weeks left to complete my latest book it's panic stations here. Thank goodness I have some help with the stitching this time – thank you to my wonderful stitchers! Once the book is finished I will be getting stuck into designing lots of new projects for CrossStitcher, just in time for the Christmas issues. Christmas is my favourite time of year (except it will be the middle of summer, as everything is done so far in advance), but it always seems to last for six months of the year when you are a designer, and I do get confused as to which month we're actually in!
 
Joanne x

We've received a gorgeous card from Margaret Sherry which we just have to share with you!

Dear CrossStitcher readers,

Thankyou so much for all your touching compliments and loyalty. I enjoyed meeting so many dedicated stitchers at Olympia in March. Everyone is so very complimentary, encouraging and such fun to talk to! There were so many stories about readers' characterful cats and favourite designs! I will remember you all when painting artwork in the coming months!

Very best wishes,

Margaret

The other Sunday, I took my two daughters up to London to explore the delights of Spitalfields Market. One good reason for this was that it's under cover, which seems to be a deciding factor in outings these days given the wet weather. The main reason,...

Fans of Jayne Netley Mayhew's fantastic wildlife designs will be thrilled with her brand new website, which has JUST gone live!
Head over there and take a look at her huge range of cross stitch charts, books and artwork (I really like her tiger stripe cushion - that would look fabulous on my chocolate brown leather sofa!). There's also a section about Jayne herself, and information on how to get in touch with her and buy her designs. Click here to go straight to the website, or type the address below into your browser.

www.jaynenetleymayhew.com

Wild at heart Discover the story behind the work of wildlife artist Jayne Netley Mayhew... Jayne's exotic designs of the natural world have captured the imagination of stitchers everywhere, but one little-known fact which her fans might be surprised to...

Its the middle of summer! How do I know this? Well not by looking out of my window or watching the news on the television, that’s for sure. I know it because this is the time of the year when I sit at my desk, usually squinting against the sunshine or better...

Hello dear readers! How nice that CrossStitcher now has a blog so we can share news. First off, I hope you are all enjoying the wonderful new projects the magazine is offering every month. I've just sent off a new Christmas commission to Cathy. It's a lovely...

Jayne Netley Mayhew has got in touch with us with a warning for all Cross Stitcher readers and website users... "I've found that I have made a mistake in on of my charts, that I sold at the Olympia show in March. There are several rows missing right across...