CrossStitcher has got Christmas covered - issue 231 out today!
Decorating your home for Christmas shouldn't be a chore,
it should be a joyful experience that you can look forward to! That's why over
the next few months we'll be giving you everything you need to host a
completely handmade Christmas.
First up we've got the dining room covered with
everything from cake bands and candle charms to decorated napkin rings. Plus,
we've given Tatty Taddy the festive treatment with an unusual scalloped felt
frame.
If you're not quite ready to delve into Christmas,
there's a collection of spooky Halloween buttons and accessories to get stuck
into that we know your kids will adore and a retro owl MP3 case that will keep
your MP3 player safe and scratch-free.
Plus, add another technique to your stitching repertoire
with our 3D cottage doorstop that will add instant country charm to your
hallway.
Don't miss out - CrossStitcher issue 231 is on sale
today!
Tuesday August 31, 2010
Jan Constantine's striking Olympic 2012 collection - coming soon!
Manufactured under license, Jan Constantine's London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Collection showcases a beautiful selection of hand embroidered textiles that celebrate the Olympics coming to the UK in under two years time!
You'll find a sneak preview on their website but the first collection of cushions won't be available to
purchase until later this year.
If (like us) you can't wait until then simply register your interest on their website and they'll let you know when the products become available so you can make sure you don't miss out!
As usual, all items in this striking collection are hand
embroidered, contemporary and will make iconic heirlooms for the future.
The full collection will include cushions, throws, wall
hangings, tapestry kits,lavender hearts and small zip up cases - all set to be released in stages leading up to
the event.
What a perfect way to mark such a significant event in British history!
Friday August 20, 2010
Calling all cross stitching pros!
Hi!
CrossStitcher magazine is looking for home stitchers.
We’re looking for neat stitchers who are able to turn pieces around to tight deadlines but are also comfortable working on a variety of fabrics such as: evenweave, waste canvas
on fabric, perforated paper, plastic canvas and aida.
If you’re interested, please post us 1 - 2 unframed examples
of your work, which we will return by RMSD.
Please also include your name, address, telephone number,
email address and a brief paragraph about yourself, including your stitching
experience and the approximate number of hours you’re available per week.
Deadline for submissions is Friday 24th
September, 2010.
Please note, submissions without stitched examples won’t be
considered and unfortunately we are only able to accept UK resident entries.
We look forward to hearing from you,
Rebecca Preston
Technical Editor
Saturday July 31, 2010
Festival of Quilts 2010 - the biggest show in Europe!
Above: Best in show 2009 - Pat, Holly and Sue Nickels.
The most eagerly anticipated event in the patchwork and quilting calendar The Festival of Quilts 2010is back for its 8th year and is set to be the largest quilt show in Europe.
It's organised with the support of the Quilters Guild of the British Isles and over the last seven years has earned a reputation as 'the most
inspiring quilting event in Europe! boasting a host of gallery exhibitions from leading international
artists and groups.
Above: 'Jaunty Ladies' quilt
But, lets not forget the fabulous selection of over 250 companies selling all those hard-to-find patchwork and
quilting supplies. You'd better bring your shopping bag because this show's hard to beat for variety and style!
This year, they're also offering visitors a trip to The Quilt Academy with a programme of nearly 100 masterclasses, lectures, and Quick & Easy workshops, to choose from.
When? 19th to 22nd August What time? 10.00am to 5.30pm
Our favourite stitchy friends cycle 55 miles - for charity!
Here at CrossStitcher we like to help our friends out, especially our stitchy friends so we thought we'd let you know about a 55 mile cycle (yes, 55 miles!) that a few of our favourite stitching companies are taking part in.
If you're a subscriber to CrossStitcher then you're going to love this...
As a special treat Emily Peacock has designed this fabulous Circus ABC, exclusively for subscribers. (That's you!)
It's due to start in issue 230, which goes on sale on Thursday 12th August. Each month after that we'll be bringing you a new letter from her funky alphabet for you to collect and enjoy. Plus, keep a look out for other circus inspired charts we'll be bringing you along the way.
These letters are wonderfully on-trend and super colourful and quite frankly that's enough to win us over but here's what Emily had to say about her new font...
"The love of the circus crosses generations, holding memories and associations for us all. Under the Big Top resides a world of excitement, spectacle and daring. Circus themes translate perfectly into cross stitch and worked in bright and uplifting colours, they are bang on trend.
"These circus font can be used individually or to spell out words and names. Why not explore your own sense of fun and creativity by combining letters and images to create your own show stopper?"
This month we've been busy coming up with lots of clever ways to stitch accessories for your home that don't involve stitching until the early hours of the morning to get them finished... although we do appreciate some of you do this anyway - for fun.
Look out for a scrummy set of garden party accessories by Zoe Patching (below, right) that include cherry napkins, cupcake cake bands and gorgeous summery bunting.
Plus, don't miss Lucie Heaton's cracking hen collection (below, left) - they're truly irresistible and will bring a touch of farmhouse chic to any kitchen.
If you're on the market for a larger project to get your teeth into then check out the new-style Flower Fairy (below, left) from DMC or our seriously manly retro Grand Prix styled poster by Maria Diaz (below, right).
Plus, to make sure you get through your summer stitching projects with ease, we're giving every reader a John James Pebble with a hand-picked selection of needles - absolutely FREE!
What more could you honestly need! Don't miss out...
CrossStitcher issue 229 - on sale today!
Thursday July 08, 2010
Come Dine With Kate - an exhibition with character!
We know this isn't strictly on track with the usual cross stitch posts we write but we just couldn't resist showing you a few snaps from Kate Jenkins new exhibition Come Dine With Kate, which opened yesterday at the Rebecca Hossack gallery, London.
Her entire collection is crocheted (which is jaw-droppingly cool to begin with) and when you mix that up with a few sequins and punned titles, her 3D creatures become unbelievably charming.
We especially love Pork Pie and Mutton Dressed as Lamb - not that that's an accurate representation of the team or anything...
We've been doing a lot of research on craft fairs this month. Partly because we know we can't afford an exotic holiday this summer so we want take a few day trips instead... but also because we're really happy to hear that the nations love for 'handmade' is making a come back and this craft fair in Sheffield is a prime example.
Craft Candy, Sheffield's original crafts consortium (as they like to be known) promote craft in their city through fairs, workshops and community events. Now, that's what we like to hear - people getting together and crafting things for the fun of it. What an excellent idea!
It's being held at the Millennium Gallery in Sheffield and entry is FREE. Check out their site: www.craft-candy.org or email hello@craftcandy.com for more details...
Friday June 25, 2010
For crafty scavengers looking for something inspiring...
We don't know about you, but we're always scavenging for deliciously aged fabrics and charming old buttons at our local markets. We know that one day they'll be lovingly made into something that will be cherished for years to come and we'll be able to satisfyingly say to ourselves "I made that".
Even if that doesn't sound like your cup of tea, we strongly suggest you give it a try and the Vintage and Handmade Textile Fair in Chipping Sodbury is a great place to start. With stalls selling everything from vintage clothing and fabrics to haberdashery, knitting and crochet supplies... it's a perfect place to begin your search for hidden gems and forgotten treasures.
Where? The Old Grammar School, High Street, Chipping Sodbury When? Saturday 3rd July
It doesn't matter if you're not a whizz with a sewing machine, some vintage buttons will add charm and character to an old cardigan. Or, if you're feeling a bit more adventurous try stitching with waste canvas directly onto some old fabric scraps. Why not collect quite a few pieces and make an unusual patchwork cushion out of them?
If you don't live near Chipping Sodbury (lets face it, most of you probably won't) don't worry there's lots of other fairs to visit this summer. We'll keep you posted...
The Vintage & Handmade Fairs are the creation of Jayne Soule & Michele Chivers which were first launched in 2008. For more details on up and coming Christmas and Textile fairs. visit www.vintageandhandmade.co.uk
Monday June 14, 2010
Roll up, roll up for Emily Peacock's new alphabet!
Every individual letter in Emily Peacock's spectacular Curious Alphabet comes (as Emily so fabulously describes them in her press release) in two "phantasmagorical colourways"... green or lilac.
So why not treat
yourself, or a friend, to one of these eye-catching capitals inspired by
the charm of Victorian sideshows and circus fonts. Emily's bold fonts combined with her passion for colour means these needlepoint
kits are funky, vibrant and sure to be a vocal point for any room.
The kits use Appleton Brothers crewel wool in counted cross stitch on
Zweigart canvas and come complete with a fool-proof
colour chart. Check out her website for more information or to buy a kit. We say, be bold and get yourself one. Why? Well, we'll let Emily explain that one to you...
"The world can be such a serious place of of responsibility, struggle, baffling technologies and crises big and small - it's all too much! We all need a world we can escape to, a haven of creativity, colour and relaxation."Emily Peacock, June 2010
PS: You may have noticed we're quite good friends with Emily and she often designs things for us. Well, keep a look out
for a cool tattoo styled Swallow that she's done for our latest issue. It's out this
Thursday!
Wednesday May 26, 2010
Scrapbook inspirations Ideas Book 2 - coming soon!
You
might recall a few months ago we were getting all excited in the office
because one of our sister magazines were producing their first Scrapbook inspirations Ideas Book and it looked gorgeous.
Well, it's time to get your crafty stash out again because their second bookazine goes on sale on the8th JUNE
and is packed with more than 140 beautiful projects suitable for beginners and seasoned scrapbookers alike. It even comes with FREE digital designer kits to download worth a
whooping £28!
It's full of summery-styled pages with lots of outdoor inspiration helping you scrapbook your way through the summer and document your holidays in style.
There's also lots of creativity boosting tips and techniques so you can be sure you'll never be short of fabulous layout ideas that will make your photographs. We just love this layout below, its even subtle stitching as part of the design - perfect!
The new Scrapbook inspirations Ideas Book goes on sale on the 8th June and will be available in WHSmith, Sainsburys and crafts shops whilst stocks last.
It's also available by mail order! UK: 0844 848 2852 Overseas: +44 (0)160 425 1045
Thursday May 20, 2010
CrossStitcher issue 227 hits the shelves today!
This month experimenting with ways we can add fabric embellishments to our cross stitch and we've come up with some cracking ideas for you to try. In issue 227(on sale today!) you'll find out how to make simple bag rosettes, fabric covered buttons and even mini 3D bunting for a coastal design by Faye Whittaker.
For those of you wanting to get your teeth stuck into some summer stitching check out the delightful pair of chubby cats on the cover, a gorgeous project by guest designer Karen Carter. Alternatively if you want to indulge in some contemporary stitching there's an adorable bird canvas complete with cute buttons and a stunning Home cushion from Helen Philipps brand new book Home Sweet Home Cross Stitch too!
But
that's not all! Here at CrossStitcher we believe stitching accessories should be just a gorgeous as they are useful and your FREE gift this month is just that. First we gave you a vintage style stitch tin and now we've made a tape measure to match!
If that's not enough to wet your appetite we've got all this to look forward to as well...
From left: Cute bird canvas by Zoe Patching, Faye Whittaker's vintage coastal scene with 3D bunting and a beautiful home cushion from Helen Philipps.
Fans of renown
textile artist Laura McCafferty will be pleased to hear she’ll be making an
appearance at the West Yorkshire Print Workshops (WYWP) Stitch exhibition in Mirfield this weekend.
Originally from
Derry, Northern Ireland and now living in Nottingham, Laura McCafferty is
internationally renown for using a blend of traditional craft and contemporary,
documentary-style illustration in her work.
She uses screenprints to create
lines in her work before hand stitching pattern cloth onto the prints in her
distinctive style, as shown below.
The exhibition,
which runs from it’s preview night (tonight!) to the 3rd June, promises to
bring together six textile artists who all combine stitching with printmaking
techniques form all over the UK and abroad including:
Audrey Feltham,
Canada Catherine Green, Mirfield Jenny Kenworthy, Manchester Lynn Setterington, Manchester Dionne Swift, Hudderfield
There will be a
chance to meet some of the artists at the preview night on 13th May (tonight!)
from 6.30pm but you can also book a place on the Laura McCafferty'sArtist
Talk on Saturday 15th May for just £5, which we think is bound to give a fascinating insight into her work!
You may have noticed that the website we direct you to for all matters to do with back issues and subscriptions (My Favourite Magazines) has had a nice new face lift and we think it looks super trendy . . .
www.myfavouritemagazines.com has recently undergone a flashy re-design and it's services to our readers is now better than ever so why not pop over and take a look at what's on offer?
Look at all these great things you can now do online!
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