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Wednesday October 28, 2009
Halloween special - Twilight Stitch a Star!
Trick or treat?
We've got quite a treat in store for you…
What better way to get into the spirit of Halloween than with your very own Robert Pattinson Stitch a Star!
From the popular Twilight books and films, Mr Pattinson is proving a popular hit with avid readers and stitchers alike.
Now you too can pay homage to the vampire world and stitch your very own Robert Pattinson, just in time for Halloween!
- Spooky!
PS: The Robert Pattinson Stitch a Star is due to appear in issue 220 of CrossStitcher, which hits the shops on Thursday 5th November.
Monday October 26, 2009
Kitsune Noir - blog review
The man behind Kitsune Noir, Bobby Soloman, describes his blog as “a visual collection of random bits and bobs relating to art, design, fashion, films and music” and we think he’s spot on!
His latest post titled ‘Reading the Stars’ showcases some constellation cross stitching, which really caught our eye. (Although we’re still squinting past the rain to see them in real life!)
It’s the exciting mixture of content that really makes his blog stand out; from cross stitching to designer trainers, this guy really does have a big interest in art and design.
Full of quirky content and regularly updated with inspiring finds, this is a trendy and design focused blog, which we’re certain is sure to be an interesting read whenever you log on!
Visited a great website or blog lately? Tell us and we’ll check it out.
You might see it here next week!
Friday October 23, 2009
A bit of Christmas sparkle - just for you!
We were really excited to be giving readers the free luxury card pack with CrossStitcher issue 219.
The metallic cards, flock stickers, charms and buttons made us feel all crafty and creative!
But let us know what you thought of them, we’d love to hear from you!
PS: Haven’t used your free card pack yet? Don’t worry! There’s plenty of time to stitch these cards in time for Christmas using the exclusive charts in issue 219!
Happy birthday Homer!
 This week celebrates the 20th anniversary of the popular American cartoon The Simpsons...
What better way to show our appreciation than in the form of a Homer styled stitch?
We think these bright and funky latch hook kits by American crafts company Caron are really kitsch and are sure to impress any fan!
Why not give latch hook a try and craft yourself a rather funky Simpsons stars tribute?
Have you seen or stitched any Simpsons charts lately? If so, we’d love to hear from you so please get in touch!
Doh! - Don’t worry, alhough Caron is based in the US, readers from the UK can find a selection of these Simpsons latch hook kits at www.tracyscraftshop.co.uk.
Wednesday October 21, 2009
We need your Stitch a Star triumphs - for our show!
We want to showcase as many of the featured Stitch a Star celebrities as we can at the annual Stitch and Craft Show in London 2010 - but we need your help!
To showcase your talent, and our famous faces, we need you to send in your ready stitched pieces to be displayed on our very own CrossStitcher stand from 18 - 22 March 2010.
If you want to help us out, all we ask is that you email us the name of the Stitch a Star you want to loan to us and then if there’s space just pop it in the post for your chance to see you name under the spotlight at next years show.
Don’t worry, we’ll be sure to take special care of your pieces and will pop them back in the post as soon as the show is over!
What do you get in return?
Well, apart from having your very own stitched piece on display (complete with your name of course) for the duration of the show, we’ll also award all showcased stitchers with a free goody bag full of cross stitching treats as a thank-you for taking part.
Let see how many we can get… there’s 33 faces so far, all we need now is the completed pieces!
For more information or if you have any questions, please get in touch! NB: Image shown is Stitch a Star Bruce Springsteen from CrossStitcher issue 215.
Friday October 16, 2009
How to create a cute Momiji dolls make-up bag...
In CrossStitcher issue 215 we featured a really cute set of Momiji dolls, which we finished as a trendy shoulder bag. Why not be creative and finish this design as a make-up bag instead? Here are the instructions - so give it a go!
How to make a Momiji dolls make-up bag:
- Cut your stitched design to measure 18x40cm and fray the outer two rows along the top and bottom edges. Place a 30x45cm piece of black fabric vertically on to a flat surface and then position your stitched design about 10cm from the top edge. Pin and machine stitch in place.
- Pin a second piece of 30x45cm fabric on top, and then tack an area measuring 26x41cm around the fabric edges. Machine stitch together, leaving an opening at the bottom end.
- Turn right side out. Hand stitch a ribbon loop in place along the bottom edge and then slip stitch the opening together.
- Place the design face down and then fold and slip stitch together to leave a 7cm flap at the top. Finally, stitch the button in place and you’re finished!
Thursday October 15, 2009
Brooke’s Books Publishing - website review
We all love finding the child within us and Brooke’s Books Publishing is a great place to start. Brooke Nolan lives in Tenessee, USA, but her online prescence is in the form of a fascinatingly charming website and Blog full of her own illustrated and counted cross stitch characters.
With an array of vibrant collections (such as the three witches featured on the homepage) and adorable alaphabet charts - you’ll find her funky designs simply impossible to resist!
Although Brooke is based in the USA, readers from the UK can purchase her charts from Celtic Rose Needlecraft, which is based in Derbyshire.
Packed to the brim with whimsical content and bright designs this website is full of character and definitely worth a visit!
Visited a great cross stitch website or blog lately? Tell us and we’ll check it out.
You might see it here next week!
Wednesday October 14, 2009
The latest from our alternative cross stitch columnist Mr X Stitch...
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!
 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… 
Monday October 12, 2009
Stitch John Wayne!
Click here to download our brilliant 'Golden Oldie' chart from issue 218, featuring the legendary John Wayne. Congratulations to Joan Dickinson, who stitched John Wayne in record time! Joan wins some fabulous Zweigart goodies.  Are you working on Bradley James from issue 219? Send us a picture of your finished stitching for the chance to win our Stitch A Star 'On Your Marks' prize!
Friday October 09, 2009
Enter issue 219's competitions now!
Thursday October 08, 2009
Come and meet CrossStitcher at Ally Pally!
It's that time of year again and CrossStitcher are out in form at the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace in London from 8th - 11th October.
Well established as one of the top textile events of the year, The Knitting and Stitching Show is a wonder emporium for anyone interested in textiles. If you are passionate about stitching, knitting, quilting, crafts or any other form of textiles for that matter - you'll be right at home!
As the name suggests, it covers knitting and stitching but also many other crafty techniques such as felt, jewellery and card-making, as well as hundreds of exhibitors selling specialist supplies that you just can't find in the shops!
Tickets cost £12 for adults, £10 for seniors and £5 for children although you can get discount if you buy prior to the day. The show is open from 10am - 5.30pm Thursday, Friday and Saturday as well as 10am - 5pm on Sunday.
Visit www.twistedthread.com for more information and to purchase tickets in advance.
There is so much to see and do plus hundreds of workshops to introduce you to lots of new subjects so why not pop down to meet the CrossStitcher team? You never know, you might just see something you like...
See you there!
P.s Don't worry if you're going to miss this weekends show, the exhibition will shortly be travelling to Dublin and Harrogate too!
Free MiniStitch sewing machine for new subscribers!
If you subscrbe to CrossStitcher today you'll receive a MiniStitch sewing machine worth £23.95! Perfect for all those projects you have been waiting to get started!
What do you get as a subscriber?
- FREE delivery direct to your door
- 13 issues each year
- Special cover gift with each issue of CrossStitcher
- Access to our newly updated VIP subscriber-only pages, packed with charts, puzzles, competitions and news
How much does it cost?
Just £9.98 every three months by Direct Debit – that's 23% off the shop price!
How do you get it?
Choose one of these three options:
- Call 0844 848 2852 and quote offer code W046.
-
Click here to go straight to the online order form.
- Turn to page 50 in issue 219 and fill in the paper form.
Wednesday October 07, 2009
Issue 214's winners...
Here are the winners from issue 214... MADEIRA COMPETITION - 214 SHARON LEE, HULL MARX CUDMORE, EXETER SANDRA WILKINSON, ULCEBY DENISE CORCORAN, LONDON MRS T. JOHNSTON, ST ALBANS MABEL BLACK, ENNISKILLEN MARIA BEECH, SELBY ROSWITHA PATZELT,...
Monday September 28, 2009
Make your Scottie dog purse from issue 217
If you've been inspired by the Doggy Bag project in CrossStitcher issue 217, you might want to make this purse to stitch one of Joanne Sanderson's Scotties onto.
You will need:
- Silver bag clasp ref 512728 from Panduro
- Backing fabric, one piece
- Lining fabric, two pieces
Instructions:
1 Trace and cut around your purse template and tack this around your design to mark out the final size of the purse. Trim the fabric around your tacking line to leave at least 1cm excess for hemming. Now cut a piece of backing fabric to match.
2 Place the backing fabric and design right sides together and machine stitch around your tacking line from A to B, as marked on your template. Turn right sides out.
3 Trace around your lining template for the purse lining, and machine stitch together from A to B. Place inside your purse and then slip stitch the lining to the front and back of the purse.
4 The final step is to secure the purse to the bag clasp by stitching it to the punched holes running along the edge of the clasp. Add a few beads along this outer edge to decorate if you like.
Monday September 21, 2009
Pick up your Gold Issue in shops now!
Issue 218, our amazing Gold Issue, is out on the shelves right now! We've got a fantastic Golden Ticket competition this month, so make sure you check inside your copy to see if you're one of the lucky 25 winners... We also have a gorgeous retro Santa design by Angela Poole, a sweet Pooh and Piglet from Disney, tree decorations for the kids to make, plus an adorable meerkats scene - don't miss it!
Note: Some subscribers have been in touch to tell us they haven't received their copies yet. This is down to the postal strikes in some areas of the country, but our subscriptions team are aware of the problem and your issue should be with you soon. If you have a specific query drop them a line at future@subscription.co.uk.
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