Cross Stitcher Magazine - December 2017

Yay look what came in the post yesterday!!!!!  What's better than a cross stitch magazine?....  A Christmas cross stitch magazine!!!!

It's on sale in the shops in the UK today (10th November).  I will do a quick run through for you.

As you can see it is all about the festive season...There's an interview with Lizzy Dabczynski-Bean and some inspirational ideas in the Out There section.

The first patterns we come across are for these lovely tree ornaments by Maria Diaz. They all call for Linen and give you a choice of DMC, Anchor or Madeira threads.  There are 6 different designs.

Really traditional looking designs, they make me want to stitch them all!!

Next up is Winter Walkies by Lucie Heaton, you can buy a kit for it from the Cross Stitcher website for £23.  I guess this could be used just as a winter decoration as it's not specifically Christmas..

I love these next 2 patterns by Ruth Craig and especially the way they are finished in hoops, both stitched on 14ct Aida.

There a few interviews with designer about selling at craft fairs and how they decide what to sell there and if they have any new designs coming up.

 How Cute is this polar bear by Durene Jones? You can again buy a kit pack from the website to complete it on 14ct Aida.

 Next is Zoe Patching showing how to use safety pins to make Christmas decorations.

 There is a letter Library...  

and some Christmas Card ideas...  

Next up is a Christmas Eve box by Felicity Hall with a treat bag and also a gift tag stitched on perforated paper...

What Christmas magazine would be complete with out a stocking?...  Designed by Emma Congdon

And last but by no ways least as it is absolutely beautiful is this gorgeous Christmas Dresser design by Shannon Wassilief stitched on 28ct Cashel which you can purchase from the website as a kit too...

This month's free gift is a Christmas card with car button and some beads so perfect to someone special. 

I love all the designs in this month's magazine and I hope you do too.

Don't forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube....

I love Saturdays

Yesterday I made great progress with my 3 WIPs.  In the afternoon I spent an hour each on the needlebook and the Fizzy Moon card.  Then in the evening when the kids had gone to bed I spent 2 and half hours on the tiger.  I love the weekends when I get to spend lots of time sewing, my DH is at home so he takes a bit of the housework off me so I have more free time.  Today I have got to go to my local sewing shop to see if they have DMC 310 in stock, I've been in there every weekend for the past month now and they haven't had any in but I'm in desperate need for it to carry on with the tiger.

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekends and I will get some updated pictures up soon. xx

April's Cross Stitcher Magazine

I am a sad muppet, I only discovered this magazine last month and it's fast becoming my favourite.  How did I not know about this one, they are on issue 251!  The thing I love about this magazine is that it's different from the others, I am not say I don't like the others far from it I love them all, but this one has a bit more stylish designs in it.  I will stitch anything but for me to put it in a frame on the wall it's got to be something special and I have found quite a few designs in the past two issues that I am itching to start.

 This month we got a lovely John James Pebble free with the magazine with 4 needles inside.  I got the lovely green coloured one.

 I really like the idea of these DMC colour sample charts....

 And this blackwork looks good too, although Im not a huge fan of backstitch, I think I would enjoy stitching these.

 This birth sampler is really pretty, I just need someone to have a baby now so I can make it.

 I just can't wait for next months issue!!!!