Danielle's Diary — the happy cross stitcher

Well it has certainly been a strange and testing year but I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you all for your patience and understanding, kind words and cards, chocolate and gifts and especially for the Gin, thank you for the gin, you know who you are! I know it will be very different this year but I wish you all a safe and happy Christmas and let's hope for a better year next year. keep smiling, keep stitching, stay safe Danielle xx

Strange weather we are having at the moment, beautiful sunshine yesterday, raining stair rods today but that’s British Summertime for you! I wonder what tomorrow will bring? Hopefully the rain will rinse the sky and the sun will shine brightly for the next few weeks as we slowly slip into Autumn, which I have to admit, is my favourite time of year. Speaking of Autumn, Bothy Threads have released their Autumn collection of counted cross stitch kits, 23 new designs, including five new kits from the popular Wrendale series by Hannah Dale, Piggy in the Middle, Family Pride, Festive Feathers, Pumpkin...

Glossary of Cross Stitch and Needlework Terms Aida – cotton fabric where groups of threads are woven evenly to form squares with easily visible holes where the threads cross. Backstitch – a form of stitch used for outlining and detail on finished cross stitch. Binca – 6 count aida fabric, ideal for children. Blanc – the French word for white, used by DMC Blending Filament – light, delicate threads for combining with other threads such as stranded cotton to add glisten and sparkle. Chart – the pattern used for placement of stitches in counted cross stitch Count – the number...

Finishing and Framing your work 1. If it is absolutely necessary, it is possible to wash your work—use a mild detergent (not a biological washing powder) and warm water. Rinse well and allow to dry naturally before pressing. 2. To press your finished work, place it face down onto a clean towel and press gently with a warm iron. 3. To mount your work, place it over a suitably sized mount board, right side up, taking care to centre the design. 4. Push pins through the fabric into the edge of the board on all sides until you are happy...

Why use a hoop or frame? Hoops and frames are necessary for all types of stitching where the fabric needs to be kept taut, they give better tension and help to prevent distortion, especially in linen and evenweave fabrics which are softer than the aida fabrics. Keeping the fabric taut also helps makes the finished stitching more even in appearance and using a hoop or frame reduces the amount of times the fabric is handled and crushed in the hand which can leave marks from sweat, dirt and creases. Hoops and frames also make stitching easier as the holes show...