Cross Stitch Crazy magazine 195 Nov 2014

Saturday's post brought the latest issue of Cross Stich Crazy magazine.  One of the reasons I continue to subscribe is that I love to see stitchy mail and most issues have something I would like to stitch

The free gifts this month include a Christmas chart booklet by Joan Elliott, a separate chart and an accessory pack with some ribbons and a heart

I like a lot of Joan Elliott's designs and there are some cute charts in here for cards or ornaments. My particular favourites are the word ones.   I like these booklets because they include backing papers which are useful. 

Most of the designs in the magazine either don't appeal or are too similar to others I have with one notable exception.  There is a lovely Christmas design by one my favourite designers, Lizzie Kate.  There is also an interview with the designer 

I like to add to my Christmas stitching every year and this is going on the MUST STITCH pile.   Unlike most LK designs this is only charted for standard DMC, Anchor and Madeira.   I plan to use my stash of hand dyed threads instead and will probably also use some buttons or charms. Love it and my needle is twitching in anticipation already 

Cross Stitch Crazy magazine 193

I love Friday evenings when the whole weekend is still to come.    Of course I always have far more that I plan and hope to achieve in 2 days but on a Friday evening it all seems possible.

I found a few minutes to read the latest issue of Cross Stitch Crazy magazine (193)  which arrived 2 weeks ago!

The main design on the cover is by a designer I really love, Joan Elliott.   This one is a mermaid in some of my favourite colours so us definitely one for the "must stitch" list.    As with a lot of her designs it is stitched on hand dyed fabric by Polstiches.   It's a very subtle choice for this design   I would choose evenweave   instead of aida 

I love to stitch coasters as little gifts and this design by Diane Machin would be perfect for a coffee loving friend

Cushions are another passion and I am very taken by this design by Jody Rice of Satsuma Street

I had already discovered her quirky and colourful cityscape charts on Etsy and pinned lots of them.

This design is all whole stitches so would be a quick stitch 

Finally there are some lovely cute designs by Durene Jones which are shown as cards but which I would use for coasters or scissors fobs 

My favourite is probably The Bees Knees but then I do love stitching bees and especially since I discovered honeycomb fabric at Sewitall

http://www.sewitall.com/webshop/evenweave-fabric/133-28ct-11pts-cm/ffe28-929-honeycomb-evenweave-28

So one magazine with lots of things I would love to stitch