Welcome to our second newsletter. It's certainly been busy here, our PETZ designs have been proving very popular with customers and I'm trying to finish my own stitching projects too. Right now I'm stitching the weight training hamster - he's quite a small design so I'm hoping to finish him soon and start on his chum - the jogging hamster!

In this issue, we're going to take a closer look at our Nature range. We'll also look at the pros and cons of stitching on dark fabrics.

Cross stitch pieces worked on black or very dark fabrics look absolutely stunning when they are completed as the colours, especially the paler ones, seem to really stand out against the dark background. However, stitching on dark fabrics is totally different from working on a light background and you may find it takes some considerable time to finish whatever article you are stitching. If this is your first attempt at working with a dark material, it is suggested a relatively simple pattern is sewn initially, until you are more experienced at stitching on dark backgrounds.

Stitching on dark fabrics can be very tiresome on your eyes so just stitch for small periods of time making sure you have several tea or coffee breaks - or even a glass of wine if you prefer.

For lots more tips on how to stitch on darker fabrics, please follow the link below.

Black aida can make a design stand out and colours look far more vibrant.

Thanks to those who  came to see us at the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace last month. It was a fantastic weekend, with a massive number of stalls for customers to browse through!

We got some fantastic feedback on our newest designs, and we're looking for more at our next venue, another Knitting and Stitching Show,  but this time for you northerners in Harrogate, 20th - 23rd November.

If you visit us at Harrogate, why not take advantage of a special offer? Mention the newsletter and you'll receive 10% off any accessories you buy.

We'll be at a number of other stitching shows over the next 6 months, click here for more details.

The calm before the storm! Just before opening time at the Knitting and Stitching Show.
You can also see the beautiful Rose window. Alexandra Palace certainly was a gorgeous venue!

"Fancy stitching something a bit different?" is our motto, as I mentioned last month. Sometimes, the 'bit different' bit is not only about the stitching.

Using dark fabrics is often 'a bit different' for a lot of stitchers. Apart from festive reds and greens at Christmas (don't mention that word!), some stitchers never venture away from of the whites and creams of traditional aida.

Well, here at Stitchtastic we want to change all that. We've been using and selling various light blue shades of aida for a while, and some of our nature designs are designed for black aida.

A little wary of black aida? Don't worry, just browse the article above for some tips and hints on getting the best out of this effective material.  It really makes your stitching stand out and works particularly well for bright colours like those used in our flower designs.

Not all of our nature designs use black aida. Our field of poppies design is stitched on ice blue aida, and our English Pointer Dog on Ivory.

Look out for our beautiful Horse and Cowboy design, as well as the striking Charging Elephant design. These two designs are fully stitched, with no fabric showing. A great project for those who like a little added challenge!

If you'd like to see more of our Nature range, please click here.

Fed up already of the long autumn evenings? Brighten up your stitching with our featured nature designs this month!
Beautiful flower designs stitched on black aida.

Our Nature range is not all about flowers!