July 09

Got your holiday booked yet? Or perhaps you’re waiting for a late deal, or having a staycation (sorry, is that a bit cheesy?!) Whatever you’ve decided, whether  in your own country or further afield, don’t forget your stitching. There’s never a better opportunity to try out a new design, when you’re not so stressed and the kids / parents / spouse aren’t demanding  your attention every two minutes!

If you like a different, fun stitch, why not try the Volvo dumper truck pictured here? It’s a good sized design, measuring 35cm by 25cm (14” by 10”) and uses 20 colours.

I’m working away at my latest stitching project, which I’m hoping will be finished by the next newsletter. It’s a train, but for more than that you’ll have to wait and see until next month!

In the second of our Stitchtastic fan specials, I’d like to highlight Susannah, who had an unfortunate motorbike accident earlier this year, which left her with a broken leg.  She decided she wanted to fill in her recuperation time with an appropriate stitching project - a Suzuki GSX 1400. She wanted to stitch this as it was virtually an identical match for her boyfriend’s bike.

The GSX is a fantastic bike and the stitched version is no less dramatic, as you can see  in the picture of Susannah’s completed stitching here.

Susannah says, “I am most grateful to you for providing the inspiration & design and it was a nice change to find less cutesy/twee things to stitch.  It certainly made my time off work a lot more fulfilling and it was almost worth having the accident in the first place as it has given me a piece of work to really be proud of.”

We’d love to see your completed designs either by e-mail or at one of the shows - why not bring them to Alexandra Palace in October? Just don’t break any limbs as an excuse to stitch them!

Having spent some time completing your cross stitch project, it is now the time to begin the process of preserving it so it can be enjoyed for years to come. Before you can frame your cross stitch pattern or picture, it must, of course, be spotlessly clean. Although the piece worked probably does look clean, especially as you wash your hands every time you start your cross stitching; you have not eaten or had a quick drink whilst sewing and have also taken great care to put your work away safely between each session of cross stitching, it is important to remember that as it is hand worked and your hands contain natural oils, the material will require washing to ensure that it is completely stain free. As you have put a lot of time and effort into completing the piece, it is vital that any stains are removed at this stage because anything dirty left on the cross stitching might, in the long term, cause fungal damage. Any cross stitched article that is not extremely clean and washed prior to framing may also loose its colour in the future.

For more on washing your stitching, click here. Or why not have a look for Soak, a new  mild detergent especially designed for cross stitch fabrics and threads. It’s available from all good craft shops in 3 fragrances, plus unscented.

Augusts' newsletter will be jam packed full of motorbikes!
We’ll review some of our most popular bike designs and display some of our devotees’ work.
If you’d like to be featured in our newsletter, please e-mail me at sarah@stitchtastic.co.uk, preferably with a picture of your stitching!