Well, what to say about October? Closing in on the year’s end, but still far from Christmas festivities and New Year beginnings. A little island between the leaves starting to turn golden and drift off the trees, and the first frost bringing the sharp, cold air of winter. Halloween spooks and ghouls are out, Christmas songs and parties not yet here. Well, we will speak up for what October is – in fact, what every month can be – creative inspiration, crafting mindfulness, gorgeous projects, new kits, wonderful collections of threads! Take a look at our collection of needlecraft goodies in the warehouse for October – we think you’ll find something just perfect for the time of year!
Let’s begin with a pair of charming, wintry scenes in the countryside. The two foxes on the left are part of Bothy Threads’ Wrendale Designs range, based on original artwork by Hannah Dale. The 14 count Zweigart Aida, which is included in the kit, has been printed with an exclusive watercolour background, making it the perfect background for the foxy friends. Entitled Winter Solstice, the sharp, bright colours of the fabric, and the design of wintry trees and muted sun, perfectly showcase the cross-stitched foxes and plant border in the foreground. The delicate shading on their white chests gives an amazingly realistic fur-like appearance – you will just want to stroke them when you have finished your stitching! On the right, the hare caught in the moonlight of a wintry night is a gorgeous design from Heritage Crafts. Winter Forest is designed from artwork by Elaine Serenum, and this full coverage kit is an absolute favourite with us. The deep blue sky, with the ghostly trees silhouetted against it, and the white and blue frozen grasses in the foreground provide the wintry setting for the alert little hare, pausing as if in thought. This kit includes all the DMC threads you will need, as well as the 14 count Aida and full instructions, to create this chilly, atmospheric scene for yourself. All those stitches will be so worth it when you have completed this wonderful wintry world!
Perhaps you’re looking for a full coverage cross stitch kit, but would really prefer something a little smaller? How about these sweet, woodland creatures, available as a set of three kits from Vervaco. The finished size of each little critter in this Winter Animals set is a very manageable 8cm x 8cm (3.2″ x 3.2″), making them a perfect choice for a little ornament, or a wintry greetings card for someone special. Difficulty level for this set is estimated as “easy” by Vervaco and, stitched with just cross stitches and back stitches, you will be finishing these little friends in no time at all. 18 count white Aida fabric is included in the kit for each, along with all the threads you will need and comprehensive instructions, enabling you to stitch up your own trio of sweet woodland creatures. Not Christmas, but definitely wintry – a perfect October/November stitching choice, we would say!
And onto some more winter cross stitch choices – this time, from Historical Sampler Company (on the left), and Little Dove Designs (on the right).
The Little Dove Designs Heart of Winter is a part of the designer’s delightful Heart of the Seasons range. Stitched on 14 count light grey Aida, which is included in the kit, the sweet heart-shaped outline features winter cabins in the snowy forest, with some large, Quaker-like snowflake motifs and a tree-themed border through the middle. We really love the colour scheme of greens, white and teal against the cool grey of the fabric. Perfect for a beginner, the finished heart-shaped design will be 10″ x 9.75″and, once completed and framed, why not stitch the next seasonal heart to swap out as the weather changes? The sweet, Nordic-themed design on the left, Winter Boxes, is a beautiful design for the winter season. Not specifically Christmas, it features robins, reindeer, trees and greenery for a perfect winter decoration for your house. We love it finished in the white, chunky frame, but it could look equally stunning in a red or green frame as well. With a stitch count of 141 x 135, the finished boxy design will measure 18cm x 18cm on the 16 count Zweigart Aida included in the kit, and the gorgeous palette of DMC threads are also included. A little winter stitching before you begin your Christmas cards and gifts may be just the thing for this in between month!
And finally, we are loving the new Nurge hoops and we think that you will too! Just arrived in stock, these light-weight, plastic hoops are a game-changer for cross stitch devotees. Perfect for most styles of needlecraft, embroidery and cross stitch, they make it easy to sew into corners and are perfect for keeping your fabric taut and wrinkle-free.
We love that they weigh so little – use them for your travel stitch, your in-the-car-whilst-waiting-to-collect-someone stitch, or just your cosy, late-night easy stitch before bed.
The screw mechanism is easy to tighten and loosen, and the rounded corners mean you won’t snag your thread as you stitch. Perhaps you’re a stitcher who likes to match the colour of your hoop to the feel of your design – these Nurge hoops will have you covered there! And if your tastes go to brights rather than pastels, there’s a lovely strong green and a dark grey choice as well. We’re collecting several in every size, and we think you’ll want to do the same once you’ve popped in your new cross stitch design and begun stitching.
So that’s it for our October journey around the needlecraft section at Wool Warehouse, but do pop over to see what Judith and Alex have for you in Fabrics and Yarns!