Take up the challenge of stitching a wonderfully detailed and complex design, an ornithologist’s delight and an exclusive from Anchor

T his sampler from Anchor is an absolute treat for any stitcher, even if you only tackle

one of the smaller elements of it. The entire design is quite a challenge, featuring so many close colour shades and with a lot of backstitch to work, making the finished piece a stitching triumph. If you don’t want to take that on, then any of the individual motifs within the design make terrific pictures in their own right. Whatever you choose to stitch, you’ll make a bird lover happy with the results.

Details are dotted all over this sampler, so you will have a great time working each element of it, with lots of backstitch and subtle shading to work in grey threads

Bird

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watching

Cross Stitch Collection

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Bird watching Anchor Colour

Cross stitch in two strands001 Bright white

023 Very light pink

026 Light pink

041 Medium pink

059 Dark pink

167 Very light blue

168 Light blue

235 Dark grey (2)

236 Very dark grey (2)

264 Very light green

265 Light green

267 Medium green

269 Dark green (2)

Anchor Colour

Cross stitch in two strands292 Light yellow

305 Dark yellow

311 Light apricot

313 Light orange

360 Dark brown (2)

363 Dark apricot

369 Light brown (2)

371 Medium brown

386 Pale yellow

399 Medium grey (2)

403 Black

1003 Medium orange

1004 Dark orange

Anchor Colour

Cross stitch in two strands1035 Dark blue

1066 Medium blue

Half cross stitch in one strand301 Medium yellow

397 Very light grey

874 Straw

Half cross stitch in two strands398 Light grey

888 Olive

Cross Stitch Collection

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Anchor Colour

Backstitch/long stitch in one strand045 Red

foxglove outlines and details

*059 Dark pink

foxglove outlines and details

*235 Dark grey

black and grey motifs and birdhouse ledge details

*236 Very dark grey

black and grey motif details

*265 Light green

birds, leaves and foxglove details

*269 Dark green

birds and foxglove leaves and stem details

Anchor Colour

Backstitch/long stitch in one strand*360 Dark brown

bird bodies and birdhouse outlines and details

*386 Pale yellow

birds and leaf details

*399 Medium grey

all other outlines and details

*1035 Dark blue

bird outlines and details

French knots in two strands*059 Dark pink

foxglove details

Anchor Colour

French knots in two strands*235 Dark grey

peanut and book details

*236 Very dark grey

binocular case, eggs, book, peanuts

and birdhouse details

*399 Medium grey

grey flower motif centre

Stitched using Anchor threads on 28HPI

evenweave over two threads

Stitch count 248x188

Design area 17¾x13½in (45x34cm)

*indicates colour is listed earlier in the key

(2) indicates more than one skein required

Cross Stitch Collection

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Preparing your fabricAs this design has many different elements, all spaced randomly across the fabric, it’s important you count carefully between each one when positioning them. Also, it’s quite a large design which will take many hours to stitch, so it’s equally important that you can find your place when you pick it up to stitch. The best way to help with this is to tack grid lines across your fabric. Use a contrasting coloured sewing cotton – red is usually a good choice – and tack a line horizontally and vertically across the centre of the fabric. Now stitch more vertical and horizontal lines, but this time spacing them 20 squares apart. Mark the corresponding positions of these lines on to your chart. In this way you can easily count from one area to another and see where you are on the chart. Although this is a little time-consuming when you just want to start cross stitching, you will find it saves you loads of time counting, re-counting and possibly unpicking too!

Stitching the designAll the cross stitch is worked in two strands of stranded cotton over two threads of the evenweave fabric. As there are no fractional stitches it can easily be stitched on 14HPI aida if you prefer, but the effect achieved will be different as the holes in the aida fabric stand out more than those in evenweave. The effect of shadows and shading is achieved by working half cross stitch. If you look at the key you will see that some areas are worked in one strand of half cross stitch and others in two strands. Make sure that you work all these stitches facing in the same direction so the light falls evenly on them.

Adding the detailsWhen you have finished all the cross stitch and half cross stitch, you can add the backstitch using one strand. You may prefer to do this for each section of the design in turn to break up the task. There are 10 different colours of backstitch used, so it’s important you refer carefully to the chart, key and photograph to make sure you get the right colour in the right place. Details are given in the key to describe exactly what colour goes where if you’re not sure. Finally, add the French knots using two strands, again referring to the chart and key for their exact colour and positioning.

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Bird lovers have plenty of choice for kits from Anchor, including these three exquisite designs in the 2009-10 catalogue. ‘Waterways Collection’ (above, ref APC944) comes with 16HPI cream aida and measures 18x15in (47x38cm). The two other designs are freestyle embroidery kits – ideal if you fancy a bit more of a challenge than cross stitch. ‘Blue Tits’ (above right, ref PE650) and ‘Bullfinches’ (below right, ref PE651) come with stone coloured cotton fabric and measure 15x8in (38x20cm). For your local Anchor kit stockists call Coats Crafts UK on

☎ 01484 681881.

Cross Stitch Collection

✦ 28HPI evenweave, off white 25x22in (64x36cm) (or 14HPI aida)

✦ Anchor Stranded Cotton as listed in the key

✦ Frame with a 19¾x15½in (50x39cm) aperture, natural wood

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