There are a lot of advantages to using a needle minder, from saving you losing needles and keeping things tiny to just adding a bit of interest to your stitching space. But do you really need to buy a needle minder? We don't think so. In fact, you can make a whole variety of needle…
When I first started cross stitching I remember finding a photo of Mr X Stitch cross stitching on the train! I thought it was insane! OK, I was a manbroiderer so may have preferred to stitch indoors, but I thought his work must get so dirty! That's the thing; your work doesn't have to be…
This post was originally in XStitch Magazine Issue 5: Heroes & Villans, and has been adapted. To me, cross stitch is the height of handmade. Unlike a lot of other crafts, such as knitting, screen printing, or painting, cross stitch can only ever be made with human hands. It requires dexterity and planning that…
I tend not to review books. Most books are produced to a similar standard, and the themes are very personal; you're either going to be interested or not interested. Of these books, the ones in particular that I always steer away from are sarky statements; most of these books are exactly the same, with riffs…