~~~ Mouseloft Stitchlets ~~~ I'm really into all types of crafting, and have been since I was a child. I've done glass painting, making Faberge style eggs from real egg shells, knitting, crochet. You name it, I've done it. My favourite pastime though is cross stitching. I find it so therapeutic and relaxing. I love seeing a design which looks like nothing on earth on paper, come to life as you add shading, detail, backstitching and/or French knots. I can't hand stitch or machine stitch to save my life, but give me a cross stitch pattern and some flosses and I'm your girl. Seeing me sewing, both my daughters (21 and 9) often join me stitching away. ...  Read the complete review

I really enjoy crafts and I have cupboards full of craft materials. The problem is, I find myself easily bored, so I'm always looking for something new to do. A couple of years ago I decided to get back into cross stitch as it was something I had done as a little girl and enjoyed. Although there are lots of cross stitch magazines on the market, and you can find patterns online if you look (or even design your own if you're creative enough), I prefer to buy kits. The main reason is simply that you get everything you need - aida (the fabric you stitch onto), threads, charts and even the needle in some kits. If you were to buy everything separately, you'd need to ...  Read the complete review

Outside of my working/family life, I really have very little time for hobbies, with my writing reviews and reading being my main ones, though after I dabbled in a couple of festive cross stitch decorations last year I seem to have sparked an interest at least for my daughter. After much asking, my husband finally relented, and took us over to our local craft store for my daughter to pick her own design, though it did take us ages as she only has restricted funds to spend (she has pocket money for tidying her bedroom, which of course doesn't happen too often, so she doesn't get much money!), so she insisted on getting the cheapest available! She ...  Read the complete review

These little kits are great for adults and children alike as an introduction to cross stitching. The kit comes with a piece of 14 count aida material big enough to stitch the pattern onto, the pattern, enough threads to complete the kit and a needle. The pattern is well designed, easy to see the symbols so you know which colour to use and small enough that you can put it, and the rest of the kit into your bag and carry it with you in case you have some spare time during your day. The charts include full cross stitch and back stitch, with a tendancy to avoid French knots and fractional stitches that are normally more of a challenge to new stitchers and can ...  Read the complete review