Witchy Stitching: 25 Patterns to Haunt Your Home

Black, whose company Witchy Stitcher makes cross-stitch kits, debuts with a delightful collection of patterns inspired by gothic art, Halloween, and witchcraft. Black provides step-by-step instructions for creating basic cross stitches, back stitches, pinhead stitches, and French knots. For materials, she recommends aida cotton fabric (beginners will benefit from its grid-like structure) and DMC embroidery floss thanks to its color variety. Technique instructions cover how to prepare fabric on an embroidery hoop; Black notes that the fabric shouldn’t be pulled too tight or it will distort the weave. Her designs run the spooky gamut: some are playful, including “Bat Coven,” which depicts a trio of bats dressed like witches, and “Happy Easterween,” which features a skeleton flaunting bunny ears and an Easter basket. Scarier options include the “Creepy Carnival,” a wide-eyed cat with a Cheshire grin, and the “blood-red” “Dracula’s Castle.” To finish, Black walks readers through framing and washing completed projects (a soft-bristle toothbrush can be used to remove any stains). The projects are suitable for stitchers of all levels, and frequent “ghost tips,” which provide extra information, are a nice touch (one encourages crafters to take breaks and stretch their hands). Fans of Lindsay Swearingen’s Creepy Cross Stitch should snap this up. (Aug.)