Storyland Cross Stitch: 15 Projects and a Free Gift for Your Stitching Pleasure Paperback – August 6, 2013

Beautifully put together! I loved the Authors creativity in her projects and her writing. The book is nicely laid out. From beginning projects to more advanced( the advanced really aren't so difficult they just take awhile! The owl pillow for instance is only three different colors but is 18 inches tall so the estimate in the book is 22 hours to complete! But my idea of hard would be tons of different colors and only a few stitches per color most of the time that isn't the case for her projects they are just large.) She has both UK measurements and US. She has two brands of thread listed one I haven't seen in the US so I am assuming it's a UK brand and DMC is the other. For large projects she tells you how many you'll need of each color. That is really helpful! Yes, she doesn't use a lot of colors but if you like color change it up! I did! Instead of using plain colors for piece backing such as her first project which is a golden key bookmark she used a cream piece of calico for the back I got a yellow gold color instead. I do love the simplicity in her pieces, having real looking animals and simple fun projects that are lovely gifts and keep sakes I've discovered can be hard to find in the cross stitch world. I also did find that it was hard to locate some of the cross stitch fabrics (due to all her suggestions on where to buy being in the U.K. I believe you can order from sites the but shipping to the US is expensive) to actually start the pieces but between Amazon, Joanne Fabrics, Hobby Lobby and a cross stitch store I am lucking enough to have in my town I found all the ones I needed! It just takes a little bit more time, but it helped me really pick which ones I wanted to do and start the search and it made the book last longer and keep my interest peaked! If you're new to cross stitch this wonderful! I learned so much from it being new myself to cross stitch. I believe she tells any new beginner just how to start and the added package in the back of a piece of Evenweave fabric and needle and thread was a darling idea! Just don't get discouraged on finding the fabric. Start with the first two projects for sure... most Hobby stores have 28 Count Evenweave if they don't have anything else. DMC has quite a few and you can order from there website if you aren't close to a store. Amazon sells DMC cross stitch fabric too! Just have fun reading her short story for each project and enjoy stitching fairy animals and knights in shining armor! This would make a lovely gift<3

This is the most lovely gift book I can think of--if you're giving it to somebody who really loves cross stitch over actual embroidery. This is published in the UK so the supply-source section at the end of the book is fairly useless (unless you count Ebay and Etsy). For those who don't care for counted cross stitch, this is great for inspiration and quick jobs for decorating your home, making quick gifts, etc.It's a beautifully designed book with a high-quality linen-ish paper cover--though the designs are far less similar to the cover. At least this book by Sophie Simpson says very clearly that this is cross stitch whereas her garden one says it's embroidery (which was totally false).

I was looking for some patterns for a beginner that were fun and "young" for me to start building my skills. I found that a lot of books were full of things I would expect in my grandmothers house, not my own. When I found this book I was so excited! Even though you can't see the patterns I had a feeling that it would be full of awesome patterns and I was right! The instructions were very clear and the projects she suggested for each pattern were cool and unique.Since you can't see inside I can list off some of the cool patterns for anyone looking for specifics. Theres a unicorn, jackalope, stag head, winter tree, owl, leaves, skeleton key, bow and arrows, a wolf, a knight and princess cameo, and more!

I love everything about this book. I am new to cross stitch and was struggling to find clever, vintagey-modern designs. (If that makes sense.) Looking in a Michael's for example, all you are apt to find are patterns of Christmas bears in sweaters and tacky butterflies. Not the case for this stunningly beautiful book. Each easy-to-follow pattern is accompanied by a charming little story. Not only are there patterns; there are also directions for making projects: pillows, pins, wall hangings, etc. The best way I can describe these patterns is that they seem as though they would all be hanging on the wall of an Urban Outfitters. The quality of the book is superb. I think I'll even give it a home on the coffee table! You'll be happy to find a little pocket in the back of the book with some thread, fabric, and a needle. Once you look through this whimsical book, you will be eager to start stitching!

I really like the way this book was put together. Each project follows the theme of enchantment, and there's a page-long bit of storytelling preceding each project. That extra bit of well-written content makes this book feel special and really makes one want to dive right into the projects. I also like that she includes a time estimate to complete each one.The problem though is that these just aren't very enticing projects. Nearly all of them are done in one color. While I *like* them, I just can't justify the purchase of this book.It's lovely to flip through and has nice illustrations, but these projects are too simplistic and monotonous.

Beautiful patterns

I was hoping there would be more animals in the book but overall I think this is a good book with some fun projects and very well put together to boot. It's going to make a great gift for someone who's crafty!

The book has a few cute things in it but overall was not impressed. Looking at the cover you think foxes, unicorns, princesses, swirls, vines etc. It is just a bunch of one color simple designs.

The stories next to the patterns are quite fun to read and the it is overall an extremely beautiful book. However, I expected more variety and whimsical. It was my first shot at cross stitch and the tutorial pages were indeed extremely helpful. I started with one of the big pieces (owl) which had a perfect balance of challenge and variety in terms of colours and shapes. After completing this one project the rest seems quite dull. If the book had more pieces like the owl I would find it a lot more enjoyable and would give it more stars.I did appreciate the starter kit! The needle was very nice but the quality of the thread was not great. If you would like to try one of her books, I would recommend trying another one with a bit more variety and colour, If you do not mind making simple shapes however or you really want to start simple then this might be a good fit.

This book is beautifully presented. The illustrations are of high quality and the book is made of lovely paper, good enough to leave on your coffee table. Delilah's stylish designs would make a welcome addition to your home, as they can be made into useful items rather than just something to hang on the wall. The stories add to the charm of this book. There is also a small kit included to get you started on a simple design. Fantastic.

Lovely ideas, clear and easy instructions. My little sister and I love the projects in this book. We like cross stitching but hate anything too twee (like cats with vases and bouquets in baskets) so this book was right up our street.

a bit different from other cross stitch books I have had before I love it

Great book, has lots of things to do. Nice to see a cross stitch book with a more modern feel.Most of the items look pretty straight forward to made, going to have a go at the unicorn shadow first.