GH ’s Simon Swift takes up a familial hobby — and with it a familiar habit of not finishing what he started…

There’s a time for doing things ‘properly’ and a time for affordable quick fixes, says Emily Henson

Don’t forget to send all your stitchy questions and design requests in to us! Email us at: theworldofxstitching@ourmedia.co.uk Send in queries via Facebook too: @The World of Cross Stitching Write to:

Tilly Rose reveals how to create a fabric diary filled with simple stitches from an ancient craft and inspired by the changing seasons

Always measure yourself before you choose a pattern size to cut out. The sizes do vary greatly from pattern to pattern, so it’s always best to measure yourself accurately and then refer to the pattern

Egypt is a country overflowing with history, archaeology and landmarks – the Pyramids of Giza and the Valley of the Kings, for example – that have stood the test of time. The writing system they used