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LIVING A CREATIVE LIFE WITH LITTLE ONES
• Styling tips & top trends • Meet the mama makers • Must-buys for cool kids • rediscover your creativity
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nursery makes ideas INSPIRING SPACES TO SPARK IMAGINATIONS
PRINTABLE CHILDREN’S WARDROBE DIVIDERS + WONDER & RAH NURSERY ART
G E T I N TO C R A F T
Toys, decor
easy-sew
clothes to knit, sew
dress-up fun
sweet details
first steps
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crochet…
heirloom toy
LIVING A CREATIVE LIFE WITH LITTLE ONES
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Baby bolster cushion
Slogan blanket
16 Easy-sew felt mobile
WELCOME TO THE WORLD Get inspired by our selection of handmade gifts that both newborns and mamas will adore – they’re quick to whip up too!
27 MINI PANTS & BIB SET Sew up H and Sammy’s harem pants and bib
12 MINI MOCCASINS
Babies to talk business and babies
Make tiny moccasins in soft leather to give as a sweet gift to a new baby
32 CLOUD & RAINDROP PILLOWS
16 NIGHT SKY MOBILE This easy-sew stars and moon mobile will add some stellar charm to any nursery
18 EASY-TO-MAKE FRAME Add interest to a nursery with a wooden frame to suit any hand-picked print
19 COSY BABY BLANKET
Pick a favourite pastel fabric and sew up cushions that are full of character
37 MINI ROMPER PANTS Knit the cutest romper pants with Scandiinspired details for on-trend babies!
40 BABY BOLSTER CUSHION Give your arms a rest and pop a newborn into this horseshoe-shaped cushion
Knit a cot or pram blanket with a playful touch – it works up quickly in chunky yarn
22 HOME TOUR: NEUTRALS Yvonne Von Burkersroda shows us round her daughter’s cool, calm nursery
26 SUN DECORATION Spread a warm glow in the nursery or playroom with this teeny crochet sunshine
52 PLAYMAT BAG Anna Alicia’s cushiony playmat doubles up as a toy tidy – just pull the drawstring!
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27 BABY PANTS & BIB Whip up fun and comfy mini harem pants and a matching bib in soft cotton jersey
30 MEET THE MAKER: CORAL ATKINSON We catch up with the founder of Velveteen
22 Neutral nursery tones
CONTENTS
tap here for uour art prints and wardrobe dividers
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Fairy costume
Cuddly sock bear
ADVENTURE CALLS
LETÕS PLAY
Easy makes that will spark your wild things’ imaginations!
Keep the kids amused for hours with these fab toys…
44 FOLDAWAY PLAY TENT
84 HOME TOUR: MONOCHROME
Set up camp with a fabric tent
We love Viktoria Askerow’s Scandi nursery
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88 SOCK BEAR
Chloe Thurston reveals her bright home
Upcycle old socks into a cuddly bear
52 PLAYMAT BAG
92 FAIRY COSTUME
Let kids be kids, then tidy up pronto
Spread some fairy magic with a dressing up set
56 TOY TIDY
97 MINI SUITCASE
Declutter with easy-sew hanging storage
Store adventure essentials in a tapestry suitcase
59 MONSTER PYJAMA BAG
100 LET TOYS BE TOYS
Encourage the kids to tidy up their PJs!
Is it time we said goodbye to stereotypes?
62 GOOD READ: NEW BEGINNINGS
102 AMIGURUMI DINOSAUR
Use your maternity leave to explore new aims
Crochet a friendly cuddly dinosaur
64 SECRET POCKET TEEPEE CUSHIONS
107 SAUSAGE DOG CUSHION
Bring the wild west to the playroom!
Sew a new playroom friend
69 HEXAGAON SHELVES
110 DOLL’S HOUSE
Showcase kids’ treasures on these geo shelves
Create Louise Kelly’s portable doll’s house
72 SCANDI PATCHWORK QUILT
114 SOFT SHAPES
Keep kids snug beneath a woodland quilt
Make baby a tactile set of geometric shapes
76 DEER EMBROIDERY HOOP
117 FISHING GAME
Introduce a little Scandi folk art
Children will love this old-school game
80 SUNNY APRON Now kids can get as messy as they like!
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59 MONSTER BAG Mafalda Nobre’s cute pyjama tidy will gobble up their PJs quick smart!
110 DOLL’S HOUSE Louise Kelly’s portable, interactive doll’s house is great for holiday or half term trips
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MY FAVOURITE SPOT Take a well-deserved break by popping newborns in Hannah Hathaway’s baby bolster cushion
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HOW TO MAKE… A BABY BOLSTER MATERIALS ■ 1m (1yrd) fabric of your choice (we chose one plain piece and one patterned) ■ Matching thread ■ Extra large bag of polyester stuffing
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Newborns may look cute enough to cuddle 24/7, but we all know mums and dads have to free their arms sometimes. Pop junior in this horseshoe-shaped pillow (also known as a boppy) and they’ll stay secure and upright while busy new parents tick a few tasks off those growing to-do list. Choose bright, modern colours and palettes to stimulate baby’s senses. If you're using quite a thin fabric, such as cotton, consider
doubling it up to prevent stuffing poking through. These pillows are also great for nursing and make ideal baby shower gifts. 01 First cut out the templates on page 100 and assemble according to the diagram. 02 The printed pattern creates half of the pillow. So when you cut out your fabric you need to lay your two pieces on top of each other and fold them down the middle.
Place the printed pattern on top, aligning the centre of the ‘half U’ with the fold. Cut out your fabric, leaving the folded seam un-cut. 03 Unfold the two fabric pieces and place right sides (RS) together. 04 Using a 1.5cm (½") seam allowance, machine sew your pillow together. Leave an opening the size of your hand in the upper right hand corner. 05 Turn your pillow RS out through the opening. Sometimes it helps to
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PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP SOWELS; STYLING: HELENA STEELE AND MATILDA SMITH; CECIL STACKING BUNNY, T-LAB WOODEN SHEEP AND COW FROM WWW.BOBBYRABBIT.CO.UK; BLOOMINGVILLE WOODEN TRAIN, OOH NOO WOODEN ALPHABET BLOCKS AND PANNY THE PANDA FROM WWW.SCANDIBORN.CO.UK. WARNING – THIS IS NOT A TOY. NEVER LEAVE CHILDREN UNATTENDED WHEN PLAYING
Playtime
Let kids be kids, then tidy up pronto with Anna Alicia’s drawstring playmat
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PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP SOWELS; STYLING: KIT CHEUNG AND BECKI CLARK. WARNING! NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 36 MONTHS. THIS IS NOT A TOY – CHILDREN SHOULD BE SUPERVISED AT ALL TIMES
Toy tidy Declutter your little one’s bedroom with Anna Alicia’s hanging storage
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HOW TO MAKE… HANGING STORAGE MATERIALS ■ 1.5m (591/8") medium-weight denim or canvas (we used Cloud 9 Fabrics Tinted Denim in Sea Glass) ■ 0.5m (19¾") patterned cotton (we used Cotton + Steel Kujira and Star, in Flotsam and Jetsam Sand Dollar) ■ Matching sewing thread ■ Tailor’s chalk
No matter how minimalist you'd like your home to be, kids have way of accumulating stuff – toys, books, teddies, colouring pencils… and it all ends up on the floor. Now you can banish those corners filled with clutter using Anna’s easy-sew storage solution. Made by patching roomy pockets onto a colourful backdrop, it makes it easy for kids to pack away their bits and pieces – just make sure to hang it within a little one’s reach. Follow the pattern, or adapt the pockets to suit your needs. Deeper pockets make for a space-saving shoe tidy, while bigger ones provide a handy home for soft toys. 01 From the denim, cut two 52 x 73cm (20½ x 28¾") backing pieces, two 5.5 x 17cm (2¼ x 6¾") pieces
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for the loops, and one 52 x 32.5cm (20½ x 12¾") piece, one 31 x 30cm (12¼ x 117/8") piece and two 27 x 15.5cm (105/8 x 61/8") pieces for the pockets. From the patterned fabric, cut one 52 x 31cm (20½ x 12¼") piece, one 31 x 28.5cm (12¼ x 11¼") piece and two 27 x 14cm (10 5/8 x 5½") pieces for the pockets. 02 Match up the pocket pieces. Each patterned piece should have a piece of denim the same length, and 1.5cm (5/8") wider. With right sides (RS) together, align the two short edges and bottom long edge. Pin, then sew along the bottom and side edges, 1cm (3/8") in, leaving the top edge open. Trim the bottom corners, then turn all pockets RS out and press. 03 Place one pocket patterned side up. Fold the overlapping denim
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SUNNY SIDE UP!
PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP SOWELS; STYLING: KIT CHEUNG AND BECKI CLARK
Mini makers will craft up a storm in Kirsty Hartley’s cheery apron
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HOW TO MAKE… A KIDS’ APRON MATERIALS ■ Yellow cotton canvas fabric, 50cm (19¾") ■ Cotton webbing tape, 150cm (591/8"), 3cm (1¼") wide ■ Fusible interfacing ■ Orange cotton fabric, 1 fat quarter ■ Scrap fabrics in red, blue, green and black ■ Yellow sewing thread
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Kids love getting messy, and in this bright, smiley apron they can express their creative side as much as they like, without you having to wash paint/glue/cake mix out of their clothes after. Not only will this cheery sew keep them clean, they’ll look like a little ray of sunshine wearing it. It’s a one-size-fits-all pattern designed for one- to four-year olds, but you can adjust the sizing by adapting the templates if your child is older or taller. For a personal touch, appliqué their name onto the pocket using scrap fabric. We’ve used a sturdy cotton canvas for a robust make that’ll wash well, but you could swap it for an oilcloth fabric to keep your little Picassos paint-proof.
Using the templates on page 120, cut a main apron piece, a pocket piece and a facing piece from the yellow fabric, adding a 1.5cm (5/8") seam allowance. 02 Cut the cotton webbing into three 50cm (19¾") pieces to form the neck strap and two ties. 03 Fold one long edge of the pocket piece to the wrong side (WS) by 1cm (3/8"). Fold over again by 1cm (3/8"), press, then sew in place. This will form the top opening of your pocket. 04 Press the remaining pocket edges to the WS by 1cm (3/8"). Pin to the right side (RS) of the main apron piece, RS up, using the template diagram as a guide. Sew around the sides and bottom, 0.5cm (¼") in from the edge, 01
leaving the top of the pocket open. If you want to divide the pocket into two sections, sew an additional vertical line, 7cm (2¾") in from the right side of the pocket. 05 Fold over one short end on a cotton webbing piece by 1cm (3/8"). Fold over to the same side by 1cm (3/8") again, then sew in place. Repeat with another webbing piece – these will form the two ties. 06 Fold the bottom long edge of the facing piece to the WS by 1cm (3/8"), press, then sew in place. 07 Following the manufacturer’s instructions, iron the fusible interfacing to the WS of the scrap fabrics. Cut out the face and rainbow pieces from the corresponding fabrics using the templates, then peel off the
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LIVING nursery tour
Viktoria Askerow has created a nursery that’s full of fun Words: HOLLY JOHNSON Photography: VIKTORIA ASKEROW
A hairstylist and make-up artist with a clear eye for interior design, Viktoria Askerow started to photograph her Berlin-based fat after she and her family moved in last summer. It didn’t need any work, so all the fun was in the styling. “At some point, people became aware of my Instagram account and various shops shared my pictures,” she says, explaining how her online popularity has grown thanks to her striking but accessible interiors. “The turning point was when I posted a photograph of my son Adam’s nursery, with its wooden loft-style bed and swing that my husband built – I got more than 1,000 new followers overnight!”
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LIVING nursery tour
Adam’s loft bed, built by Viktoria’s husband, is popular with the kids as well as on Instagram. The retro Goki ride-on was from Tausendkind (www.tausendkind.de).
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PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP SOWELS; STYLING: KIT CHEUNG AND BECKI CLARK; MODEL: MATILDA LAING. NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 36 MONTHS
Make a wsh Spread some fairy magic with Michelle Kreussel’s dressing up set
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Keep baby entertained with Tina O’Rourke’s tactile set of geometric shapes
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PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILLIP SOWELS, STYLING: HELENA STEELE & BECKI CLARK. WARNING! DRAWSTRING BAG IS NOT A TOY – CHOKING AND ASPHYXIATION HAZARD.
Soft Play
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HOW TO MAKE… BABY TOYS MATERIALS ■ Patterned fabric, six fat quarters (we used a selection from Lewis & Irene’s Flo’s Little Flowers collection) ■ Patterned fabric, 0.5m (½yrd) ■ Matching sewing thread ■ Soft toy filling ■ Ribbon, 1.5m (591/8"), 2.5cm (1") wide ■ Tailor’s chalk
There’s nothing tiny hands love more than grabbing and investigating, so this soft toy set is a nifty way to keep them entertained. Little ones will love the feel of these squashy shapes, light enough for them to pick up, while toddlers can learn the names of each one as they play. With a matching drawstring bag to tidy them away in, they make the prettiest gift for a newborn or for baby’s first birthday. Plus the handmade touch will definitely earn you brownie points with parents. Cut out all toy pattern pieces using the templates on page 120 (templates include the 0.5cm (¼") seam allowance used throughout), then pin to your fat quarters and cut out. Use the chalk to mark the turning through area onto the wrong side (WS) of one fabric piece for each of the shapes. 01
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To make the pyramid, place two triangles with right sides (RS) together and pin, then sew along one side. Repeat with the second set of triangles, then press the seams open. Place the triangle pairs RS together and sew both sides, then press the seams open. Trim the seam allowance at the top. 03 Open up the pyramid shape. Pin the square piece onto the base with RS together, lining up the triangle seams with the corners of the square. Sew around the base of the triangle, leaving the marked section open for turning. 04 Trim the seam allowance on the bottom corners of the triangle and turn RS out. Push out the corners gently with a knitting needle or similar then stuff firmly. Neatly slip stitch the gap closed. 05 To make the ball, pin two oval pieces with RS together and sew along one side. Pin a third section 02
along one of the unsewn sides, again with RS together, and sew. 06 Repeat Step 5 with the remaining oval pieces, attaching the marked section for turning last. 07 Place one of the sewn sections inside the other with RS together and pin. Sew around the circumference leaving the marked section open, then turn RS out through the hole. Push out the curves gently and stuff firmly, then slip stitch the gap closed. 08 To make the cylinder, fold the rectangle in half along the length with RS together and short edges aligned. Sew the short edges, leaving the marked section unsewn, then press the seam open. 09 Pin the circle piece onto the base of the cylinder with RS together and raw edges aligned. Sew, then repeat with the remaining circle at the other end of the cylinder. Turn RS out, then push
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26 PROJECTS TO MAKE FOR THE LITTLE ONES IN YOUR LIFE
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free inside! NURSERY ART PRINTS + PULL-OUT WARDROBE DIVIDERS
The team behind Mollie Makes bring you a collection of beautiful projects to make for children, from newborns to young explorers. Break out your sewing, crochet and papercrafting skills to create toys, clothes and décor – and be inspired by nursery tours and family-focused features.
order your copy today!
Call 03330 162 138 AND QUOTE ‘MOLLIE MAKES MAMA 2 PRINT 1’ Online WWW.BUYSUBSCRIPTIONS.COM/MAMA2 Lines open weekdays 8am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to 1pm. Overseas please call +44 (0) 3330 162 138. * EUR price £12.99, ROW price £13.49. All prices include P&P. Please allow up to 28 days for delivery.