BEHIND THE SCENES WITH Rob Ryan PAGE 26 KNIT A POLAR BEAR
MAKE IT!
CROCHET BOBBLE HAT & SCARF
CHRISTMAS
C U S T O MPi SOEM a POM H! W R EaT
EMBROIDERY
KIDS' PUPPET THEATRE
KITSCH FESTIVE
STOCKING
METALLIC & BRIGHT
CANDLE HOLDERS
BOTANICAL
ADVENT CALENDAR
JEWELLERY GIFT SET ORIGAMI BAUBLES
&more..
JO Y!
ON THE COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP SOWELS, STYLING: HELENA TRACEY & BECKI CLARK, MODEL: ALEXANDRA FIA
CONTENTS
18
POM POM WREATH
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issue number seventy two
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64
Knitted polar bear
INTRODUCING... LIVING
The latest news from the world of handmade
Fill your life and home with crafted goodness
9 INTRODUCING…
47 LIVING
Handpicked crafty happenings
Our top picks of the loveliest home buys
14 TRENDS
50 HOME TOUR
Metallic looks, plus make candleholders
Christmas at Allison Sadler’s family home
18 POM POM WREATH
57 FESTIVE STOCKING
Decorate with a fun wreath and garland
Add a touch of kitsch to your fireplace
26 TEA AND A CHAT
61 CHEESEBOARD
With artist and papercutter Rob Ryan
Upcycle a wooden board and bake crackers
32 HAT AND SCARF
64 KNITTED POLAR BEAR
Crochet this woolly set for winter
Kids will love getting cosy with this knit
36 GOOD READ
69 TEA COSY
Would you call yourself creative?
Keep your teapot warm in graphic style
39 ADVENT CALENDAR
75 PULL-OUT PAPERS
A rustic hanging to count the days
Get ready for Christmas with Aless Baylis
43 JEWELLERY SET
107 TEMPLATES
Craft a delicate bracelet and earring set
All you need to make this issue’s projects
NEVER MISS AN ISSUE 24 Subscribe UK
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88 Subscribe overseas International subscribers save up to 40%
39
Advent calendar
‘TIS THE SEASON
43
Jewellery gift set
89
Christmas jumper
LOVING
16
I can’t believe it’s Christmas again, but we’re definitely in the festive mood after putting together this month’s issue. Whether you’re planning to give handcrafted gifts, or want to add Christmas cheer to your home, there are plenty of creative makes to inspire you. Talking of inspiration, take a peek inside Rob Ryan’s fascinating London studio on page 26. We were thrilled to interview one of the biggest stars of UK art, and even happier to discover how absolutely lovely he is. We’re also looking ahead to 2017 with the annual Mollie Makes calendar – it’s going to be filled with creativity if Teri Muncey’s beautiful makes are anything to go by. Don’t forget to share your Christmas crafting with us on Instagram using #molliemakers.
Metallic candleholders
Treats and treasures to fall in love with
Cath Dean Editor
83 LOVING Beautiful things to adore and make
84 COLLECTOR Retro-fabulous Christmas decorations
85 ORIGAMI BAUBLES Geometric shapes to hang in your home
89 CHRISTMAS JUMPER Use this kawaii-inspired embellishment to give your wardrobe a seasonal feel
93 PUPPET THEATRE Keep kids entertained with a puppet theatre based on The Nutcracker
93
Puppet theatre
102 STITCHED MOTIFS Cute yuletide embroidery designs
114 BACK PAGE PROJECT Silkie Lloyd from The Forge discusses the importance of creative spaces Subscribe at molliemakes.com
over Turn the page to disc your bonus gift! Turn to page 75 for your papers
INTRODUCING trends
THIS MONTH WE’RE OBSESSING ABOUT...
METALLICS
Get your glitz on with this season’s decadent metallic hues...
Add a First Class feel to your luggage. www.mi-pac.com
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INTRODUCING trends 03
01
02
01
Top glamorous
gifts with jingle bells. www.coxandcox.co.uk 02
Show off some of
that star power. www.tattydevine.com 03
Dipped baubles give
a grown-up festive look. www.notonthehigh street.com/poshtotty designsinteriors 04
Get your dancing
boots on in time for the Christmas party. www.office.co.uk 05
08
Add some positivity
to your pad. www. bloomingville.com 06
Who doesn’t love
04
a gold scallop? www. allenandbear.etsy.com 07
Ring the changes
with a copper garland. www.coxandcox.co.uk 08
09
Oh go on, please?
www.notonthehigh street.com/berinmade 09
Go dotty for these
porcelain tumblers. www.howkapow.com
06 05
MAKE IT! TURN THE PAGE TO 07
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DIY THE METALLIC TREND 72 MOLLIEMAKES.COM 15
Deck the halls
PHOTOGRAPH: DAVE CAUDERY, STYLING: HELENA TRACEY & BECKI CLARK, ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCK/GETTYIMAGES
Make this Christmas pom pom-tastic with Christine Leech’s playful wreath and garland
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OVERSEAS READERS: SEE PAGE 88
Describe your style in a few words. Sort of stupid and complicated and innocent but knowing at the same time.
Taking a creative journey with...
ROB RYAN The ubiquitous papercut artist tells us how he took his work out of galleries and introduced it into living rooms round the country Words: JESSICA BATEMAN Photographs: RACHAEL SMITH
Rob Ryan’s influence has spread so far, you don’t have to be into craft – or even into art – to have come across his work. His distinctive style has graced everything from coffee mugs to carrier bags, and he’s collaborated with names such as Liberty, Paul Smith and Stylist. Rob originally studied fine art at Trent Polytechnic before going on to do an MA in printmaking at the Royal College of Art. Always seeing himself as an artist primarily, he ran a screenprinting service from his studio after graduating, which led to him creating and selling 26 MOLLIEMAKES.COM 72
his own products. However, it wasn’t until a friend introduced Rob to the commercial world that the high profile projects that made his name followed. Known for his rigorous work ethic, Rob has also published three books and, up until recently, had a shop on London’s Columbia Road. Now scaling down this side of his business to concentrate on his art again, we visited his Bethnal Green studio, where he works with his team of four, to discuss how he became one of the most successful commercial artists around.
What led you to study printmaking? When I was at art college in the early 80s, you could do whatever discipline you wanted, as long as you could justify it as art. I always loved drawing, and it led me to the print room as traditional printmaking is actually quite similar to drawing – you’re essentially just doing an etching. I enjoy the immediacy of working with paper as I like to get something right straight away, unlike with a canvas, where you have to prepare it first then work on it for ages. I also liked that you can make multiples of your work, which makes the final pieces more affordable and spreads your work to a wider audience. How did you grow your business? I got a studio as soon as I left college, but back then I was just doing gallery work. I wasn’t making enough money from it, so I was also working evenings and weekends as a cycle courier – it wasn’t until 2000 that I gave up working for other people. A friend of mine ran an agency that took artists and introduced them to the commercial world, and through that I did projects such as record sleeves and a Liberty collaboration. Shortly after, I started working in my
INTRODUCING tea & a chat
‘I always loved drawing, and enjoy the immediacy of working with paper’
02
01
papercut style, which was fairly pioneering at the time, and it all took off from there. Tell us how you got into papercutting. I was doing a lot of writing in my work, creating pictures that were all words and very little imagery, but I wanted to force myself to get my message across using just pictures and no words. I had a book of Swiss papercuts which were all perfectly symmetrical, and I knew if I created work in this style, I couldn’t add words because they’d be back to front. So it was a form
of self-censorship, really. I did this for about 18 months before the words started sneaking back in, but they ended up fitting really well with the designs. I’ve always enjoyed using writing in my art, so it works. When did you first start making and selling your own products? It all came about fairly haphazardly. I used to do screenprinting for other people, so I learnt how to print on lots of different items, such as T-shirts and tea towels. Someone was throwing away an old kiln
03
01
Rob’s studio in
02
Inks and paint
Bethnal Green. He
palettes on Rob’s
describes buying the
desk. Rob has got
studio as “one of my
back into painting
best investments.
and is planning an
A lot of other
exhibition next year.
creative people have
03
Creating one of
been priced out of
Rob’s trademark
the area now.”
papercut designs.
72 MOLLIEMAKES.COM 27
Winter woolies
PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP SOWELS , STYLING: HELENA TRACEY & BECKI CLARK, MODEL: ALEXANDRA FIA
Brighten up chilly mornings with Lucy Djevdet’s cosy crochet hat and scarf
72 MOLLIEMAKES.COM 33
PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP SOWELS, STYLING: HELENA TRACEY & BECKI CLARK, MODEL: ALEXANDRA FIA THIS IS NOT A TOY. WARNING! NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 36 MONTHS. WARNING! SMALL PARTS – CHOKING AND ASPHYXIATION HAZARD.
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Bear hug Knit Louise Walker’s cuddly polar pal and add serious cuteness to a kid’s room
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LIVING home tour
Allison Sadler fills her family home with warmth and magic at Christmas Words: LARA WATSON Photography: INGRID RASMUSSEN
If you were in any doubt as to which house on a certain street in Birmingham belonged to Allison Sadler, you’d know as soon as you’d saw it. The beautiful, clean aesthetics of The People Shop’s co-founder have made their way outside too, and you can tell from her home (and her popular Instagram feed) that this woman’s love of life and beautiful things cannot be contained. Allison is known for her hugs, and when the door opens, you’re greeted with the warmest
50 MOLLIEMAKES.COM 72
SUPER FROSTED SAGE CHRISTMAS TREE, STARRY STOCKING AND STAR DECORATIONS: COX AND COX WWW.COXANDCOX.CO.UK
This page: Allison made the embroidery hoops on her bedroom wall. The frame is from The People Shop and the upcycled wardrobe from a second hand store. Opposite: The Cox and Cox Christmas tree is decorated with pom poms made by Mr C, hearts painted by Allison, bunting from The People Shop and star decorations, also from Cox and Cox.
LIVING home tour
72 MOLLIEMAKES.COM 51
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LOVING
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OH, YOU PRETTY THINGS! MOODBOARDS & MUSINGS TO INSPIRE US
Get your festive fix of all things sparkly with Meri Meri’s Christmas collection. The tasselled party picks will brighten up a mug of mulled wine a treat, but the gold foiled napkins are almost too pretty for mopping up spillages. We’re also demanding that every cocktail we drink between now and January 1st is rimmed with edible glitter. www.shopmerimeri.co.uk
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Jo l l y h ol id ay s Stitch up some festive fun with Sarah Watson’s quirky Christmas motifs
72 MOLLIEMAKES.COM 103
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MAIN IMAGE STYLING: HELENA TRACEY & BECKI CLARK, PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVE CAUDERY
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