new
Knit
crochet Upcycle
Old china to a stylish make tiles summer beret
This beautiful cowl tonight
knit, sew & crochet all the way to winter!
sew Sew
A foxytablet felt retro coat caseshanger with Lauren
M A G A Z I N E
“FIND THE LIGHT!”
A Beautiful Mess’s photography tips
we autumn Make a seasonal wreath
35 MAKES Crochet
a fun whale pencil case
Cross stitch your own lampshade
Sew
a working cuckoo clock
Knit
a chunky boyfriend jumper
ISSUE 07 / UK £4.99 Printed in the UK
STITCH
Liberty kitchen chair cushions
Cover issue 7.indd 1
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WELCOME
TO Crafty
L
et’s decorate! I’m happy to report that I’m now firmly ensconced in my new home in a leafy ‘burb of Greater Manchester and, as was perhaps inevitable, I’ve come down with an incurable case of renovationitis. All I can think about is retiling the kitchen, ripping out the carpets and inviting my (long-suffering) friends over for a painting party (yes, those exist...). Until I can actually afford to do all these big jobs however, I’m more than happy to settle for doing a few smaller things while I save up for stuff I never knew I’d have a need for, like gas metres, bathroom cupboards and a new front door. So for the next month, you’ll find me curled up on the sofa with Crafty in my clutches, deciding what to make first. I’m all over the working felt cuckoo clock on page 54 and recently bought four old school chairs for the princely sum of £1 each, which are hideously uncomfortable, so the Liberty cushion pads on page 32 are definitely at the top of the list. I’ve also got my eye on that cross-stitch lampshade on page 80 and page 58’s patchwork throw. It’ll be issue eight time before I know it!
editor’s fave ng all “I loved learni ography ot ph h ke about bo it is to – and how easy urself. yo get the ef fects !” go a Have
Chilly weather’s on the approach but I’ll make my way through autumn with Emily Greene Blue’s super-lovely kerchief, complete with natty bow
In case I don’t see you, good afternoon, good evening and good night!
Page 29 Packaging is such an important part of a business’s offering these days and I got lots of great ideas from Diana Gendron, whose packaging is absolutely stellar Page 91
Sarah Adie
We’ve set up an Angel Policy for all projects.
Editor
Unless otherwise stated, please assume that all
sarah.adie@practicalpublishing.co.uk
designs are for personal use only, are protected by copyright and are not for commercial use.
Crafty Magazine
@crafty_magazine
Crafty Magazine 003
003 EditorsLetter.indd 3
@crafty_magazine EDITOR’S LET TER
27/09/2013 10:03
What’s
inside
Projects 18 Autumn falls
COVER
Doll up your front door with a gorgeous wreath and sleepy little owl.
♥
MAKE
29 Take a bow Colder weather’s on the way so bundle up with our knitted cowl.
32 Won’t you sit down? Here’s how to make your own cushion pads – using Liberty fabric, no less!
36 Thar she blows! Kids won’t feel blue about going to school with this amigurumi whale pencil case.
45 Hanging around Jazz up your coat hangers with this fun foxy cover – easy to sew and customise.
50 Bokeh, you’re the best! Achieve the bokeh effect in your photos using a bit of cardboard and some tape.
u’ll be Wakey, wakey, little owl! Yois lovely the talk of the town with thont door wreath hanging on your fr
54 Cuckoo, cuckoo! Never miss a crafternoon with your pals again with The Makery’s felt cuckoo clock.
18
56 Keep calm and tile on Upcycle broken china and make your own kitchen tiles from scratch.
CONTENTS
58 Patched up Sew up this Navajo-inspired patchwork blanket – ideal for when the wind’s howling.
61 Natural dyeing We find out all about natural dyeing and using plants to colour yarn.
54
64 A bit seedy... Reusable seed packets would be an ace gift for the green-fingered in your family.
68 The witching hour In need of quick Halloween costumes? Here they are!
50
73 Coming up roses We used Powertex to upcycle T-shirts into creeping roses to decorate our chairs.
77 Waffling on Knit our chunky waffle stitch jumper and be snuggly all season long.
80 Wicker, man... 84
WHAT’S INSIDE
Contents.indd 4
Go cross stitch crazy on old wicker lampshades.
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27/09/2013 10:07
craftymag.com
We’re chatting to A Beautiful Mess about their new book. Yes!
PEOPLE 06 Meet your makers A shout out to the peeps who helped us put Crafty together this month.
11 Fight the good fight Sarah Corbett talks about Make a Difference Day. Get involved!
12 Crochet with Kat Kat Goldin covers all you need to know about a hook and yarn.
14 Dropping spindles A behind the scenes glimpse into Prick Your Finger’s drop spindle class.
16 Good reads Our book picks for the month.
88
24 The Lo-Fi high life Have a nosey around Lo-Fi DIYer Nico Dawson’s home.
12
40 With a pinch of Saltaire Come oop north with us as we discover the arty side of Yorkshire town Saltaire.
84 Curiouser and curiouser We visit Curious Clare’s craft studio.
87 The social network Our guide to networking for crafters.
80
88 Making a Beautiful Mess We catch up with A Beautiful Mess’s Emma to find out about their new book.
91 Perfect packaging 24
REGULARS 7 News
Super snuggly! We can’t wait for winter now!
Just how important is branded packaging for your business? We find out.
98 X-rated How Mr X Stitch is changing the world, one cross stitch at a time.
Everything that’s going on in the craft world and beyond.
13 Competition We’ve got books, crochet hooks and wool to give away in our Movember competition.
15 Save the date Your very handy cut-out-and-keep calendar for November.
97 Next issue Peek at what’s coming up next in Crafty.
91 58
005
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WHAT’S INSIDE
27/09/2013 10:07
MEETmYOUR akers
Cover star 18
77
64
Crafty Magazine Practical Publishing International Ltd Suite G2 St Christopher House, 217 Wellington Road South, Stockport SK2 6NG info@practicalpublishing.co.uk Tel: 0844 561 1202 Fax: 0161 474 6961 www.practicalpublishing.co.uk EDITORIAL Editor Sarah Adie sarah.adie@practicalpublishing.co.uk Tel: 0161 474 6994 Editorial Assistant Hugh Metcalf hugh.metcalf@practicalpublishing.co.uk Creative Art Editor Mat Biggs, Michelle Jones Photographers Rachel Burgess, Dan Walmsley, Suzy Wimbourne Illustrator Sophie Higginson Sub-Editors Becky Higgins, Justine Moran, Ashleigh Morgan CONTRIBUTORS Jamie Chalmers, Laura Clempson, Sarah Corbett, Becca Day, Vicky Eames, Ruth GarciaAlcantud, Kat Goldin, Emily Greene Blue, Kim Searle, Myan Soffia, Zoë Willis
Nancy Andrews
Anna Elliot
Sam Sterken
Nancy runs The Baker’s Daughter, specialising in yarn and felt wreaths. Her dad was a baker (no surprises there!) and inspired her to use fabrics to make the beautiful floral decorations he made out of cake and icing.
Anna Elliott dreams of teashops and haberdashery. In real life, she splits her time between designing knits and primary school teaching. Her designs are influenced by vintage style, unusual colour combinations and an obsessive love of British wool.
Sam’s passion is sewing, but she loves to dabble with anything creative. When she’s not making, she’s busy running her business, Ministry of Craft, or hiding fabric scissors from small hands. She dreams of having her very own crafting space.
TheBakers Daughter.etsy.com
audreysteashop.co.uk
ministryofcraft.co.uk
56
36
PUBLISHING & ADVERTISING Publishing Assistant Janice Whitton Advertising Sales Executive Noune Sarkissian noune.sarkissian@practicalpublishing.co.uk Tel: 0844 826 0612 Advertising Co-ordinator Rachael Edmunds HR Manager Karen Battrick Marketing Manager Carol Jones Group Sales Manager Kevin Edwards Publisher Gavin Burrell Publishing Director Dave Cusick Managing Director Danny Bowler Group Managing Director Robin Wilkinson DISTRIBUTION Newstrade COMAG Magazine Distribution Craft Trade Distribution Practical Publishing International Ltd Craft Store Distribution Executive Lauren Schofield lauren.schofield@practicalpublishing.co.uk Tel: 0844 826 0616 Crafty Magazine is published by Practical Publishing International Ltd. All material © Practical Publishing International Ltd. The style and mark of Crafty Magazine is used under licence from Practical Publishing International Holdings Ltd. No material in whole or in part may be reproduced without the express consent of Practical Publishing International Ltd.
73
The publisher welcomes contributions from readers. All such contributions and submissions to the magazine are sent to and accepted by the publisher on the basis of a non-exclusive transferable worldwide licence unless otherwise agreed in writing prior to first publication. Such submissions are also subject to being used, reproduced, modified, published, edited, translated, distributed and displayed in any media or medium, or any form, format or forum now known or hereafter developed, for any purpose, in perpetuity.
Rachel Grevatte
Elizabeth Corbin
Brit Wellens
Rachel can’t pass a skip without stopping and car boot sales form her Sunday worship. She runs workshops and showcases her work in shop Emily Found A Thing, where the old, broken and discarded are transformed into unique and playful pieces.
Elizabeth’s grandmother taught her to crochet when she was 10. She started crocheting animals a couple of years ago, with just four patterns in her Etsy shop. Little did she know that her critters would soon bring smiles to people all over the world!
Brit Wellens is a crafty Belgian art and design teacher. She’s the official distributor and chief trainer for Powertex in the UK and Ireland. In her spare time, you’ll find her working behind a sewing machine with a stash of Belgian chocolate.
emilyfoundathing.co.uk
daveydreamer.etsy.com
powertexcreations.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Contributions.indd 6
The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Every care is taken to ensure that the contents of the magazine are accurate, but the publisher accepts no responsibility for errors. While reasonable care has been taken when accepting advertisements, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any resulting unsatisfactory transactions, but will investigate any written complaints made.
Crafty Magazine (ISSN 2051-6568) Published by Practical Publishing International Ltd
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27/09/2013 10:11
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editor’s fave ople “I love to see pe al crafts using tradition ng ways. sti in new, intere being d an g Craftin ner!” in w A n? gree
Craft crossover
Etsy seller Lapin Blu is rocking our world with her crochet-meets-cross-stitch jam jar cosies. It’s a good idea made amazing by designer Sarah-Louise’s eye for colour and pattern. lapinblu.etsy.com
What’s
new Keep up to date with all the latest news and trends
1
We ’re lic he n thi s! ridge University med up with the Camb Cambridge’s WI has tea inary flora for ord chet some out of the Botanic Society to cro t crochet jus n’t are of Ideas. These the University’s Festival g plants, ilin tra arid d an the tundra daisies – think lichen of rdens. The ga the d in the glasshouses at and which will be displaye ts ea thr areness about the group aims to raise aw from. me co nts pla se environments the the ing fac es ng alle ch f-ideas cam.ac.uk/festival-o
Issue 7 in fabric 1 This heritage peacock print from Liberty stands apart from their usual floral offerings and looks pretty amazing on page 32’s seat cushion project. £65 a metre, liberty.co.uk
2
2 We love Bokeh photography (see page 50 if you’ve not discovered it yet!) and designer Kristopher K’s digital print captures the idea beautifully. £12 a yard, spoonflower.com/profiles/kristopherk 3 Whales are killer! Check out our crochet pencil case on page 36. £12.90 a metre, frumble.co.uk
3
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WHAT’S NEW
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What’s
new
A Little Book of Craftivism If you’re a fan of our resident revolutionary and columnist Sarah Corbett, you need to get your hands on her new book, A Little Book of Craftivism. This tiny manifesto introduces some of the ideas behind craftivism, as well as how-tos for some of their signature projects. The book’s available for £5.95 from cicadabooks.co.uk
HRB TV We love Hannah Read-Baldrey for many reasons... She’s got style and she’s a pretty prolific crafter too, but we can’t help but particularly admire her for her savviness in front of a camera. Proving that the goggle box isn’t the only outlet for crafting content, she’s just launched HRB TV, a site dedicated to craft, beauty and food tutorials and videos. Check it out for some handy how-tos, demonstrated before your eyes by Hannah herself. HRB-TV.com
What’s
images Tiffany Mumford
new
editor’s fave
Project pots
Gotta love a bit of stylish upcycling - this ticks all the boxes, even if they are a tad pricey!
Long has Mini Moderns provided fabric and wallpaper in to-die-for patterns but now it’s become our choice as discerning upcyclers. Its colour range of eco-friendly chalky paint is great for furniture revamps and comes in handy project pots. Head to the website to check out its REMIX project, full of inspiration for makes! minimoderns.com
WHAT’S NEW
7_11 News.indd 8
Hu mb les tic ks d Katy Shooter m Richard Holman an Husband and wife tea jects with bold ob nd d reinvigorate fou upcycle, rejuvenate an geometric tefully painted Ercols, colours and prints. Tas bottle? lamp made from a gin cabinets and is that a sh. sign cru Our newest interior de humblesticks.co.uk
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You Crafty devils Cat yarn
Wait, wait it’s not what you think! Rather than a continuation of now infamous book Crafting with Cat Hair, Meow Yarn Collection is just taking colour inspiration from our feline friends. Ancient Arts Fibre Crafts has produced the yarn from premium British wool, spun in the UK, and donated some of the proceeds to US cat rehoming charity The Meow Foundation. So, would you knit with Calico Cat, Grey Tabby or Siamese? ancientartsfibre.com
Instagram or tweet your Crafty makes, tag them #thatscrafty and we’ll feature our faves in the mag!
Avast! Look at this awesome take on our pincushion ring, made and Instagrammed by @bluhojo
A bestiary of brooch es We think that should be the collective noun for brooches, but then we are currently obsessing over Flor Panichelli’s Etsy shop Sweet Bestiary (sweetbestiary.etsy. com). Flor’s clay designs have a wonderfully mystic woodland feel to them, which we love, and we’re not unrequited as she’s given us a special bunny brooch to give away to one oh-so-lucky Crafty reader. Just head over to ppjump.com/sweetbestiary for your chance to win.
We’re buzzing off this little crocheted bumblebee, duly Instagrammed by @madweeyin
Also super impressed by @audreysteashop’s version of our finger puppets – hand puppets no less!
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WHAT’S NEW
27/09/2013 10:18
What’s
new Ginger’s Comfort Emporium Summer days may be gone, but we refuse to leave ice cream behind. If you’re just a fair weather frozen goodies eater, then let Claire Kelsey of Ginger’s Comfort Emporium change your mind. She owns an ice cream van in Manchester for those with tastes more refined than a 99 and a flake and has a book out called Melt, full of unusual icy creations. Anyone who can conjure up a recipe for Guinness and gingerbread ice cream is alright by us! gingerscomfortemporium.com
What’s
new Bunny power!
How cute is little Bunny Hawk? We want one of these felt necklace designs from Etsy seller Le Petit Pot for our winter wardrobe and we want it now. Get one for around £20 from lepetitpot.etsy.com
WHAT’S NEW
7_11 News.indd 10
De lila h’s de lig hts ss stitch designer have arrived from cro New whimsical wonders ahdid.bigcartel. at Delilah Did (whatdelil Sophie Simpson at Wh ched with s y beauties. Cushion stit com) and, boy, are the best bits of the re ptu d deer heads ca an ns sig de ic etr om ge afty readers the o offering you clever Cr her style and she’s als Just go online to her wolf tote bag kits. chance to win one of te to enter. ppjump.com/delilahto
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