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ISSUE 14 JUly/AUg 2012 14

Fifi O’Neill

Summer holiday fun projects! july/AuGuST 2012 • OVER 20 GREAT MAKES PACKED INSIDE

l Wonderful windmills l Sweet penny purse l Adorable cloth dogs l Home-made skincare

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lOve letters Vintage cardS & prettY enVelopeS

Cutest crochet

Seasonal salads

Gemma Nemer

Granny squares go super chic

Sunshine food to make you smile

Inside the Button Tin studio

22/06/2012 18:45

interview

Born romantic in the USA Handmade Living talks to Fifi O’Neill, author of Romantic Prairie Style and the Prairie Style Cookbook, about her inspirations and loves.

By ChArLoTTe BreTT PHotoGrAPHy By MArk LohMAn

HL: Hi, Fifi. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. I promise we won’t be too nosy!

For readers who don’t know you, can you describe your style for us?

Fifi: Simple, uncontrived, evocative, wholesome, harmonious…

HL: Where did the idea for Romantic Prairie Style come from?

Fifi: i was thinking about the decorating elements that most appeal to me: the softer side of rugged, a lack of pretension, imaginative and ingenious ways of creating a cosy interior with the timeless charm of simple, inexpensive

furnishings. i began to research the origin of ‘country style’ and that led me to the homespun interiors, handmade items and european influences that characterised the homes of the early pioneers who settled in the American and Canadian prairies.

HL: What does ‘romantic prairie style’ mean to you?

Fifi: it’s a style that is true to the influence of those settlers, who brought with them knowledge and skills from their respective countries. it all began with the romance of prairie interiors. it's a one-of-a-kind sensibility and a more authentic expression of the American heritage.

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interview

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HL: Do you think it’s a lifestyle choice just as much as décor?

Fifi: Yes, because it goes hand in hand with the desire for a return to a simpler way of life, a desire to reconnect with real values – family, tradition, preservation. it’s the longing to create homes, not just shelters.

HL: Do you think we in the UK can achieve elements of prairie as well?

Fifi: without any doubt! when it comes to creating a prairie style interior, there is an abundance of vintage furniture available not only in the UK but throughout europe. Much of it is handmade from rustic wood and bears the patina of time. Long before the ‘shabby chic’ trend, europeans were painting pieces – milk paint was the medium of choice. You also have access to vintage fabrics, from linens to mattress ticking, and grain sacks to floral cottons.

As for the lifestyle itself, europeans have been practising it for centuries, living out in rural areas or escaping to the country whenever possible.

HL: Do you think our tendency towards nostalgia is connected to the current world economic crisis?

Fifi: Yes, i believe it’s one of the factors. Another is the huge number of ‘baby boomers’, the generation born in the ’50s and ’60s. these are the people who are most impacted by the world’s changes and they’re the ones who long most for a simpler way of life, a return to a more peaceful, less contrived lifestyle.

HL: How did you become a writer and stylist? Was it tough?

Fifi: My very first job was as a writer for the Lausanne tribune, in Switzerland. then i moved to Canada where i worked as a copywriter for a number of advertising agencies. After settling in the US i wrote for various newspapers and magazines and started styling interiors and food features. eventually i became editor of a new York based home magazine and now here i am launching my own magazine, romantic Prairie Style. none of this is an ’overnight’ success. in fact, it took 25 years to get to this point!

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‘It strengthens that primal feeling that comes from being in tune with the beauty and rhythms of nature’ HL: How do you find the homes you feature, Fifi?

Fifi: that's my secret…!

HL: Can you describe your typical day on a magazine photoshoot?

Fifi: Get up at dawn. work until dark. rearrange furniture all day. remember, every time i walk into a home it’s the first time i’ve physically seen the place. within the first half-hour i have to figure out what props i can use, based on what the homeowner has to hand. So i could be going through cupboards, armoires, attics, boxes… to find what will work best in various rooms.

Most American publications allow only one day to shoot a whole house so there’s not time to ‘play’. though it is physically demanding and not

as glamorous as people tend to imagine, it’s always interesting, challenging and never boring. not to mention that you get to meet the most gracious and lovely people.

HL: What has been your favourite location so far?

Fifi: i love new england – vermont in particular.

HL: How did you collect the recipes for The Romantic Prairie Cookbook? Do you have a favourite?

Fifi: i set out to find homes where the owners grew some of their own food – they might have a vegetable garden, grow things in pots or live on a farm. then i’d set up the location schedule and the photographer and i flew from one place to the next.

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1 (previous page) Fifi’s living room is the height of simple chic, yet homely and welcoming.

2 As featured in Romantic Prairie Style, Maria Carr’s California bedroom is a fresh take on the trend.

3 Fifi’s bathroom is the perfect mix of simplicity and nostalgia that is the essence of prairie.

4 Even the shed in Fifi’s yard has been given a makeover and artfully bestowed a vintage look.

5 The fresh décor of Christian and Bryan McCord’s Californian cottage sums up the style.

6 Andrea and Eugene Dickerson’s 1890 farmhouse is their dream prairie home.

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when school was out, my parents would take my sister and me to a stone cottage in a meadow deep in the heart of France. Years later, when I lived in Canada, I fell in love with the pastoral landscape of the prairies and it strengthened that primal feeling that comes from being in tune with the beauty and rhythms of nature.

HL: Where do you find creative inspiration?

Fifi: Mostly from nature. Sometimes from a piece of fabric, a colour, a pattern or texture.

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I cooked the recipes with each person, styled the shoot, then tasted every single dish.

It’s hard to pick out one single favourite but the Mussels in Pine Needles, the Maple, Honey & Walnut Chicken and the Bread Pudding definitely top the list.

HL: You are originally from Paris – a world away from the wide open prairies.

What is it about the landscape that appeals to you?

Fifi: Though I was born in the city I always preferred wide open spaces. During the summer,

HL: How long does it take to put together a book, on average?

Fifi: It starts with an idea. Then I put it on paper and something interesting happens: once you write down what you think you want to do, it has a way of morphing. It's a tremendous tool because it forces you to define the concept. Then I find the properties and schedule the shoots – flights, hotels, dates, locations. Next we shoot. Excluding travel days, it takes about four to six weeks.

I try to allow time in between to start writing, but all together I have about three weeks to complete the book, which is pretty intense. After that it goes to the publisher and the layouts are produced. They are then sent to me for checking and corrections, the copy editor double-checks things and the book goes off to the printer. I guess from start to finish it takes about four months.

HL: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Fifi: Be true to yourself, don't let trends influence you. And don’t let anyone tell you it can’t be done.

HL: Finally, what advice would you offer a budding stylist or writer?

Fifi: Hone your skills. Start locally to begin building a portfolio. If you want to write for specific magazines, study their styling preferences. Don’t wait for an editor to assign you a story, come up with ideas and back them up with scouting shots to show your enthusiasm and understanding of what is needed. Oh, and never miss a deadline!

Turn the page for some delectable recipes from Fifi's Romantic Prairie Cookbook.

Fifi O’Neill is an editor, writer and photo stylist for European and US magazines, and now has her own magazine, Romantic Prairie Style.

Her books Romantic Prairie Style and The Romantic Prairie Cookbook are published by Ryland Peters and Small – don't miss the special offer for Handmade Living readers on page 20.

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Project HoLIDAy HoLDALL

Good to go!

Travel in style with Miss Maker’s lightweight weekender bag

By CLAre BLACkmore-DAvieS

PIcturEs By TonY BLACkmore

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Quick tip

This bag is designed without a solid base so that it ca n be folded and stored easily. If it Ă• s to be in regular use , cut two ex tra base pieces, join them to fo rm a long, flat pocket and slide a stiff piece of ca rd inside. P lace in the bottom of the bag for extra ri gidity.

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Quick tip

A great ad dition to an y sewing machine ki t is an adju stable zipper foo t. They giv e far more clearance than the st andard zip/piping feet you g et with most sewin g machines and make both tasks much easi er.

About this make RMEDIATE SKILL LEVEL: INTE MATERIALS g upholstery fabric n 1m canvas / stron for lining (optional) n 1m cotton fabric d n Matching threa n 4 x 36cm zips n 6 x 2.5cm D-rings TOOLS n Sewing machine n Scissors n Brown paper n Pencil and ruler

HoW yoU MAkE IT...

1 Using the template and measurements given overleaf, create your pattern on brown paper (then you can keep it to use again!). The pattern includes a 1cm seam allowance on all seams.

Mark and cut out all your pieces. If you are intending to line the bag, cut a set of pieces from your lining fabric Ă? you will not need tabs, pockets or handles for the lining.

2 Fold and press all 6 tab pieces so the long edges meet in the centre. For the two zip tabs, fold in half, press flat and thread on a D-ring. Sew across just

below D-ring.

For the 4 handle tabs, fold down by 3cm and up by 2cm and press flat.

Thread a D-ring onto the end with the larger fold, pin and set to one side.

3 Make your handles by folding the long edges of your handle pieces to the centre, then iron flat, fold in half again and iron flat.

Straight-stitch a line along each side of the handles as close as you can to the edge. Work in the same direction for both rows to avoid wrinkles.

6 Attach a handle tab to each end of your handles

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HOLIDAy HOLDALL

by threading the handle through the D-ring, tuck in the raw edge and sew in place. Position your handles on the bag sides where shown on the template and stitch them in place by sewing a small square, then sew diagonally across the square one way and then the other.

5 Create the zip pockets for the side of the bag: iron a 3cm fold into the straight edges of your fabric where the zip is to be positioned. With the zip facing upwards, place the fold in your larger pocket piece along the edge of the zip teeth (ensuring the zip is centred on the fabric). Using a zipper foot sew in place with straight stitch.

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Project

6 Place the other fold over the zip and pin in place.

7 Sew along the top edge of the fold to just before the zip teeth start. Leaving your needle in the fabric, turn and sew across to the other side of the teeth, turn again and sew along the side of the teeth to the other end of the zip, As before, move back to the top edge of the fold and sew along past the end of the zip.

Once both pockets are made, turn the top of the pockets down by 3cm and iron flat, sew along this top edge to attach the pocket to the bag side, ensuring the lower edges of bag side and pocket match.

8 To create the top zip panel, take one panel piece and place the zips face down on the right side of the fabric so that the top of the zips meet in the centre. Pin in place,

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Project HOLIDAy HOLDALL

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overlapping the ends for a neat finish. Using a zipper foot, sew in place as close to the teeth as you can.

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9 Turn back the zip and iron flat. Repeat this with the other panel piece.

10 Once the zip is in place, position your zip tabs at the end of the zips.Place the end pieces across the zip panel face down and sew in place, catching the tab as you go.

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11 Turn back and sew a second row of stitches across the top of the fold.

12 Now it is time to assemble the bag: working from the centre top with right sides together, pin the top zip panel to one side of the bag and sew in place with straight stitch.

Repeat to attach the other side. Now open the zips slightly

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13 Next, working from the bottom centre with right sides together, pin the base of the bag to one side and sew in place, stopping when you reach the top zip panel. Repeat to attach the other side.

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Clare Blackmore-Davis is the talent behind Miss Maker. Her fabulous workshops are held at The George hotel in the Hampshire village of Odiham. To find out more about Clare and Miss Maker visit her website www.missmaker.co.uk

14 Working on one end of the bag at a time, flatten the end panel and base together where they meet.

Sew straight across from one side to the other, being careful not to catch the side of the bag in your stitching.

15 Turn through to see your finished bag.

If you are lining the bag, create the bag in lining fabric as above, without handles or tabs. Leave the lining wrong side out and place inside the bag, secure by sewing to the inside edges of the top zip.

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TEMPLATE

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Outside

Holiday Plot Projects If you think the gardening year is coming to an end – think again! There’s plenty of grow-your-own tasks to get your gloves on this summer…

By ALICE WHITEHEAD

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GArDENING oUTSIDe

Choose interesting varieties such as Chinese mustard, kale ‘Red Russian’, wild rocket, American land cress and mizuna, and grow in a sunny or partly shaded spot (preferably by the kitchen door for easy picking). Fill containers with plenty of wellrotted compost, dampen with water and scatter seeds thinly or sow in short drills. Cover with soil, label and keep moist. Snip the tops off the plants when they’re about 5cm high. In two weeks they’ll have re-grown!

Make a bog!

An old, leaky pond or a waterlogged dip in your garden is a perfect place for a bog, which will attract a myriad of wildlife. If you need to excavate, mark out your shape with string and dig out a shallow bowl shape (approx. 45cm deep) and put the excavated soil to one side. Spread pond liner over the hole and weigh it down with bricks and trim to size, then pierce the base with a fork in a few places and replace the excavated soil, along with some compost and leaf mould. Use rainwater to fill your bog and add logs and marginal plants such as hostas, marsh marigolds and purple loosestrife to the edges for a naturalistic feel.

Light up your life Grow gourmet veg Sow and grow your own leafy ‘luxury’ veg and create a five-star restaurant experience in your own backyard.

Pea shoots: use up old packets of pea seeds and grow them just for the sweet tip. Fill a deep tray with compost and sprinkle the peas across the top, then cover with a little more compost. Water well and when they reach 10cm high, snip off the shoots for salads and stir-fries. (Try a maincrop variety such as ‘Kenobi’ from www.thompson-morgan.com.)

Turnip greens: the white, golfball roots might have fallen out of favour but the leafy tops are becoming very fashionable. If you’ve got young plants already, pick the leaves when they’re around 10cm tall or sow a late crop now (try ‘Tiny Pal’ from www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk or ‘Purple Top Milan’ from www.suttons.co.uk). They’re great dressed in oil and garlic or stirred into pasta with chilli and Parmesan.

Micro-veg: tiny versions of leafy greens, rather like cress, these mini veg are great as a garnish on soups or in sandwiches (try a selection at www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk). Line a seed tray on a bright windowsill with damp kitchen towel and sow thickly. Keep them moist and harvest as the first true leaves appear.

Get new plants from old Harvest seeds now to grow new plants for next year.

Allow seed pods to fully ripen on your favourite flowers and veg, then snip off, pop them into paper envelopes, label, and store somewhere cool and

dark. Great seeds to collect are: busy lizzie (burst them out of their fat pods), honesty (peel away the papery layers), poppy (give them a little shake) or tomatoes. Scoop out tomato seeds into a glass jar with 1 tbsp water, and cover and leave for 4–5 days in a warm place. Discard any mould that forms and gently rinse under water before drying thoroughly on kitchen paper and popping into an envelope.

Make a compost bin Create a place for all your cuttings and clippings, recycle garden and kitchen waste back into the soil, and save pounds on expensive bagged compost with an easy-to-make compost bin: 1 Secure lengths of galvanised chicken wire together to create a large loo-roll shape, and you can immediately begin adding leaves and grass clippings to start your compost.

2 Create a bit of heat to activate the decomposition by adding strips of cardboard or old carpet as walls (eventually these will decompose too, but they’ll be easy to replace).

3 Use old pallets (ask for spare ones from local builders’ yards, or log on to www.freecycle.org to do a swap) and use three to form an open-fronted, bottomless box. Tie together with wire or attach to corner posts inserted into the ground, and add a simple gate on hinges.

Grow your own salad bar Save pounds on bagged supermarket salad by growing your own cut-and-come- leaves, which will provide fresh pickings right through to winter.

With the barbecue season upon us (weather permitting!), brighten up your garden with easy-tomake candle-holders. Insert tea-lights into painted jars (put sand in the bottom to stop the tea-light moving about), and tie wire around and under the lip so you can hang it. or for a more muted effect, glue pieces of lacey fabric around the jar to create interesting shadows. You could even use old wine glasses, decorated with gold and silver glitter pens, or try filling tall vases with water and immersing your favourite flowers, popping a tea-light in the top – but make sure it’s not touching the flowers as it could be more fiery than flowery!

Grow pots of festive pots!

Serving a bowl of your own just-harvested, hotbuttered potatoes at the Christmas table has to be the highlight of any gardener’s year – and now’s the time to plant.

1 Search garden centres and online seed companies for late-cropping winter potatoes (try www.mr-fothergills.co.uk) and stand in trays or egg boxes blunt end up until sprouts appear (called ‘chitting’).

2 Cover the drainage holes of a large pot, bag or barrel with broken crocks and half fill with moist compost. Bury three or four tubers (sprout up) 5cm below the surface.

3 Stand the pot in a sheltered spot and keep moist, and add a little liquid feed during the growing period.

As shoots appear, add soil so only the very tops are visible and repeat until you’ve filled the container.

4 In mid-autumn move the whole thing to a frost-free place – ready for your harvest come Christmas morning!

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Summer holidays! musical makes

Handmade Living

Summer Holidays!

ECO SpECi aL

Eco-crafting rocks!

Keep the kids – and the planet – happy all summer long with these brilliant ideas for instruments made from junk.

By Kate LiLLey, author of eco-friendLy crafting with Kids PhotograPhy By caroLyn BarBer

40 haNDmaDe liViNg JuLy/august 2012

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mini eCO

Summer holidays!

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Cardboard box guitar

good use of Eco info: This project makes

unwanted cardboard boxes.

You can make a pretty cool guitar from a simple cardboard box. I’d be lying if I said it was capable of knocking out Purple Haze, but Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is well within reach!

Take the cardboard box and tape the openings shut. Using a craft knife or scissors (grown-ups only!), cut out an 8cm hole twothirds of the way down the face.

the band to the paper fastener at the opposite end and wrap around again.

Repeat with the remaining rubber bands. (Tip: the tighter they are, the clearer and higher the sound.)

To make the raised bridge, take a piece of card measuring 12 x 6cm and score three horizontal lines along the length with a ruler and pencil. Fold the card as shown, and stick it to the box using doublesided tape.

To make the neck, take a piece of card measuring 20 x 35cm. Score three lines along the length, 5.5cm apart. Fold the card to form a triangular prism and secure the overlapping edge with sticky tape.

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Using a craft knife or scissors (grown-ups only!), cut out a triangle with sides measuring 5cm from the top of the body. Slot in the guitar neck. Once your guitar is complete, let your little one decorate it using felt-tip pens/markers or crayons.

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3 Push six paper fasteners in each end of your box, centred about 1cm below the top edge. They need to be spaced about 1cm apart.

4 Cut your rubber bands, then wrap one end around the first paper fastener. Pull

About this ma ke

SKILL Le BegInn veL: chILdreer Ă? SmaLL n aduLt h wILL need eLP materIa LS n Sturdy cardboard boxes n Sticky tape n Craft k nife/sciss ors n Thick card or c ardboard n Double -sided ta pe n 12 pap er fasten ers n 6 rubb er bands n Felt-tip pens/ma rkers or c n Ruler a ra

nd pencil

yons

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Ankle bells

e k a m s i h t t u o Ab ANKLET) LS (FOR 1 MATERIA ool/yarn n 2.4m w rs n scisso r n Pin rdboard o iece of ca n scrap p

e polystyren (7.5mm) craft bells ll a n 13 sm

Jingly-jangly ankle bells = lots of dancing fun. They also look amazing and make wonderful handmade presents for your children’s friends and dance partners!

1 cut two lengths of colourful wool/yarn, each measuring approximately 1.2m. Fold the wool in half.

knot the folded ends of the wool together to form a small loop.

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3 Pin the wool, by the loop, to a scrap piece of card or polystyrene. Now the wool is secured you are ready to start tying knots in the four strands of wool.

4 Tie four square knots.

This technique requires adult help. Tying square knots may seem a little tricky at first, but once you have done it a dozen times youÕ ll be sorted. Bring the right strand over the two middle strands.

Then bring the left strand over the right strand, under the two middle strands and through the loop formed

by the right strand. Pull the right and left strand until the knot tightens.

5 Now bring the left strand over the two middle strands. Then bring the right strand over the left strand, under the two middle strands and through the loop formed by the left strand. Pull the right and left strand until the knot tightens. YippeeÉ you have tied a square knot! Repeat until you have tied four square knots.

6 Thread a bell on to the left-hand length of wool and tie two square knots.

Repeat 13 times. Tie two square knots.

Eco info: This projec t us ol, which is be extra eco-frienesdlwo y, try unravellainregneolwable resource. If you want to d jumpers or scarves instead

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7 Trim the ends leaving about 6cm excess. Fasten the anklets as you would a friendship bracelet.

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MINI Eco

Summer holidays!

e k a m s i h t t u o b A LS es MATERIA rs or glass bottles, ja ss la g 6 n n Jug n Funnel olouring n Food c icks n chopst

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Bottle xylophone Here is another great instrument you can make straight from your recycling bin. Children will love experimenting with the changing pitch as they increase or decrease the water level in each bottle.

SAVE £2 Ð SPEC IAL OFFER FOR RE ADERS OF HANDMADE LI VING 2

1 Stand your bottles in a line and have your little helper fill them with water using a jug and funnel. Add a little more water to each bottle as you move along.

2 Add a few drops of food colouring to each bottle. You can mix the food colouring if you want to make additional colours (this gives you a great excuse to talk about colour theory, too).

3 Give your little one a chopstick (or other wooden implement) and let them tap the bottles to discover the different sound each bottle makes. (Tip: more water produces a lower pitch Ð but if you blow across the top instead, the reverse is true!)

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This is an extract fro m Eco-Friendly Crafting with Kids by Kate Lilley, with photography by Carolyn Barber.

It's published by Ry land Peters and Small at £14.99 – bu t Handmade Living readers can buy a copy for the special price of £12.99 (inc p&p), that's a saving of £2 ! Simply call Macmillan Direct on 01256 302699 and quote referenc e GLR. 6LT.

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Erika’s new book Crochet Workshop is full of fantastic patterns such as this stylish throw.

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interview 1

Made in Britain

Handmade Living catches up with Erika Knight, design genius and champion of the British craft scene.

By ChaRloTTE BRETT

HL: What was the first craft you learned, Erika, and who did you learn from?

Erika: Cutting and sticking – i loved it! From the paper dolls with tabs on their clothes to making scrapbooks with old Christmas cards and cracker motifs, i did it all with my granny. But i was never allowed to touch her sewing machine!

HL: You originally studied fine art. What was your area and what prompted you to move into commercial textiles?

Erika: i specialised in printmaking – lithography, etching and silkscreen. i love the process, the journey of making and creating. the etching plates, the flag-waving of the litho, the production of the silkscreen image. i respond to texture, pressing the fabric into plates and layering the images. i guess textiles is just a progression of that, it’s intrinsic to what i do.

HL: Can you tell us a little more about the design work you did for companies

such as The Gap and J Crew, as well as your own knitwear company Molto!?

Erika: it was the start of the new romantic era, i was working in textile print, printing and festooning fabric for leading designers of the time. i couldn’t afford to do the job that i loved: i couldn’t afford the rent and the rail fare. So i turned to my hobby of knitting, made a vest with detachable sleeves – de rigueur at the time – got an order for six more, then more… and that was the start.

Since then i’ve worked with many designers and high street brands in many capacities.

HL: How did you start working with Rowan? Did they approach you?

Erika: the ’80s was a heady time for hand knitting, yet it was difficult to find good yarns and colours. the established industry was patronising and difficult to work with. Along came Stephen Sheard and Simon Cockin with rowan yarns and offered designers what they wanted: colour and cottons and creativity.

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HL: Is there a difference between designing a garment that will appear on the racks in a high-street store and one that will be hand-knitted by the average knitter?

Erika: Many of the design decisions are the same obviously, but to design a garment to be replicated by someone else at home involves a fairly complicated process of yarn selection, fabric construction, a degree of mathematical working out, some technical know-how of the craft so that it will fit as you want it to. Then it has to be graded so it will fit lots of people and written in a language that resembles hieroglyphics sometimes! It’s fun, but it can be challenging.

crafts have enjoyed such a resurgence in the UK over the past decade?

Erika: Not only in the UK, but globally! In a scary and volatile world, we like to feel that we can at least control our immediate surroundings, keep those we love safe. I think making things is our way of creating soft armour, a cocoon. It’s nurturing and caring.

HL: You've worked with Rowan and Coats on vast range of books and yarn launches.

What’s your favourite aspect of this?

Erika: Always the new season, the next project or pattern – the colours, the fabrics, the styles. I am always inspired by what’s next.

HL: How can we get craft back on to the curriculum in our schools? My personal belief is that it’s a vital part of anyone’s education.

Erika: There are huge initiatives going on at local and national levels to inspire children of all ages to take up crafts. The Crafts Council has been spearheading this and is involved in some fantastic cross-curriculum projects. But craft can also be taught and passed on as it has always been, at mother’s and grandmother’s knee, and by people giving freely of their time, energy, patience and skills.

Community crafting is the way forward.

HL: You also edited Organic Life, the first magazine of its kind in the UK. Does the ethos of the Green movement shape your design choices?

Erika:: Its fundamental to me, especially in the selection of yarns, how and where they are produced and by whom. And how the garments are made, manufactured and resourced.

HL: Your new book Crochet Workshop is out now. You've written many books on learning how to knit and crochet: what's the most important thing in teaching people ‘how to’?

Erika: To inspire them with a project that interests them enough to have a go and, equally importantly, finish it!

HL: Why do you think that knitting, crochet, quilting and a myriad of other

HL: How do you decide which patterns are best suited to people learning a new

craft and will help them to progress?

Erika: Keeping things simple, using basic stitches initially and introducing a little bit more technique as you go along, and recapping often on a technique or a variation of a stitch HL: You launched your own yarn line last autumn. How did you decide on the yarns and colours? I think the Maxi Wool in ‘Artisan’ is fabulous by the way!

Erika: Thank you!! It’s a small collection of pure British wools: the sheep are shorn and the fleeces selected, scoured, spun, dyed, hanked and handtagged all within 37 miles of the heritage mill where they are made. It was a natural choice, to work with

16 HANDMADE LIVING SEPTEMBER 2012

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interview 4

5

1 A practical and adorable baby rattle.

2 Classically elegant, this women’s V-neck is one of Erika’s garment designs.

3 Even a simple string bag benefits from Erika’s experience.

4 Baby designs have just right amount of vintage charm.

5 An art deco influenced bracelet from Beads and Buttons, Erika’s inspiring jewellery title.

6 A ’30s-style tea cosy fits perfectly into today’s retro trends.

‘In a volatile world we like to feel we can at least control our immediate surroundings, keep those we love safe.

Making things is a way of creating soft armour, a cocoon’

6

British Blue, a beautiful wool from the blue-faced Leicester sheep with its distinctive large ears. the yarn spun from its fine and lustrous fleece is a serious British contender to cashmere.

HL: What's your favourite craft, Erika?

You've published so many books on such a variety of crafts, including one of my favourites Beads and Buttons, that it must be hard to choose.

Erika: i just like the process of creating. Often for me it is the doing rather than the end result, rather than the ‘race to the finish line’.

Laxtons mill. i have collaborated with James Laxton on many projects, and he produces wool of the highest quality. it is important to me that the yarns are British and that producing them is creating jobs within the British textile industry. i have a small range of colours, but each is there for a reason, each colour is carefully considered. the new ‘Gunk’ is one of my all-time favourites, just a great neutral. it works with absolutely every colour you put it with, and is especially fab with ‘Artisan’, my popular chartreuse.

HL: Do you have any new launches planned for this autumn?

Erika: new colours, new designs – and a new yarn,

HL: Finally, what do you think of the current state of the craft industry in the

UK, both from a commercial point of view and as a consumer. Where do we go from here?

Erika: i think it’s incredibly exciting. it is prolific in all aspects, especially in its diversity. i believe craft will create new industry and create new employment, and at the very least it will continue to provide entertainment, enjoyment and satisfaction. the concept of craft is beginning to change in people's minds – craft is going upscale! we need to foster this so that the homemade becomes the handmade.

Erika is a well-known knitwear designer with her own range of yarn. She has written books on knitting, crochet and jewellerymaking, among others.

To keep up to date with all her news visit www. erikaknight.co.uk

PhotoGRAPhY BY PeteR SchiAzzA, Yuki SuGiuRA, kRiSten PeReRS, John heSeltine, DiAnA MilleR

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MAkE It AND MEND It feature

Summer in a jar

feeling downhearted as the evenings draw in? a jar is all you need to preserve the taste of summer, say the team behind Make it and Mend it.

N

o matter how cosy it is to close the curtains and snuggle up in a throw, there’s always nostalgia for the last days of summer.

OK, it could have been warmer and considerably less wet – but we’ll all miss the light evenings, flower-filled gardens and waft of barbecue smoke on the air .

Next summer seems so far away…

But a little light industry over the next few

weeks will mean you can enjoy the taste of summer all winter long, thanks to the humble – or maybe not so humble – jam jar. even before the screw=top Mason jar was invented in 1858, our great-great-grandmothers were using wax to seal and preserve the late summer glut of fruits, berries and vegetables using sugars, vinegars and oils. follow their example by bottling summer herbs in good quality wine or sherry vinegar. You can add spice, sugar and

plums to jars of cheap brandy. and who needs store-bought cranberry sauce when you can serve the Christmas turkey with bramble jelly or hedgerow jam, slightly thinned with a little port or red wine?

While supermarkets fly in fresh veg from around the world, all you’ll have to do is reach into the cupboard for the last of the allotment courgettes, which have been given a new lease of life as delicious courgette relish…

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feATure MEND It AND MAkE It

Making courgette relish Makes enough to fill 6Ð 8 small jars n n n n n n n n n n n n

1kg courgettes, finely grated 2 large onions, grated 2 red peppers, finely sliced 5 tbsp salt 500ml white wine vinegar 500ml cider vinegar 2 tbsp tumeric powder 300g caster sugar 1 tbsp English mustard powder 1 tbsp cornflour 1 tbsp black peppercorns finely chopped leaves from a head of celery or 1 heaped tsp celery salt

PHOTOS: HilarY BrUFFEll, SHUTTErSTOck

1 Prepare the courgettes, onions and peppers. Sprinkle with salt, mix well and cover, then leave overnight.

2 Next day, rinse thoroughly to get rid of the salt.

Drain well and squeeze out all remaining liquid, then pat dry with a clean tea towel. (If they’re still a bit wet, just simmer for a bit longer than the time given below.)

3 Put the vegetables and all the other ingredients into a stainless steel pan (don’t use aluminium) and bring to the boil, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved.

4 Simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. When thickened to a slightly sludgy texture with not much liquid left – it’s ready.

5 Make sure you’ve cleaned and sterilised your jars in the normal way. Let the relish cool, and then fill them. You’ll need 6-8 smallish sterilised jars – small jars work best as, once opened, you should use the relish within a week. Sealed, it will keep for six months.

About Make it and Mend it www.makeitandmendit.com was co-founded by Hilary Bruffell, Anne Caborn, Clare Flynn and Clare O’Brien. Their aim is to inspire us all to make and mend more and throw away less by sharing creative and upcycling ideas online.

In praise of jam tarts

r activity aking is much simpler – and it’s a great winte Cup cakes may be fashionable but tart-m e are Ther tea. of cup a to wonderful accompaniment with children. Jam tarts are also the most the but ite, webs it Mend and it Make ct jam tart on the some great tips on how to make the perfe s. Try filling with t rimen expe also can You s. cool hand key is light, crisp shortcrust pastry – and ey, or Brie and gooseberry preserve.

Stilton cheese and a little homemade chutn

Bring a bottle – and a jar!

when htful addition to the standard bottle of wine Jars of preserves make great gifts and a thoug rves, conse ht -boug shop . Save the fancier jars from you go round to someone’s house for a meal ative decor a for s shear ing crimp (use lar offcuts of fabric invest in some labels and use small circu lids. the up y prett to , twine n garde n or edge) or gift wrap,, held in place with ribbo berry Jam 2012. What about Fig jam from And don’t just write a label that says Straw way into alade – two examples that have found their Clare’s stove or Chris’s first go at marm r. winte this hine suns little a d rves and sprea our store cupboard. Be proud of your prese

22 HANDMADE LIVING SEPTEMBER 2012

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SuppliErS of CardMaking, SCrapbooking, CrafT and bridal SuppliES. General Craft Supplies, Floral Products, Card Embellishments, Bridal Supplies, Baby Embelishments, Card & Paper Supplies, Seasonal Items and Special Offers.

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TEL 01702 474115

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HML15_23.indd 1

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competition

Lush gifts up for grabs!

WIN! Win Lush goodies

L

ush is a household name, not just in the UK but worldwide. their innovative range of handmade cosmetics and skincare products feature the famous bath bomb, originally invented by mo constantine oBe, a host of heavenly skincare treats and a brand new range of colour cosmetics called emotional Brilliance, created by Lush co-founder Rowena Bird. All Lush products are suitable for vegetarians, many for vegans, and the company has a strong policy of eco-friendly initiatives. these include encouraging customers to save the black plastic pots many of products are sold in for recycling. Return five and you are rewarded with a free Fresh facemask. the company is also involved in numerous Fair trade initiatives, buying ingredients such as organic cocoa butter from costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, where cocoa production represents around 90 per cent of the local communities’ income.

As well a treat for yourself, Lush gift boxes also make the perfect present, and from as early as July, the company gears up for the christmas rush, with the factory starting production on brand new creations, gifts and favourite seasonal products.

Find out more at www.lush.co.uk

worth over £575 Answer the question below and you could win not just one, but two fantastic gift selections from Lush worth nearly £45. My Fair Lady is a reusable box containing six skin-softening products, including Olive Branch Shower Gel, Turkish Delight Shower Smoothie, Buffy Body Butter, Charity Pot Body Lotion, Miranda Soap and Tiny Hands Solid Hand Serum, usually priced at £29.95. Plus, youÕ ll also receive a Rosie gift box, worth £14.95, with four gorgeously scented rose-themed treats for your bath and shower: a bubble bar, bath ballistic, bubbleroon and body conditioner.

We have EIGHT sets of goodies to give away, plus seven runner-up prizes of a Lush Celebrate gift box decorated with British bunting print and worth £21.50 each. These contain two shower gels and three soaps, including the best-selling toffee-scented Honey I Washed the Kids.

HERE's THE QUEsTION:

Which Lush co-founder created the brand new Emotional Brilliance range?

TO ENTER: email your name, address and phone number to comps.handmade@tailormadepublishing.co.uk with Ô Lush CompÕ in the subject box Ð or post your details to Lush Comp, Handmade Living, PO Box 6337, Bournemouth BH1 9EH. Closes at midday on 31 August 2012.

competition terms & conditions: competitions are only open to UK residents who are Handmade Living readers, unless otherwise stated. competitions are not open to employees of tailormade publishing (or members of their families), affiliated companies or those associated with these competitions. prizes are as offered and are non-transferable, non-refundable, non-changeable. no cash alternatives are available. only one entry is permitted per person. competition closes midday 31 August (unless otherwise stated) and entries received after the closing date of the promotion will not be considered. no responsibility is taken for entries lost or delayed, by way of post or technical errors including malfunctions via the website. the winner will be drawn at random and the editor’s decision is final. no correspondence will be entered into. By entering, you confirm that we may make any use of your entry as we require, including publishing it in the magazine or on the website. the winner will be notified within 28 days of the closing date. Unless specified otherwise, if a prize remains unclaimed for six months it will not be awarded, provided reasonable attempts have been made to contact the winner using the contact details supplied.. please indicate on your entry if you do not want to receive information about the competition or other Handmade Living promotions. Handmade Living will only share this address with its sister publications and carefully selected partners.

28 HANDMADE LIVING SEPTEMBER 2012

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Quick tip

If you have made you r wallet from thinner fab ric, extra stren gth can be added by insertin g pieces o f cardboard into the zip pocket .

TravellerÕ s Joy This clever wallet keeps all your travel necessities in one place.

By Clare BlaCkmore-Davies PHOTOGRAPHy By GeorGina HumpHrey, Tony BlaCkmore

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TrAVEL wALLET

1 Cut the wallet shape from your outer fabric, remembering to place pattern on fold where indicated. Cut 2 lining pieces and 4 pockets from inner fabric, marking middle pocket positioning line lightly with chalk or pencil.

About this make SKILL LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

2 Bind the top edges of pocket pieces by folding the bias binding in half, placing over the raw top edge of each pocket and sewing in place with a line of straight stitch.

MATERIALS fabric n 25 x 25cm outer fabric ing lin cm 25 n 50 x ding bin s n 1.5m pretty bia zip n 18cm n n A pretty butto il nc pe or n Chalk n Scissors n Thread

3 Attach middle left pocket piece using the positioning line shown on the pattern. Do this by placing the bottom edge of the pocket piece

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Project

on the positioning line with the top of the pocket facing downwards, sew across with a single line of straight stitch, fold up and iron flat.

4 The rest of the pockets should be lined up with the bottom edge of the wallet lining and pinned in place.

Once all inner pockets are in place you can attach the zip.

5 Place the zip right side down on the left-hand lining piece with the edge of the zip in line with the right edge of the lining. Change to your sewing machineÕ s zipper foot and sew a line of straight stitch through all

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TrAVEL wALLET

10

layers close to the right hand edge of the teeth.

6 Turn back, iron flat and sew a line of stitching (topstitch) to hold the zip in place. repeat steps 5 and 6 for the right-hand side of the lining so the zip sits in the centre.

7 Take the wallet outer and place it on the lining, wrong sides together. Pin the two layers together. Straighten all edges and round all corners of the wallet with your scissors.

Unfold one side of the bias binding and place it right side down on the outside of the wallet. Ensure 8

11

12

the unfolded edge is lined up with the raw edges of the wallet. Attach the binding by sewing through all layers, along the crease of the fold.

Move the binding as you go to keep it aligned with the top of the bag, easing it round the corners.

binding and turn it over the raw edges to the inside. Sew round again (on the outside of the wallet this time) close to the edge of the binding.

9 when you have attached the binding on all sides, fold over the ends to neaten and trim away excess binding. with this binding offcut create your button loop by folding the binding in half and sewing a line of straight stitch along it.

13 Use and enjoy for years to come!

10 To finish the bias edging of your wallet, refold the

Project

11

Attach your button loopÉ

12

É And add your button.

13

Clare Blackmore-Davies is the talent behind Miss Maker. To find out more about Clare and Miss Maker visit her website www.missmaker.co.uk. You'll also find a selection of kits , patterns, tools and trims at the online shop.

SEPTEMBER 2012 HANDMADE LIVING 75

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great ways to

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