Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 66 i Mollie Magazine

The beauty of handmade lies in adding something personal to every make, and it’s easy with this month’s sweet customisable cover girls. Change up the outfits, accessories and hair colours to recreate yourself or a friend in miniature on page 18. Unique designs also take centre stage in our new online Mollie Makes Shop. It’s packed full of beautiful buys from some of the UK’s most talented makers, so take a look and start shopping at shop.molliemakes.com. If you need some inspiration to develop your own creative style, our interview with artist Lisa Congdon on page 26 is a must-read – we love everything in her studio! Psst... There’s still time to enter the Mollie Makes Handmade Awards: www.molliemakes.com/mollie-makes-handmade-awards…

Have you ever liked something so much it hurts? Let us introduce Rogues – our, and soon-to-be your, next big wardrobe crush.We can't decide if it's the animal-style prints, super punchy shades, subtle platform heels or signature neon laces that we love most, but we really want a pair. Or better still, all eight designs from the new spring summer collection. Pretty please? www.roguesshoes.com THIS MONTH’S WISHLIST A fusion of signature florals and pared-back Japanese design, Liberty and Uniqlo's long-awaited collaboration is a heady cocktail of patterns and playfulness. Buy now, or you'll miss out! www.uniqlo.com/libertylondon/uk Up the aw factor with this cute Dougie dungarees knitting kit from Stitch and Story. Requiring only garter stitch to make, it's ideal for knitting newbies, or as a thoughtful baby shower gift, ensuring…

‘There are always tensions between your creative and business brains.’ Lisa Congdon isn’t like most world-renowned artists. She never went to art school and didn’t start drawing and painting until she was in her 30s, but her less-than-conventional route into the art world hasn’t held her back. Sprawled out at her kitchen table 15 years ago, Lisa taught herself how to draw and paint during evenings and weekends while working day jobs as a teacher and at a not-for-profit. But it wasn’t until she started a blog and began sharing her work online that she came crashing onto the art scene. After years of striving to find her own unique voice and style through relentless practice, her distinct bold, bright and outrageously colourful work has now won her clients all…

HOW TO MAKE… COASTERS MATERIALS Hexagonal peg board and ironing sheet Hama beads in bright pink, stripe pink and white (pink design); teal, turquoise, spring green and white (green design) Iron Fine nose tweezers Here are some projects with tiny Hama beads that really take us back to childhood. Many members of Team Mollie have happy memories involving painstakingly planning the designs, ironing over and revealing your handiwork. Well, turns out they’re just as much fun in adulthood – especially with up-to-date colour palettes and on-trend designs. There’s also something incredibly calming about placing the beads into patterns – be warned, you may get seriously addicted. 01 Add all your beads to the pegboard, following the designs above (or you can design your own). Unless you have very nimble fingers,…

Find the latest new buys at shop.molliemakes.com…

HOW TO MAKE… A FELT WALL HANGING MATERIALS Sheet of extra thick (3mm) off-white felt Yellow standard (1mm thick) felt Red standard (1mm thick) felt Yellow and off-white cotton thread Off-white 3mm thick cord, 75cm (29½") long Debbie bliss Eco Baby Prints yarn in Seaside, or similar Scissors Coloured tailor’s chalk or a pencil Rotary cutter or craft knife Cutting mat Ruler Sewing machine Safety pin Dowel or thick wire at least 30cm (11/8") long Tape (sticky tape or masking tape will do) Piece of card approximately 13cm (5¼") long and at least 5cm (2") wide This is a great way of adding extra personality, warmth and texture to your home. The 70s-style design can be put together in a few hours, and can also be scaled up or down…

HOW TO MAKE… COLLAR CLIPS MATERIALS A4 printable shrink plastic Computer Printer Sharp scissors Needle-nose pliers Strong craft glue or a glue gun Hole punch Jewellery chain Jump rings Brooch backs Here’s another nifty use for our free printable papers. Shrink plastic is an easy way to make bold, eye-catching jewellery – plus it’s fun to watch it shrinking down like magic in the oven. You can leave as separate pieces, or customise by adding one or more chains to join. When choosing the pattern remember it will shrink along with the plastic, so the bigger and bolder the better. 01 Start by choosing your pattern: you can use one of your own, or download one of ours from our blog www.molliemakes.com . If using your own, fade slightly in…

Full Experience tickets cost just £29 for Mollie Makes readers book now with code MOLLIE29 . Your ticket includes: • 1X SUPER THEATRE SESSION – pick from Q&As with crafty celebs such as Patrick Grant and Annie Sloan, and the Mollie Makes Mash Ups, which pit leading crafters against each other to transform everyday items into bespoke pieces! • 1X SKILLS WORKSHOP – choose from a variety of sessions in each of the six tents: Papercraft, Yarn & Textiles, Wedding with Hobbycraft, Seasonal, Upcycling with Annie Sloan and Fashion Accessories. • 1X GRAND MAKE – this is crafting on a HUGE scale! Sit down for some communal creativity with 300 other crafters. • Access to the BOUTIQUE SHOPPING VILLAGE , packed with delicious food and drink from artisan producers.…

Chart shows start and end of each row, with pattern repeat intuitive between. It reads from bottom upwards. Rows 1 and 3 are in blue and read from left to right; Foundation and Rows 2 and 4 are in black and read from right to left. HOW TO MAKE… A CROCHET TANK MATERIALS Bergere de France Cotton Fifty 4ply yarn, 50% Cotton/50% Acrylic, 50g/140m/153 yards per ball, seven (eight, nine, ten) 50g balls in shade ‘Coco’ 3.25mm (UK 10, US D/3) crochet hook 3.5mm (UK 9, US E/4) crochet hook 3.75mm (UK 9, US F/5) crochet hook 4mm (UK 8, US G/6) crochet hook Yarn needle ABBREVIATIONS (UK)  st(s) stitch(es) sp(s) space(s) ch chain ch-sp chain space ss slip stitch dc double crochet htr half treble tr treble dtr double…

YOUR FREE GIFT BY EMMA LAMB PAGE 7 MATERIALS Yarn in light pink (Yarn A), green (Yarn B) and bold pink (Yarn C) 3mm (UK 10, US D/3) crochet hook 10g toy stuffing Yarn needle Scissors ABBREVIATIONS  st(s) stitch(es) sp(s) space(s) ch chain ch-sp(s) chain space(s) ss slip stitch dc double crochet tr treble rnd round prev previous inc increase in next st by working 2dc in it rep repeat RS right side Magic ring make a magic ring, hold thread in your hand and wrap working yarn around forefinger twice to create ring, slip ring off your finger and insert hook to pick up first st, ch1, then work the necessary sts for round 1 and close the ring tightly by pulling the loose end TENSION The first 7…

Nancy Straughan Blogger and textile designer Nancy adores bears, and her secret dream job would be a ranger at Yosemite National Park in California. Her other great loves are mid century furniture and Earl Grey tea. Mould Nancy’s textured clay pot on page 16 . www.nancy-straughan.com Brie Harrison East London-based illustrator and textile designer Brie loves all things botanical. Her work is informed by nature, both outside and in the home. She works from her studio by the canal and always travels with a sketchbook. Cut and stick Brie’s illustrated papers on page 67 . www.brieharrison.com Rachel Basinger Rachel runs her homewares and jewellery label, Oh No Rachio, out of her cosy Southampton home studio, with a little help from Luna the cat. She…

MATERIALS T-shirt Variety of thrifted statement necklaces Coordinating seed beads Beading thread Fabric adhesive (such as Fabri-Tac) Beading needle Pliers Scissors HOW TO MAKE… A JEWELLED T-SHIRT Add a touch of drama to plain old T-shirts with this easy project. You can gather unloved statement necklaces from thrift shop, pick them up in the sales, or you may just have a couple of broken ones hidden somewhere that you couldn’t bear to throw out. Spend the few extra pennies investing in a beading needle – they have a finer eye to let you pick up beads with the tiniest of holes. 01 Disassemble your necklaces, using the scissors for string and pliers for metal. 02 Sort the beads by colour and lay your T-shirt out alongside them. Prepare your scissors,…

Finnish design house Marimekko remains one of the most iconic brands out there – their timeless prints enliven any spot they’re placed in.This inviting scene features cushions in Quilt – a geometric take on traditional checks – and Hattarakukka, a colourful abstract floral. That’ll keep our pattern cravings satisfied all the way till summer. www.marimekko.com GET THE LOOK URBAN JUNGLE Florals needn’t be fussy – this elegant print shows they can look clean and striking on your walls, too. Or if you’d prefer something more abstract, go for this green geo bloom-a-like – it reminds us of a daffodil. www.howkapow.com, www.fermliving.com Big ones, small ones, plain ones, patterned ones...You can never have enough planters.Turn to Bloomingville to keep your home stocked up. www.bloomingville.com Can’t even keep a cactus alive? We…

HOW TO MAKE… A MACRAMÉ CHAIR MATERIALS Paracord in the colours of your choice, 180m (590ft) Lawn chair frame Two crochet hooks or pens, minimum 1cm ( /8") diameter Scissors Lighter Measuring tape Take a plain old lawn chair – easily sourced in a thrift shop or on the high street, or you may have one hiding in the shed already – and transform it into a colourful statement piece with some help from the current must-try craft, macramé. We’ve included a pattern for you to follow, but once you’ve got the hang of the technique you can go freestyle and create your own. Pop your finished chair outside to enjoy the warmer weather in, or find a corner in your house that needs brightening. 01 This project is based…

I’ve always been into collecting things – I could probably be called a hoarder! It started when I was given a box of vintage ribbons as a child. They had belonged to a friend of my granny, and I always wonder what plans she had for them. I then went through a coke can collecting phase in the 90s, followed by beads in the 00s, and now my textile collection is getting rather large. I started collecting fabrics as a student. I used to make my dresses for student balls because all the ones in the shops were too expensive.Whenever I travel, textiles are the first thing I seek out – I have some particularly striking deep indigo batiks from a Japanese shop in Hawaii which I intend to frame,…

HOW TO MAKE… A FISHING GAME MATERIALS Fat quarters of cotton fabric, or you could use large scraps Cotton thread Mod Podge Wadding material/ stuffing Some two pence pieces Strong ring magnet Twine Dowel to make a fishing rod (optional) Recreate the fun of old-fashioned summer fêtes with this traditional fishing game. You could attach ‘vouchers’ for prizes (just like hook-a-duck), or make it competitive – how many can each fisherman catch in one minute? Choose any lightweight cotton fabric (ours is from www.clothandcandy.co.uk) or you may have scraps lying round already. You can make a fishing rod from a dowel, or just tie a magnet to a piece of twine. Put your finished fish on a blue blanket to create a 'sea' for them to swim in. 01 First…

*Q&A offer applies to Full Experience tickets purchased for Fri 16th September only. Tickets cost £29 + BF (usually £32 + BF). Max 500 tickets available, offer closes 31st May 2016 or when sold out. Q&A takes place at The Handmade Fair at 10.15am on Fri 16th September.† For Sat & Sun tickets, quote MOLLIE29 to get Full Experience tickets for £29 + BF (usually £32 + BF). A full selection of ticket types is available from www.thehandmadefair.com. Don’t forget you get a Super Theatre session included with your ticket! Book yours today to confirm your place in the audience for the Mash Up of your choice.…

HOW TO MAKE… DOODLED TRAINERS MATERIALS Simple white trainers Pencil Fabric markers Scissors Waterproof spray (optional) If you’re addicted to doodling, then show those creations off. This fun project uses simple plimsoll-style trainers and turns them into customised works of art. Doodle the whole shoe or just a section, and keep it plain or mix up the colours – a black outline and pink or blue detailing looks good. 01 If your trainers have shoelaces, take them out. You’ll replace them once finished, or you can swap them for ones that match your finished doodle colours. 02 Decide on your design. We wanted something graphic, and doodled a variety of shapes onto a piece of paper. An easy way to make a graphic design that still looks ‘doodled’ is to…

I’m totally plant crazy. My mum calls me the crazy cacti lady, but it’s cool – I’ll take that. She’s a huge inspiration to me as she’s a florist; we always had plants and flowers around the house, and I helped her out with weddings from a young age. Then, when I moved to London six years ago, I realised I really missed having an outdoor space with plants and greenery. I started making some concrete planters for my Victorian flat and they inspired me to launch geo-fleur, my plant and pot label. I love helping urban homes enjoy a little bit of greenery, whether it’s an xerographica air plant or a little succulent in one of our handmade concrete and copper pots. When I first started I was still…

We used to call it tidying. Now, decluttering is all the rage. Marie Kondo, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and follow-up Spark Joy, even made Time magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people. But are principles such as “keep only those things that bring you joy” and “you will never use spare buttons” useful for makers or is a different approach needed? ORGANISED CHAOS “I found [Kondo’s book] life-changing,” says jewellery designer Laura Hunter (www.ilovecrafty.co.uk), whose home office used to be crammed with clutter. “Now I have room on my desk, I don’t feel so cramped and everything in my office is cute.” Illustrator and blogger Lily von Cupcake of Tiny Grey Cat (www.tinygreycat.etsy.com) isn’t convinced. “Anything regimented instantly puts me off,” she says. “I’m…

It’s the mix of mid-century furniture, tactile handmade goods and more plants than you can shake a leaf-covered stick at that makes Rachel Basinger’s Southampton marina flat feel so alive with colour and warmth.The designer-maker shares this space with her boyfriend Jack and their two cats, Ruben (the flu y one) and Luna. They’ve been here for five years. “It was the curve that we fell in love with,” she says of her first home. “And the number of windows! As soon as we walked in, we knew this was the one. I got so excited about taking photographs in here with all this lovely light.” Rachel’s shop and blog, Oh No Rachio, is always chocca with beautiful photos of her all-round creative goodness. Popular prints, sewn homewares, signature ceramic…

If you like the idea of filling your home with gorgeous greenery and fancy a quick DIY project, these sweet paper plants are a fun option. UK-based craft blog Heart Handmade UK teamed up with blogger Silvia Raga of Giochi de Carta to create the simple watercolour leaves, displaying them in mugs and terracotta pots. Have a go at creating unique leaf shapes, and top off your design with a pom pom. You can find the full tutorial online at www.hearthandmade.co.uk…

HOW TO MAKE… PRINTED BISCUITS MATERIALS Biscuits • 40g/5oz/ ²/ ³ cup cold salted butter, cut into pieces • 280g/10oz/2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting • 140g/5oz/ ¾ cup caster (superfine) or soft brown sugar • 1 egg • 1 tsp vanilla extract Topping • Sugarpaste/ready-to-roll/ fondant icing, 200–250g/7–9oz • Gel paste in your choice of colours • Icing sugar, for dusting • Printed sheet of edible paper (www.thecakedecorating company.co.uk) • Piping gel If, like us, you can’t stop cooing over those pretty fabric scraps in your stash, here’s a great way to put them to use without getting out a needle and thread. Edible paper may sound slightly 80s, but printing it with some divine designs instantly brings it bang up-to-date. Scan in some of your…

Join us for a celebration of all things craft this September! We’re delighted to be media partners of The Handmade Fair for the third year running, joining Kirstie Allsopp and some of the biggest names in craft for a weekend of shopping, making and learning in the grounds of Hampton Court Palace. The Mollie Makes team will be there, along with some crafty friends! Kirstie will be returning to host the country’s most hands-on craft event from 16-18th September. She’ll be there each day to present a selection of hands-on workshops, entertaining interviews, inspirational make and takes, plus all the crafty shopping and fantastic food you can handle! See the likes of skincare giant Liz Earle, The Great British Sewing Bee judge Patrick Grant and celebrity nutritionist Amelia Freer in…

Friday 16th September, 12pm Lisa Comfort Lisa set up Sew Over It, London’s first sewing café, in 2011. Since then she’s written books, opened another shop and has the UK’s widest range of sewing classes, plus a dressmaking pattern and kit range. www.sewoverit.co.uk Sonia Bownes Sonia founded London Craft Club in 2014 to help Londoners find time for creativity, and help crafters develop better marketing skills. She teaches and collects as many crafty skills as she can! www. londoncraftclub.co.uk Saturday 17th September, 12pm Matt Chapple Matt is the first male winner of The Great British Sewing Bee and loves to create amazing things from fabric. As well as blogging about his makes, Matt is busy developing his new sewing kit designs. www.sewwhatsnew.co.uk Zeena Shah Printed textile designer Zeena illustrates and…

HOW TO MAKE… A GEO QUILT MATERIALS Background fabric, 2.75m (2¾yrds) or fifteen fat quarters Scrap fabrics, 1.3m (1 /8yrds) total or six fat quarters Backing fabric, 4m (4yrds ) Batting, 157.5cm (62") square Binding, 0.5m (½yrd) FINISHED SIZE 184cm (64½") square Here’s a gorgeous geo quilt design to throw over a chair or bed and inject a bit of colour into any corner. The cross motifs are excellent for using up scraps from your stash. If you don’t fancy making a large quilt, you could customise to create a table runner or cushion instead. Cutting the fabric 01 For the background, cut eight 16.5cm (6½") × WOF (width of fabric) strips. Subcut into twenty-four 16.5 x 31.5cm (6½ × 12½") pieces for sashing. Cut four 11cm (4½") × WOF…