Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 1 i Gathered

One of the best things about tapping into our innate creativity is that we're able to reinvent what already exists, or rustle something up from seemingly nothing. Fashion is the ideal arena to flex this super power – with a sewing box of trims, buttons, sequins and ribbons to hand, it's a cinch to add those considered details that give it that designer vibe without the price tag. And if haberdashery isn't your thing, we've gathered some clever styling ideas to sharpen up any outfit, without spending a penny. 1. Add embroidered details Tactile motifs, from florals to monograms, give your garms a designer flourish. Whether you use silky, satin-sheen embroidery floss to sew a design on a lapel or a pocket, or you use yarn to stitch squishable flowers…

MINDFULNESS During a month when two close friends left the city we've shared and two more loved ones announced their plans to move – one to the coast, one across the ocean – I've been thinking a lot about keeping in touch, about staying connected to the people I love, wherever they are. Myriad ways to keep in touch It can be a wonderful thing to have friends and family spread across the globe, as so many of us do; to see loved ones being where they need or want to be, for now or maybe for always, fulfilling dreams or just trying new things, coming home from travels with new friendships and lasting bonds. But there can be loss and disconnection in the distances between us too – not…

MINDFULNESS There's very little equipment you need to get started with calligraphy, so once you've got your kit you're ready to go. I recommend a Nikko G nib, a Speedball Straight Penholder, Higgins Eternal Black Ink and a Rhodia pad or Layout paper. It's worth remembering that you'll need to buy the parts of your pen separately – the nib and holder. Before you get started you need to prep your nib, as they come with a factory seal that stops the ink flowing correctly. You can do this by cleaning the nib with toothpaste. Then place your nib in the holder (push it in as far as it will go), dip in the ink and you're ready to go! When you're dipping your nib into the ink, you want…

TRENDS She's the queen of hidden meaning, so it's particularly appropriate that something as symbolic as a friendship bracelet has become so intrinsic to the Taylor Swift fan experience. A huge community of Gen Z and Millennial super fans – aka Swifties – have adopted this popular childhood craft to connect at concerts, swapping their handmade, primarily beaded friendship bracelets. Made with letters or numbers spelling out favourite song names, lyrics, tour dates or other coded messages, they are trinkets of total adoration. Many Swifties share their twinkling collections of arm candy on TikTok under #erastourbracelets. It's a very fitting, wholesome tribute to one of the most successful singersongwriters of our age – so how did it come about? A friendship bracelet is traditionally made as a gift that you…

MINDFULNESS • A handmade card: This doesn't have to be perfectly illustrated or include a long message – just have fun and let someone know you're thinking of them. • Seeds: I love the sense of hope and the forward-looking nature of giving seeds. They're not just for avid gardeners either. Herbs or small, indoor flowers are ideal for those restricted to a few pots on the windowsill. • Pressed flowers: I often pressed flowers between heavy books when I was little and recently saw a friend's child continuing this age-old tradition with a simple flower-press she'd been given. It's such a thoughtful (and inexpensive) way to send flowers. • Mini care package: For me, a care package should be about comfort, things to cuddle up with and enjoy –…

MINDFULNESS When we're lying awake in the small hours, desperately trying to calm a racing brain and a heart that's going like the clappers, it's easy to assume everyone else is getting plenty of refreshing shut-eye. This is particularly pertinent when the rest of your household is sleeping soundly and finds falling asleep and staying asleep as easy as flicking a switch. But bad nights are more common than you might think. Around one in three of us regularly suffers from poor sleep, while one in 10 experiences chronic insomnia. According to the NHS website, insomnia is defined as regularly finding it hard to fall asleep, and/or waking several times in the night, and not feeling refreshed the next morning. Short-term insomnia is classed as lasting for less than three…

CREATIVITY Crochet seems to have officially made its comeback. Fashion runways are filled with all sorts of creative craftsmanship, showing a re-emergence of styles popular in the 70s. Big-time designers as well as high street brands are approaching crochet in stylish new ways. From Gucci to Valentino, Stella McCartney to Kate Spade, Victoria Beckham to Miu Miu, the world's leading fashion houses have incorporated crochet elements into their collections over recent years. Fashion stylist Joyce Gereige has been working in the fashion industry for many years and notes how the 70s as a whole has been having a major revival. “This isn't the first time we've seen designers finding inspiration from the past's trends. But recently the 70s has heavily impacted the runway in a way we haven't seen before,…

CREATIVITY Everything about quilts fascinates me; the gorgeous fabrics, vibrant colours and intriguing patterns; the skills involved in construction; and the stories about how and why they were made. But, my favourite quilts are ‘quirky quilts’ – those projects that are a little bit different and people may not have come across before. Barn quilts fit that criterion perfectly. I first came across barn quilts whilst researching pioneer quilting and the importance of quilts for the families who trekked across America in search of a better life. They are a new type of quilt for me – bright, fun and definitely unique. Unlike traditional quilts, barn quilts are not made from fabric but from plywood, and they are not spread across furniture but hung from barns in rural areas. A…

Kintsugi is an ancient Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, but the concept is so much more profound than that. The act is built around the philosophy of embracing flaws and imperfections and, in doing so, you can create something even more beautiful. Sound like something you could apply to yourself…? Now you're getting it! The exact origin of kintsugi is unknown, although a legend places the art as far back as the 15th century, when Japanese shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa sent a broken tea bowl back to China for repair. It returned with unsightly metal staples but, rather than discard the bowl, craftspeople sought out a better way to repair it. They weren't seeking a flawless fix; they wanted the ‘scars’ to be incorporated as part of the…

MINDFULNESS In the age of AI, what we're learning to value most is what sets us apart from machines, so it's no surprise that the handwritten word is being embraced again. Handwritten words take time and effort, they're unique, they're imperfect and you can hold them in your hands. A new generation of calligraphers are encouraging people to put pen to paper, and companies are once more hiring them for their skills, from creating signs and window displays to sending invitations and even personalising products. Alice Gabb is a lettering artist and banner maker based in east London, where she started selling her wares at a local market. She now creates stationery, holds workshops and has worked with Anthropologie, Harrods, Selfridges and Barbour. “Most people who come to my classes…

CREATIVITY You will need: 1x ball Cascade 220 Superwash. 4mm hook Tension 1 square measures 9cm Abbreviations: Ch chain Ch-sp chain space Sts Stitches Tr Treble stitch Slst Slip stitch Pattern note This pattern is worked by turning at the end of each round. If you prefer not to turn, you can slip stitch to the next ch-sp at the start of the next round before you work your ch3. Ch5 (Image 1), join into a loop with a slip stitch. Round 1: Working into the centre of the loop made by the ch5, ch3 (counts as 1 tr) (Image 2), 2tr, [ch2, 3tr] three times, ch2. (Image 3) Join with a slst into the top of the ch3. Turn. (12tr sts) Round 2: Ch3 (counts as 1 tr), (2…