Indholdsfortegnelse for The Best of Mollie Makes i The Best of Mollie Makes

What nostalgia I've felt bringing this collection together! When Mollie Makes launched in 2011, it was at exactly the right time to inspire a new wave of crafters and makers, who had started to connect and share their creations online. We encouraged our vibrant community to embrace imperfection and enjoy making for wellbeing and fun; to live a crafty life where our homes and style reflected our creativity. It was a dream come true to edit this beautiful magazine for three happy years alongside incredibly talented editorial teams and craft designers – 30 of whom I'm spotlighting in this 'Best Of ' collection. I hope you enjoy the trip down memory lane as much as I have!…

HOW TO CROCHET… A GRANNY SQUARE CUSHION MATERIALS ■ Double knit yarn in various colours ■ 4mm crochet hook ■ Embroidery needle ■ Button ABBREVIATIONS (UK) ch chain ss slip stitch sp space tr treble crochet A simple white backdrop is just the thing to show off bright colours, and it works like a dream for this crochet cushion. It’ll be a talking point on your favourite chair, and it’s really simple to make. Just raid your yarn scraps and combine the colours in an instinctive way – don’t think too much about it, just go with the next colour that feels right! Once you’ve made one of these, you’ll want to make another. And if you’ve still got the crochet bug, you can always make a matching blanket… For…

HOW TO MAKE… A FOOTSTOOL COVER MATERIALS ■ Newspaper ■ Pattern cutting paper ■ Scissors ■ Compass ■ Sticky tape ■ Five fat quarters of fabric in different patterns ■ 1m of medium iron-on interfacing ■ Thread ■ Approximately 1.5m mini pompom trim ■ Approximately 1.5m ric rac ribbon Here’s how to put together a pattern template and make a fabric cover for any round footstool or pouffe. 01 02 To make a pattern to match your pouffe or round footstool, you will need two measurements: its height (cushioned part only); and circumference. 03 Next, prepare your templates. Start by sticking some double newspaper pages together. This will be a template for the strip that fits around the sides of your stool. The strip needs to be a rectangle the…

HOW TO MAKE… AN UPCYCLED CLUTCH MATERIALS ■ Outer fabric ■ Inner fabric ■ Medium weight iron-on interfacing ■ Vintage button ■ Sewing machine or needle and thread ■ Laundry pegs ■ Pins NOTES ■ For templates, see www.gathered.how Do you have a pile of thrifted fabric finds just begging to be put to use? Jennie Walker created this beauty from a vintage tablecloth – a great material for this project as you can cut out any worn or faded parts. A regular tea towel is just the right size too. Add a lively contrast pattern for the lining such as a vintage sheet or pillowcase. You can easily add extra detail with a trim around the seam of the flap, and really make a feature of the vintage button.…

HOW TO MAKE… A BICYCLE SKIRT GUARD MATERIALS ■ DMC Petra Crochet Cotton 3, 100% cotton, 100g/280m per ball. Seven balls in different colours of your choice – label them A, B, C, D, E, F and G ■ 2.5mm (UK 12, US C/2) crochet hook ■ Stitch markers ■ Darning needle ■ Pins ■ Tape measure ■ Spray starch ■ Twine or string for lacing the skirt over the mudguard TENSION Tension is not important for this project but it is important to ensure the stitches give a good finish. As a guide, the granny squares measure approx. 5.5cm (2") square and the circles approx. 4.5cm (17/8") in diameter. ABBREVIATIONS (UK) st stitch sl st slip stitch sp space ch chain dc double crochet tr treble Magic ring Make…

HOW TO MAKE… FROSTED ANIMAL HAIR CLIPS MATERIALS ■ Approx 15g/20m pink or white aran yarn ■ 5mm (UK 6, US H/8) crochet hook ■ A handful of soft toy stuffing ■ Multi-coloured seed beads or tiny pom-poms ■ Fabric glue or needle and thread to match your yarn ■ Scissors ■ Tapestry needle ■ Hair slide TENSION Tension is not important for this project but it is important to ensure the stitches are dense so any stuffing does not poke through. ABBREVIATIONS (UK) St(s) stitch(es) Ch chain Dc double crochet Ss slip stitch Yrh yarn round hook Dc2tog double crochet 2 together – (insert hook in next st, yrh and draw loop through) twice, yrh and draw through all 3 loops on hook MEASUREMENTS Camel approx 8 x 7cm…

HOW TO MAKE… THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA MATERIALS Princess doll ■ 15x30.5cm piece of lightweight cotton ■ 15x40.5cm piece of linen or cotton ■ 20g of 100 per cent wool yarn (for hair) ■ Cotton thread in black for eyes, red for mouth and a shade that matches the dress ■ Toy stuffing ■ Water-soluble pen Mattress ■ 15x35.5cm piece of cotton fabric ■ 15x16.5cm wool batting ■ Thread Pea ■ Green wool roving Crown ■ 4x10cm of wool felt ■ Seed beads ■ Contrasting thread NOTES ■ For templates, see www.gathered.how Take one uppity princess and stacks of pretty fabric and you have a fairytale ripe for a craftover. Manda McGrory’s creative project is the sweetest way to use up lightweight cotton scraps or much-loved-but-outgrown clothes, for the…

Charlie Moorby Former Mollie Makes Deputy Editor and CrossStitcher Commissioning Editor, Charlie now edits Simply Sewing. She is passionate about all things created with a needle and thread! She’s had her work featured in Prima, The Guardian and Radio Times. Take your pick of Charlie's collar designs on page 71. @thesavvycrafter Jenny Hart Jenny Hart, artist and founder of Sublime Stitching, first became known for her hand-embroidered portraits of the famous and infamous. She has had her work entered in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum (Renwick). Try Jenny's tattoo-inspired designs on page 100. www.jennyhartstudio.com Manda McGrory Designer Manda McGrory works from her studio on the Isle of Wight. Her patterns and toys are inspired by her childhood. Attention to detail, style, and a nostalgic quality means…

When you first meet Allison Sadler, she is likely to give you one of the best hugs you’ll ever have had. This warmest of women has steadily built a community on Instagram over the past ten years, who follow for her life philosophy: authenticity, positivity and connection. It’s the driving force behind everything she does, only now, it’s at an easier pace, a welcome shift in gears. The lifestyle store she ran with her husband, Christian, for 20 years, The People Shop, is now an online-only enterprise. Having closed the bricks and mortar shop in Birmingham during the pandemic, and experiencing a spell of bad health, Allison was able to reassess what lights her up and she has now found the most perfect job at the Prince’s Trust, mentoring and…

HOW TO MAKE… KNIT A COLOUR BLOCK SCARF MATERIALS ■ Alize Lanagold yarn, 100g/240m per ball, 49%wool /51% acrylic, 1 ball each in Grey Melange (21), Peachy (648), Pistachio (193) and Green Melange (567) (for pom poms) or similar aran weight yarn ■ 5.5mm (UK 5, US 9) straight knitting needles ■ Tapestry needle ■ Pom pom maker, approx. 8cm (31/8") diameter ■ Scissors TENSION Approx. 18 stitches and 20 rows over pattern to 10cm (4") square ABBREVIATIONS (UK) St(s) stitch(es) K knit P purl Keep cosy in a playful pom pom scarf that’ll add an unexpected pop of colour to your winter outfits. The combination of olive, peach and grey creates a fun palette that’s just the right side of grown up, without being dull. The shades and style…

SCALLOPED & PUNCHED You know that tea dress you’ve had your eye on? Well, here’s perfect the excuse to snap it up HOW TO MAKE… Use the template online at www.gathered.how to cut two scalloped edge collars from a medium-density cream felt. Use a single hole-punch to create holes between the scalloped curves along the collar. Attach a length of ribbon (approx 45cm) to the end of each piece of felt to act as the necklace ties and another two shorter pieces at the front. Finish by adding a tied bow to the front. RIBBON & STITCH Make an impression at your next crafternoon with a collar necklace that shows off your stitching skills HOW TO MAKE… Cut the collar pieces from a piece of medium-density green felt using the…

These mini 'fashion statements' include handwritten messages about sustainable fashion. "The idea is that you ‘shop drop’ (the opposite of shop-lift) a scroll into the pocket of a garment in a fashion store, asking ‘please open me’ with curiosity and care," says the Craftivist Collective's Sarah Corbett. Find this and 19 other Gentle Protest craft projects in her new book, The Craftivist Collective Handbook, out later this year. www.craftivist-collective.com…

HOW TO MAKE… CACTUS PINCUSHIONS MATERIALS ■ Felt: green for plant; small pieces of red, pink or purple, and beige for detail ■ Embroidery thread to match base and plant felt ■ Thin cardboard ■ Terracotta plant pot (6cm diameter) ■ Ball-headed pins (in reds and pinks) ■ Ribbon ■ Toy filling NOTES ■ For templates, see www.gathered.how This spiky pair are very handy to have around. They’ll keep your pins and needles safe and you can stash away buttons or beads inside each pot. It doesn’t really matter if you have green fingers or not, this is a pair of plants that will easily bloom with a little bit of crafty love. It’s time to unleash the green felt… 01 Trace the shapes from the templates online at www.gathered.how…

HOW TO MAKE… A CROCHET APPLE JACKET MATERIALS ■ Cotton DK yarn ■ 3.5mm crochet hook ■ Embroidery needle ■ Button ABBREVIATIONS (UK) ch chain dc double crochet rep repeat sk 1 skip one stitch sl st slip stitch st stitch This is a very simple pattern using the most basic of crochet stitches. You don’t even have to know how to decrease – just miss a stitch out where the pattern says so. Start with a slip knot. Work 4 ch, join to form a loop with a sl st into first ch. Round 1: ch1, 9dc into central loop, sl st into 1st ch to close up the circle. Round 2: working in the round, 2dc into each subsequent stitch (approximately 18 sts). Insert a contrast colour yarn…

When it comes to colour, the craft world looks to Kaffe Fassett. A master of flamboyant shades, the fine art graduate still works in the traditional way, hand-painting his fabric designs in gouache, keeping track of every colour used in an adjacent grid for each project. He’s dedicated the past 50 years to knitting, needlepoint and patchwork, currently designing for Free Spirit Fabrics, Rowan and Ehrman Tapestries of London, alongside commissions for companies and design houses from Marks and Spencer to Missoni. Kaffe gave us a tour of the home he shares with partner and studio manager, Brandon Mably, to give us a closer look at his work processes and his home life. Talking colour and pattern with Kaffe is a genuine joy – his excitement is infectious. When asked…

HOW TO MAKE… A STITCHED BLOUSE MATERIALS ■ Blouse with a collar ■ Embroidery thread ■ Needle with a large eye ■ Fabric chalk or pencil ■ Scissors ■ Ruler (optional) There’s no escaping the colouring-in inspired trend for bold outlines, so here’s an easy way to bring the look into your wardrobe. This easy doodling idea can be cutomised how you like – add loops or other simple motifs, and switch up colours to your taste. A small, neat backstitch works best for a minimal look. 01 Start by ironing your shirt and placing it on a flat surface. Button the shirt up and position the buttoned line on top. Draw a straight line across the front, next to the buttons, using your pencil or chalk. Decide on the…

Knitwear designers Arne Nerjordet (on the right, above) and Carlos Zachrison (Norwegian and Swedish respectively) first became big names in the UK with their popular book, 55 Christmas Balls to Knit, an instant hit. Previously, the pair focused on their clothing brand, creating designs inspired by their heritage and working with big names such as Comme des Garçons and Liberty of London. These days, subsequent book deals have given Arne and Carlos license to share much more of their creative process, from the knitting patterns themselves to their love of a very particular kind of papercraft: journaling. In one of their offerings, Make Your Own Ideabook, they invite us to try their techniques and collect, document and research our own creative inspirations, with books made from scratch and easy-to-follow instructions.…

Ten years ago, stylist, author and TV presenter, Zeena Shah, was a textiles graduate, running her own screenprinted furnishings brand, Heart Zeena, in London. She became a familiar face in early editions of Mollie Makes with her DIY tutorials turning tote bags into essential city accessories and plain cushions into neon floral fiestas. So, how wonderful to catch up for a natter nearly a decade later to discuss all the exciting developments in a genre-smashing career that has seen Zeena multi-hyphenate beautifully into creative collaborator-art director-influencer, all from the very pink, very art deco Hackney flat she shares with her husband, paper artist Zack Mclaughlin. With their wedding photos gracing the pages of Vogue, and Zeena now appearing on This Morning to present regular style segments, her work life has…

In Hello Rainbow: Finding Happiness in Colour, author, colour expert and frequent Mollie Makes contributor, Momtaz Begum-Hossain explores all the many and varied ways colour can improve our lives. Try a meditative spot of free-form embroidery to find calm and wellbeing while you listen to her podcast, 'Hello Colour'. momtazbh.co.uk…

EXPORT COVER GIFT Everything you need to get crafty! We're so pleased to include a bonus embroidery kit with your printed copy of Mollie Makes. Export edition readers will receive a swan decoration by art editor and illustrator, Matilda Smith, and readers in the UK will receive a floral pennant kit by embroidery designer, Jessie Doe. Each contains everything you need to get stitching straight away. Whether you make your kit up as a gift or to keep yourself, we hope you enjoy the me-time to craft. Get all the templates and step-by-step instructions you need at www.gathered.how and be sure to share any photos of your makes you post online by tagging @molliemakes. UK COVER GIFT NOTES For templates, www.gathered.how…