Table of contents for Christmas 2019 in Mollie Magazine

HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL, OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT . That’s what you’ll be uttering breathlessly when you get an eyeful of Wolf and Moon’s latest collection. We’re talking mysterious abstract statement earrings and pendants, rendered in mother of pearl and shining brass – serious Matisse vibes. And no, it’s not too late to redraft your Christmas list *sharpens pencil*. www.wolfandmoon.com BOOKMARK SMALL BATCH BRILLIANCE Loom is our favourite new hand-dyed yarny biz to hit Etsy. Think speckleds, semi-solids, mini skeins and even sparkly fingering weight offerings, all in a superwash merino and nylon blend – top notch for serial sock knitters. Set a reminder for the next shop update to avoid yarn FOMO. www.loomwool.etsy.com WANNA HANG an indie original on your tree this year? The mighty V&A has worked…

Stepping into Sarah Louise Matthews’ contemporary South Yorkshire townhouse is like being transported into the pages of an Anthropologie catalogue. Calming pastels contrast with playful paintwork, graphic art prints and pops of rich forest greens. And, with Christmas just around the corner, there’s even more joyous colour and jovial trinkets to enjoy. Like many of us, Sarah loves the build up to Christmas, and as a freelance paper designer, the decorating part is particularly exciting. “It’s actually one of my favourite things to do,” smiles Sarah. “I feel like putting the tree up marks the start of the festive period. I love playing Christmas tunes, getting everything out of its wrapping and deciding where everything will go.” Sarah’s collection of ornaments has built up over the past 10 years, and…

For a special occasion, as a gift for a loved one, or to jump-start your own crafting mojo, nothing does the trick quite like a creative workshop. 1 RUTH ROMANO Cheshire 2 WHERE INSPIRATION BLOOMS Buckinghamshire 3 THE LONDON LOOM London 4 CRAFTCOURSES.COM UK wide 01 RUTH ROMANO Learn to make handmade soap using all-natural, palm oil-free, plant-based ingredients, with an award-winning soap maker. Gift vouchers available for creative loved ones. Ruth Romano has excellent course ratings from over 200 students, and a Platinum Student’s Choice Award. www.ruthromano.com 02 WHERE INSPIRATION BLOOMS Traditional and contemporary craft workshops are taught by experienced professional artists and master crafters here. Learn skills from cut flower-growing to pottery, arm knitting to watercolour painting, printing to papercutting, textile art to willow weaving,…

HOW TO MAKE A FIMO WALL HANGING MATERIALS ■ FIMO Leather Effect in Black, Ivory and Ochre ■ FIMO Leather Texture Sheet ■ FIMO Leaf Metal in Gold ■ FIMO Varnish for Leaf Metal ■ FIMO rolling pin ■ Small star-shaped cutters ■ Craft knife ■ Ruler ■ Baking tray ■ Fine sandpaper ■ Paint brush ■ Wooden branch, 40cm (15¾") long ■ Gold thread ■ Awl ■ String Two of Team Mollie’s fave things are new products and easy hacks, so when we discovered FIMO Leather Effect clay we couldn’t wait to have a go. Or rather, ask super-talented maker Helen Ward from House of Wards to get playing. It can be mixed with other colours and rolled out, just like regular FIMO, but once it’s baked, their Leather…

01 An abstract take on the rugged beauty of rural Scotland, Tom Pigeon’s Anstruther Rise interprets their local landscape as modern art. We knew we liked it for more than just the gold foil... www.tompigeon.com 02 Farrow and Ball’s Setting Plaster is the paint choice of interior bloggers for a reason. This powdery neutral hue calms bolder shades like their rich Lichen No. 19, plus who doesn’t want pink walls? www.farrow-ball.com 03 Channel your inner architect with this paper houses kit. Each flatpack piece is pre-wallpapered, pre-creased and pre-cut, giving you all the fun of the build with none of the boring prep. www. wintersmoon.co.uk 04 Need a renter’s hack for statement décor? Try bedding in a bold shade. Not only is it a quick and easy update, this washed…

HOW TO MAKE AN OVEN GLOVE MATERIALS ■ 34 x 106.5cm (13.5 x 42") Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton Solids in Natural (Fabric A) ■ Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton Solids, 9 x 106.5cm (3½ x 42") of each in Petunia (Fabric B), School Bus (Fabric C), Pepper (Fabric D) and Copen (Fabric E) ■ 25" x 45" Hawthorne Supply Co. View by Hey Miss Designs in Papaya (Fabric G) ■ 16.5 x 106cm (6½ x 42") Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton Solids in Riviera (Fabric F) ■ 54.5 x 106.5cm (21½ x 42") cotton wadding ■ Coordinating quilting thread ■ Erasable fabric marker ■ Basting spray ■ Quilter’s ruler ■ Rotary cutter ■ Cutting mat ■ Hera marker ■ Walking foot ■ Masking tape Sometimes, giving a room a fresh feel can…

Creating brings out a kindness in people, and a maker will always want to make, crafting gifts that share the magic and beauty of handmade. For the receiver of an exquisitely wrapped hand-crafted gift, it feels extra special. That time, effort and skill, the love and dedication channelled from heart, to hand, to gift. Christmas might feel like peak time for presents and production, a time of giving, but remember to keep everything in perspective. This is an exciting season, but overwhelm can come from many sources: desire for perfection, ambition to push yourself and perhaps your business, that omnipotent ticking clock and the hope to bring cheer to others. But you must look after yourself – this is paramount. Think about the methods you can undertake now to ensure…

HOW TO MAKE AN AMIGURUMI ALLIGATOR MATERIALS ■ Rico Design Ricorumi DK, 100% cotton, 25g/58m per ball, two balls in Pea (077) (Yarn A), one ball in Lotus (067) (Yarn B) and a small quantity in Black (060) (Yarn C) ■ Rico Design Ricorumi Spray DK, 100% cotton, 25g/58m per ball, one ball in Yellow (001) (Yarn D) ■ 3mm (UK 10, US D/3) crochet hook ■ Soft toy stuffing ■ Stitch marker ■ Yarn needle ABBREVIATIONS  st(s) stitch(es) ch chain dc double crochet htr half treble 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 5-tr cl 5 treble cluster (yrh, insert hook in st…

HOW TO MAKE A PYJAMA SET MATERIALS ■ Pattern paper ■ 2.5m (98 1/8") soft woven fabric (we used cotton flannel) ■ Loose fitting T-shirt ■ Trousers or jeans ■ 5cm (2") cotton tape ■ 1m (39 3/8") elastic, 2cm (¾") wide ABBREVIATIONS SA Seam allowance RS Right side WS Wrong side CF Centre front CB Centre back HE Hip and ease measurement If you‘re anything like us, the festive season means donning new pyjamas, and these beauties lend themselves perfectly to cosying up on Christmas Eve. A sustainable make, when it comes to the materials, anything goes – even old bed sheets that have softened over time. 01 Fold the T-shirt in half down the CF and place on a piece of pattern paper, aligning the folded edge with…

Most people’s favourite food is usually something sweet. For Vicky Graham, her sweet tooth could only be satisfied by donuts. As a child visiting her aunt and uncle in Toronto, where donuts run like water, she became fascinated by all the different flavours and glazes that were on offer. Fast-forward to her early twenties, and Vicky found her calling baking her own donuts – frying them in oil, filling them with custard, and covering them in sprinkles. In 2015, Vicky took a shot at turning her hobby into a business. “I got obsessed with making them, then had the idea to sell them online and at local market stalls on the side of my job,” recalls Vicky. “I chose the name Vicky’s Donuts, got the branding done, built a website,…

FIMO modelling clay is loved by crafters for its creative potential, and their latest addition to the range, FIMO Leather Effect, is just as exciting. Here are Staedtler’s top 10 tips for working with it, and you’ll find more inspiration and tutorials on their site. www.staedtler.com 01 Keep your fingers clean between rolling out colours so the darker shades don’t transfer onto the lighter ones. 02 Use a rolling pin or a clay machine to create thin, even sheets. 03 To create a 3D or curved shape, use a paper cake case or a muffin tray to support it in the oven while it bakes. 04 Stamps can be used to print text or patterns into the clay – lightly dust with bicarbonate of soda first, so they release easily…

Artist Milou Neelen’s creative brand, Hotel Magique, is a gem of a find. A curated collection of prints, paper goods, jewellery and homeware treats, alongside one-off pieces by Milou herself, we challenge you to leave with an empty basket. Update a gallery wall, and treat yourself while you’re there. www.hotelmagique.com…

HOW TO MAKE JEWELLERY HOLDERS MATERIALS ■ Air dry clay ■ Scrap fabric ■ Craft knife ■ Rolling pin ■ Two wooden planks, 0.5cm (¼") thick ■ Hexagon cookie cutter, 10cm (4") diameter ■ Bowl ■ Plastic food bag ■ Fine sandpaper ■ Sanding block ■ Acrylic paint ■ Thin washi tape ■ Paint brush ■ Gloss varnish Whether you ease a hefty diamond from your finger every night, or just take off those 32 stacking rings that are starting to turn your hands green, your accessories deserve an accessory. This jewellery holder set is arguably the handiest thing you’ll ever make for your bedside table, and probably the prettiest, too. Plus, it’s a great one to personalise for friends and gift for Christmas – pick their favourite colours, and…

HOW TO MAKE A KNITTED BABY ROMPER MATERIALS ■ Sublime Baby Cashmere Merino Silk DK, 75% extra fine merino/20% silk/5% cashmere, 50g/116m per ball, two balls in Splash (124) (Yarn A) and one ball in Vanilla (003) (Yarn B) ■ Pair of 3.25mm (UK 10, US 3) knitting needles ■ Pair of 4mm (UK 8, US 6) knitting needles ■ Yarn needle ■ 3.5cm (1 3/8") pom pom maker ■ Two buttons, 1.5cm (5/8") diameter ■ Scrap yarn TENSION 23 stitches x 28 rows over 10 x 10cm (4 x 4") ABBREVIATIONS k knit p purl st(s) stitch(es) yo bring yarn over the needle taking it to the back again to increase k2tog knit the next two stitches together to decrease kfb knit into the front and back of the…

“My woodworking makes a feature of the marbling.” My love for marbling came from a lack of patience with fine art and a fascination with natural patterns made from water. When I discovered marbling during my time as a student at Cardiff Metropolitan University, I was hooked. After learning the basics, I just wanted to play and experiment with the duality of control and randomness inherent in the process, and see the amazing patterns that would result. I had some skill in woodworking before I found marbling, and when I entered university I was able to expand my knowledge and ideas. After learning about this craft, putting it together with woodwork seemed like a natural step, especially with the one aspect of woodworking that I love the most – utilising…