DIY Baby Appliqué Onsies

I recently was given a set of cute baby clothes. Score! The only problem was that they had an unattractive and random logo sewn smack bang to the front of each and every item. Boo. To cover them up, I decided to try a bit of appliqué, and have since been customising practically each and every item in Baby's wardrobe! Here's how you can do this yourself.

DIY: Baby Neckerchief Bibs

I'm alway looking for ways to utilise my ever-increasing stash of scrap fabric. These baby neckerchief bibs fit the bill to a T. Make them in an assortment of colours and patterns. They are so cute and practical too: help bub fight the dribble and stay looking cool at the same time!

5 Minute DIY: Fabric Picture

Here's a DIY you can knock out in just a few minutes. A really simple and inexpensive way to decorate bare walls using materials you probably have lying around at home. A great quick fix!!!

DIY Macrame Pot Hanger Tutorial

These simple hanging pot plant holders are a really effective way to add a focal point to an otherwise blank corner, helping to introduce different levels of interest to your home decor. I like how the minimalistic natural wood, whites and desaturated greens stylishly transition the sometimes-dowdy Macrame fad of the 1970's effortlessly into the 21st century.

Cute Baby Leggings!

I've been obsessing over baby leggings recently and here are some of the results. These are really basic to make and great for using up smaller scraps of knit jersey fabric, of which I have oodles in my stash as a byproduct of my shop... I tried to stick to gender-neutral colours and prints as well as using an array of different weight/stretch fabrics to see what I liked best (super stretchy wins in the end). Some have elastic in the waistband but I actually prefer without. I'm going to wait until bub has arrived though so I can put them to the test to see if they actually stay up!

DIY String Lamp

I mentioned in my last post that Germans take their light fittings with them when they move out of a flat (!!!). Luckily for me, I love a good DIY challenge, so rather than spending a small fortune on lighting for 6 rooms plus hallways, I took the opportunity to try out a self-made string lampshade. It cost under 10 Euros for all the materials (with which you can make around 4 lamps), and it was a lot of fun to make. I love the intricate pattern that the criss-crossing of the string forms, and the shadow play cast on the walls.

Fun Furniture Finds

Fave flea market find to date: Gypsy-inspired chest of drawers... 

I recently moved from London to the Bavarian Alps. The main difference between renting in London vs Germany? Germans take everything with them when they move out! Whereas in London you can expect to find a flat at least partially furnished with white goods, bed, cupboards, couch etc, the Germans strip the place bare. I'm talking no shower attachment or shower curtain, no kitchen stove, fridge or washing machine, no curtain rails and no light fittings! What the???!

Some recent commissions for Mollie Makes Magazine

Baby Soft Blocks

These soft blocks make a great play toy for babies and little kiddies. They love to throw and catch them, build them into towers and knock them down again. Especially fun is just leaning on them and falling into them like a stack of pillows. Always fun no matter what, and the best thing is that you can't break them. Win win!

Pin it!

I've been getting really into Pinterest lately as a way of collecting and archiving all the inspiring things I see all around the web. Gone are the days of bookmarking it would seem; really good news for me because I never knew which folder I ended up saving things to anyway!

For the love of Spring

Today was 19 degrees Celsius!!! That is WHOPPING by London standards of late. To celebrate all those new sensations of lightness and brightness, I made a strawberry, apple and rhubarb mocktail reminiscent of traditional English country gardens (recipe to follow in issue 30 of Gathered Magazine) and sewed up a whole lotta ombre dip-dye scarves with dainty little rolled hems for the shop. All topped off by a bit of park-walking and balcony-knitting. Why can't everyday be this uplifting?!

New Tank Tops

In honour of my recent and belated reunion with my old friend, the sun, I have made some fresh new tank tops for my shop. I know I said I was trying to bring more colour into my life, but I couldn't resist a bit of monochrome tie dye and, well, lacy backs just work well in black.

Bright Tights and Jumpy Feet

Spring is finally here and for the love of sunshine I have vowed to not wear so much black. Bring on the bright tights in a rainbow of hues. By the way do you like my new shoes? ;o)

Friday Fun: Felt and Fimo

This was my Friday, on a plate. I know it appears that I am 7 years old, but this is, indeed, what I currently do for a living!

Easy DIY Button Necklace

When you're in need of a new accessory to pep up an outfit, look no further than your sewing stash. I love giving tucked-away things their moment to shine and the fact that it costs me nothing!

Customised T-shirt

Do you have a favourite t-shirt from childhood? Recently, on a trip back to Mum's place,
I rediscovered my old Brownies t-shirt in surprisingly good nick. The only problem was
that the neck and arm cuffs were too small, so I decided to revamp it. Here's how you can
do it too:

DIY Print Art

I've been doing a bit of DIY around the flat lately and have been trying to do it on the cheap. Art prints can be really expensive but here's a way to whip up your own art in minutes and all it really costs you is the price of the frame plus a bit of card stock and printer ink. Here's how I did it.

Diy Galaxy T-shirt

You've seen it now you'd better believe it. Galaxy prints are back in! Previously only to be found on the backs of die-hard Dungeons and Dragons tournament attendees or hanging in musty new age shops between the wizard posters and dream catchers. But...!

Fabric Wrapped Picture Frames

These unconventional picture frames are so easy to make! Plus this is a great recycling project to use up all those fabric scraps I know you have lying around.

Birdcage Lamps and Giant Pom Poms...

Whenever I have a writing deadline I always find new and imaginative ways to procrastinate.

How to make: an ornament tree

I woke up this morning and looked out onto my balcony with a start. For a moment there I thought the flowers were blooming but alas, it was just the snow covered leaves glistening in the watery light.

☺ Surprise Feature ☺

Just stumbled across my first full-page feature in this month's issue of Mollie Makes Magazine... 

Chuffed  to bits!

Why Sisters Rule

Contents of my birthday goody bag!

Sisters get you the best presents ever. Fact. This is the bounty I scored for my 30th from my oh-so-thoughtful sis Kim, along with more cake than four adults could comfortably scoff. So spoiled!

Book Review: Learn to Knit, Love to Knit

My book review of Learn to Knit, Love to Knit by Anna Wilkinson has just been published in this week's issue of Gathered Magazine by Mollie Makes. Above is a sneaky preview, to read the full article head over to the link above where you can download a copy to your iPad. If you haven't checked out Anna's book yet then get onto it toot sweet! I can't wait to whip up those quirky-wonderful fingerless gloves...

Crocheting stripes: changing colours

Here's a quick vid I made to show you an easy way to change colours when crocheting stripes. This works best with 3 colours since the yarn only has a small distance to travel up the side of the fabric, keeping the result neat-looking. Provided you are using an odd number of colours, this technique saves you from breaking the yarn at the end of every stripe which means less time weaving ends later. Yay!

How to: Tie a Turban Headband

The turban headbands I sell in my shop are stitched in place to maintain that 'twist' and are made from stretchy fabric so all you need to do is pull them on like a regular headband and you're good to go. But did you know you can also achieve the turban look simply with a long scarf?

I Love Old Books

The smell, the texture of the well-thumbed pages, the dog-ears and notes in the margin; nothing beats a well-loved old book.

Dip Dye Extreme

The snows have melted to mush and I just saw cherry blossoms blooming on a tree in the park. And today was the first time in ages when outside didn't make me want to go back inside! Admittedly
it may be a false alarm but somewhere behind the blanket-clouds I feel that Spring is ready to dazzle.

This week I'm all about colour. Vibrant, happy ones. So I've taken to dip-dying anything white I can scrounge from my humble abode. Here is some crochet cotton I intend to make into sugar-starched bowls:

Typewriter Love

I have a new-old typewriter! I always thought this was my Mum's because she used to be a secretary, back in the day when girls took dictation amidst a cloud of pipe smoke and got their bums patted. 

Vintage Nooks for Bits 'n' Bobs

I love finding vintage treasures, especially when they serve a function as well as looking good. Creativity isn't only about the making, it can also extend to the way you choose to store your tools and supplies. Surrounding yourself with things that appeal to your sensibilities helps to nurture inspiration. Here are a selection of vintage found objects that I use in my studio space.