Spring is a great time for crafting, and Kate from Actually I Do rounds up some of the gorgeous spring themed crafts from Making magazine - the essential magazine for any discerning crafter! Why not subscribe to Making magazine today?!
Spring is definitely in the air! Anyone looking to give their home/wardrobe a quick, easy and inexpensive spring clean should check out this month’s Making Magazine. It’s oozing inspiration!
This time of year is one of my favourites for dabbling in craft projects – with the whole of Spring/Summer ahead to get stuck into sprucing up my Brighton flat with some handmade additions, or learning a new crafty skill to practise (there are sooooo many on my list this year!)
Making’s simple and easy-to-follow tutorials make having a go at their projects possible for anyone - not just seasoned crafters. I found it really hard to pick my favourites from the April issue, as there are lots of lovely ones to try, but I finally narrowed it down to three for a taste of what the rest of the issue holds!
Coming Up Roses apron (p.10)
I’m really into printing at the moment and I’m always looking for new printing projects to have a go at. This one is screen-printing, so might seem quite daunting at first, but screens are widely available now and the magazine includes the templates you’ll need. It involves a little extra effort, but the end result is 100% worth it – a beautifully customised apron, enviable boasting fodder for your crafty mates, or the perfect handmade gift for that friend who keeps feeding you all those amazing cakes she makes!
Compact craft case (p. 46)
I think this might be my favourite project of all! I like to take a sewing project with me if I’m travelling anywhere as it’s one of the easiest crafts to do on-the-go. This compact craft case is perfect for sewing essentials, with room for scissors, pins and that all-important thread. It’s an ideal project for using up scraps of fabric, (which I have a ton of), doesn’t require a lot of materials and it involves upcycling - another big tick in my opinion, I hate throwing things out! I can’t wait to give this one a go.
Embroidered cardigan (p.60)
Instead of spending money on a new spring wardrobe, why not spruce up a couple of your existing pieces with a bit of hand embroidery? This cardigan project is great for beginners – and gets you practising some essential embroidery stitches. You can always practise the stitches on a scrap of fabric before getting stuck in. I’ve got a few plain cardigans in my wardrobe crying out for some DIY decoration, so I’ll be getting right on this. Extra-handily, the stitch templates for this project are included at the back of the magazine.
Honourable mentions also go to the French-style linen towel (I’m off to stock up on linen tea towels to customise), the crafter’s tabletop board (an ingenious space-saving project), noughts & crosses cushions (adding these to my expanding list of cushion ideas) and appliqué in bloom (an excellent gift for any friends with birthdays coming up).
P.S. This issue of Making also includes a really interesting article on the Bloomsbury Group - the group of artists and intellectuals that included sisters Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell. This is a must read for any lovers of art, design or interiors.
