Jan

31

Inspire me: Crazy for colourwork

Posted on Thursday, January 31 2013 at 5pm

We've been cheering up a grey Thursday by drooling over some of our favourite colourwork projects from Simply Knitting and The Knitter. Here are a few of our favourites - each pattern is available to buy on The Making Spot, and those gorgeous green mittens are FREE to download! Click the images to find out more...

  

 

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Jan

29

Make a quilled card - it's easy!

Posted on Tuesday, January 29 2013 at 5pm

Quilling is the art of coiling paper to make different shapes and images. Quilled designs can be really simple or super-sophisticated - check out some of Yulia Brodskaya's amazing quilled artwork.

If you'd like to have a go at quilling, try this simple how-to guide for making Elizabeth Moad's cute cherry card. If you don't have a quilling tool, you can just coil the strips of paper with your fingers!

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Jan

28

Ooh – another cross stitch treat!

Posted on Monday, January 28 2013 at 4pm

If you love the gorgeous Be My Valentine project, the CrossStitcher magazine team have a special bonus chart for you! Head over to the CrossStitcher blog to download your owl card chart now. 

We love these fun cards - with birds, squirrels, elephants and penguins in bold, bright colours, there's sure to be a card you want to stitch for your beloved this Valentine's Day.

Happy stitching!

Love this? Find more Valentine's Day craft projects on The Making Spot now.

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Jan

26

Free cross stitch project for you

Posted on Saturday, January 26 2013 at 4pm

If you love cross stitch, don't miss our latest free download - Angela Poole's Elegant Birdcage Cards. There are four beautiful designs to stitch, all featuring ornate birdcages, fancy birds and yummy patterned backgrounds. They're perfect for birthdays, weddings and new home greetings. Stitch the whole set and you'll have one ready for the next big occasion!

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Jan

25

Win a cute embroidery pattern!

Posted on Friday, January 25 2013 at 10am

We've been slipping and sliding around in the snow this week, making us wish that we could sledge to work in a giant teacup like this sweet little chap...

This fun design is called Happiness is a cup of tea in the snow, and it's one of a range of hand embroidery patterns from Bumpkin. Designer Catherine is giving away one copy of this gorgeous pattern for a lucky crafter to stitch at home - simply click the link below to enter now!

Click here to enter our Bumpkin embroidery pattern giveaway now. This competition is open to crafters worldwide, until Monday 28th January 2013.

If you love this, don't miss the other cute critters over at the Bumpkin Etsy store. As well as hand embroidery patterns, you can buy prints, cards and the fantastic Bumpkin Bunny craft kit below.

Don't forget to pop over to the Bumpkin blog and say hello to Catherine too!

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Jan

24

Baby clothes transformed!

Posted on Thursday, January 24 2013 at 3pm

Chatting in The Making Spot office, we were super-intrigued when Ant told us that his friend Katie had ordered a special crafty keepsake for her baby. Check it out...

This adorable little lion is made out of old babygrows! He was made by Blossom Babies Keepsakes, who can transform outgrown clothes into all kinds of fun animals including monkeys, elephants and horses.

We love this idea! Many thanks to Katie Pope for sharing her fab photo with us.

If you'd like to order your own Blossom Babies Keepsake, visit the website now or click over to Facebook to find out more.

 

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Jan

22

Texture-tastic stitch pattern

Posted on Tuesday, January 22 2013 at 5pm

Keep your fingers warm with a bit of knitting practise! We've got some great free knitting tutorials over on The Making Spot, with guides to help knitters of every skill level.

Here's one of our favourite stitch pattern guides - Left Diagonals. This slip stitch pattern creates a gorgeous textured effect that's great for cushions and chunky scarves. Give it a whirl tonight!

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Jan

21

Make a yoga mat carrier

Posted on Monday, January 21 2013 at 5pm

Brighten up your gym session with your own handmade yoga mat carrier! We've got a free step-by-step tutorial for you - break out your sewing machine and your favourite patterned fabric to make this cute accessory. It makes a great quick gift for fitness fans too!

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Jan

20

Animal artwork freebies

Posted on Sunday, January 20 2013 at 3pm

Let animal characters be the theme of your home-made cards with our FREE downloads. 

These farm yard characters make the perfect card toppers to give to someone special. Including constrasting patterns and layered card will make your cards look beautiful. 

 

Or why not go under the sea for your card-making inspirations? These fishy friends make the perfect addition to cards for many occasions. 

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Jan

19

Easter inspirations

Posted on Saturday, January 19 2013 at 3pm

Easter is the perfect time for the whole family to get involved in some crafty creations. Here are a few of our favourites. 

To make the most out of your leftover materials why not make these gorgeous Easter egg cards from Martha Stewart. By changing the patterns and colours this design can to appeal to both adults and children. 

 

Design your own stamps and have them delivered to your door with The English Stamp Company. Or you could choose from the ready-made collection and use different coloured inks to decorate cards and gift tags. 

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