Mollie Magazine June 2019

I love this time of year for so many reasons – the excuse to make new summery things, crafting al fresco – but top of my list has to be the Mollie Handmade Awards. It’s our way of celebrating creativity, from small side hustles to more established brands, and entry is via a Pinterest board (see page 50)! It couldn’t be easier to get involved, but there’s often one thing that stands in the way – confidence. I’ve spoken to so many creatives who felt their work wasn’t good enough, or that they weren’t quite ready to enter. And, I always say the same thing – go for it anyway! Until you take that leap and put yourself out there, you’ll never know. Happy crafting for yourself? Then celebrate handmade by…

Sophie Cummings Sophie has an art degree, though professes that she can’t draw more than a stick man. If you visited her studio you’d be subjected to a lot of interesting music choices while she works on her alter-ego of being the next Taylor Swift. Sew Sophie’s baby bloomers on page 87. www.sophieandco.co.uk Tilly Walnes When she’s not sewing, designing, teaching workshops, directing photoshoots and running after a toddler, Tilly loves to collect cookery books, spending any free moment she gets obsessing over recipes. Her number one favourite food is sourdough pizza. Take a look inside Tilly’s studio on page 36. www.tillyandthebuttons.com Tabara N’Diaye New author and La Basketry co-founder Tabara believes in generous storage – beautiful handmade homewares that honour the artisans who created them. Make one of Tabara’s baskets on page 20 and learn more about…

“Plants have always filled my home. It’s the first thing I notice missing in a space. To me, they bring such life and colour – a bit of nature‘s magic brought indoors – and turn a house into a home. Some of my plants are now older than my kids, aged 11 and 19 years – oh, the stories they could tell! Inspired by my plant babies, this design combines not only my love of all things botanical but a love of colour and stitching too. Adding felt to the design makes this a quick, fun and easy project to complete. The option of creating your own plant pot designs means you can add your own personal touch too. Of course the bonus is the end result which gives you plants…

MAKING A CAPSULE WARDROBE FEEL ACHIEVABLE, this easy-wear, lightweight dress would look just as good paired with sandals on the beach as it will layered with woollies in cooler months. Part of The Small Home’s new ’fashion conscious’ clothing range, it’s not just cut to flatter, it’s also made to last and ethically produced, meaning your money is well spent. Check out their full range for a selection of equally beautiful pieces, and sneak a pair of those sunny ochre clogs in your basket while you’re there. www.thesmallhome.co.uk TAKING INSPIRATION FROM WEST AFRICAN art and design and channelling it through her own personal aesthetic, Hadiya Williams of Black Pepper Paperie Co. creates the most striking collections. Based in Washington, DC, Hadiya produces one-off handmade clayware and printed works from her studio,…

HOW TO MAKE AN AMIGURUMI SWAN MATERIALS Phildar Rapido, 50% polyamide, 25% wool, 25% acrylic, 41m/45yd per 50g, three balls in Ecru (2109) (Yarn A) Scheepjes Cahlista, 100% cotton, 85m/93yd per 50g, one ball each in Saffron (249) (Yarn B) and Old Rose (408) (Yarn C) Phildar Phil Coton 3, 100% cotton, 50g/121m per 50g, one ball each in Roseau (0053) (Yarn D), Vieux Rose (0030) (Yarn E) and Rosewood (1460) (Yarn F) Small amount of black embroidery thread 2.5mm (UK 12, US C/2) crochet hook 3.5mm (UK 9, US E/4) crochet hook 4.5mm (UK 7, US 7) crochet hook 5mm (UK 6, US H/8) crochet hook Soft toy stuffing Pet brush Stitch marker Yarn needle TENSION Tension isn’t too important for this design, just ensure the stitches are tight enough so the…

HOW TO MAKE A COILED BASKET MATERIALS 12m (13¼yds) of preferred core material (we used dried grass) 17 1m (39 3/8") lengths of red plastic string 17 1m (39 3/8") lengths of turquoise plastic string Six 1m (39 3/8") lengths of black plastic string Three large-eyed needles Ruler or tape measure Modern makes via traditional techniques? That’s what makes our hearts sing. Basket weaving is one of those artisan skills that gets passed down from maker to maker, so we’re thrilled to learn the real deal and help keep it alive. This bright, shallow basket is coiled, Senegalese-style, with dried grasses and plastic string for those pops of colour. And yes, now we’ve seen this we can’t settle for less than a basket gallery wall either. Overhand knot This simple knot is the starting point…