Crafts Beautiful - Issue 377 - Christmas 2022

FR
EE
PA C
GE OL
S & OU
TO RIN
PP G
ER
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WIN
£250
BUNDLES
Best for Value, Inspiration & Projects
TWO FOR GRABS!
CHRISTMAS 2022 | ISSUE 377
Christmas Special
Make
a rocker
card!
Anne-Marie
Catterall
takes us behind
the scenes
50
Handmade
+ Gifts Inside!
The Christmas Crafting Edit
CARDS + PRESENTS + HOMEWARE + SHOPPING
Simple-Stitch
Gift Bags
Crochet Santa
Hat & Booties
PLUS Candlemaking How-To DIY Soap Painting
Knit a
Keepsake Teddy
3D Cards
Gift Tags
Hello everyone,
What’s your all-time favourite thing about
Christmas? Not an easy question, I know.
For me, the incredible food is very high up
on the list, although some close runners-up
include cheesy movies, wrapping up warm
and fun snowy walks. But if I had to pick just one thing, it
has to be giving gifts. Nothing quite beats seeing your
loved ones faces light up as they tear open a present that
you’ve lovingly made for them. And if you’ve ever received
a handmade gift, then you know just how special it can be.
This issue is dedicated to celebrating that very feeling.
If you’re ready to dive in, I recommend that you grab
yourself a cuppa and turn straight to page 18 where you can
shop – and craft! – our Christmas Gift Guide. But before you
reach for the wrapping paper, take a look at Amanda
Walker’s inventive stitched ideas over on page 78.
These sustainable options can be reused year after year.
Once you’ve done the tricky part and picked the present
that you’re going to make, it’s only right to craft a beautiful
card to go with it! Luckily, you’ve got plenty to choose from
this month. Get the children
involved with Sarah Jackman
Read’s kid-friendly greetings
(p27), try Keren’s clever ribbon
threading set (p35) and have
a go at Colette Smith’s
layered wreath too (p59).
Happy gift-giving,
Jessica
Jessica Elkin, Editor
MEET THE CB SQUAD
ANNE-MARIE
CATTERALL,
HUNKYDORY
DESIGNER
I’ll take
you behind
the scenes at Hunkydory
Crafts with me on page 90
CLAIRE
RICHARDS,
DESIGNER
Feeling stuck?
Ask me your
burning crafty
questions, I’m here and ready
to help you over on page 62
ZAHRA KHAN,
CONTENT
WRITER
We’ve got
loads of
incredible
giveaways to win on page
66 and 67, don’t miss out!
MELISSA
HYLAND,
DEPUTY
EDITOR
Get set for
hassle-free gift
wrapping with your bonus
free tags, over on page 38
S u b scr i b e t oday! Head t o pag e 3 0 for a s pec i al offer p r ic e
We’d love to hear from you...
facebook.com /craftsbeautiful
@craftsbeautiful
@craftsbeautiful
pinterest.com/craftsbeautiful Or write to us: Crafts Beautiful, 1 Phoenix Court, Hawkins Road, Colchester Essex, CO2 8JY
© Aceville Publications Limited No part of this publication or its content may be reproduced for public display or commercial usage without prior written permission of the copyright owner
crafts-beautiful.com
3
INSIDE: CHRISTMAS
SPECIAL 2022
78
60
50
BE INSPIRED
15 Supercrafts at Home
This month we’re in Scotland’s
Wester Ross, to meet a cardmaker
with a conscience...
16 Stop the Press
Treat yourself to the latest
craft releases for Christmas...
or just because!
24 Your Craft Chat
See the latest makes from
the CB community
39 Stuart Hillard’s Craft Diary
Stuart gets set for the season,
the crafty way of course!
85 Coming Next Month
A sneak peek at what’s in
store for you in November
90 Anne-Marie Catterall
The artsy powerhouse lets us in
on what it’s like being part of
the Hunkydory Crafts family
COLOUR CREATIVE
48 Colour Notes
Overhaul your stash
with this month’s top picks
50 Deck Your Dining Table…
…with delightful dip-dye
candles in part one of your
two-part craft-along!
4
54 Penguin Pal
Transport your loved ones to a
faraway winter landscape with
our 3D snowglobe
LEARN
SOMETHING NEW
35 Ribbon Weaving
Add an extra-special touch to
your Christmas cards this year
59 Boost Your Craft Skills
Make Colette’s 3D wreath
card using winter foliage dies
60 Next Level: 3D Pop-Up Cards
Create knockout Christmas cards
with Kitty Day’s fun 3D technique
62 Ask the Experts
The top names in the craft
business answer all your queries!
GET MAKING
27 Fun for all the Family
Get everyone involved in making
these festive greetings, suitable
for kids and adults alike
33 Creature Comforts
Use our crafty tricks and turn a
cute Christmas stamp set into
an enchanting card
41 Merry Cretaceous!
Surprise dinosaur fans with
this fun, festive greeting
crafts-beautiful.com
82
42 Stacked Stories
Kitty Day kicks off the festive
season with cute, expertly
decoupaged greetings
STITCH IT
69 The Stitching Edit
Usher in the holiday season
with these festive buys
70 Trim the Tree
Sew personalised felt decorations
in the third and final part of
our festive stitch-along!
GIFTING SPECIAL
18 Your Handmade
Christmas Gift Guide
From babies and teens, to
DIYers and keen bakers, we’ve
got crafty makes to suit everyone
40 The CB Book Club
Grab a cuppa and check out
our top reads this month
44 From Me to You…
Two trends, countless buys
and tries – ready for your best
Christmas gift wrapping yet?
18
75
56
52 Merry Mugs
Brighten up plain ceramics with
a lick of festive paintwork
55 Bathtime Treats
Make gorgeous gift packaging
for your handmade smellies
56 Christmas Gonks
Get crafting with Duck Tape
to make these fun, festive friends!
72 Polar Pal
Intarsia, fluffy yarn, a pom-pom...
there are lots of skills to be
learned with this cutie
75 Hat and Booties Set
Santa’s little helper is on hand
for a festive dose of cute,
crochet and cuddles!
78 Festive Gift Wrap
Win eco-friendly brownie
points with these stunning
and sustainable ideas
82 Slippers and Gift Bag
Keep everyone’s tootsies
toasty this Christmas with a
pair of patchwork slippers!
YOUR FREEBIES
8 Your Gift
Get crafty with your Song Bird
Festive Cardmaking Kit
12 Craft-Along
Make use of your magazine gift
and learn new skills along the way
26 Take 5…
Put your mind to the
test with these puzzles
30 Subscribe Today
Never miss an issue of
your favourite magazine!
90
35
38 30+ Gift Tags!
Get your presents all wrapped
up with your free download
65 What’s New Online
Head to crafts-beautiful.com
for an extra dose of
crafty inspiration
66 Giveaways
Enter to win incredible prizes!
86 Template Tasters
Use these to recreate
all of the projects that
appear in this issue
crafts-beautiful.com
5
PROJECT FINDER
Find every project featured in this issue
a little easier with our helpful index
COLOUR CREATIVE
Colour Notes
p48
Deck Your Dining
Table… p50
Penguin Pal
p54
Christmas Gonks
p56
Festive Gift Wrap
p78
Slippers and Gift Bag
p82
Merry Cretaceous!
P41
Stacked Stories
p42
Merry Mugs
p52
GIFTING SPECIAL
Fun for all the Family p27
Bathtime Treats
p55
GET MAKING
Creature Comforts
p33
LEARN SOMETHING NEW
Ribbon Weaving
p35
STITCH IT
Trim the Tree
p70
Boost Your Craft Skills
p59
Next Level: 3D
Pop-Up Cards p60
YOUR FREEBIES
Polar Pal
p72
Hat and Booties Set
p75
crafts-beautiful.com
Your Gift
p8
Craft-Along
p12
7
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YO U R G I F T :
SONG
BIRD KIT
55+pieces of Christmas
cardmaking essentials? Yes
please! Join us as we rip open
this issue's bumper gift and
craft 17 traditional cards that
are certain to wow your
friends and family. With
everything you need inside,
you can start crafting right
away. Toppers? They're ready
to go. Sentiments? Take your
pick. Patterned papers? You
can count on it.
With the fold at the top, trim a
Merry Christmas card blank to
9cm x 11.5cm and adhere a 1cm strip
of green paper across the bottom.
Layer 7.5cm x 10.5cm scenic paper
onto red paper then attach towards
the top with foam pads. Attach a
reindeer, mistletoe, holly and a
poinsettia on top. Trim the sentiment
cut off from the card blank into a
rectangle, layer on red paper then
adhere in the centre of the border
with foam pads. Add a poinsettia
on the left-hand side.
Create a 6.5cm x 17cm tall blank.
Stamp a small sentiment in black
ink at the bottom and cover the
remainder with teal paper. Die-cut
three robins from white card and fix
to the blank vertically so the edge of
the branch overlaps the edge of the
blank, snipping away any excess.
Mount red card onto kraft card
and glue onto a card base.
Attach a strip of lace and ribbon
1
2
3
8
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YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
2
Use
ribbons
and gems to
bring your
cards to
life
3
Even
the simplest
die-cuts can
be the most
effective
4
7
6
5
across the bottom of foliage
patterned paper. Mount onto kraft
card leaving a narrow border and
fix onto the card base. Mount the
sentiment onto a slightly larger
piece of red card and attach
onto the ribbon border. Add the
small wreath and small deer
die-cuts with foam pads and
position pearls on the ribbon.
Create a 9.5cm blank and cover
with red card. Matt an 8.5cm
piece of grey patterned paper to
the centre. Stamp a small sentiment
in the lower left corner. Add the
4
mistletoe die-cut and tie a red ribbon
into a bow, fixing on top.
Create a card blank using a
square label die. Die-cut snowy
woodland scene paper using the
same die and attach onto the blank.
Wrap silver ribbon around the middle
and tie together at the side. Die-cut
a circle from white card and a
scalloped circle from silver card
and layer together. Add a light
blend of brown ink onto the circle
and place the robin die-cut on top.
Add a die-cut sentiment below and
gems in the corners.
5
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6
Create a 9cm x 11cm blank and
cover with red card. Die-cut an
oval from beige patterned paper and
place in the centre. Add a garland
topper above and below the oval,
position a sentiment in the centre
and a robin on the lower garland.
Cover the front of a card blank
with brick patterned paper.
Mount a piece of white textured
paper onto gold card and fix onto
the greeting with foam pads. Add
the door topper onto the panel.
Position foliage, bells and a winter
sentiment die-cut onto the card.
7
9
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
8
9
11
10
Experiment
with
masking!
12
Try a
shaker card
13
11
9
12
Create an 8cm x 14.5cm side
fold, landscape blank. Trim the
sky section from the scene paper to
6cm x 12.5cm and matt centrally
onto the blank. Add berry twigs to
the left and right and stamp a
sentiment between them.
Make a 10cm square blank and
cover with a section from the
woodland paper. Die-cut a 7.5cm
circle from grey patterned paper
and adhere onto the blank. Add
the large wreath and build up
with holly sprigs and a deer.
Die-cut the robin from masking
paper and stick near the top
of 7.5cm x 10.5cm white blank. Use
a hole punch to cut out some small
circles and attach around the robin.
Blend blue ink onto the card, fading
the colour to white towards the
bottom. Remove the masks. Die-cut
a robin in black and stick over the
masked robin. Stamp a sentiment
at the bottom.
10
10
Create a 9.5cm x 14.5cm card
blank. Trim the Merry Christmas
from one of the kit blanks to 4cm x
9.5cm and fix to the bottom of your
card base. Cut an 8.5cm x 10cm
piece of green paper and matt
above the sentiment. Attach the
large reindeer with foam pads.
Fold the birdhouse sheet in half,
cut away 3.5cm from the front
panel. Cover the inside with red
paper. Add the birdhouse to the front
of the blank with foam pads, lining it
up over the original birdhouse. Add
the icicle die-cut, snipping to fit up
to the edge of the card. Add a pine
cone and robin with foam pads.
Die-cut a frame from burgundy
card. Attach acetate at the
back and fix foam pads all around
the back of the frame. Add sequins
onto the acetate then attach the
patterned paper onto the back to
create a shaker panel. Mount onto
red card and glue onto a card blank.
8
crafts-beautiful.com
13
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
14
15
17
16
Love your Highlight
Crafts kit? There’s
much more where that
came from! Shop
must-have products at
highlightcrafts.com
Add a red and white twine bow onto
a sentiment and adhere in place.
Glue the branch and berry stems
die-cuts onto the card to finish.
Position icicles at the top of the
door card blank using foam
pads. Attach two 1.5cm x 17cm pieces
of pale blue paper down the sides,
also with foam pads. Trim two more
1.5cm x 10cm pieces of pale blue
paper, snip the ends diagonally, then
attach to the top and bottom with
foam pads. Adhere a bell topper in
the top-left corner. Add a sentiment
to a rectangle of pale blue paper,
layer onto red paper then attach to
the bottom of the greeting with foam
14
pads. Adhere a robin die-cut in the
top-right corner of the sentiment.
Attach ribbon onto the left side
of twig patterned paper. Mount
onto mirror card and glue onto a
card blank. Attach the large bird
house and branch die-cuts onto the
card with foam pads. Add a ribbon
bow to the top of the ribbon strip
and place three gems along the strip.
Add a die-cut sentiment.
Layer 6.5cm x 10cm scenic
paper onto red card then
adhere across the centre of the
Merry Christmas card blank.
Attach a wreath, along with a robin
and foliage with foam pads. Stick a
15
16
crafts-beautiful.com
pine cone with a bow towards
the bottom of the wreath.
Attach a birdhouse and
branches onto coordinating
card with foam pads. Trim pale
blue paper to 1.5cm x 10cm then
adhere across the bottom. Position
a sentiment onto a rectangle of
pale blue paper, layer on green
paper then attach in the bottom
left corner with foam pads. Add
holly on the right-hand side of the
sentiment with foam pads.
17
11
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YO U R G I F T :
CRAFT-ALONG
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
Now that you're feeling
accustomed to your jam-packed
gift, it's time we take things a
little further. You don't need to
stick just to cards with this kit,
in fact, you can make a whole
host of projects that will push
your creative limits. Luckily
designer Kitty Day is on hand
to show us how to get started.
Cuppa, anyone?
We used...
Your Song Bird Cardmaking Kit
Clearly Besotted Tag Along dies
Lawn Fawn Stitched Circle Frames
dies The Works blank wooden
plaque, cork coasters, paper bag
Mod Podge Paint: white, glitter
Die-cut sentiments Coloured card
Mirri card Vellum Patterned
paper Embellishments: ribbon,
lace, gems, sequins
Gift Tag
Die-cut foliage patterned paper
using a tag shaped die and mount
onto red card, leaving a narrow
border. Fix an eyelet through the
top of the tag and thread a ribbon
through. Attach the leaves and robin
die-cuts onto the tag. Layer the
Merry Christmas sentiment onto red
card and attach onto the tag. Add
three sequins along the bottom.
Present Bag
Cut patterned paper suited to the
size of your gift bag and mount onto
slightly larger red card. Attach lace
and ribbons across the bottom of the
panel then glue onto the bag front.
Position the toppers onto the panel
with foam pads. Tie red gingham
ribbon into a bow, add a gem to the
centre and glue onto the left side.
12
crafts-beautiful.com
YOUR
R GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
YOUR GIFT
Craft
smart
Attach your die-cuts
and toppers using
foam pads to
create extra
dimension
Wooden
Plaque
Cover the wooden plaque with white
paint and allow to dry. Once dry, add
a layer of glitter paint. Trim woodland
winter scene paper to size and mount
onto silver mirri card. Wrap strips of
ribbon across two corners then glue
into place. Die-cut a circle frame
from silver card and glue onto a
vellum circle. Add a deer topper onto
it and fix onto the plaque with foam
pads. Glue floral die-cuts to the other
corners. Add a ribbon bow and gems.
DIY Coaster
Die-cut patterned paper using a
circle die to fit on top of a coaster.
Glue the paper on top using Mod
Podge. Cut out some flowers from
the paper and glue in place, then
add glitter highlights. Glue onto
another coaster to make it a little
stronger. Cover with a layer of Mod
Podge to seal and allow to dry.
CSrhaofpt
ROUND &
ROUND
Create apertures,
toppers and...
coasters with these
Large Stitched Circle
Stackables Dies,
£19.99,
bumbleberrys.co.uk
STICK IT TO ‘EM
Seal the deal with a
craft essential, Mod
Podge Gloss Finish, £5,
hobbycraft.co.uk
crafts-beautiful.com
13
S U P E R C R A F T S AT H O M E
This month we’re in Scotland’s
Wester Ross, to meet a cardmaker with a conscience...
F
or the past seven
years, I have been
lucky enough to
holiday in the
Outer Hebrides, driving
through spectacular
Wester Ross on our
journey through the
Highlands. On our last
visit, we stopped at the
Café Ceàrdach in
Lochcarron, a muchloved community café
and craft centre, with
mouth-watering food served
by some of the friendliest
waitresses in Scotland!
The craft centre features
talented local artisans
including Janet Roberts, this
month’s Supercrafter. I was
immediately impressed by her
work, especially as she gives
every penny of her proceeds
to dog rescue charities across
the UK and abroad.
Meet Supercrafter
Janet Roberts
Janet found refuge in crafting
around eight years ago, after a
diagnosis of cancer and Crohn’s
disease motivated her to find a new
purpose and direction. “I needed
something else to focus on” she
confides, “and never ever having
been arty or crafty, I thought it would
be something so different and out of
my comfort zone.”
It was an inspired decision and
Janet was hooked from her very first
card, a Beatrix Potter Christmas
scene. She started making cards for
family and friends, and “quickly
amassed a crafty room full to the
rafters of stash!” Her work snowballed
Janet
Roberts and
her best
friend,
Button
Janet’s
handmade
cards
Beautiful Button
For more info about
and ‘Chalet
our upcoming
Cards’ was
sailings visit
born, selling
supercraft
cards, gift tags
cruises.com
and handmade
A small bag for something special...
gift boxes at
various craft fairs and
the “wonderful Ceàrdach Café where Janet settled there after spending
I have the support of all the lovely
many holidays “in this little slice
girls.” She also has customers as
of paradise. Every day I find
far-flung as Tennessee, Alaska and
inspiration on my walks: by the
Sydney.
sea, in the mountains, or seeing
Janet combines her love of crafting wildlife – stags, red squirrels, pine
with her passion for dogs and dog
martens, and more. I try to bring this
welfare, with all her income going to
to my cardmaking. I love searching
the RSPCA, SSPCA, the Dogs Trust,
for sea glass tumbled over the
and many more dog rescue charities. years and use it on cards, tags,
Two months ago, she lost Button, her
and keyrings.”
beloved rescue Yorkie, and it’s now in
Another fan of sea glass is
Button’s memory that she wishes to
Natalya Revitt, whose work can
carry on raising much-needed funds.
be seen in the Wee Gift Shed in
Find Janet’s unique creations on
Shieldaig. Her must-have, miniature
Instagram @janetandbutton, on
driftwood creations nestle amongst
Facebook @JanetRoberts and at
handmade gifts including Harris
Jan, Chalet Crafts on Pinterest.
Tweed lampshades, cushions,
and handbags.
You can also head for Carron
Pottery in Strathcarron for
traditional ceramics, silverware,
textiles, paintings, and ironwork.
The breathtaking scenery, abundant
Or browse nautical-themed crafts
wildlife, and peace found in Wester
at Latitude 57 in Badachro and enjoy
Ross in Scotland’s Northwest
an ice cream on their picturesque
Highlands have always been a
deck into the bargain!
magnet for makers and artists.
This month’s Crafty
County: Wester Ross
SUPERCRAFT FACTFILE: Café Ceàrdach, 01520 722952, cafeceardach.com • The Wee Gift Shed, 01520 755372,
weegiftshed.co.uk • Carron Pottery, 01520 722321, carronpottery.com • Latitude 57, 07818 616488, latitude57.net
crafts-beautiful.com
15
H LATEST NEWS H LATEST NEWS H LATEST NEWS H LATEST NEWS H LATEST NEWS
Treat yourself to the latest craft releases for Christmas... or just because!
We’re all gearing up for the festive season and happily, there are some fabulous gadgets
out there to make our Christmas crafting that bit easier, from professional yet compact
design printers to automatic resin mixers for stunning makes! And don’t miss our
exclusive offers including Crafting Live show tickets, a handy water brush pen, plus
a selection of Halloween and Christmas colouring downloads – all for free!
MOUSING
AROUND
We try not to make eye
contact with the clothing
section at Tesco when we
pop in for milk, but it’s
going to be even harder
with this new range!
Disney + classic Christmas
shades + retro string light
illustrations = one happy
Team Crafts Beautiful.
Also, a dog bandana?
Now it’s even more
irresistible to us.
tesco.com/clothing
PERFECT PRINTING
Taking your festive designs and makes to the next level
has never been easier with the Brother Design n Craft
printer. Using cutting-edge technology, it guarantees
a professional, full-colour finish on every craft project.
This means that not only is it simple to use, but it also
gives you complete creative freedom – whether you’re
making greetings, gifts, or decorations, they’ll all be
unmistakably yours. £282, brother.co.uk
MAKE FIVE
PROJECTS
NEXT ISSUE!
READER OFFER
FREE CRAFTING LIVE TICKETS!
Stephanie Weightman’s award-winning Crafting Live
show is coming to the East of England Arena,
Peterborough with a whole host of crafty celebrities,
brand-new products, Make & Takes, and demos on
21st-22nd October 2022. What’s more, Crafts
Beautiful readers can claim two free e-tickets by
using the code CBFREE* at craftinglive.co.uk.
Don’t miss out, grab your tickets today!
*One use per household
16
crafts-beautiful.com
LATEST NEWS H LATEST NEWS H LATEST NEWS H LATEST NEWS H LATEST NEWS H
BOX
CLEVER!
Based in Elsecar Heritage
Centre, Barnsley, The Craft
Box is your one-stop shop
for all your crafting needs.
They stock a wide range of
supplies, so you can boost
your stash in time to start
on all your Christmas
projects. In addition, they
offer a range of popular
craft classes, and the
friendly, knowledgeable
staff are always on hand to
answer your queries. Visit
the-craft-box.business.site
to find out more.
MIX IT UP
Crafting just got even easier, thanks to the
We R Memory Keepers Spin It Resin Mixer!
This clever, USB powered gadget gently
mixes up to 120ml of resin at a time and
features a built-in spout for easy pouring,
while the removable silicone mixer and cup
makes cleaning up a breeze. Visit
americancrafts.com for stockists.
FAB FREEBIES
We love to treat you here at CB HQ, and this month
we’ve got not one, not two, but three sets of
colouring downloads, just for you! Inside you’ll find
a bumper selection of Halloween and Christmas
colouring pages, plus some festive toppers. You’ll
find them all in the Free Downloads section at
crafts-beautiful.com – enjoy!
READER
OFFER
FREE WATER BRUSH PEN
The Craft Master water brush
pen (£3.99) is a handy stash
essential, allowing you to add
colour or washes to your makes.
Highlight Crafts are offering
one for free per customer*, with
every order over £25 – simply add
the brush to your basket and use
the code FREEBRUSH at the
checkout at highlightcrafts.com
*While stocks last; offer
expires 30th November
crafts-beautiful.com
17
Your Handmade
CHRISTMAS
GIFT GUIDE
From babies and teens, to DIYers and keen
bakers, we’ve got crafty makes for everyone
WORDS BY MELISSA HYLAND
If you want to surprise your loved ones with a special gift, Crafts
Beautiful has got you covered! We’ve rounded up a selection of
projects to suit a variety of people, from tiny tots to adults, and you
can download them all for free in our Handmade Christmas Gift
Pack at crafts-beautiful.com. And if your recipient would rather do
the making themselves, we’ve also gathered our favourite craft kits
and supplies that they’ll love to find under the Christmas tree!
Babies
Children
Surprise a Jurassic World
fan with one – or all
three! – of Irene Strange’s
cute amigurumi
dinosaurs
Keep little ones cosy
after bath time with
Corine Bradd’s
hooded towel
Trendy tots will
love Dawn Finney’s
knitted bandana bibs
18
Create Josh Cockrell’s
practical, yet stylish accessories
with paracord, macramé
and knotting techniques
crafts-beautiful.com
Brighten up their bedrooms
with Louise Nichols’ fun
emoji cushions!
Mums
Pamper hard-working hands
with The Soap Kitchen’s lotion
in an embroidered gift bag
Corinne Bradd’s jewellery
organiser is a great way to show
off treasured accessories
Little ones will fall head
over heels for Amanda Walker’s
sweet rag doll, Jasmine
Keep iPhones safe
with Corinne
Bradd’s leather
case, plus
matching card
wallet and key case
Dads
Keen photographers
will appreciate
Lucinda Ganderton’s
sturdy and stylish
camera strap
Teen Girls
Lucinda Ganderton’s cute
unicorn case will protect
those all-important
earphones and
air pods
Pandora jewellery
fans will love Ellen
Kharade’s polymer
clay charm beads
TURN OVER TO SHOP...
crafts-beautiful.com
19
Fitness Fanatics
Have a Break
Gardener’s World
Lovers of coffee – or tea –
will enjoy Sharon Bennett’s
hand-painted mug, biscuit
plate and chocolate box set
Gardening fans will love Helen
Fitzjohn’s gift set, including a
planting journal, seed packets
and plant markers
Crochet Sarah
Shrimpton’s yoga
mat carrier for
mindfulness fans
Star Bakers
DIY Experts
Treat a Bake Off
fan to Sophia
Palmer’s kitchen gift
set, featuring a
recipe book cover,
gift tag and card
Louise Nichol’s tool belt is
handy for everyone –
change the fabrics
to suit the recipient
Globe Trotter s
Knit Amanda Berry’s zig
zag passport pouches
to brighten a keen
traveller’s luggage
20
crafts-beautiful.com
Screen Time
The Marabu Screen Printing
Kit is the perfect way to discover
the wonderful world of screen
printing! Create incredible designs of
your own and print as many times as
you like, with everything you’ll need
including a bottle of Textil Printing
Ink, a screen, a squeegee, a painting
knife and a how-to brochure. £25,
hobbycraft.co.uk
Take a Letter
The beautiful Manuscript
Calligraphy Artist Set is the perfect
way to learn, practise and master
calligraphy. It includes 12 carefullyselected nibs, two penholders,
and four ink bottles in a wooden
Leonardt box – everything you
need to get started learning the art
of artistic penmanship. £32,
hobbycraft.co.uk
It’s Knitting Season!
Festive Wishlist
TREAT FELLOW CRAFTERS TO SOMETHING
SPECIAL FROM OUR SELECTION
OF GOODIES!
Give the gift of knitting this year
with a Let’s Knit Together gift
membership! Packages start at
£23.99 and include access to
2,600+ knitting patterns, 100+
how-to videos and a welcoming
online community of knitters. Gift
an annual membership and your
loved one will receive 16 balls of
Stylecraft Special DK yarn*. Visit
letsknit.co.uk/gift
*T&Cs apply
Stitch in Time
Fans of long stitch will enjoy
working up this summery
Fisherman’s Rest kit, inspired
by Becky Bettesworth’s
original artwork ‘Mevagissey’,
during the cold winter
months! The set includes
4 count Zweigart canvas
printed with the design
outline, Anchor tapestry
wools, needle, chart and
instructions. £31.49,
bothythreads.com
Colour Pop
Fashionistas and festivalgoers
will love the Talens Art Creation
Tie Dye Set! This kit has three
bottles of Talens Art Creation
Silk dye in sunset shades of bold pink,
sunny yellow and intense carmine, to
transform plain garments and fabric
items into something stunning. £12.95,
royaltalens.com for stockists.
crafts-beautiful.com
Making Memories
Keen scrapbookers will love to
receive a Grafix Art Mixed Media
Journal to record special events.
These disc-bound journals are
available in two sizes, with a choice
of Dura-Lar, Opaque Dura-Bright
Craft Plastic, or Natural Chipboard
sheets. Just add some mixed
media supplies, ready for the new
year! Visit grafixarts.com
for stockists.
21
A
E
DV
RT
Fūnem
Studio
Our crafty Christmas gift guide is here
to inspire you with extra special presents
for the whole family.
Janome
The JANOME 230DC is perfect for beginners and those
with more experience. With a start/stop button and speed
control slider, you can even stitch without the foot control!
Auto-lock stitch, foot pressure adjustment, plus hard cover
and extension table included. janome.co.uk
The best gift idea
for Christmas is a
Weaving Kit from
Fūnem Studio.
Discover their
newest kits to
create this lovely
wall hanging
thanks to a
detailed pattern.
Totally suitable
for beginners!
funemstudio.com
Slipkit
The brand’s
newest crafting
adventure has
been especially
designed for little
ones. The Slipkit
Kids Sheepers
Slippers is a crafty
project which is
guaranteed to
keep your child
occupied for hours
and will make the
perfect Christmas
gift too. £35,
sheepers.co.uk
SupaSnow
Biodegradable
materials are used
to enable you to
create a Christmas
wonderland of
freshly fallen
snow. Perfect
for decorating a
Christmas tree,
table decorations
and much more.
SupaSnow is
self-adhesive and
includes everything
in one kit – a winter
wonderland transformation! Special offer: purchase three
SupaSnow packs and receive a £10 discount using code
SNOW3PACK, supacraft.co.uk
Historical Sampler Company
The perfect gift
for crafters.
Historical
Sampler
Company’s
range of cross
stitch and
tapestry kits will
make fabulous
decorations
around the
home for years
to come. We
love the Scandi
Heart Noel
– £25 from
historicalsamplercompany.co.uk
Follow us on
HOW TO FIND A
CHRISTMAS PROJECT
Sign up: Go to pinterest.com.
Connect via Facebook or sign up
with your email address.
Start sleuthing: Type any craft you
want in the box at the top of the
page and it’ll search over 240 billion
pictures to find the right ones for
you. To start, try: ‘Christmas crafts’,
‘Christmas cards’, ‘Christmas
wreath’, ‘Christmas wrapping’ or
‘bauble decoration ideas’.
Follow your dreams: You can also
follow ‘boards’, which are folders of
categorised pictures. Search 'Crafts
Beautiful' to find our ‘Christmas
Crafts to DIY’ board, which has over
1,000 ideas for the holiday season.
Hit save! When you see a picture
you’d like to keep, click the red
‘Save’ button. Pinterest will collect
saved images on your profile.
Get creative: Create your own
boards to organise what you’ve
saved. To do this, head to your
profile, click the plus sign on the
right-hand side of the page and
select ‘Board’. Then, name your
board and start saving to it!
PINTEREST.COM/CRAFTSBEAUTIFUL
crafts-beautiful.com
23
YO U R
CRAFT
CHAT
We love hearing from
you – check out the
latest makes from the
CB community
STAR
You can
never have
too many
LETTE
shoes and we
PRIZE R
crafters can
!
never have
too many
dies, right?
That’s why we’re thrilled
to be providing this
month’s lucky winner with
this Tattered Lace shoe die. It features a fabulous,
and oh-so-glamorous stiletto decorated with
adorable butterflies and swirls. Not only is
it beautifully intricate, but you can also try
multiple techniques with it, from stencilling
to creating clever apertures.
THIS
MONTH’S
WINNER!
“I have started to knit
my 3D Christmas sheep
wrist warmers.”
@LouiseWalton78,
via Twitter
“A purple poppy remembrance
wreath made for a
Remembrance display in
November – purple poppies are
the symbol for war animals.”
Susan Evans, via Facebook
“I have always loved crafts including
knitting and crochet, but then
I discovered macramé and
got completely hooked.”
Knot Easy Macrame
by Kaff, via Facebook
24
“I’ve made a Christmas notebook
cover with crystal art stickers.”
Sharon Holden, via Facebook
crafts-beautiful.com
“A bit addicted to
making these bags
at the moment! So
many colour and
size combinations of
the humble granny
square to play with.”
Suzie Jules,
via Facebook
“I’ve made hand-dipped
ceramic baubles!”
Ruth Bond,
via Twitter
YOUR
FREE GIFT!
We love seeing
what you’ve made
with your kit!
“I’ve made
some
autumn
pumpkins!”
Denise
Beech,
via
Facebook
“I made this card for my
lovely niece for her second
birthday. The envelope was
decorated too!”
Rosalie Papadopoulou,
via Facebook
PAWESOME PETS
“I created this card with
a CB gift for an aunt
of mine who loves
handmade birthday
cards! Flowery and
colourful!”
Rosalie Papadopoulou,
via Facebook
We catch up with CB readers and their fluffy friends
“Daisy – ‘helping’ in the “Lisa, my neighbour’s cat,
garden today but also playing with my yarn after
helps with the knitting.” taking it from my basket!”
Susan Evans,
Dorina Hossu,
via Facebook
via Facebook
“Twiggy – not so much
help but a chair stealer
and desk invader.”
Vicki Ruta,
via Facebook
“A card I made with the
stamp set from issue 374.
It was heavily inspired by
the magazine.”
@4ns3lm1,
via Instagram
FIND A CRAFTY FRIEND
Mary Bowler, 73
I enjoy cardmaking
and knitting for my
great grandchildren.
I’d love to hear from
any like-minded
people.
19 Foster Court,
Bury, Lancashire,
BL9 7RF
Belinda, 40
I like animals,
cardmaking, writing
letters, and reading.
I’d like to hear from
someone of a similar age
who enjoys cardmaking.
28 Collingwood Road,
Downham Market,
PE38 9SB
Jenny Brading-Palmer, 60
I enjoy penpalling,
poetry, knitting,
cardmaking
and reading. I’d like
to hear from any
crafter aged 50-70!
Elvington House, Flat 3D,
24 Belvedere Street, Ryde,
Isle of Wight, PO33 2JW
crafts-beautiful.com
“I loved using the free kit
with the last issue. This is
one card I made. I added
washi tape and gems for
extra decoration.”
Shell Rice Mutimer,
via Facebook
25
Fit the numbers 1 to 9 into the grid so that no number occurs
more than once in any row, column or marked 3 x 3 box.
TA K E 5 .. .
SIT DOWN WITH A CUPPA AND ENJ
WIN
OY OUR PUZZLES!
this washi
tape collection
and a handy bag to keep them safe!
Find Santa somewhere in the magazine
and email melissa@dcthomson.co.uk
to be in with a chance of winning!
ENTRY CLOSES 11TH NOVEMBER 2022
ACROSS
1 Second-hand vehicle (4,3)
5 Makes an enquiry (4)
9 Developed gradually (7)
10 Rip up (5)
11 Bird’s sharp claw (5)
12 White stoat fur (6)
14 Plump-faced (6)
16 Short-haired hound (6)
18 Created again (6)
19 Peaceful and happy
bucolic scene (5)
22 Ciphered (5)
23 Acclaim (7)
24 Release (a knot) (4)
25 Extensive (7)
DOWN
2 Low foot support (5)
3 Flexible plank at the edge of a
swimming pool (6,5)
4 ___ Bocelli, Italian singer (6)
6 Gets smaller (when washed) (7)
7 Soapy froth (4)
8 Green salad item (7)
10 Recapping (11)
13 Procrastinated (7)
15 Overturned (2-5)
17 Food multinational based in
Switzerland (6)
20 Lad (5)
21 Colour of unbleached linen (4)
DOWN 2 Stool, 3 Diving board,
4 Andrea, 6 Shrinks, 7 Suds, 8 Lettuce,
10 Summarising, 13 Stalled, 15
Up-ended, 17 Nestle, 20 Youth, 21 Ecru
ACROSS 1 Used car, 5 Asks,
9 Evolved, 10 Shred, 11 Talon,
12 Ermine, 14 Chubby, 16 Basset,
18 Remade, 19 Idyll, 22 Coded,
23 Tribute, 24 Undo, 25 Lengthy
26
crafts-beautiful.com
Fun for all
the Family
Get everyone involved in making
these festive greetings, suitable
for kids and adults alike
crafts-beautiful.com
It’s hard not to envy Santa with
his team of elves when we look at
our list of things to make and
prepare for Christmas! Why not
recruit some little helpers of your
own to make Sarah Jackman
Read’s family-friendly cards with
you? All four designs are simple
enough for young crafters to make
(with a little adult supervision)
using our free Christmas toppers,
featuring cute snowmen, reindeer
and elves. Download them at
crafts-beautiful.com, put on
some festive songs and make an
afternoon of it!
27
We used...
Children’s Christmas Card
Toppers at crafts-beautiful.com
Christmas paper pad White
card Circle dies White mini
pom-poms 6mm silver adhesive
gems Adhesives: glue, foam pads
Snow
Much Fun!
Craft
smart
Make sure to
set out all your
supplies before
you start
Ho Ho Ho
Die-cut a 15cm white circle then
score and fold in half. Die-cut
half a 15cm circle from red paper
and adhere to the front. Die-cut
half a 14cm circle in contrasting
paper then glue to the front.
Fussy cut a sentiment into three
pieces then attach across the
bottom with foam pads. Fussy cut
Santa then attach to the top with
foam pads. Fussy cut two presents
and attach either side. Fix white mini
poms-poms to Santa’s hat and
beard, then finish with silver gems.
1
2
CHILD’S INSTRUCTIONS
Fold a circle of white card in half
then flatten the fold with a paper
creaser. Glue a semi-circle of red
paper to the front. Cut a smaller
circle of paper in half then glue to
the front. Cut out a sentiment, then
put foam pads on the back. Stick
the sentiment across the front.
Cut out Santa and two presents.
Put foam pads on the back
of Santa’s legs then stick him to
the top of the circle. Glue the
presents next to him. Glue pom-poms
to Santa’s hat and beard, then
add some silver gems.
1
2
crafts-beautiful.com
Fold a piece of white card in half
and flatten the fold with a paper
creaser. Ask an adult to trim paper
the same size as the front then glue
in place. Stick a smaller piece of
paper to the front. Cut a wavy line
across the top of a piece of white
card then glue to the bottom.
Cut out a sentiment and
snowman then put foam
pads on the back. Stick the
sentiment to the top and the
snowman underneath. Cut out
a candy cane and glue to
the snowman’s hand. Glue some
pom-poms next to the snowman
then add some silver gems.
1
Cover the front of a 10cm x 16cm
white base card with red paper.
Trim 9cm x 15cm of contrasting
snowy paper then adhere on top.
Cut 4cm x 8.5cm of white card, trim
a wavy line across the top then
adhere to the bottom.
Fussy cut a sentiment then fix to
the top with foam pads. Fussy
cut a snowman and candy cane
then attach under the sentiment
with foam pads. Adhere two piles of
white pom-poms either side of the
snowman. Finish with silver gems.
1
2
28
CHILD’S INSTRUCTIONS
2
“If making more
than one of a card
design, set up an
assembly line and
make them all
one stage at a time rather
than individually”
SARAH JACKMAN READ, CB DESIGNER
Merry
Christmas
Cover the front of an 11cm x 16cm
top-folding white base card with
red paper. Trim 10cm x 15cm of
snowy paper then adhere on top.
Cut 3cm x 14.5cm of white card, trim
a wavy line across the top then
adhere to the bottom.
Fussy cut a sentiment and holly
then attach in the top-right
corner with foam pads. Fussy cut a
reindeer then attach on the left-hand
side. Fussy cut two stars then glue
across the top. Fix five white pompoms across the bottom then finish
with silver gems.
1
2
CHILD’S INSTRUCTIONS
Fold a piece of white card in
half, then flatten the fold as
before. Ask an adult to trim paper
the same size as the front then glue
in place. Glue a smaller piece of
paper to the front. Cut a wavy line
across the top of a piece of white
card, then stick to the bottom.
Cut out a sentiment, reindeer and
holly, then put foam pads on the
back. Stick the reindeer on the
left-hand side and the sentiment and
holly to the top. Glue five pom-poms
across the bottom. Cut out two stars
then glue in the sky. Add silver gems.
1
2
CSrhaofpt
Believe In
Your Elf
Cover the front of a 15cm square
white base card with red paper.
Trim a 13cm square of striped paper,
then adhere at an angle on top. Cut
an 11cm square of contrasting paper,
then glue at an angle on top.
Fussy cut a sentiment then attach
in the top-right corner with foam
pads. Fussy cut elves then attach on
the left-hand side with foam pads.
Cut out stars then adhere in place.
Add pom-poms to the elves’ hats
then finish with silver gems.
1
2
CHILD’S INSTRUCTIONS
Fold a piece of white card in half
as before. Ask an adult to trim
paper to the same size as the front,
then glue in place. Stick two smaller
pieces of paper to the front on top
of each other at an angle.
Cut out elves and a sentiment
then put foam pads on the back.
Fix the elves and sentiment on the
card. Cut out some stars and glue to
the front. Glue pom-poms to the
elves’ hats and add silver gems.
1
2
EXTRA SPARKLE
Add a glittery finishing
touch to your cards
with Hobbycraft’s
6mm silver adhesive
gems. £2,
hobbycraft.co.uk
PAPER
TRAIL
Try this
Doodlebug
Design Let It
Snow 12” x
12” paper
pack with 12
double-sided
sheets to
choose from.
£16.99, papermaze.co.uk
WAIT, BEFORE
YOU GO!
Download your FREE
Children’s Christmas
Card Toppers at
crafts-beautiful.com
and get crafting!
crafts-beautiful.com
29
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Looking for some inspiration to kickstart your Christmas
crafting? Join the always creative, ingenious, marvellous
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for crafting techniques. We have hundreds of video
demonstrations that are jam-packed with ideas for you to try
– from dazzling decorations to handmade gifts that everyone
will want in their stockings! Our video tutorials help you master
essential crafting skills including cardmaking, papercraft,
stitching, knitting, crochet, wirework, felting, origami, polymer
clay and lots more. Along the way, Corinne offers up plenty
of insider tidbits and handy advice, ensuring you come away
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YOUTUBE.COM/THECRAFTSCHANNEL
32
crafts-beautiful.com
Creature Comforts
Use our crafty tricks and turn a cute Christmas
stamp set into an enchanting card
Craft
smart
Choose light shades
of Copic markers to
match the soft
background
colour
Need a festive greeting that can be whipped up fast? We’ve enlisted
the help of the wonderful Claire Richards who has crafted a card so
adorable we can barely contain our excitement! Using a delightful set
of stamps from Lawn Fawn featuring dinky mice embarking on some
Christmas baking, she has brought us a design that everyone will love.
We used...
Lawn Fawn A Creature Was Stirring
stamps Lawn Fawn Let It Shine
6” x 6” paper pad Copic markers
Ranger Glossy Accents Black ink
pad Coloured cardstock
Adhesives: 3D foam pads, glue
Create an 11cm x 14cm white
tent-fold blank and fix pink
spotty paper, 5cm x 13.5cm, to
the top. Snip red stripy paper
1
to 5.5cm x 13.5cm, then glue it
below the spotty paper.
Use alphabet dies to cut ‘Sweet’
from green spotty paper, then
adhere centrally to the top panel,
paying attention to spacing. Stamp
the rest of the sentiment in black ink,
above and below the die-cut word.
Stamp three mice, some baking
accessories and holly then cut out
and colour in with alcohol markers.
Fix on the card with foam pads. Add
glossy accents to the holly berries.
Chraofpt
S
Bag yourself this
Lawn Fawn
A Creature Was
Stirring stamp set for
mega-cute Christmas
cards! £12.99,
bumbleberrys.co.uk
2
3
crafts-beautiful.com
MICE
AND EASY
SHINE ON
Combine your
stamps with Lawn
Fawn’s Let It Shine
6” x 6” paper pad,
with stripes and polka dots.
£8, amazon.co.uk
33
V
AD
ER
S
TI
EM
EN
T
F
TU
EA
RE
Perfect Gifts for
Christmas Day
If you need inspiration to spoil someone this Christmas
check out these stunning personalised ideas from Yuhu Gifts
Bright Christmas
Pillar Candle
‘Wonderful Time of The Year’
Christmas White Wine
Christmas Spirit
Wooden Sign
Personalise this Bright Merry Christmas
Pillar Candle with a message over 4 lines
of 15 characters each. ‘Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year’ is standard text.
£9.99
This Personalised Wine Bottle would
make the perfect gift this Christmas.
£19.99
Are you struggling getting into the
Christmas spirit or know somebody who
is? Then this Christmas spirit wooden
sign is the perfect remedy.
£9.99
Make Your Own Christmas
Advent Countdown Kit
This wonderful 3D countdown decoration
if sure to get everyone excited for
Christmas! You can personalise this
decoration with 3 lines of 12 characters
per line. £12.99
Make Your Own Toadstool
Santa 3D Decoration Kit
This cute decoration is the perfect
addition to your tree but would also
make a wonderful gift! You can
personalise this tree decoration with
1 line of 25 characters and 1 line of 4
characters. £12.99
www.yuhugifts.com
‘First Christmas Dinner’
Plastic Plate
A personalised First Christmas Dinner
plate so the little one can savour every
last mouthful and make it a dinner time
not to forget! The plate is made from a
robust plastic. £12.99
Tel: 01403 456777 Email: info@yuhugifts.com
Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 – 17:00.
Flat Rate Shipping £3.95
Free Shipping Over £50
YuHu Gifts is a family-run business that specialises in personalised gifts for any occasion. Whether it be
something special for your significant other, friend or loved one, we have a gift for everyone.
LEARN
SOMETHING
NEW!
Craft
smart
Cut the ribbon ends
at an angle to make
it easier to thread
through the
holes
Ribbon
Weaving
Add an extra-special touch to
your Christmas cards this year
crafts-beautiful.com
35
We’ve all got rolls of ribbon stashed away, and if we're honest, we
don’t use it as much as we should. Luckily for us, Keren Baker has
come to the rescue to show us how to use up our ribbons... and
make them the star of the show! The fun threading technique,
combined with lacy dies is designed to add texture to your cards.
From a gift-wrapped parcel to a Christmas tree and bauble, these
will draw gasps of admiration when taken out of their envelopes!
We used...
Tonic Studios cardstock: white,
silver glitter, silky sky mirror, pink
chiffon satin, flourishing green satin
effect, purple satin Crafter’s
Companion Create-A-Card Ribbon
Threading dies: Bold Florals,
Elaborate Lace, Diagonal Lace
Concord & 9th Merry & Bright dies
Circle dies Ribbon: white, purple
Adhesives: glue, strong sticky
tape, foam pads
Present
Create a 10.5cm x 11.5cm white
card blank and set aside. Die-cut
the Bold Florals ribbon threading die
from white cardstock and trim this
piece down into a square shape. Cut
a strip of cardstock the same width
as the present and 5mm in height.
1
Cut a piece of blue cardstock slightly
larger than the white die-cut piece.
Start weaving some white ribbon
in and out of the holes. Secure
the bottom piece on the reverse and
leave lots of ribbon at the bottom so
you can fold it to the reverse and tie
the bow later.
Add some more ribbon and
weave horizontally, securing ends
at the back with strong sticky tape.
Die-cut the sentiment from pink and
white cardstock, offset them slightly
and adhere together. Die-cut some
green holly leaves and purple berries.
Add the thin strip of cardstock to
the bottom of the berries to help
trap the ribbon. Tie the two top ends
of ribbon into a bow. Glue the piece
of blue cardstock to the reverse of
the white die-cut piece and leave to
dry. Fix the present to the card blank
using foam pads and glue the
sentiment and holly in place.
1
2
Die-cut the Bold Florals die
from white cardstock.
2
3
4
Cut into a square shape. Snip blue
cardstock slightly larger than the
die-cut piece.
3
Start weaving white ribbon in and
out of the holes on the Bold
Florals die-cut panel.
4
Die-cut some green holly leaves
and purple berries.
36
crafts-beautiful.com
LEARN
SOMETHING
NEW!
“Try this threading
technique with full strands
of embroidery thread
and add some rainbow
colours to your cards”
Tree
KEREN BAKER, CB DESIGNER
Make up a 9cm x 17.5cm white
card blank. Trim a triangle from
green satin cardstock and a
small rectangle from silver glitter
cardstock. Die-cut the Elaborate
Lace die from white. Trim sections
out and thread white ribbon through.
Glue these strips diagonally onto
the green triangle. Die-cut the
sentiment from pink and white
cardstock, and berries and leaves
from purple and blue. Secure the tree
onto the base using foam pads. Trim
out a silver star and add to the tree
along with the sentiment.
1
SO SHINY
Brighten your
projects with Metallic
Foil Board & Paper
from Grafix. Great for
die-cutting, layering
and adding
embellishments!
grafixarts.com
2
Bauble
Create a 10.5cm x 11.5cm white
card blank. Die-cut a circle from
pink cardstock. Die-cut the Diagonal
Lace die from white cardstock. Trim
the diagonal sections away from the
frame so you have strips.
Thread these strips with purple
ribbon and secure well on the
reverse using strong sticky tape.
Glue the strips diagonally to the
circle and trim any excess from
around the edge.
1
2
Craft
Shop
WAIT, BEFORE YOU GO!
Try these loopy tree
greetings – search for
‘Ribbon Christmas Cards’
at crafts-beautiful.com
Cut a silver glitter rectangle and
attach to the top of the bauble
along with a purple bow. Die-cut the
sentiment from white and blue, offset
them and adhere together. Die-cut
green and purple berries and add to
the bauble. Fix to the card blank
using foam pads.
3
crafts-beautiful.com
WEAVE ABOUT
Create beautiful greetings with
a difference with the Gemini
Create-a-Card Ribbon Threading
Die collection. £12.99 each,
crafterscompanion.co.uk
37
Cut out or
download at
crafts-beautiful.com
30+ Gift Tags
Head to crafts-beautiful.com to
get your presents all wrapped up!
38
crafts-beautiful.com
C R A F T D I A RY
Brighten up the
tree with salt dough
Christmas decorations
Stuart gets set for
the season, the
crafty way of course!
I
’ve been crafting for longer than
I can remember and must have
tried almost every technique
ever invented with varying
degrees of success! My favourite time
to try new crafts has always been at
Christmas and I think that’s because
there are so many ways that they can
be brought to life at this time of year.
From festive cards and calligraphy
menus to making wreaths, candles,
soaps and bath bombs, sewing quilts,
knitting socks, and crocheting
baubles to hang on the tree, there is
barely an aspect of the festive period
that doesn’t get touched by my
crafting hand and this handmade
approach has become the very heart
of my home at this time of year.
Christmas has always been my
excuse for throwing all caution to
the wind, and if it doesn’t have glitter,
pom-poms and ricrac on it when
it arrives, it certainly will before it
leaves! One craft that I did a lot of
in the early nineties and am more
than ready to revive for Christmas
this year, is making salt dough
decorations! I’ll combine plain flour
with half the amount of salt but
replace two or three tablespoons
of the flour with ground cinnamon,
which gives a great colour and
Have fun decorating
the Christmas cake!
Melt and pour candles
are so easy to make
“My favourite time to
try new crafts has always
been at Christmas”
awesome fragrance! Water binds the
ingredients together, then it’s time
to get modelling. I’ll use cookie
cutters including gingerbread men
and women, then once they’re baked
till hard at 120°, I’ll cool and decorate
them. White puffy paint looks just like
icing on my salt dough ‘cookies’ and
hanging ribbons are all I need to
make them Christmas tree ready!
I love dipping into crafts outside
my normal remit, especially when
you don’t need lots of specialist
equipment or
products. My
friend Sarah is
already booked
into our annual
tradition of
Christmas candle
making, using
empty glass jars,
teacups, and
heat-resistant
containers. Whilst
pouring the wax,
we tell stories,
laugh, and have
mince pies and
a little sloe gin,
crafts-beautiful.com
Swap gift wrap for our embroidered
festive gift sack at crafts-beautiful.com
which almost seems more
important than the candles!
Now, confession time... I have
one major weakness at Christmas,
and that is present wrapping.
I can’t even wrap a plain square
or rectangular box, my corners are
uneven, the tape gets twisted, and
my bows never stick to the right bits.
But I have discovered over the years
that whatever special Christmas skill
we might lack there is always an
alternative. Instead of wrapping
paper, I use furoshiki fabric wraps,
gift boxes, pretty handsewn bags,
and fabulous gift baskets and
stockings. I am the undisputed king
of the gift bag and I’m making it
work! My wobbly Christmas cake
icing is less perfected and as it’s the
only fancy cake I make each year,
it’s unlikely I’ll ever get better at it.
But this is when the sparkles, edible
glitter, candles, decorations and
ribbons come into their own
because really, and stop me if I’m
wrong, you can’t overdo anything
at Christmas... can you?
Stuart x
39
THE
If your bookshelf is
looking a little empty,
don’t panic! We’ve
handpicked four
titles that are
full of crafty
inspiration,
from stunning
hand lettering to
cute baby woollens
– it’s time to grab a
cuppa and get reading!
BOOK
CLUB
COLOUR SPLASH
This is not a drill! The queen
of colouring books is back
with a new collection of
designs, and this time, she’s
whisking us away on an
island-hopping adventure.
From pygmy raccoons to
Komodo dragons, Millie
Marotta’s Island Escape is
brimming with creatures
that are as fun to gaze at
as they are to colour in.
Each design is packed with
detail, offering hours of
colouring fun and a muchneeded break from daily
life. Need a taster? We’ve
got two pages from Island
Escape waiting for you on
our website! Search ‘Millie’
at crafts-beautiful.com
£12.99, batsfordbooks.com
PAINTERLY
STROKES
CREATURE
COMFORTS
THE WRITE STUFF
A tonic for those chilly
winter evenings spent
indoors, Textured Art is truly
a portal to other worlds.
Artist Melissa McKinnon
transports you to places
miles away, from lush
poppy fields in Tuscany to
striking Canadian mountain
ranges, with her lifelike
impasto paintings. She
teaches you how to create
the same transportive
magic in your own work,
covering essential tools
and materials, colour
theory and guided impasto
art exercises before diving
into 12 projects for you to
try your hand at. £15.99,
davidandcharles.com
What’s more adorable
than a baby? A baby in a
novelty hat of course! You’ll
be spoilt for choice with
the array of adorable hats
and matching booties you
can crochet with Gurinder
Kaur Hatchard’s Head to
Toe Crochet. Packed with
beginner-friendly patterns
for three sizes – preemie,
0-6 months and 6-12
months – and step-bystep illustrated tutorials,
this guide is a must-have
for those of us with tiny
tots in our lives. What will
you create first? We’ve
got our eyes on the sweet
bumblebee design! £16.99,
bloomsbury.com
Dedicate some time to
slowing down with a spot
of hand lettering. The
technique may seem
daunting but the process
is incredibly therapeutic
and with Hand Lettering
Master Class, a whole lot of
fun. Artist Marcella Astore
shares detailed instructions
and handy tips that make
picking up the craft a
cinch. And with fun designs
featuring doughnuts,
ice-cream cones and
lemonade, her guide is a
feast for the eyes. Whether
you’re a beginner or a
pro, Marcella’s book will
help you achieve your
lettering dreams. £15.99,
pagestreetpublishing.com
OVER TO YOU… Here’s what you’ve been reading this month!
ROSALIE
PAPADOPOULOU…
“I recently read
Neko Café – highly
recommended for cat
lovers and of course, coffee lovers
too! Amusing and funny!”
40
SOPHIE MARSDEN…
“I’ve recently read The
Thursday Murder Club
by Richard Osman. It’s
a heart-warming pageturner that will make you laugh and
maybe shed a tear or two. Five stars!”
crafts-beautiful.com
SUSAN EVANS
“I’ve just started
reading Agatha
Christie by Lucy
Worsley – I’m on
chapter two and it’s definitely
a great read so far.”
Merry Cretaceous!
Surprise dinosaur fans with this fun, festive greeting
We used...
My Favorite Things Dino-mite
Christmas stamps My Favorite
Things Merry Christmas die Lawn
Fawn Stitched Hillside Borders dies
Distress Oxide Mermaid Lagoon ink
Memento black ink pad
Coloured card White stamping
card Alcohol markers Glitter
Pearls Adhesives: glue, foam pads
Fancy something different from the usual
reindeer, snowman and Santa motifs for
your Christmas cards? Try Kitty Day’s
adorable design, featuring a trio of
dinosaurs who are only too happy to get
into the festive spirit. Made with diecutting, stamping and colouring
techniques, this is a quick one to whip up
so why not batch-make several to send out?
Craft
smart
Add glitter
highlights with
a fine line
glue pen
Blend blue ink onto a 10.5cm x
14cm panel of white card in an
ombré style, going from darker at
the bottom to lighter at the top.
Glue onto a card blank. Die-cut
two pieces of white card using the
stitched border dies.
Add glitter to the top of each
stitched border piece, then glue
them together and fix onto the
bottom of the card. Die-cut a ‘Merry
Christmas’ sentiment from black and
white card. Layer together and fix at
the top of the card with foam pads.
Stamp the dinosaurs and
presents onto white stamping
card with black ink, then colour
with alcohol markers. Cut out each
one and fix onto the card with foam
pads. Add pearls around the
sentiment to finish.
1
2
3
Chraofpt
S
JURASSIC PARK
Celebrate the season
with a difference,
courtesy of My
Favorite Things’
Dino-Mite Christmas
stamps. £12,
diestodiefor.com
SNOWY HILLS
Create an Ice Age
background with Lawn
Fawn’s Stitched Hillside
Borders dies. £16.48,
amazon.co.uk
“When colouring with alcohol
markers, use a smooth stamping
card along with Memento Ink to
prevent the ink from bleeding”
KITTY DAY, CB DESIGNER
crafts-beautiful.com
41
Stacked Stories
Kitty Day kicks off the festive season with these expertly
decoupaged, heart-warmingly cute Christmas greetings
We used...
Hunkydory Happy Town At Christmas 6” x 6” paper
pad Hunkydory Happy Town At Christmas stamps:
The Happy Family, Christmas Dinner, Christmas Dress
Up Coloured cardstock Black ink pad Alcohol
markers Adhesives: 3D foam pads, glue
Getting ahead on your makes in
the run up to the festive period
is crucial, and these designs by
Kitty Day are sure to have you
ticking off your to-do list in bulk.
She has paired stamped motifs
with simple 3D layering for
greetings that are easy to craft
yet endlessly impressive –
perfect for a batch make.
Christmas
Décor
Mount 9cm x 13.5cm living room
paper onto red and green card,
then onto a white blank. Cut out
the windows and curtains from the
Happy Town At Christmas paper pad,
then layer up with 3D foam pads to
create a decoupage window. Attach
to the centre of the card front.
Stamp, colour and cut out
elements using The Happy Family
stamp set, following the step-by-step
to create decoupaged motifs. Secure
towards the bottom of the greeting
with 3D foam pads. Finish with a
sentiment.
1
2
WAIT, BEFORE YOU GO!
Want more 3D festive
card ideas? Check out
Corinne Bradd’s Folded
Christmas Tree Card at
youtube.com/
TheCraftsChannel
42
crafts-beautiful.com
1
Select your motifs and stamp
three of each onto white stamping
card in black ink.
2
CShraofpt
Present Day
Mount a 12cm square of snowy
paper onto white and kraft card,
then onto a white blank. Cut out
house motifs and attach to the card
front with 3D foam pads. Snip a strip
of wavy white card to 9cm and
secure along the bottom.
Follow the step-by-step to create
decoupaged motifs using the
Christmas Dress Up stamp set. Add to
the card with 3D foam pads. Finish
with a stamped sentiment.
1
2
LAYER UP!
C R E AT E
STUNNING
D E C O U PAG E D
CARDS WITH CB
D E S I G N E R K I T T Y DAY ’ S
ESSENTIAL TIPS
M a ke s u r e t o c o l o u r
in each corresponding
motif using the same
hues to enhance the 3D
decoupage effect.
TINY TOTS
Liven up your greetings
with Hunkydory’s
The Happy Family,
Christmas Dinner
and Christmas
Dress Up stamp
sets, £4.99 each.
Trim two of each of the characters
and present motifs. Snip the
remaining images as shown.
3
HAPPY PAPER
Build whimsical
scenes with
Hunkydory’s Happy
Town at Christmas
6” x 6” paper pad,
£9.99.
Fill in each of the layers with
alcohol markers in colours of
your choice.
All available at
hunkydorycrafts.co.uk
4
To a d d e v e n m o r e
depth and interest
to your designs,
try decoupaging
t h e b a c kg r o u n d
scenes too.
Though you can use
any medium to colour
in these images, I
would recommend
pens with a fine nib
or pencils failing that.
crafts-beautiful.com
Stack up the individual layers with
3D foam pads to assemble your
decoupage motifs.
43
FROM ME
TO YOU...
Two trends, countless buys and
tries – ready for your best
Christmas gift wrapping yet?
© sarahbaumann.co.uk
BY AMELIA BOLTON
SOFT FOCUS
We R Memory Keepers
Tag Punch 3 in 1, £18.05,
craftelier.com
Wooden Mistletoe
Wreaths, £3.72 for four,
littlecraftybugs.co.uk
TOP TIP
Use washi tape instead
of ribbon to wrap
around your gift. Why
not layer up different
prints at various angles?
FREE Candy Coloured
Papers, download at
papercraftermagazine.co.uk
Women’s Institute
Mint Soft and Cuddly
DK Yarn, £4.50,
hobbycraft.co.uk
Make a
pom-pom
topper!
Gold and
White Twine,
£2, hobbycraft.co.uk
Artemio My Little Christmas
Washi Tapes, £8.38 for five,
craftelier.com
FREE Christmas Gift
Tags, download at
papercrafter
magazine.co.uk
44
Wooden Tree
Bauble, £1.50,
direct.asda.com
crafts-beautiful.com
Snowflake Wooden
Embellishments, £2 for 36,
hobbycraft.co.uk
“To make your
presents look
more luxurious
and eye-catching,
I recommend
adding jingle bells
with ribbon or
including small
baubles for that
extra festive
touch”
JANE MEANS
Grosgrain Ribbon
in Red, from £5,
nancyandbetty.com
CLASSIC
CHRISTMAS
Tsukineko Memento
Ink Pad in Lady
Bug, £3.99,
lillygracecrafts.co.uk
Christmas Printing Blocks, £75,
cambridgeimprint.co.uk
Assorted Festive
Mini Bows,
£1 for 15,
hobbycraft.co.uk
Ball of Yarn Christmas
Tree Decoration, £8,
paperchase.com
TOP TIP
London Snow Christmas Gift
Tags, £3.95 for five,
nancyandbetty.com
© rebeccapitcher.co.uk
Add a bespoke touch to
your gift wrap with
wooden block stamping.
We recommend printing
the same motif onto
a luggage tag for a
coordinated look
Happy Jig Wire Thread
Baker’s Twine in Red,
£4.33, craftelier.com
Violet Studio
Home For Christmas
Pom Poms, £1.49,
crafterscompanion.co.uk
FREE Driving Home For Christmas papers,
download at papercraftermagazine.co.uk
crafts-beautiful.com
45
A
E
DV
RT
Brands We Love
Get ready for Christmas with these inspirational buys
from our best-loved brands
Janome
The JANOME 725S is a smart choice to create the items
you need. With 25 built-in stitches ‘including auto
one-step buttonhole, built-in needle threader and
variable stitch length and width, it’s easy to use for
beginners and more experienced sewists. janome.co.uk
Hunkydory Crafts
A huge variety of toppers and cardstock for
making your Christmas cards can be found in
Hunkydory’s Christmas Blockbuster 2022! The Christmas
Special magazine provides all the ideas that you will
need for using the fabulous foiled and die-cut designs.
£44.99, hunkydorycrafts.co.uk
Pentel
Yuhu Gifts
To give cards and decorations the wow-factor this
Christmas try Pentel’s Dual Metallic Brush Pen, available
in eight colours. The iridescent ink produces a different
shade on dark or light-coloured paper.
Find out more at pentel.co.uk
Do you love watching TV while eating dinner or having a
drink? Now you can with a Personalised “Reserved For”
Wooden Sofa Tray for your armchair. Perfect for families
who like to spend time together enjoying their favourite
TV show. yuhugifts.com
Pilot Pen
STAEDTLER
Pilot is best known for high-quality everyday
writing pens, but they offer so much more! Pilot has
a complete range of creative products, ideal for
upcycling, crafting, scrapbooking and lettering. So, no
matter what the project or surface, Pilot has what you
are looking for! pilotpen.co.uk
Add a personal touch to your Christmas decorations
this year with STAEDTLER products! Create your own
wrapping paper with metallic markers, or personalised
present tags with FIMO modelling clay. Visit
staedtler.co.uk for more Christmas inspiration!
Historical Sampler Company
Grafix Arts
‘Our Year’ is a
fantastic cross
stitch design
by Historical
Sampler
Company.
Featuring the
twelve months
of the year
alongside a
seasonal motif,
this will be a
lovely heirloom
for years to come.
£35.25, historicalsamplercompany.co.uk
Lisa Horton Crafts
Coming soon! Brand new, highly-pigmented Blending
Ink Pads and Pigment Ink Pads. If you want seamless
blending, water-reactive techniques, alongside detailed
stamping and the ability to colour in your stamps, these
inks are for you! thatcraftplace.co.uk
No need for messy
glues, Grafix Cling
Vinyl Film sticks by
static! It even clings to
smooth, glossy surfaces
with no sticky residue
and it’s reusable.
Perfect for Halloween
and Christmas. Diecut, punch or cut out
shapes and embellish
with permanent
markers, paint pens
and glitter glue. 9”×12”
clear and white packs of 6 or 50, grafixarts.com
Royal Talens
With an extension in pastels, metallics and neon colours,
the Talens Art Creation acrylics assortment is now
available in 74 colours. Both the ranges in 75ml tubes
and 200ml tubes offer the full range of 74 colours.
The 750ml is available in 38 colours, selected from the
total range of 74 colours. royaltalens.com
COLOUR
notes
Overhaul your stash with
this month’s top picks
Beautiful Baubles
Ring in the festive season with vibrant colour
and indulge in this year’s hottest trend:
marbling! Choose the colours of the inks and
add as many baubles as you want to the kit,
then let your creative talents shine through.
Your festive décor will never have looked so
good! £19, hearthandheritage.co.uk
All Set
Photography by Jason Jenkins
Stuck for Christmas
card ideas? Create
stunning greetings
that are guaranteed
to impress recipients
with Lisa Horton Crafts’
new festive range.
Featuring pretty
poinsettia motifs, gift
card holders and more
sentiments than you
can shake a stick at,
these dies are a mustbuy for the holiday
season! From £18.99,
thatcraftplace.co.uk
STAR BUYS!
Dopamine
Drawing
So long, winter
blues! We’ll be
channelling all the summer
vibes and nabbing these
bright rainbow-coloured
beauties ASAP. Each pack
contains 12 stronglypigmented soft pastels that
give you rich, brilliant colour wherever
you apply them. With their square shape,
they’re ideal for both block-colouring and
detailed work. £3, hobbycraft.co.uk
48
Happy Paper
With eight double-sided
printed papers packed
with charming illustrations
from the ARToptions Alena
collection such as flowers,
leaves and butterflies, this
49 And Market 12” x 12” pad
is a crafty must-have. As an
added bonus, the backside
of the cover sheet is filled
with fussy-cut elements. What
more could you want? £11.99,
themadscrapper.co.uk
Stick It To Them
Show your fa-la-lala-love for the most
wonderful time of the
year and deck your
crafts with Crate Paper’s
Mittens & Mistletoe
cardstock stickers.
Featuring a whopping
99 stickers, from festive
firs to scarf-clad squirrels, you
have got plenty to get creative
with. We’ll take 10 packs, please!
£5.99, heylittlemagpie.com
crafts-beautiful.com
Fine Print
Feel like a 19th-century
poet writing sonnets
for your betrothed with
this Manuscript Modern
Calligraphy Oblique Set,
perfect for beginners and
professionals alike. Each features
a modern oblique dip pen holder,
specially-selected nibs for modern
calligraphy, as well as a beautifully
compiled instruction manual from
popular calligrapher @Artsynibs.
£16.00, cultpens.com
COLOUR
creative
INTRODUCING…
PAIGE ANDERSON
Illustrator Paige Anderson has had a
busy year. Hot off releasing a whole raft of
painting kits for her brand paigesillustrations,
she launched her gouache subscription
box, The Gouache Lovers Club, all while
producing some of the most mesmerising
Instagram Reels you’ll ever see. And with
22k followers, plus clients the likes of Cricut,
HP and the BBC to boot, it’s clear her work
is adored by many.
The Warwickshire-based artist goes
about her daily life with her sketchbook in
tow, finding inspiration for new projects in
everything she does – whether it’s walking
through nature, visiting garden centres
or just pottering about her home that’s
brimming with art, plants and books.
The main goal behind her kits? To
spread joy! Each kit not only provides
the supplies and guidance needed to
create a beautiful painting, but offers an
experience too, allowing you to take a few
hours out of your day to immerse yourself
in a mindful activity while watching a
masterpiece come to life. Check out
Paige’s work at @paigesillustrations
and @gouacheloversclub
THREE OF THE BEST…
Festive Pilot Pens
SPARKLE AND SHINE
Photography by Jason Jenkins
This year, you can add a personal touch to your
Christmas creations from the gift-wrapping and
tags, to the table-setting name cards using the
Pilot Pintor marker. The water-based creative
marker can be used on almost all surfaces such as
paper, wood, linen and porcelain. What’s more,
it’s available in a range of 30 colours including
metallics, pastels and neons! pilotpen.co.uk
LET IT GLOW
HOT OFF THE PRESS
Bid bare walls adieu with Making
Murals. Murals are a fantastic way
to breathe new life into any space
and authors Clara Wilkinson and
Mary West are on a mission to
transform even the starkest of homes
into a feast for the eyes. A practical
handbook on mural painting, Making
Murals covers all the essentials, including what kind of
paints and brushes to use, how to work on different wall
surfaces and how to prepare the area before painting
to get the best results. Clara and Mary even take us on
a tour of their most exciting murals and explain, using
step-by-step instructions and photography, how you can
achieve similar results. All you need to do is choose your
favourite and get started! £15.99, davidandcharles.com
Add a little glamour to your Christmas messages
with Pilot’s G2 metallic gel ink pens – an ideal
complement for all occasions, invitations, menus,
greeting cards or place name cards. They’re
available in a rich palette of six metallic colours
(gold, silver, violet, pink, blue and green) to inspire
and beautify every special moment. pilotpen.co.uk
ALL IS BRIGHT
The Pilot Super Color paint marker is a real allrounder! Its ink is permanent, quick-drying,
waterproof and lightfast making it suitable for both
indoor and outdoor use. Available in four different
line thicknesses – extra fine, fine, medium and
broad – it’s a versatile stash staple. With its dazzling
metallic colours, the Super Color is ideal for all
creative projects and perfect for decorating dark or
smooth materials at Christmas time. pilotpen.co.uk
crafts-beautiful.com
49
CR
AF
T-A
LO
NG
!
Deck Your
Dining Table…
…with delightful dip-dye candles in part
one of your two-part craft-along!
We used...
Household candles Candle dyes:
yellow, turquoise, pink, black
Greaseproof paper Heatproof
jugs Old spoons Saucepan
SAFETY FIRST
The turkey and fixings might get top billing, but an eye-catching
tablescape impresses Christmas guests just as much. Make yours
a fabulous focal point with our latest two-part series! First up, Jill
Alblas shows us how to jazz up plain white candles by dipping them
into coloured molten wax. And make sure to stay tuned for next
month, when our friends at Resin8 guide you through crafting
matching candlesticks to really up your tablescaping game. Then
all that’s left is to sit back and wait for the compliments to roll in!
• Never melt wax over
direct heat or in a
microwave.
• Wax can ignite. In this
event, treat it in the
same way as a fat fire.
• Do not leave lit candles
unattended.
• Lit candles should be
kept away from pets, soft
furnishings and children.
Cover your work surface with
greaseproof paper. Bring a
half-full saucepan of water up to a
gentle simmer. Break white candles
into a heatproof jug. Place the jug in
the saucepan of water and leave
until the wax has melted.
Add a dye chip in a colour of
your choice and stir gently until
thoroughly mixed. Test the colour by
spooning a bit of the molten wax
onto greaseproof paper and leaving
it to set. Remove the jug of wax from
the saucepan. Take a candle and
dip the base into the wax for just a
couple of seconds.
Deepen the colour by re-dipping
the candle. Dip it again, this time
submerging less of the candle. Dip a
third time, now only an inch or so at
the base of the candle. The result will
be a graduated colour, becoming
lighter towards the top of the candle.
1
CSrhaofpt
2
3
50
COLOUR SPLASH
Make your own
beautifully coloured
candles with this pack
of candle making dyes.
£5, hobbycraft.co.uk
If desired, the top of the candles
can also be dipped. To add more
colours, repeat the process with
different dyes, allowing the candle to
set between colours before dipping
again. Where the colours overlap, a
new shade will be created.
4
crafts-beautiful.com
GLOW ON
Decorate Sainsbury’s Home
Household Dinner Candles
or use them as is to create
a cosy ambience. £2,
sainsburys.co.uk
COLOUR
creative
WAXING
LYRICAL
Depending on the
amount of molten
wax you have, you
CB DESIGNER may need to tilt the
jug whilst dipping
JILL ALBLAS SHARES
H E R T O P D I P - DY E I N G t h e c a n d l e .
Candle dyes can be
CANDLE TIPS
ver y strong, so add
To u t i l i s e o l d
just one chip at a time
candles, trim the
to colour your wax.
charred wick, then
F o r a q u i c ke r a n d
break into a jug and
m
o
re economical
m e l t . Re m o v e t h e
o
p
t
ion, melt coloured
remaining wick with
w
a
x
crayons instead
a spoon once the
o
f
u
s
ing dye.
wax has melted.
NEXT MONTH! Make a matching set of
candlesticks! On sale 3rd November 2022
crafts-beautiful.com
51
Merry Mugs
Brighten up plain ceramics with a lick of festive paintwork
It’s officially the season to eat, drink and be merry – what better excuse
to create a special set of mugs for serving up hot chocolates galore?
A few pots of paint and a detail paintbrush are all you need to turn
ordinary ceramics into these jolly creations by Ingrid Vichova.
Decked out in classic Christmas motifs, they’re easy to paint and
will certainly be the talking point among visitors!
“Use a wide flat
paintbrush and pick up
a good amount of paint
to get good coverage
when painting on glass”
INGRID VICHOVA, CB DESIGNER
52
crafts-beautiful.com
COLOUR
creative
We used...
Royal Talens Art Creation acrylic
paints: 570 Phthalo Blue, 564 Brilliant
Blue, 701 Ivory Black, 105 Titanium
White, 396 Naphthol Red Medium,
318 Carmine, 270 Azo Yellow Deep,
275 Primary Yellow, 619 Permanent
Green Deep, 618 Permanent Green
Light Pebeo Cherry Red Ceramic
paint Tonic Studios Layering Ovals
dies Mod Podge Dishwasher Safe
Gloss Mugs: transparent, white
Isopropyl Alcohol or alcohol wipes
Detail paintbrush Copy paper
Washi tape
Snowflake
Scene
Night Sky
Die-cut an oval out of copy paper
and secure the negative panel onto a
white mug with washi tape to create
a mask. Tap light blue paint through
the mask with a sponge blending
tool. Repeat with dark blue and
black. Using a detail brush, paint
trees and little details into the scene.
Remove the mask and paint a dotted
border around the image. Leave to
dry before sealing with Mod Podge.
Craft
smart
Practice sketching
snowflakes on
paper before
Clean the exterior of a white
moving on to
mug with alcohol and allow to
dry completely. Use Pebeo Cherry
mugs
Red to paint snowflakes of different
sizes, spacing them out evenly and
filling any gaps with clusters of stars
and dots. If a second coat is
needed, allow the paint to dry
before adding another layer. Once
finished, ensure the surface has
dried before sealing with
Dishwasher Safe Mod Podge.
TOP TIPS
FOR CERAMIC
PAINTING SUCCESS
Whilst you’re working,
a n y m i s t a ke s c a n b e
removed with the tip
of a cotton bud.
Stir the ceramic paint
gently before starting.
D o n’ t s h a ke a s t h i s w i l l
trap air bubbles which
are hard to disperse.
If you’re mixing paints,
always mix more than
you think you’ll need as
it’s difficult to create
t h e e xa c t s h a d e t w i c e .
Create a stylish
mismatch by painting
several mugs, each in a
different colour scheme.
CSrhaofpt
COLOUR
CODE
Add vibrant
colour to
your projects
with Royal
Talens’ Art
Creation acrylic paints. £2.50 per
75ml tube, theartshopskipton.co.uk
SEAL THE DEAL
Make sure all your hard
work is preserved with
Mod Podge Dishwasher
Safe Gloss. £10,
theworks.co.uk
crafts-beautiful.com
Perfect
Poinsettia
Lightly sketch out a large poinsettia
flower on a transparent mug with red
paint, then fill in. Once dry, paint a
second layer and add berries. Use
darker colours to add shading and
lighter to create highlights. Repeat
this process with the leaves. Seal the
surface once dried completely.
53
COLOUR
creative
Penguin Pal
Transport your loved ones to a faraway
winter landscape with our 3D snowglobe
Want to surprise your loved ones
with a seriously impressive
handmade card this Christmas?
Why not put your digital cutting
machine to good use and create
Ingrid Vichova’s cute penguin
snowglobe card? Digital image
files are super easy to work with
and the assembly is surprisingly
straightforward. Don’t worry, this
greeting can be folded flat for
posting so your distant relatives
won’t miss out!
We used...
Silhouette Cameo 4 machine
Silhouette 336006 cutting file
First Edition Believe in Magic
paper pad Tsukineko
VersaFine Onyx Black ink pad
Mama Elephant Mini Messages
Stamps We R Memory Keepers
Fuse Tool Cardstock: various
colours, silver glitter
Embellishments: glitter, sequins,
bakers twine Adhesives: doublesided tape, glue
Open the 336006 image file in the
Silhouette Design Studio. Ungroup
the image, select the white parts and
arrange onto the mat. Place white
card onto the cutting mat and load it
into the machine. Press ‘Send’ and set
the cut settings to force 33, speed
four and two passes.
Unload and remove the
elements from the mat, then
set aside. Repeat the process with
coloured and patterned card to cut
out the remaining pieces. Place the
globe element with the sentiment
back onto the mat in the Design
Studio and delete the globe to
leave the sentiment.
Add the snowflakes onto the
mat and press ‘Send’. Place silver
glitter card onto the cutting mat and
set the cut settings. To assemble the
Craft
1
2
3
54
smart Craft
Shop
Do a test cut first to
make sure the settings
are correct and you’re
happy with the
result
3D snowglobe, start with the base by
gluing the middle section together.
Fold along the score lines and fix
the hinges to the bottom of the
base. Assemble the penguin, add the
glitter sentiment and the snowflakes
to the globe part, then apply doublesided tape to the hinges. Insert and
adhere them to the base.
4
crafts-beautiful.com
CUTTING EDGE
The Silhouette Cameo 4 digital
die-cutting machine makes crafting a
breeze! £395, craftstoredirect.com
MAGIC
CHRISTMAS
We love the First Edition
Believe in Magic 12” x 12”
paper pad, with wintery
motifs in soft shades.
£11.42, craftelier.com
COLOUR
creative
Bathtime Treats
Make gorgeous gift packaging for your handmade smellies
Trying your hand at a new craft
is always fun, especially when
making Christmas presents for
family and friends. Soap making is
a great technique that allows you to
make your own shapes, colours
and scents, tailor-made to your
lucky recipient. Here, Corinne
Bradd shows some lovely ways of
gift wrapping your creations to
create something special.
We used...
The Soap Kitchen Silicone Flower
Mould The Soap Kitchen Zenicolor
5 6” x 6” patterned paper pad
Mount board Washi tape
Acetate Bone folder Glue
1
Make an array of floral soaps
using a 3D Flower Silicone
Mould and Zenicolor 5 colouring
system from The Soap Kitchen.
You can find guides and tips
on The Soap Kitchen’s website.
Cut an 11cm x 25cm piece
of mount board. Score the
rectangle 2cm in on all sides, cut
away the intersections at the corners
and crease along the score
lines to make a tray shape.
Cover the top of the
mount board with
patterned paper measuring
13cm x 27cm. Cut the paper at
the corners into flaps and fold the
edges over to the back of the card.
Glue the flaps to the adjacent sides
to create a tray shape.
Decorate the outside of the
tray with co-ordinating paper.
Cut two 2cm x 7cm strips of mount
board, cover with paper and fold in
half. Glue inside the base of the tray
so that they stand vertically, dividing
it into three.
Cut a 21cm square of acetate
and crease at 4cm, 6.2cm,
13.4cm and 15.6cm. Reinforce the
2
creases with washi tape before
wrapping around the tray. Fix the
overlap of acetate together with
double-sided tape. Cut out
decorative elements from paper
and fix to the top of
the sleeve. Fill the
tray with soaps.
CSrhaofpt
3
4
5
crafts-beautiful.com
IN A LATHER
Make your own soaps
using Zenicolor 5,
£16.79, Silicone
Flower Moulds,
£9.89, and much
more. thesoap
kitchen.co.uk
MERRY &
BRIGHT
Don’t miss Echo
Park’s The Magic of
Christmas 6” x 6”
Mega Pad. £12.99,
papermaze.co.uk
55
Christmas Gonks
Get crafting with
to make these fun, festive friends!
Originating from Sweden, Norway and Finland, the Scandinavian gonk is now as
much a part of our Christmas celebrations as Santa and Rudolph, with their
huge beards and round noses peeking out from under their pointy hats! Crafty
queen Corinne Bradd has created her own take on these cheeky chaps, using
Duck Tape, toilet roll tubes and a coffee tin to create fun boxes for stashing
festive treats. Colourful, long-lasting and thrifty to boot – what's not to love?
We used...
Duck Tape: red, black, baby pink,
white, electric blue, sage, Buffalo
Plaid, Love Tie-Dye Large, lidded
tin (i.e. coffee tin) 5cm polystyrene
ball Cotton fabric Toy stuffing
Toilet roll tubes 10mm buttons
Sharp scissors Needle and
thread Sticky tape
Craft
smart
Apply isopropyl alcohol
regularly with a cotton
ball to remove excess
gum from your
scissors
Big Gonk
Doorstop
Wash and dry your tin thoroughly
and fix a length of black and red
plaid tape around the bottom of it.
Add a narrower band of black tape
above this to create a belt and fill the
remaining part of the tin with plain
red tape, trimming it along the top
edge so the lid will still fit on top.
Cut a 5cm polystyrene ball in half
with a craft knife and cover the
curve with pale pink tape as smoothly
as possible, leaving at least 1.5cm
overhang around the edges. Use this
excess to fix the nose to the front of
the body.
1
2
56
crafts-beautiful.com
COLOUR
creative
3
Take a 10cm length of white tape
and fold it almost in half so there
is a 5mm sticky band on the short
edge. Use sharp scissors to cut a
fringe into the folded edge of the
tape up to the sticky part. Trim the
fringe into a gentle curve and fix this
first piece directly below the nose.
Continue to create pieces of
fringe in this way to surround the
nose, making each layer shorter than
the last to create a full beard. Fold a
10cm length of white tape in half
lengthwise to leave a sticky strip on
one long edge, clip into a fringe and
place this above the nose. Add two
layers of narrow red tape fringe
around the top edge of the tin.
Measure the circumference of
the lid and cut a piece of cotton
fabric slightly longer x 20cm tall.
Cover this piece of material with
plaid tape, matching the pattern
neatly and trimming away the excess.
Use a narrow strip of red tape to fix
the fabric to the edge of the lid so
it forms a tube with a small overlap
and tape up the seam. Add some
stuffing into the tube to allow it to
keep its shape.
Use a needle and double
thickness of thread to sew a
running stitch around the top of the
hat. Gather this up and secure. Fold
red tape in half lengthways to leave
a sticky strip on one edge and clip
into a fringe. Wind the fringe into a
rosette to fit over the top of the
gathering and secure in place with
more fringed strip wrapped around
the rosette, slowly winding it down
to wrap around the gathering.
Make more red fringing to
decorate the bottom of the hat
and place the lid onto the tin. Cut
two egg shapes from cardboard for
the feet. Cut the remaining half of the
polystyrene ball in half again and
stick each piece to the wider end of
each egg shape. Cover the feet with
black tape and fix to the tin’s base.
4
5
6
7
“The lid of
the doorstop
gonk can be
removed so
you can add
in a weight, or secretly
fill it up with treats!”
CORINNE BRADD, CB DESIGNER
Mini Gonk
Treat Holders
1
Flatten one end of a toilet roll tube
and tape closed. Wrap the tube
with coloured Duck Tape, making the
joins in a neat line down the back.
Take a 10cm length of white tape
and fold almost in half so there
is a 5mm sticky band on the short
edge. Use sharp scissors to cut a
fringe into the folded edge of the
tape up to the sticky part. Trim the
fringe into a gentle curve and fix to
the centre front.
Create more fringe in this way,
making each layer shorter than
the earlier one and building up a full
beard. Cover a small button with
pale pink tape and glue it to the top
of the beard. Add a band of fringing
around the top of the tube. You can
also add braids by plaiting doublesided strips of tape, then adding
narrow bands of a contrasting colour
at the bottom and trimming the ends
into a fringe.
Take another cardboard tube
and cut a long triangle from top
to bottom from it. Curl the main part
of the tube into a cone and glue the
upside-down cut-out piece back
2
3
4
crafts-beautiful.com
onto the tube to make a hat that fits
over the body. Trim the edge up and
cover with coloured tape, adding a
contrast band of tape to the bottom.
Fold a strip of tape in half
lengthways to leave a sticky strip
on the long edge. Clip a fringe into
the folded edge, roll it into a rosette
and glue it onto the hole at the top
of the cone hat. Fill the body with
treats and place the hat on top.
5
Craft
Shop
TAPE THE HALLS
Available in a wide range of colours
and patterns, Duck Tape is easy to
use, durable and versatile, making it
ideal for all kinds of projects.
ducktape.co.uk for stockists.
57
LEARN
SOMETHING
BOOST YOUR
NEW!
Craft Skills
COLETTE SMITH
Create Colette’s intricate 3D wreath
card using winter foliage dies
We used...
Sizzix cardstock: white,
dark green, mid green,
blue-green, red Waffle
Flower Additional Circles
die Sizzix Winter Foliage
(662571) die Versafine
Onyx Black ink pad
Christmas sentiment
stamp Shimmer pen
Sizzix Big Shot machine
Ball tool Adhesives:
glue, foam pads
Tips
HOW TO Make A Layered Wreath
1 Die-cut a white 8cm
circle and add a sentiment.
Cut four dark and four mid
green holly leaves, eight
blue-green pine fronds,
and eight red berries.
2 Shape the holly leaves
to a natural curve using
something long and
smooth such as a
paintbrush. Shape the
berries using a ball tool.
3 Glue the leaves on,
overlapping them and
alternating between the
two colours. Then, tuck the
pine fronds in between. Fix
the berries with foam pads.
crafts-beautiful.com
• Mark eight points
around the circle with
pencil. This will help
to keep the spacing
of the leaves even.
• Attach the holly
leaves and pine fronds
by dabbing a spot of
glue at the bottom of
the stems only, so the
wreath doesn’t look
too rigid and flat.
• You could apply
Glossy Accents to
the berries instead
of shimmer pen – it
would be best to do
this before adding
to the wreath.
4 Stamp the sentiment on
a 4cm circle and add to
the wreath. Create a blank
and layer red card on top.
Attach the wreath. Add
shimmer to the berries.
59
NEXT LEVEL
3D Pop-Up
Cards
Create knockout
Christmas cards
with Kitty Day’s fun
3D technique
We all want our festive makes to
stand out, and this striking
pop-up technique will certainly
do just that. Once you’ve
mastered it, there really is no
limit to the crafty possibilities.
Switch up the colours, motifs
and embellishments to create a
whole host of greetings that are
sure to take pride of place on
any recipient’s mantelpiece.
Amazing Things
Blend pink ink on white card to
create an ombré background,
then stamp a sentiment on top.
Mount the panel onto white, then
assemble the pop-up card shape
as shown in the step shots.
We used...
Crafter’s Companion stamps:
Amazing Things, Forever Blessed,
Makes You Happy My Favorite
Things stamps: Little Angels, Jolly
Molly stamps Mama Elephant
Tree Picking stamps Lawn
Fawn dies: Stitched Hillside
Borders, Slimline Forest Border,
When scoring card,
Cloud Borders My Favorite
use a bone folder
Things Slimline Cloud Edges
afterwards to
stencil Ranger Distress Oxide
create neat
ink pads: Mermaid Lagoon, Spun
creases
Sugar, Kitsch Flamingo, Picked
Raspberry Alcohol markers
Embellishments: ribbons, gems
Sharp
Folds
Forever
Blessed
On white card, lightly blend pink ink
around a cloud stencil to create a
subtle cloud effect. Then, stamp a
sentiment in the centre and mount
the panel onto glitter card before
assembling the pop-up shape as
shown in the step shots. Add a
die-cut cloud panel to the front,
then fix stamped and coloured angel
motifs on top. Embellish with gems.
60
crafts-beautiful.com
Fix a snow hill to the front panel.
Stamp, colour in and cut out
all the images, then add glitter
highlights. Build up the scene,
joining the coloured motifs onto
the front and back panels.
LEARN
SOMETHING
NEW!
Stick It
Use a strong glue like
Collall Multi-purpose
or Red Tape when
creating pop-up
cards
1 Trim 12.5cm x 28cm blue card. Score
at 2.5cm, 7cm, 9.5cm, 14cm, 18.5cm,
21cm and 25.5cm. Cut a 10cm slit
centred down the middle score line.
2 Trim white card to 9.5cm x 13cm
and blend blue ink onto the bottom
half. Stamp a sentiment on top.
NEXT MONTH...
CSrhaofpt
3 Fold the blue card into the centre.
Slot the stamped panel through the
cut line to create the pop-up shape.
Kitty Day shows us how to
make adorable novelty
Christmas crackers
PAW-FECT
PALS
Woof your loved
ones a merry
Christmas with these
joyous pups in their
holiday finery. £12,
sevenhillscrafts.co.uk
STICKER-Y
SITUATION
Create uplifting greetings
in a flash with these
Crafter’s Companion
fuss-free sentiment
stamps. £4.99 each,
crafterscompanion.co.uk
crafts-beautiful.com
4 Add die-cut hills, trees and a strip of
ribbon to the front. Fix stamped and
coloured motifs on top.
61
ASK THE EXPERTS
The top names in the craft business answer all your queries!
I’d like to make a Christmas Eve box
for my grandchildren – any advice?
Stephanie says... Christmas Eve boxes are very
popular and one that becomes a keepsake makes it
even more special. Start by base coating the box with
Cadence Hybrid Acrylic – it goes on with just one
coat without the need for a primer, which is a great
time saver. For a professional finish, the quickest and
easiest way is to use rice papers and decoupage glue
– you can have great fun overlaying and tearing or
cutting into the designs. When choosing patterns,
consider investing in a USB as they have so many
designs and you can print multiples of your favourites.
Two Red Robins have an excellent selection that
includes backgrounds and icons.
I’d like to
make my
guests a gift for the
Christmas dinner table
this year. Any ideas?
Any suggestions for a
kinetic Christmas card?
Claire says... How about this
spinner greeting, featuring an
ice-skating mouse performing a
pirouette? Stamp the same motif
onto two 3cm card circles, colour
in, then glue together with silver
twine sandwiched between.
Die-cut a 9.5cm x 12.5cm
stitched rectangle, blend with
inks, then die-cut a 6.5cm circle
2cm from the top. Fix the twine
to the top and bottom of the
circle on the reverse, then trim
the excess. Attach the panel to
an 11cm x 14cm blank with a
matching circular aperture and
decorate. Twist the mouse before
placing in an envelope.
62
Wendy says... A personally
created gift is an extra-special
gesture, so how about decorating
a personalised fridge magnet or a
lovely coaster for that festive
glass of bubbly? Create your
design using Pentel’s Brush Sign
Pen, which is available in 24
gorgeous colours. The flexible tip
allows you to create a variety of thick and thin strokes – perfect for
hand lettering messages. The acid-free ink is water-based, so you can
gently blend colours for a subtle effect. There’s also a pigment ink
version in three shades for lines that need to be permanent.
I’m putting together
a cardmaking starter kit
for a Christmas gift – what
essentials should I include?
Stephanie says... My dream kit would
include A4 printable cardstock,
scissors, some glitter and glue and
finally one of My Craft Studio’s USBs.
The USBs come with a free graphics
program that’s easy to use, lots of
easy-to-follow tutorials and a huge
array of stunning imagery and icons.
They’re great for beginners because
if you make a mistake cutting out the
card, you just print it again. I’d also
include a pack of plain envelopes.
crafts-beautiful.com
LEARN
MEET OUR EXPERTS
SOMETHING
NEW!
RESIDENT EXPERT
STEPHANIE
WEIGHTMAN
Stephanie is ready
for Christmas with
lots of ideas and
inspiration
WENDY
VICKERY
Pentel’s Wendy
shares her
creative ways
with pens
CLAIRE
RICHARDS
Try making Claire’s
standout festive
greeting ideas for
maximum impact
How can I make my gift
wrap and decorations stand
out from the crowd?
Wendy says... Choose a product
that’s suitable for use on a variety of
surfaces, such as Pentel’s paint marker
range, which is available in 21 colours
including five lovely pearlescent
shades. To create gift wrap, lightly
pencil in your design first, then go over
it with Pentel paint markers, choosing
colours that complement your design.
For baubles, keeping things simple,
often with a single colour, works
particularly well. If you have some
fallen pine cones to decorate why not
fringe the open tips in white to create
a seasonal snowy effect.
What is a bridge card and
how do you make one?
Claire says... Bridge cards are
deceptively simple, but they create
stunning dimensional scenes. For this
design, score 12cm x 18cm of white
card in at 2.5cm and 5cm on each
side. Mountain fold the outer
score lines and valley fold the inner
ones. Create a sky background by
blending distress oxide inks. Stamp a
sentiment in blue ink, and snowballs
in grey. Die-cut a house and tree
background from white, then trim to
13cm wide. Fold the greeting flat and
adhere the die-cut bridge element
to the outer panels. Add stamped,
coloured cut-outs along the bottom.
How can I make a mugshaped greeting?
Claire says... Cut out a white
mug. Position onto a 13cm square
blank, lining it up to the fold.
Draw around it and cut out,
leaving the fold intact. You can
now stamp motifs onto the white
mug and add an oval blended
with brown inks at the top for the
mug interior. Cut a slit along the
oval base and slip die-cut
marshmallows, a spoon, and
candy canes inside. You can now
glue the mug onto the shaped
blank. Snip along the bottom
slightly to create a flat base.
What crafting items
are on your Christmas
wish list?
How can I give my cards the
‘wow’ factor this year?
Wendy says... If you’ve never tried
Pentel’s Hybrid Dual Metallic pens or
Dual Metallic Brush pens before, you’re in
for a treat. The shimmering ink writes a
different shade on light paper compared
to dark. Choose from 15 pens in the
rollerball pen range – including seven
triple colour combinations – or eight Dual
Metallic Brush pens. Combine two brush
tips for colour gradated effects on cards,
gift tags, and bespoke designs.
crafts-beautiful.com
Stephanie says... I’m really into
my painting at the moment and
I’d love a new set of big brushes,
plus everything in the Cadence
range so that I can experiment.
I’d also like some fabric to match
a room makeover that I’m
planning to do in the spring,
I need to persuade the Lemon
Lane team to print me my own
design. Oh, and can I add one
more thing, please? Some more
storage would be fabulous!
63
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Need an extra dose of inspiration? We’ve got you covered!
FANCY GIVING
SOMETHING NEW A TRY?
Bring a cheery burst of colour into
your home with a froth of beautiful,
seasonal poinsettias, wow recipients
with a glitzy easel card and discover
even more merry
makes to add
that all important
festive flourish to
your seasonal
projects. They’re
all ready for you
to download
now; simply head
to our website to
get started!
TRENDY TOTE
PIN OF THE MONTH
It’s terribly easy, as crafters, to want
to buy every supply in sight,
meaning we never really appreciate
what we already have. Well, we’re
here to change that! Head over to
the Crafts Beautiful Blog for simple
but handy ideas that’ll have you
falling for your stash all over again.
Whether you’re packing
up your knitting supplies
or heading to the shops,
this stylish take-everywhere bag is
ready for any adventure. The perfect
first project for a newbie stitcher, you
only need one pattern piece to craft
your own. Customise it with any
pattern or colours you like, and resize
it based on the essentials you need to
store. Corinne Bradd shows you just
how easy it is to whip up with her
step-by-step video demo. Scan the
QR code to watch the tutorial or find
it at youtube.com/TheCraftsChannel
Keep the young and the young
at heart entertained at this year’s
festivities with this eye-catching
bauble piñata project from
lifestyle blog Curbly. Not only is
it sure to make a cracking party
game, but it assumes double-duty
as fabulous eye-candy as part of
your Christmas décor. Best of all, it’s a
mess-free make as there’s no papier-mâché
required. Simply cut cellophane into fringed
strips and fix onto a paper lantern, then fill
with your favourite treats! Blogger Stephanie
Lee guides you through the whole process
with her handy step-by-step photo guide.
Find it on our Pin of the Month board at
pinterest.com/craftsbeautiful
FOLLOW US!
These papers featuring
landscapes through the seasons
are ideal for pairing with your
songbird die to create cards for
all occasions. Better still, they’re
free! Head to our website and
download them today.
Over on our Instagram
account we’ve got 17.9k
craft lovers enjoying
exclusive giveaways,
downloads and more!
Join the fun and follow
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65
FR Yo
EE u
BI r
ES
£1,100+ WORTH OF GOODIES TO BE WON
ONE Christmas
Crafting Bundle,
worth £179
Santa has paid an
early visit to CB HQ and
dropped off an eyewatering bundle to bulk up
one lucky crafter’s festive
stash. Featuring all manner
of Christmas-themed treats,
including dies, patterned
papers, ribbons, stickers and more stamps than you
can shake a stick at, this bundle offers everything you
need to ensure your projects are sufficiently packed
with cheer. Oh, and we’ve thrown in a colouring book
too. You’re welcome!
TICK CHRISTMAS CRAFTING
THREE Trimits Festive
Bundles, worth £198
We’re really spoiling you this
Christmas, as we’ve got not one,
not two, but three more festive
bundles up for grabs (‘tis the
season to be crafty, after all).
Our friends at Trimits have
packed them with goodies
for every crafter. Like wreaths?
There are two wreath making kits in
here! Think sparkles are the answer
to everything? The glittery felt shapes
and metallic ribbons will be right up
your alley. That’s not to mention the craft
supplies, patterned fabrics and other fun
offerings in this prize. grovesltd.co.uk
TICK TRIMITS
£1,100+
WO R T H O F
GOODIES TO BE
TWO Disney
and Stitch &
Story Bundles,
worth £247.86
Disney have collaborated with Stitch &
Story to bring you these joyful amigurumi
and cross-stitch collections. We all love the
Magic Kingdom, and this bundle helps you bring that
sense of wonder into your craft room. With crochet
sets for Disney’s Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, you
have the perfect opportunity to craft yourself some
Disney pals. Mickey appears again in a cross-stitch kit,
project bag and stitch markers – all of which you can
get your hands on! stitchandstory.com
TICK STITCH & STORY
TWO STABILO Arty
Colouring Bundles,
worth £255.32
Does it get better than 99
brightly coloured pens and
pencils? No, the answer is it most definitely does not.
The good people at STABILO (stabilo.co.uk) have put
together impressive bundles of brush pens, fineliners
and watercolour pencils so two lucky winners can
try out a whole host of techniques to supercharge
their crafts with colour. From delicate lettering to
kaleidoscopic sketches, there really is no limit to
what you can achieve with this prize.
TICK STABILO
WON
Enter now to bag yourself
some incredible prizes!
TWO Trimming
Shop Bundles,
worth £221.92
It’s always a good
idea to try something
different and this prize
from Trimming Shop
(trimmingshop.co.uk) is a
brilliant way to do just that. A craft
brand specialising in haberdashery,
Trimming Shop are offering two
winners the chance to begin their
fabric-crafting journey with a Universal Green
Machine – an easy, fuss-free way to add mass holes
and eyelets to your projects. They’ve put together
a few exciting extras as well, including a set of 100
rust-proof eyelets, what are you waiting for?
TICK TRIMMING SHOP
Turn to page 88 to enter, or head to crafts-beautiful.com where you
can find more giveaways to win! Make sure you’re following us on
Instagram @craftsbeautiful for exclusive prizes!
66
crafts-beautiful.com
ENTER F O R F R E E AT C R A F T S-BE AU T I F U L.CO M
High-quality
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Readyto-make
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Gemini
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Standout stamp
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WIN PRIZES FROM
WORTH £1,000+
Read
Sara
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The very
best of
Spectrum
Noir
WHAT YOU WIN
One lucky winner will be getting
their hands on an overwhelming
number of goodies from
crafterscompanion.co.uk,
headed up by a Gemini DieCutting and Embossing Machine.
This will be joined by a huge
selection of Spectrum Noir pens,
pencils and ink pads for all your
colourful needs. Oh, and they’ve
thrown in stamps, dies, paper
pads and a host of other tools
too. This really is one competition
you don’t want to miss!
ENTERING IS EASY! 1 Visit our website crafts-beautiful.com • 2 Click the ‘Giveaways’
tab • 3 Select the giveaway and enter details • Closing date: 24th November 2022
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67
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The Stitching Edit
Usher in the holiday season
with these festive buys
Full of Charm
Super
Sparkle
Forget subtlety;
we’re going all
out this festive
season. First on the
shopping list are these
flower buttons from
Groves – and can you
blame us? Just take a
look at all that sparkle!
Transparent with mesmerising
holographic specks of glitter, they’ll
jazz up any project and are bound
to turn heads. £1.50, groves@
stockistenquiries.co.uk for stockists.
Rise &
Shine
You heard us –
more sparkle!
Prepare to dazzle
with Lang Yarn’s
Lamé, an ultrasoft metallised,
recycled (71%) polyester yarn. For
the maximum effect and an all-over
sparkle, why not use it to craft a
fabulously glitzy jumper? If subtle
glimmer is more your speed,
combine it with other yarns for a
subdued shine. £6.99, amazon.co.uk
Snowflakes, gingham, teeny-tiny love
hearts – could this set of fat quarters
get any cuter? We think not! And with
its delightfully neutral colour scheme
with cheery pops of red, it’s not just
adorable, it’s versatile too. Whether
you use it for quilting or die-cutting,
your makes are sure to be packed
with charm. £8, hobbycraft.co.uk
Sparks Fly
It just wouldn’t
be Christmas
without a touch
of shimmer and
these Gutermann
Sparkly threads
will ensure your
makes shine
bright into the holiday season. With
a two-tone metallic effect, they’re
brilliant for creating eye-catching
ornamental stitches and decorative
backstitch seams. Use them to
embellish clothes, toys or even
greeting cards. £12.15, groves@
stockistenquiries.co.uk for stockists.
Clean Cut
The perfect gift for your favourite
dressmaker! Ensure they get crafty in
style with this chic scissor gift set
from Milward. Featuring a thimble,
as well as dressmaking and
embroidery scissors in a stunning
rose gold colour, this set is sure to be
a welcome addition to any crafter’s
sewing box. £29.99,
williamgee.co.uk
Snowed In
Everybody loves a white Christmas –
bring that cosy feeling to your gifting
game with this charming ribbon
festooned with snowflakes. With wire
running through it, it’ll hold its shape
however you use it, and the neutral
colours mean it’ll pair brilliantly with
any wrapping paper! £12.94,
littlecraftybugs.co.uk
Three of the best: Christmas Craft Kits
SWEET SCENES BEAUTIFUL BAUBLES
Packed with
snowflakes,
pine trees and
frolicking deers,
this sweet crossstitch kit from Red
Bear Design captures
the spirit of Christmas perfectly. Each
kit comes complete with embroidery
threads, a tapestry needle, fabric
and a hoop, plus instructions and a
full-colour design chart so you’ll have
plenty of help along the way. £28.39,
redbeardesign.etsy.com
Spend a cosy afternoon making
festive punch needle decorations
that you can hang
in your home and
treasure forever.
Go Scandi with
the classic
three-piece
collection in grey,
mustard and
olive green tones, or opt
for a modern palette of denim blue,
dusty pink and chartreuse. Or go for
all six! From £50, wholepunching.co.uk
crafts-beautiful.com
SANTA PAWS
What’s Christmas
without a
mischievous pet?
This embroidery
kit features an
adorable dog
sporting his finest
holiday garb, obviously off to
help his owner put the lights up!
It contains everything you need to
embroider your own hoop and even
comes with festive twine so you can
put all your hard work on display!
£16, lazymay.co.uk
69
Dress
Your Tree
Stitch-Along!
Trim the Tree
Sew personalised felt decorations in the third
and final part of our festive craft-along!
We used...
Coloured felt Toy stuffing or
wadding/fabric scraps 3mm
ribbon Coloured embroidery
threads Size 5 embroidery needle
Coloured beads Tailors chalk
Computer and printer
All seam allowances 10mm unless
stated otherwise.
Felt Initial
Print out your letters in your
chosen font from your computer,
making sure it’s bold and easy to cut
out. Trace around your letters onto
felt and cut out two per decoration.
If your letter has a cutout, mark
this on one of the felt pieces with
tailor’s chalk and use a needle and
thread to add beads to mark this
decoratively. A simple running stitch
is all you need. Add small stars with
three strands of embroidery thread.
Place the decorated letter,
wrong sides together, on top
of the plain letter. Use embroidery
thread to start blanket stitching the
letters together, add a loop of
ribbon into the top and continue
1
2
3
Free template
If you’ve been following Sophia Palmer’s stitch-along in the September
and October issues of Crafts Beautiful, you will now already have a
stunning patchwork tree skirt and star, plus a set of Dala horse,
cracker, and present decorations to adorn your tree. If you want to
add a personal touch, these personalised letter decorations will fit the
bill, along with felt baubles embellished with simple embroidery and
beads. The initials could also be used as table place settings or as gift
tags on your presents.
stitching through the ribbon to
secure in place. Before sealing up
the gap, fill with stuffing or scraps
of wadding or fabrics.
Felt Bauble
Using the template provided on
the pattern pages, trace around
the leaf shape onto felt and cut out
four per decoration. Use a small
running stitch and one strand of
thread to sew two pieces together
only on one long edge, wrong sides
together. Add the next piece, only
joining two sides again, then add
the last piece but do not sew the
last two edges closed.
Use your needle and three
strands of embroidery thread
1
2
to add beads to the baubles with
a simple running stitch. Add small
stars or any other embroidery
patterns of your choice.
Once you’ve completed all the
decoration, add a loop of ribbon
into the top and use a few stitches to
secure this in place. Use one strand
of thread and a ladder stitch to start
joining the last side. Fill with stuffing
before sealing up the gap.
3
CSrhaofpt
+d
ownload
crafts-bea
utiful
. com
SEASONAL SEWING
The Janome M100QDC machine is
ideal for making up Sophia’s
Christmas tree set, and many more
stitching projects too! Creativity will
flow with 100 stitch choices, an easy
set bobbin for a quick start, plus an
auto thread cutter and a cute pin
cushion attachment. More
accessories are included as standard,
together with an extension table and
hard cover. £649 special offer price,
janome.co.uk
70
crafts-beautiful.com
Stitch
smart
You can also
machine sew the
bauble pieces
together if you
prefer
“Use three
strands of
thread for
decorative
stitches and one
strand for joining
and sewing seams”
SOPHIA PALMER, CB DESIGNER
crafts-beautiful.com
71
Polar Pal
Intarsia, fluffy yarn, a pom-pom... there are
lots of skills to be learned with this cutie
Sachiyo Ishii has gone all-out with fluffy yarn, making an endearing
polar bear named Roger. If you’re new to this type of speciality yarn,
don’t be intimidated. It’s almost impossible to see the stitches, but
you’ll soon get a feel for it. And don’t be too concerned if you’re out
by a stitch. Unless you’re three or four off, you won’t notice it.
72
crafts-beautiful.com
We used...
Yarn DK: fluffy white, pink,
green, yellow, red, 25g of each
Small amount of dark brown
4-ply Two 8mm black eye
beads or safety eyes Stuffing
Tapestry needle Stitch holder
SIZE: Height: 19cm
LEGS & BODY
Note: working right Leg first
* Using 4mm needles and fluffy
white cast on eight sts
Rows 1-4: k *
Cut yarn, keep sts on holder
Rep from * to * for left Leg and cont
to Body
Row 5: k8 (left Leg), k8 (right Leg),
connecting both legs. 16 sts
Row 6: kfb, k6, (kfb) twice, k6,
kfb. 20 sts
Row 7: k
Row 8: (k2, kfb) three times, (kfb, k2)
to end. 24 sts
Row 9: k
Change to red
Rows 10-14: starting with a k row
work in st st
Row 15: (k4, k2tog) to end. 20 sts
Rows 16-18: starting with a p row
work in st st
Cast off
HEAD
Using 4mm needles and fluffy white
cast on 12 sts
Row 1 (RS): (k1, kfb) three times, (kfb,
k1) to end. 18 sts
Row 2: k
Row 3: (k2, kfb) three times, (kfb, k2)
to end. 24 sts
Row 4: k
Row 5: (k3, kfb) three times, (kfb, k3)
to end. 30 sts
Rows 6-14: k
Row 15: (k3, k2tog) to end. 24 sts
Change to pink
Rows 16-22: starting with a p row
work in st st
Row 23: (k2tog) to end. 12 sts
Cut yarn leaving a long tail, thread
onto tapestry needle and thread
through rem sts, fasten off
EAR
Make two
Using 4mm needles and fluffy white
cast on nine sts
Note: colour in brackets foll
instruction indicates which yarn
to use
Row 1 (WS): p5 (fluffy white), p4
(pink)
Note: keep colours correct as set,
cross yarn at colour change
Row 2: k
Cont in fluffy white
Row 3: p2tog, p1, (p2tog) to end. Five
sts
Cut yarn leaving a long tail, thread
onto tapestry needle and thread
through rem sts, fasten off
HAND
Make two
Using 4mm needles
and fluffy white cast
on seven sts
Rows 1-4: k
Cut yarn leaving a long tail,
thread onto tapestry needle and
thread through rem sts, fasten off
JUMPER
Using 4mm needles and green
cast on 36 sts
Rows 1-2: (k1, p1) to end
Change to red
Row 3: k
Note: colour in brackets foll
instruction indicates which yarn
to use
Row 4: p2 (red), (p1 [yellow], p1
[red]) 16 times, p2 (red)
Cont in red
Row 5: k
Row 6: p3 (red), p1 (green), p2tog,
p2 (red), p1 (green), p1, p2tog, p1
(red), p1 (green), p2, p2tog (red), p1
(green), p3 (red), p2tog (green), p3
(red), p1 (green), p2tog, p2 (red), p1
(green), p1, p2tog (red). 30 sts
Row 7: k3 (red), (k1 [green], k1 [red])
to last st, k1 (red)
Row 8: p3 (red), (p1 [green], p3 [red])
to last three sts, p1 (green), p2 (red)
Cont in red
Row 9: k
Row 10: rep Row 4
Cont in red
Row 11: k
Row 12: p
Change to green
Row 13: k
Row 14: (k3, k2tog) to end. 24 sts
Rows 15-17: starting with a p row
work in st st
Cast off
SLEEVE
Make two
Using 4mm needles and green cast
on 14 sts
Note: change to red after Row 4
Rows 1-6: starting with a p (WS) row
work in st st
Row 7: p2 (red), (p1 [yellow], p1 [red])
five times, p2 (red)
Cont in red
Row 8: k
Row 9: p
Row 10: k2, (k2tog, k2) to end. 11 sts
Row 11: p
Row 12: k
Cut yarn leaving a long tail, thread
onto tapestry needle and thread
through rem sts, fasten off
HAT
Using 4mm needles and green cast
on 20 sts
Rows 1-5: (k1, p1) to end
Change to red
crafts-beautiful.com
Rows 6-8: starting with a p row work
in st st
Row 9: k2 (red), (k1 [yellow], k1 [red])
eight times, k2 (red)
Cont in red
Row 10: p
Row 11: (k3, k2tog) to end. 16 sts
Row 12: p
Row 13: k2, (k2tog, k2) to end. 11 sts
Row 14: p1, (p2tog) to end. Six sts
Cut yarn leaving a long tail, thread
onto tapestry needle and thread
through rem sts, fasten off
TAIL
Using 4mm needles and fluffy white
cast on eight sts
Rows 1-4: k
Cut yarn leaving a long tail, thread
onto tapestry needle and thread
through rem sts, fasten off
TO MAKE UP
With cast-on yarn end of Body, sew
each Leg to crotch. Sew Body seam
up to neck and stuff Legs and Body.
Wrap Body with Jumper and sew
seam at back. Seam Arms and stuff.
Seam Sleeve, roll up hem and lightly
stuff. Insert Hand in Sleeve and
secure with sts. Rep for other Arm.
Attach Sleeves to Body. Seam and
stuff Tail. Attach to Body. With
fastened-off yarn end of Head, sew
muzzle seam. With cast-on yarn end,
work gathering thread along cast-on
edge and draw tightly. Sew seam to
centre, stuff, and close seam. Seam
Ears and attach to Head. Attach eye
beads. With dark brown 4-ply,
embroider nose and mouth. Seam
Hat. Wind green around two fingers
20 times, sew centre, cut loops and
trim to make small pom-pom. Attach
to Hat. Lightly stuff Hat and attach to
Head. Sew Head to Body. Weave in
all ends.
73
GIFTS THEY’LL
TREASURE FOREVER
30
Jumpers
150
Decorations
150 Gift
Ideas
125 Toys
Unlock 350+ Christmas knitting patterns with
Let’s Knit Together,
including gifts for all the family!
Join today: letsknit.co.uk/gifts
Hat and
Booties Set
Model photography © Tiny Toes by Aggi Photography Studio
Santa’s little helper is on hand for a festive
dose of cute, crochet and cuddles!
Win!
Get a copy
of this book on
our Instagram
@craftsbeautiful
crafts-beautiful.com
75
We can’t get enough of this
Christmas combo, does it come in
adult sizes too? Designer Gurinder
has cleverly included instructions
for you to craft both items in
three sizes. If you spot three
numbers together like this: 30 (34,
38), the first figure denotes size
A, the second is size B and so on.
We used...
Yarn (hat): DK red, 25g (50g, 50g),
DK white, 25g (25g, 25g) Yarn
(booties): DK red, 25g (25g, 25g), DK
white, 25g (25g, 25g) 4mm hook
3.5mm hook Tapestry needle
Fluffy white pom-pom
TENSION SQUARE:
10 sts x 8 rows 10cm x 10cm
Treble crochet 4mm hook
Booties: 9 sts x 4 rows 6cm x 6cm
Treble crochet 3.5mm hook
“For the trim of the booties, you could
use fluffy white yarn to give them a
snuggly texture. Make sure to switch
up to a 4mm hook if needed”
SIZES:
Hat: A: Preemie B: Newborn-three
months C: Six months-one year +
Booties: A: Newborn-three months
B: Three months-six months
C: Six months-one year +
JESSICA ELKIN, EDITOR
Hat:
BEANIE
Using 4mm hook and red DK make a
magic ring
Rnd 1: 3ch, 5tr into ring. Six sts
Rnds 2-3: 3ch, 1tr in each st to end,
join with a sl st
Rnd 4: 3ch, 1tr, 2tr in next st, 2tr, 2tr in
next st, join with a sl st. Eight sts
Rnd 5: 3ch, 1tr in each st to end, join
with a sl st
Rnd 6: 3ch, 2tr, 2tr in next st, 3tr, 2tr in
next st, join with a sl st. Ten sts
Rnd 7: 3ch, 1tr in each st to end, join
with a sl st
Rnd 8: 3ch, 3tr, 2tr in next st, 4tr, 2tr in
next st, join with a sl st. 12 sts
Rnd 9: 3ch, 1tr in each st to end, join
with a sl st
Rnd 10: 3ch, 4tr, 2tr in same st, 5tr, 2tr
in next st, join with a sl st. 14 sts
Rnd 11: 3ch, 1tr into each st to end,
join with a sl st
Rnd 12: 3ch, 5tr, 2tr in next st, 6tr, 2tr
in next st, join with a sl st. 16 sts
Rnd 13: 3ch, 1tr in each st to end, join
with a sl st
Rnd 14: 3ch, 2tr, 2tr in next st, [3tr, 2tr
in next st] three times, join with a sl st.
20 sts
Rnd 15: 3ch, 1tr in each st to end, join
with a sl st
76
Rnd 16: 3ch, 2tr, 2tr in next st, [3tr, 2tr
in next st] four times, join with a sl st.
25 sts
Rnd 17: 3ch, 1tr in each st to end, join
with a sl st
Rnd 18: 3ch, 3tr, 2tr in next st, [4tr, 2tr
in next st] four times, join with a sl st.
30 sts
Rnd 19: 3ch, 1tr in each st to end, join
with a sl st
Rnd 20: 3ch, 3tr, 2tr in next st, [4tr, 2tr
in next st] five times, join with a sl st.
36 sts
Rnd 21: 3ch, 1tr in each st to end, join
with a sl st
Rnd 22: 3ch, 4tr, 2tr in next st, [5tr, 2tr
in next st] five times, join with a sl st.
42 sts
Rnd 23: 3ch, 1tr in each st to end, join
with a sl st
Fasten off
Change to white
Note: change hook if necessary
Rnds 26-27: 3ch, 1tr in each st to
end, join with a sl st
Fasten off
SIZE C ONLY
Rnds 24-25: 3ch, 1tr in each st to
end, join with a sl st
Fasten off
Change to white
Note: change hook if necessary
Rnds 26-27: 3ch, 1tr in each st to
end, join with a sl st
Fasten off
Rnd 24: 3ch, 5tr, 2tr in next st, [6tr,
2tr in next st] five times, join with a
sl st. 48 sts
Rnd 25: 3ch, 1tr in each st to end, join
with a sl st
Rnd 26: 3ch, 6tr, 2tr in next st, [7tr,
2tr in next st] five times, join with a
sl st. 54 sts
Rnd 27: 3ch, 1tr in each st to end,
join with a sl st
Rnd 28: 3ch, 7tr, 2tr in next st, [8tr,
2tr in next st] 5 times, join with a sl st.
60 sts
Rnd 29: 3ch, 4tr, 2tr in next st, [5tr,
2tr in next st] 9 times, join with a sl st.
70 sts
Fasten off
Change to white
Note: change hook if necessary
Rnds 30-31: 3ch, 1tr in each st to end,
join with a sl st
Fasten off
SIZE B ONLY
BOOTIES
Rnd 24: 3ch, 5tr, 2tr in next st, [6tr,
2tr in next st] 5 times, join with a sl st.
48 sts
Rnd 25: 3ch, 1tr in each st to end,
join with a sl st
Using 3.5mm hook and red DK
Rnd 1: 13 (15, 17) ch, 1tr in 4th ch from
hook, 1tr in each of next eight (10, 12)
ch, 6tr in last ch, working back along
the other side of ch, work eight (10,
SIZE A ONLY
crafts-beautiful.com
12) tr, 4tr in same st as first tr of rnd,
join with a sl st. 28 (32, 36) sts
Rnd 2: 3ch (counts as first tr), 10 (12,
14) tr, 2tr in each of next 4 sts, 10 (12,
14) tr, 2tr in each of next three sts, 1tr
in same st as starting 3ch, join with
a sl st. 36 (40, 44) sts
Rnd 3: 2ch (counts as first htr), 1htr
blo in each st to end, join with a sl st
Rnd 4: 2ch, 7 (9, 11) htr, [htr2tog, 1htr]
six times, 10 (12, 14) htr, join with a sl
st. 30 (34, 38) sts
Rnd 5: 2ch, 7 (9, 11) htr, [htr2tog, 1htr]
four times, 10 (12, 14) htr, join with a sl
st. 26 (30, 34) sts
Rnd 6: 2ch, 5 (7, 9) htr, [htr2tog] six
times, 8 (10, 12) htr, join with a sl st.
20 (24, 28) sts
Rnd 7: 2ch, 7 (9, 11) htr, [htr2tog]
twice, 8 (10, 12) htr, join with a sl st.
18 (22, 26) sts
SIZE A & B ONLY
Using 3.5mm hook and red DK
Rnds 8-9: 2ch, 1htr in each st to end,
join with a sl st
Fasten off
SIZE C ONLY
Using 3.5mm hook and white DK
Rnd 8: 2ch, 9htr, [htr2tog] 4 times,
1htr in each st to end, join with a sl st.
22 sts
Rnds 9-10: 2ch, 1htr in each st to end,
join with a sl st
Fasten off
TO MAKE UP
Weave in all ends, affix pom-pom to
the end of the Beanie.
G ET T H E
book
Head to Toe Crochet: Beanies and
Booties for Infants to Toddlers by
Gurinder Kaur Hatchard, Herbert
Press, £16.99, bloomsbury.com
crafts-beautiful.com
77
Festive Gift Wrap
Win eco-friendly brownie points with
these stunning and sustainable ideas
As we all know, one of the few downsides
to Christmas is the mountain of used
wrapping paper that gets thrown away
afterwards. Amanda Walker has the
answer with not one, not two, but three
different gift bag options to make, using
Art Gallery Fabrics’ new Christmas in the
City collection! Not only will they make
your presents look extra special, but they
can also be reused by the recipient. The
first project is waxed fabric that can be
used again and again to wrap gifts,
sandwiches or cover food in the kitchen,
it just needs a wipe down after use.
78
crafts-beautiful.com
We used...
Art Gallery Fabrics Christmas in the
City fabrics Satin cord: orange, red
Orange felt pom-pom Button
Wax pellets Greaseproof paper
Pinking shears Iron
Craft
smart
All of the measurements
can be changed to
suit the size of the
gift you wish
to wrap
Waxed
Fabric Wrap
Cut fabric to the size needed to
wrap your gift and neaten the
edges to stop them from fraying with
a pair of pinking shears. Cut two
pieces of greaseproof paper a little
larger, then lay the fabric face down
onto one of these pieces.
Scatter the wax pellets over the
surface of the fabric and lay the
remaining sheet on top. Move a hot
iron on top of the paper to melt the
wax and distribute it evenly over the
surface of the fabric. Carefully lift the
top layer of paper and if there are
any areas that are not waxed, lay a
few pellets over them, replace the
paper and iron again.
When you are happy that the
wax is evenly distributed over
the entire surface, remove the fabric
from the papers and leave to cool
thoroughly. When the fabric is dry it
can be used as paper to wrap your
gift and secured with cord.
1
2
3
Drawstring Bag
Cut two 24cm x 25cm rectangles
from one of the patterned fabrics
from the collection. Next, cut two
10cm x 25cm strips from a
contrasting fabric, these will become
the channels for the drawstrings.
Pin the two rectangles right sides
together, making sure that the
fabric design is running in the same
direction on both pieces. Stitch with
a 1cm seam allowance down the
24cm side across the base, then up
the remaining 24cm side. Neaten the
edges of the seam allowance by
either overlocking or with a zig zag
stitch. Turn the bag right side out,
tease out the seam edges and the
corners, and press flat.
Fold and press in 1cm on the
10cm ends of the channel strips,
1
2
3
then edge stitch in place. Fold the
strips in half lengthways, wrong sides
together. Pin one of the strips to the
top of one side of the bag and the
remaining strip to the other side,
matching all the raw edges together.
Stitch the strips in place again with
a 1cm seam allowance. Neaten the
edges, then fold and press the
channels upwards.
Cut two lengths of cord
measuring double the width of
4
crafts-beautiful.com
the bag plus an extra 6cm. Attach
an end of one cord to a safety pin
and thread it around the two
channels, entering and exiting
through the same side. Repeat
with the remaining length of cord,
this time entering and exiting
through the opposite side of the
bag. Tie the two ends in a knot.
When the cords are pulled in
opposite directions, the bag will
gather and close.
79
Envelope Bag
This bag is made using three
patterned fabrics; one for the
front, one for the back and flap,
and one for the lining. Cut a 25cm
x 42cm rectangle from one of the
fabrics, then fold and press it in
half with the wrong sides facing;
this is the front of the bag.
Cut a 25cm x 34cm rectangle
from a different fabric. Measure
25cm up from the base of the
rectangle and mark on both side
edges. Find the centre point at the
top edge and draw a line from the
centre to the 25cm marks. Trim away
these triangles to form the pointed
flap of the bag. Use this piece as a
template to cut another one in a
contrasting fabric.
1
2
Sandwich the folded front
rectangle between the two
other pieces, right sides facing, the
raw edges of the folded rectangle
being matched to the base of the
two shaped rectangles. Pin the
edges together and stitch up one
side, around the point and down
the opposite side, leaving the base
open. Trim the seam allowance
from the point and turn right side
out through the open base.
Now all the layers at the base of
the bag can be stitched together.
Trim back the corners and turn the
front of the bag over taking the raw
edges inside. Tease out the seams
and corners, then press flat. Make a
vertical buttonhole in the centre of
the flap just above the point and
stitch a button to the corresponding
place on the bag front.
3
4
“Make sure your ironing board
is well protected when waxing
the fabric to avoid hot wax
leaking onto it”
AMANDA WALKER, CB DESIGNER
80
crafts-beautiful.com
Gusseted Bag
1
This bag is made using two
patterned fabrics, one for the
outer bag and one for the lining. For
the outer bag, cut two 27cm x 28cm
rectangles; this is one of the fabrics
from the set cut in half to enable the
fabric design to run in the same
direction on both the front and back
of the bag. The lining can be left in
one piece. Fold and press this piece
in half with the right sides of the
fabric facing each other.
Working on the outer bag first,
lay the two rectangles right sides
together. Pin and stitch down each
side and across the base. Press the
seam allowances open. To form the
gusset and the base of the bag,
pinch one of the corner points then
lay the base seam flat against the
side seam, making sure that they
are laying exactly on top of each
other. Lay the corner flat on a
surface and pin through the
seams to keep in place.
Measure 4cm along the seam
from the point, then from this
position draw a line at right angles
to the seam, out to the folded edges
created when the seams were laid
together. Stitch across the drawn line.
The resulting triangle can then be
trimmed away or left intact as it is to
create a more solid base to the bag.
The same process is then repeated
on the opposite corner forming the
2
3
base and gusset of the bag. Once
done, turn the bag right side out.
The same process is repeated
with the lining, but this time just
stitch down each side leaving a
5cm gap in one of the stitching lines.
Press the seams open. The pressed
fold in the base of the lining this
time will be matched to the side
seams and again the same process
is used to form the gussets.
Place the turned outer bag
inside the unturned lining.
Find the centre point on one of
the top edges and sandwich a loop
of satin cord between the layers at
this point. Secure in place with a
pin then match the top edges of
the outer bag and the lining
together. Pin and stitch all the
way around this top edge.
Turn the bags right side out
through the gap left in the
lining side seam, then close it by
edge stitching together. Fold the
lining inside the bag; it will be slightly
longer than the outer bag as there
is no seam in the base of the lining.
Fold the lining to sit proud of the
outer bag to create a border.
Press all the folds into the bag
across the base, then fold and
pleat the edges to create gussets.
Finally fold over the top of the bag
and stitch a felt pom-pom in line
with the cord loop to fasten the
bag closed to finish.
4
CSrhaofpt
FESTIVE
FABRICS
We love Art Gallery
Fabrics’ Christmas in
the City collection,with
whimsical prints in contemporary
colours. liveartgalleryfabrics.com
for stockists.
5
6
BEE HAPPY
Stock up on white BP grade
beeswax pellets to create
eco-friendly gift wrap. From £3.49
for 25g, livemoor.co.uk
7
crafts-beautiful.com
81
Free template
+
download
crafts-bea
utiful .
com
Slippers and
Gift Bag
Keep everyone’s tootsies toasty this Christmas
with a pair of patchwork slippers!
82
crafts-beautiful.com
What could be nicer than coming indoors from the winter chill and
slipping your feet into a snuggly pair of slippers? Debbie Von GrablerCrozier has designed a stylish patchwork pair made with channel
quilting and the soles have layers of thermal interfacing and felt to
keep your feet warm. She has also created a matching bag if you want
to gift these to a loved one, plus this is a great way to use up all those
fabric scraps tucked away in your stash.
Stitch
smart
Make smaller versions
by trimming the sole
and increasing the
seam allowance
We used...
25cm x 30cm 4mm thick grey felt
Seven fat quarters of assorted
fabrics Fat quarter of lining fabric
30cm strip of black and white
fabric Fabric scraps Fat quarter
of Thermolam wadding Fat
quarter of fusible interfacing 50cm
of Style-Vil foam interfacing Black
and white bias binding Water
soluble marker
“Slippers go
hand in hand
with evenings
in front of the
fire with a mug
of hot chocolate. This is
a great way to use up
old fabric scraps too”
Slippers
1
Using the templates provided on
the pattern pages, cut two soles
from the felt base, fusible interfacing,
Style-Vil and fabric. Fuse the
interfacing to the felt and trim. Lay the
Style-Vil on top, secure with a 2.5mm
seam and trim. Lay the fabric on top
and attach with a narrow seam.
Repeat for the other sole.
Draw around the uppers template
twice onto the Thermolam. Cut
both shapes out roughly. Choose a
fabric scrap and place it in the centre
of the upper. Attach using channel
quilting; this is straight-line machine
quilting that runs in parallel lines in
only one direction. Keep the lines
1cm apart on the fabric scrap.
Take another scrap and lay it
over the first with the right sides
together and sew along one side to
join it to the earlier one. Open it out
and press it lightly, then channel quilt.
Continue until the upper has been
filled. Repeat for the other upper
(they don’t have to match). Trim.
Lay the completed upper onto a
piece of Style Vil and attach with
a narrow seam. Trim and lay onto the
lining fabric with the wrong sides
together and sew around the upper
line to join. Use a very narrow seam
and cut out just outside the seam.
Fit the upper onto the sole and
trim both as necessary. Adjust
to size. Remove the upper and add
a bias binding trim. Fit back onto the
sole and sew, wrong sides together.
Bind the edge of the sole. Repeat for
the other slipper.
2
3
4
5
DEBBIE VON GRABLER-CROZIER,
CB DESIGNER
Gift Bag
1
Choose fabrics for the bottom,
middle and top of the bag. Cut
two pieces, 15cm x 23cm, for the
bottom; two pieces, 10cm x 23cm
for the middle and two pieces, 10cm
x 23cm for the top. Sew three of the
pieces together to make the front,
and three to make the back.
To make the bag casing, cut two
8cm x 21cm pieces of another
fabric. Fold in half lengthways and
press to make a crease. Sew down
the short sides and along the bottom,
leaving a gap for turning out. Turn
out through the gap and press the
casing piece flat.
Fold the three-piece bag panel
in half vertically and crease to
find the centre. Do the same with the
casing. Line the two creases up and
topstitch the casing on the top and
bottom, 4.5cm from the top. Use a
bag panel (front or back) as a
template to cut two pieces of lining.
Assemble the bag outer by
placing the two pieces right sides
together and sewing the sides and
bottom. Then do the same for the
lining but leave a gap along the
bottom. Turn the outer the right way
out and leave the lining inside out.
Pull the lining on to the outer so the
right sides are together. Sew around
2
3
4
crafts-beautiful.com
the top of the bag. Turn out through
the gap in the lining and close the
gap. Topstitch around the top edge
to keep the lining down.
Make a tie by cutting a 4cm x
85cm strip of one of black and
white fabric. Fold the piece in half
lengthways and press to crease.
Fold the raw edges in to the centre
and press. Topstitch down the length
both sides. Thread the tie through
the casing. Shorten if needed and
tie knots at each end.
5
CSrhaofpt
WINTER
WARMERS
Keep your feet cosy
by layering your
slippers with
Vlieseline
Thermolam
wadding, fusible
interfacing, and
Style-Vil foam interfacing. Visit
vlieseline.com for stockists.
TOASTY TREAT
Try a festive fat
quarter bundle for
this project, such as
this five-pack of Scandi
Sweets cotton fabrics in pinks and
greys. £8, hobbycraft.co.uk
83
NEXT TIME IN...
November
2022
• 37 STAMPS! You’ll love this
must-have gift for your stash
• Make 19 projects with your
new stamp sheet, worth £9.99
• WIN! A die-cutting machine
and dies worth £300+
• BONUS! Discover who won in
the Best of Craft Awards
• It’s our Tablescaping Special:
napkin rings, cutlery pouches,
dinner decs, expert advice!
• Complete your candlemaking
craft-along with our guide
Cracker how-to
DIY sleep gift set
Kirstie Allsopp is
our guest editor!
PROJECTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Make impressive
place settings
Plus much, much MORE!
crafts-beautiful.com
85
CHRISTMAS
Click & Craft
TEMPLATE
TASTERS
1
2
Copy, resize or trace these patterns to
make the projects that appear in the
magazine. You can also visit
3
crafts-beautiful.com
To download actual-size templates for this issue’s
makes, visit crafts-beautiful.com, then click on
the tab to view our archive of craft templates.
Select the Christmas issue’s templates and click
‘Download Template’ on the new page. The
pattern folder will automatically transfer onto your
computer. Follow the instructions to print all or
selected templates.
If you haven’t already registered, you’ll need
to create a log-in for our website to allow you
exclusive access to all of our free downloads and
the masses of craft templates we have up for grabs.
and download them for free!
Trim the Tree
Sew personalised felt decorations
in the final part of our festive
craft-along!
Designer: Sophia Palmer
Page 70 s h o w n a t 5 0 %
86
crafts-beautiful.com
Slippers and Gift Bag
Keep everyone’s tootsies toasty this Christmas
with a pair of patchwork slippers!
Designer: Debbie Von Grabler-Crozier
Page 82 s h o w n a t 1 0 0 %
Cut on fold
SOLE
Cut on fold
UPPER
crafts-beautiful.com
87
Xmas
2022
GALORE!
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Don’t forget to visit our
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OPENING TIMES
Wednesday .................10:00 - 16:30
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Tel: 01453 520 000
An ever expanding range
of TOHO seed beads &
CzechMates
2 and 4 Hole Beads are
now available online & in
the shop
Anne-Marie
Catterall
The artsy powerhouse lets us in
on what it’s like being part of the
Hunkydory Crafts family
I
n the crafting world, AnneMarie Catterall is something of
a rockstar. A demonstrator for
Hunkydory Crafts, she practically
lives under the bright lights of
HobbyMaker. In other words, when
crafters look for an expert to lend
them advice, Anne-Marie is who we
might call a ne plus ultra option.
When Anne-Marie speaks about life
at Hunkydory, the acute enjoyment
she takes in crafting is palpable,
but it’s ultimately her love of the
company culture that really caught
our ears. “Coming up with fresh and
interesting ideas for demonstrations
is one of the most fun parts of
my job and being surrounded by
the very best crafts products all
day is the cherry on top. But my
absolute favourite thing about
working at Hunkydory has got to
be the people. Being a family-run
and homegrown firm, there is a
real family vibe throughout the
company. I just love it!” And then
there are the on-set laughs – quite
literally. “We have some hilarious
Lights, camera, action!
Anne-Marie doing
what she does best
“Hunkydory fans
are at the heart of
everything we do”
moments when I get the giggles;
it doesn’t happen too often but
when it does, I usually end up crying
laughing! Once I’ve started,
it’s so hard for me to pull it back!”
Recalling her most cherished
memory of her time working
with the company, Anne-Marie
absolutely lit up, almost like a
proud parent. “It has to be when we
launched Adorable Scorable; we
revolutionised the cardmaking world
with the most amazing cardstock.
I was so excited, and the reaction
blew me away – we genuinely broke
the internet! There hadn’t ever been
a cardstock that had the special
feature of never cracking when
scored. Adorable Scorable is still
the industry-leading cardstock
that is exclusive to Hunkydory and
we still use it proudly in our brandnew launches.”
Still, the most important facet
of life at Hunkydory, Anne-Marie
explains, isn’t the new products
or fun demonstrations; it’s the
fans. “Hunkydory fans are at the
heart of everything we
do. We wanted to reward
them with something
special, so, nine years
ago, we launched Club
Hunkydory, a free-to-join
club aimed at bringing
the craft community
together and inspiring
them to greater heights
of creativity. The best bit
about Club Hunkydory is the
free kits that are launched
throughout the year. They
enable anyone to get
started on their crafting journey
and it is such a pleasure to see
all of the cards and projects that
people make with those free gifts!
“In June this year, we launched
the brand-new Diamond Club to
show our appreciation to our loyal
customers. It gives them access to
their Hunkydory goodies at even
better prices, an exclusive kit worth
£19.99, priority dispatch on all
orders, plus loads of other amazing
deals! Diamond has been incredibly
popular with our customers and it
has only just started – there is so
much more to come!”
Though Anne-Marie
enthusiastically let us in on the inner
workings of the crafting brand,
there are some cards she kept close
to her chest. “We have lots of new
and exciting launches coming up
and I’m so excited for them all!
Our design team dreams up such
wonderful ideas that will make
the very best projects. But I can’t
possibly tell you anything about
what’s coming up – you’ll have to
wait for the big surprise!” It sounds
to us like they’ve got something fun
up their sleeves, and whatever it is,
we’re already excited about it!
Shop some of the best crafting products around at hunkydorycrafts.co.uk
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