Have yourself a crafty little Christmas
Suddenly we have more spare time on our hands again. To fight the boredom, keep busy, and prepare for without breaking the bank in , it’s time to get crafty.
Since winning The Great British Sewing Bee on BBC2 last year, my passion for making things has become almost a full-time job. It was also a lifeline during the first lockdown. Pinning, cutting, hemming and stitching fabrics provided an escape from the news and kept me calm.
It would be easy to get sucked into feeling fearful again. Instead, I’m going to get my craft box out — and I’d love you to do the same.
The internet makes picking up new skills surprisingly easy, even when you’re stuck at home. An impressive number of crafters generously share their skills and tips online — many with video tutorials which you can pause or rewind as you go along.
Juliet Uzor (pictured), the winner of The Great British Sewing Bee, has created a list of fun activities to keep you busy during the new lockdown
And while some people splash out on fancy gadgets, many projects simply involve recycling items you already have at home.
For children, crafting not only passes the time but builds positive memories to be shared for years to come. Easy activities like scrapbooking together, hand-making Christmas cards or turning previous years’ cards into gift tags are a great way to start.
So here are 20 fun, easy and creative crafting ideas — one for every day left of lockdown . . .
1. Pom-pom wreath
Use leftover wool to make different-sized pom-poms, then attach to a ring of cardboard to make a bright, cheerful Christmas wreath. For how to make a simple pom-pom, visit sewyeah.co.uk or @sewyeah on Instagram.
This colourful pom pom wreath with brighten up your door ahead of the festive season
2. Stylish headband
Sewing your own fashionable hair accessory is easy — all you need is stretchy fabric (an old T-shirt will do), a plain plastic headband pts terbaik sumatera and basic sewing machine skills. See Juliet Uzor’s tutorial at youtu.be/OQ8Bu83FkKM.
3. Soap making
Great as a gift, learn to make different coloured, naturally scented bars with the Soap Making Kit, £20, hobbycraft.co.uk.
4. Macramé plant hanger
Learn the basics of macramé and create a plant holder with a kit and online course from maker’s platform Yodomo.co, £14.99.
5. Embellished wellies
Make a splash by turning boring wellies into works of art. The trick is to draw your designs with permanent paint pens, such as Posca Paint Markers, from £12.99 for four, amazon.co.uk, which won’t wash off in the rain.
Using permanent paint pens will keep the deigns on your embellished wellies looking fresh even after testing them in muddy puddles
6. Pen tidy
Give an empty tin can a useful new lease of life using fabric scra
