Some resources I’d be stuck without

This list will hopefully give you a few ideas or a sprinkle of inspiration. It isn’t a long list but a highlight of a few of my faves to share with you.

Some of my favourite places/sites:

For supplies

• Hobbycraft – not always the cheapest but such a huge stock range
• The Range – who’d have thought the craft section here would be so brilliant. Thanks to my Grammie for the suggestion to visit here
• Birmingham Indoor Markets – anything you could ever need for crafts you will find in the markets and at great prices

For craft ideas/patterns

• Fave Crafts – great website full of ideas and little projects
• 4Homes – Channel 4′s online craft resource
• Burda Style – loads of patterns (free and paid)

For crochet

• Planet June – a great website by the fabulous June Gilbank (@planetjune on Twitter)
• Lion Brand – great free and paid patterns
• Free Crochet – limited resources but some nice, easy-to-follow patterns

For the basics

• Planet June (again) – tutorials which are easy and informative
• You Tube – if I learnt to crochet through You Tube then anyone can!

If you have any suggestions of your own, I’d love to hear about them. Leave me a comment or email etsy.amiilou@gmail.com. Thanks x

Felt Notebook Covers

My parents live abroad so gift size is an important consideration when making things for them. For Christmas (and more recently for a friend’s birthday gift) I made A6 size notebook covers from felt. These can be taken off and put on another notebook so their practical use is extended.

Felt is easy to work with as it doesn’t fray so there’s no calculation for seam allowances and no hems to fold and sew. It evens glues together well so if sewing isn’t your forte then just stick it instead.

I used a blanket stitch to edge the notebooks and the contrasting wool helps the stitches stand out. For an easy-to-follow tutorial on blanket stitch head across to the beautiful site by Cherry Menlove.

To make an A6 notebook cover (you can use any size but I like A6 as its pocket-sized but not too tiny):

• Cut a long rectangular piece of felt – measuring 30.5cm x 15.5cm

• Fold in 4cm from each short end of the felt – iron on a medium setting to crease the folds

• Blanket stitch (with about 1cm between stitches) along the top and bottom edges of the folded felt – hide the knots at the end of the wool inside the folded ends of the felt

• Use white craft glue to add any decoration or adorn with buttons, sequins etc

• Notebook fits into the folded ends