MINDFUL MAKING

As we slowly heal from the side effects of the pandemic and adjust to changes in our home and working lives, we are becoming more and more conscious of how we spend our free time.

This year will see us practicing mindful making, using arts and crafts to relax, fi nd calm, and to connect with loved ones, friends and even TikTok followers in new and meaningful ways.

After spending so much time at home daydreaming of travelling and fulfi lling our wanderlust, makers will craft designs inspired by their bucket list destinations and favourite places.

Nostalgia and comfort will reach mainstream through crafts such as embroidery, knitting and needlepoint.

Foraging for and collecting unexpected natural materials to incorporate into crafts will encourage us to explore the outdoors and environment and get us out of the house.

Thoughtful personalisation such as hand stitching, printing and appliqué will mean personalised gifts and DIY branding will be huge in 2022. Makers will lean into technology and tools in order to create custom leather, vinyl, paper and fabric crafts at home.

Sustainability and environmentally friendly choices will see the upcycling of furniture and textiles as part of this trend. Furthermore, handmade clothing, chunky knits and crochet pieces will make a statement about slow living and conscious values. More people will turn to creating their own garments; boycotting fast fashion and the impact it has on landfi lls.

Our homes have taken on extra signifi cance since the pandemic, so it’s no surprise that makers want to lavish handmade love on their homes. Whether it’s a terrazzo side table, a needlepoint cushion or an heirloom quilt, this year we will make our house a home with handmade items we love and cherish.

This is the year to become makers, together.

1. PERSONALISATION WITH TECH

Cricut is a hot new trending tool – the ultimate smart cutting machine. A musthave for creating personalised projects, allowing you to design and make things like stickers, cards, personalised T-shirts, or even wall decals. It can write and draw designs and has the flexibility to cut a wide range of craft materials, from cardstock, vinyl and iron-on to glittery paper, polished foils and bonded fabric with the precision to deliver exactly what you need.

Versatile fi ne point blades enable Cricut

machines to cut light- to medium-weight materials quickly and accurately, cutting the most intricate shapes to perfection. The Cricut handles pens like your very own calligrapher, embellishing projects with beautiful text and delicately drawn shapes. With a variety of styles, the possibilities are endless. Use your own images and fonts in a variety of standard fi le formats, or choose from 50 readyto-make projects. With a Cricut machine, you’ll be able to design and make whatever your imagination allows.

2. NATURAL TREASURES

Turn an oyster shell into an anthroplogiestyle trinket dish, paper clip holder, jewellery holder or a salt or pepper dish. These unique and beautiful handmade treasures are the perfect gift for anyone who loves home decor and pretty things.

Oyster art and decoupage is easy and a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon crafting. The designs are endless and are created using tissue paper or paper napkins and decoupage techniques.

3. NOSTALGIC MOMENTS

This year is all about nostalgia. Capturing those precious memories and creating items that give us a feeling of comfort, cosiness and cuddles.

Expect to see chunky knits everywhere in the form of blankets, socks, sweaters and jerseys, all crafted by yourself or granny (if need be). Create a family heirloom that can be passed down through generations.

Scrapbooks, bullet journals or photobooks will be the papercraft of nostalgia, the photo collage memoirs, which will become treasured keepsakes in the years to come. *