Mollie Makes #123

special keepsakes LEARN PATCHWORK AND QUILTING FOR FEEL-GOOD GIFTS

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ideas to inspire Christmas joy

CUTE CROCHET

AMIGURUMI MINIS FOR BEGINNERS

easy ways to embrace handmade

WINTER KNITS MADE SIMPLE

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FESTIVE CRAFTS TO TRY NOW

COSY FAIR ISLE MITTENS

GLAD TIDINGS

LIFT YOUR SPIRITS AND MAKE HAPPY MEMORIES

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Welcome ...to our Christmas issue – your official start to the festivities. And, to make this month’s mag even more special, we’ve included a bonus recipe book 123 filled with 12 seasonal treats!

Lots of us turned to baking as a source of joy this year, so we’re celebrating this latest obsession with a fun collection of sugary delights in association with our pals at Bacofoil®. There’s quick makes, recipes to relax with and goodies to gift, plus glutenfree and vegan options, so something for everyone. It definitely made us hungry!

Once you’ve whipped up something sweet, get stuck into all the amazing projects in the main mag. Discover must-make presents, including statement stitch markers and a mini amigurumi Christmas tree, or embrace decorating your home. From our crochet

advent calendar to the embroidered banner on the cover, there’s tons to inspire you.

Plus, we’ve got the loveliest feature on using craft to lift yourself and others, too.

We want to help you see out 2020 with a heart full of creative happiness, whatever that means for you. Stay cosy, makers!

Yvette Streeter Editor

FOLLOW MOLLIE MAKES FOR DAILY INSPIRATION...

MOLLIE MAKES 3

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

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Introducing THE LATEST FROM THE WORLD OF HANDMADE

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ON THE COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP SOWELS; STYLING: SARAH MALONE

10 Mollie loves Discover what’s new in craft and design from our favourite small businesses 14 Appliqué banner Spread seasonal joy and positivity with this colourful camel pennant, decorated with embroidered details 21 Tiered skirt Whizz up the ultimate easy-sew party skirt for social bubble get-togethers 24 Latest crush Staying in is the new going out, so shop and craft the warm glam look to channel Christmas style made cosy 28 Marbled crackers Try out our latest craft crush to make opulent table decs for the Big Day

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plus! your bonus festive recipes cipes book filled with 12 christmas bakes

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Living

Making

CREATIVE INSPIRATION FOR YOUR LIFE AND HOME

HAND-PICKED PROJECTS TO FALL IN LOVE WITH

36 Patchwork stocking Make an extra-special heirloom using beginner-friendly quilting techniques

66 Knitted mittens Master the art of Scandi-style Fair Isle and keep your hands cosy this winter

40 At home with Nikki Griffiths gives her statement location home the festive treatment to inspire us all for the Yuletide season

71 Stitch markers Play with polymer clay to create handy accessories for knitters and crocheters

46 Get the look Shop the Palm Springs Christmas aesthetic to brighten up your pad 49 Dried floral wreath Turn foraged nature finds into beautiful miniature wreaths to top gifts, adorn dining tables and display on walls 51 Advent calendar Crochet a gorgeous scalloped wall hanging that doubles as craft storage

74 Good read Helen Martin shares the ways we can use craft to lift ourselves and others 77 Crochet Christmas tree Hook up this amigurumi cutie to fill stockings and decorate mantlepieces 82 Templates All the shapes for this issue’s makes 90 Tea and a chat Leela Chakravati talks career changes

EXCLUSIVE! 57 Bonus papers Susanne Søum’s festive papers and prints are just the thing for wrapping gifts and turning into colourful cards and tags

NEVER MISS AN ISSUE 32 Subscribe UK Subscribe to get a set of Joules tins worth £20 56 Subscribe overseas US readers – subscribe today to save up to 78%

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Contributors Benita Nagra Benita left the world of finance to follow her creative dreams, and now makes gorgeous homewares and jewellery from her studio in London, championing eco-friendly processes and products.

Make Benita’s resin earrings on page 26. www.theabstractbee.com

Taylor Clem Jewellery designer Taylor always wanted to have a house full of dogs, and will go out of her way to pet your dog, even if it involves crossing the road. She’s a lover of craft beer, and often has one beside her while making earrings.

Craft Taylor’s polymer clay stitch markers on page 71. www.shopmysundaystudio.etsy.com

Nikki Griffiths Nikki is one half of the dream team behind colour-pop home Tierney Terrace. When she’s not working as a communications consultant, you’ll find her hanging out with her Boston terriers Paloma and Pilot.

Look around Nikki’s pad on page 40. www.tierneyterrace.com

Susanne Søum Gothenburg-based graphic designer and illustrator Suzanne takes inspiration for her work from nature. As well as drawing, she loves being outdoors, planning new adventures and dancing like nobody’s watching.

Find Susanne’s festive-themed art prints on page 57. www.susannesoum.com

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Cheers!

Valerie Bracegirdle, Leela Chakravati, Wendy Chow, Becki Clark, Cut One Pair, Sarah Dawson, Jessie Doughty, Becca Duncan @ Mustard Models, Colette Earley, Sarah-Jane Hicks, Helen Martin, Lucy McGrath, Lindsey Newns, Bex Partridge, Ingrid Rasmussen, Millie Sewell-Knight, Philip Sowels

Sandra Guitterez Sandra is a full-time designer who’s committed to mastering the consumption of ice cream while knitting or crocheting. So far she’s just learned a lot of cleaning techniques, but does take a lot of snack breaks during her working day.

Knit Sandra’s cosy Fair Isle mittens on page 66. www.nomadstitches.com

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The colors evoke chilly fall days, warm sweaters, and joyful laughter. We hope Cider will spark fond autumnal memories with friends and family as you tell your own story.

Introducing THE LATEST FROM THE WORLD OF HANDMADE

‘Tis the season to support indie businesses. They’ve had a rough ride this year, so pledging to shop small can make a big difference. And it means you’ll be giving loved ones unique gifts, like Stalf’s Ruffle Maxi – the dress you’ll wanna treat your sister to but might just have to keep. www.stalf.co.uk

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MOLLIE LOVES PARTY OR NO PARTY, THERE’S ALWAYS AN URGE TO SPRUCE UP

and rock something special for Christmas. Enter People Tree’s capsule collection with the V&A – chintzy floral prints rendered in the most planet-friendly fabrics.

There are eight garments, all with a statement feel, like this curling fern fronds jacket that looks like embroidered velvet, but is actually organic cotton. www.peopletree.co.uk

just landed

Celestial stunners

that are small enough to slip in with a Christmas card – a lovely way to surprise pals you might not be seeing IRL. Indie maker Mia Winston-Hart has captured dark winter sky loveliness with her exquisite resin hair slides and earrings. www. mwinstonhart.etsy.com 10 MOLLIE MAKES

Is a jesmonite crush a thing?

If so, ours is definitely KLNDRA. Their slick modern homewares have the kind of simple beauty that can elevate a room. The rainbows are really something (especially if you’re going edgier for a kid’s bedroom), but the trays and trivets need an honourable mention too. www.klndradesigns.com

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BOOK OF THE MONTH

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Jules Hogan

British designer Jules knows a thing or two about slow fashion, as her eponymous brand produces thoughtful contemporary knitwear.

Designs are dreamt up in Jules’ Berkshire garden studio, then machine-knitted and hand-finished in the UK using carefully sourced natural materials. You can glimpse the influence of the countryside and coastline in every single piece. www.juleshogan.com

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JULES HOGAN

Perishable Poetics: Manifesting Emotion through Contemporary Floral Design

A GIFT IN ITSELF,

Sadia Anwar’s beautiful embroidered stocking will be a joy to use every year. Like all their pieces, it’s handmade for a fair wage by artisan women in Pakistan as part of their Butterfly Project, and is top of our pre-Christmas list. www.sadiaanwar.co.uk

Perishable Poetics is a beautifully photographed artwork as well as a radiant, invaluable creative resource for those who work in, are inspired by, or are finding their voice in floral design.

Jenny Thomasson (AIFD, PFCI, EMC) unfolds the artistic process that has made her a rising star in the industry y through more than 40 beautifully shot compositions.

In over 200 captivating colour photos, Jenny shares how she uses emotion to push the boundaries of contemporary floral design.

Infused with hand-drawn conceptual sketches andsketches notes and notes conceptual throughout, and incorporating porating a wide breadth of techniques, forms and materials, this warmly personal guide offers an intimate insight into the evolution of a professional floral arrangement.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR UTHOR Jenny Thomasson Jenny Thomasson (AIFD, PFCI, PFCI, EMC) has aEMC) passionhas forapushing passion for pushing the boundaries of floristry and y and promoting the art form in a fresh m in a fresh way. Her past accomplishments Her past accomplishments include presenting at the AIFD AIFD National Symposium (2015, 2018), representing North America at Fleuramour in Belgium (2016, 2018), joining the the AIFD team at the PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia Flower Show (2016, 2017), and and being a member of the decorating the decorating team for the White House. www.jennytfloristry.com

Finding homes for wips can be game changing.

It can spur you on, keep you organised and even help you fall back in love with a project you’ve relegated to the bench. Joanne Hawker’s got you covered with her brilliant project pouch selection. There are roomy options for knitters, quilters, stitchers and more, plus monogram pouches and clutch-style designs too – marvellous for crafty gifts. www.joannehawker.co.uk

NEW PATTERN

GIFT KNITTERS,

grab your needles. Bloom & Create Co.’s Many Moons hat has landed.

It’s designed for three different sizes so you can stitch the right fit for the moonchild in your life.

Can we talk about that whimsical colourwork?

This is a fab pattern if you’ve got indie dyed skeins to put to good use. www.instagram.com/ bloom.create

SIMPLE AND SUSTAINABLE,

NEED TO READ Flights of fancy

Kerry Lord, author of the ever-popular Ed’s Animals series, has a new crochet book out especially for Christmas: A Partridge in a Pear Tree. It’s filled with her signature leggy amigurumi designs, this time a collection of 12 characterful birds to make inspired by the famous carol. Pop this under the tree for crochet lovers. www.pavilionbooks.com

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The Scout’s Den’s Macramé Christmas Wreath is ticking all the boxes. This one’s for keeps, created with dried grasses, pretty knots and fringing you can enjoy every winter, or keep up all year. www.thescoutsden.etsy.com

A D V E R T I S E M E N T F E AT U R E

Craftin

o

aus

MAKE THE FESTIVE SEASON MERRY AND BRIGHT WITH A CRAFTY FUNDRAISER IN AID OF THE MENTAL HEALTH CHARITY MIND

he countdown to Christmas has just begun and you’re no doubt looking forward to getting your festive crafts on. But in the true spirit of Christmas, why not give a little something back at the same time this year? By hosting a Crafternoon – a crafty fundraiser in aid of the mental health charity Mind – not only will you be able to channel your creativity and spend some quality time with friends and family, but you’ll also be raising funds for a great cause at the same time!

All you have to do is gather your favourite people on Saturday 5 December for a fun-filled afternoon. Don’t worry if you're busy that day, just pick another date that works for you and get crafting! You can host the event either online or at home, and Mind will provide all the tips and practical support you need to make it a real cracker of an event.

So go on, unleash your creativity and unwind amidst the Christmas chaos, and feel good knowing that every penny you raise with your Crafternoon will help Mind support those experiencing a mental health problem – something that can

T

be especially challenging during the festive season. The charity wouldn’t be able to provide its vital mental health support without fundraisers like you, so you truly will be making a difference.

HOW TO HOST A CRAFTERNOON 01 Sign up for a Crafternoon kit at www.mind.org.uk/ crafternoon. The kit includes crafty templates, recipes and all the practical support you’ll need to host the event.

02 Choose your activity. Mind has lots of online templates to inspire you, from homemade Christmas cards and colourful crackers to pretty paper wreaths.

03 Invite your guests – the more the merrier!

04 It’s easy to fundraise at your Crafternoon. Just ask each of your guests to make a donation to Mind in order to take part. You can collect these in person on the day or online on a fundraising page.

05 Clear your table, or set up your laptop, if you’re hosting the event online. Then just get ready for a relaxing afternoon with friends and family.

Hold a for Mind this Christmas.

Sign up for your free kit at mind.org.uk/crafternoon

Home for Christmas PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP SOWELS; STYLING: SARAH MALONE

Spread seasonal cheer and positive vibes with Jessie Doughty’s embroidered banner

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HOW TO MAKE AN APPLIQUÉ BANNER MATERIALS ■ 35 x 45cm (13¾ x 17¾") blue cotton fabric ■ 31 x 23cm (12¼ x 91/8") brown felt ■ 5 x 5cm (2 x 2") pink felt ■ Wooden dowel, 20cm (77/8") long, 1cm (3/8") diameter ■ Gold braided cord ■ Embroidery thread in yellow, red, green, white, gold, light blue, pink and dark brown ■ Erasable fabric marker ■ Fusible webbing ■ 15cm (6") embroidery hoop ■ Card

Alternative Christmas decs are all the rage this year, from sparkly robots to tasselled llamas. So, we’re channelling Nativity charm with this appliqué camel version, complete with starry night sky and festive message.

This seasonal banner is filled with extra-special details and decorative touches, but it’s a bit of an embroidery hack that’s easier than it seems. Both the camel and his saddle are created using simple felt shapes, meaning you can spend your time faffing with finishing touches and all things fun.

You’ll find a guide to each of the stitches on page 82, and you can check out Jessie’s Youtube channel for handy video tutorials too – just search Jessie Doe Designs.

01 Using the templates on page 82, cut two banner shapes from the blue cotton fabric and one saddle from the pink felt.

02 Place the brown felt between the inner and outer embroidery

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hoops, then tighten the outer hoop to secure, pulling the felt taut. Using the template on page 82, trace the camel shape onto the felt with the erasable fabric marker.

03 Pin the saddle onto the camel, using the image as a guide and matching the top edges. Using one strand of red embroidery thread, blanket stitch around the outside of the saddle to secure it in place.

04 Next, decorate the saddle with embroidery, using the Step 10 image as a guide to stitch placement. Starting at the top left-hand side of the saddle and finishing at the top right, backstitch along the bars of blanket stitch in one strand of red thread, joining them up to create square sections.

Couch these stitches by making tiny straight stitches just above the centre of each section to pull the thread up slightly, creating a curve.

05 Add two leaf stems to the top and bottom of the saddle using two strands of green thread and backstitch. Next, add leaves at the

end and along either side using the same thread and satin stitch.

06 Stitch a zig zag line along the top of the saddle using two strands of white thread and straight stitches, then backstitch two lines underneath in one strand of yellow thread. Work a line of dashes underneath those in one strand of white thread and running stitch.

07 Add six stars to the space at the centre of the saddle using two strands of gold metallic thread, working four straight stitches out from the centre in a cross shape to create each one.

08 Work three French knots in every other section created by the blanket stitch, using one strand of blue thread and keeping the French knots just inside of the thread border. Work the same blue French knots inside each zig zag at the top of the saddle.

09 In the space at the centre of the saddle, add three French knots in two strands of red thread, four French knots in one strand of blue

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thread and five French knots in two strands of pink thread.

10 Finally, add vertical straight stitches along the bottom of the saddle in two strands of red thread.

11 Next, decorate the camel with embroidery, using the Step 19 image as a guide to stitch placement. To create the row of bunting either side of the saddle, use whipped backstitch and one strand of yellow thread to stitch the string at the top. Add the three flags in satin stitch, then work three small straight stitches at the bottom to represent mini tassels.

12 For the tassels along the bottom of the saddle, thread the needle with six strands of blue thread.

Knot the thread, then bring the needle up from the back, in between the first pair of vertical straight stitches. Knot the thread at the front to secure it in place, then trim the thread to roughly 2cm (¾") and smooth it downwards.

Repeat this step in between every pair of straight stitches.

13 Add the camel’s eye and mouth using curved backstitches and one strand of black thread, then add a cheek to its face using pink thread and satin stitch.

14 Stitch a bridle around the camel’s muzzle and head using backstitch and two strands of red thread, then add vertical straight stitches coming down from it, alternating the red thread and one strand of white thread. Add a second bridle around the base of the camel’s neck in the same way, this time using green thread.

15 Backstitch two lines around the camel’s neck, over the green bridle, using one strand of black thread.

Work French knots over the top of these black lines in red, blue and white thread to turn them into mini flower garlands.

16 Below these, add a line of whipped backstitch going from the camel’s chest to the first bunting flag in two strands of pink thread.

Add alternating tassels in gold and pink thread as per Step 12.

17 Next, stitch a flower onto the top of the camel’s head using one strand of pink thread and lazy daisy stitch. Add leaves in between the petals using two strands of green thread and straight stitch, then work three yellow French knots for the flower’s centre.

18 Stitch one star onto the camel’s neck and three on the camel’s body using two strands of gold metallic thread, working four straight stitches out from the centre in a cross shape.

19 To finish, work a scattering of small vertical straight stitches in any gaps on the camel’s legs and body using white thread.

20 Trace the camel template onto one banner piece, using the image as a guide to placement. Next, copy the lettering on page 82 above it – the easiest way to do this is to hold both the template and the fabric up to a window, or a similar light source.

21 Take the brown felt out of the hoop and replace it with the

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HOW TO MAKE AN APPLIQUÉ BANNER banner piece, positioning the lettering centrally. Stitch over the lettering using whipped backstitch and three strands of white thread.

22 Using gold metallic thread, stitch stars all around the camel shape, as per Step 18. Use a variety of bigger and smaller stars, adding tiny straight stitches in between, then take the fabric out of the hoop.

23 Iron the fusible webbing to the reverse of the brown felt – the back of the embroidery – following the manufacturer’s instructions. Cut out the camel shape, trimming slightly outside the outline so as not to snip the threads.

24 Peel the backing from the webbing, then place the camel in position on the embroidered banner piece. Appliqué the camel to the banner by ironing it in place, placing a tea towel over the top first to help protect the embroidery stitches.

25 Blanket stitch around the outside of the camel using dark brown thread. To make the rein, 18 MOLLIE MAKES

bring three whole lengths of red thread, so 18 strands, through to the front of the camel, just below the bridle by his mouth. Secure the strands at the back with a knot, then plait them together. Knot at the end, then trim the threads, leaving roughly 3cm (1¼") after the knot to create a tassel. Secure to the edge of the saddle with a few stitches, as shown.

26 Make a plaited tail as per Step 25, this time using pink thread, and bringing the threads through at the back of the camel.

27 Add a line of gold French knots on each of the camel’s legs, just up from the feet, to create little anklets of bells.

28 Cut a 4cm (15/8") wide piece of card, then wrap yellow and gold thread around it several times. Cut a length of yellow thread, thread it under the bundle, then tie it in a knot around the top of the bundle.

Cut the threads at the bottom of the card, then wrap yellow thread around the top of the tassel and

knot to secure. Trim the tassel to neaten, then attach it to the pink bridle at the front of the camel with a few satin stitches, using the image as a guide to placement.

29 Place the two banner pieces right sides (RS) together and sew around the outside, 0.5cm (¼") in from the edge, leaving a 10cm (4") gap at the top.

30 Turn the banner through to the RS, pushing out the corners, then fold the raw edges at the gap to the wrong side (WS). Press in place and neatly stitch the gap closed.

31 Fold the top of the banner to the WS by 2cm (¾") and pin. Sew along the top edge to secure in place, making sure to only stitch through the back piece of the banner.

32 Insert the dowel through the channel at the top of the banner, then tie a length of gold braid to either end for hanging. To finish, make a tassel from yellow thread as per Step 28, this time using a slightly larger piece of card, and sew to one end of the gold braid.

MEET THE MAKER JESSIE DOUGHTY Jessie is an embroidery artist and illustrator from Bristol where she runs Jessie Doe Designs, creating unique hand-crafted and natureinspired homewares and gifts. You’ll find plenty more embroidery patterns on her website, and lots of stitchy inspiration on her Insta too @jessiedoedesigns. Plus, she also has her own YouTube channel, Jessie Doe Designs, ssharing 60 second stitch ttutorials for beginners. www.jessiedoedesigns.com w

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PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP SOWELS; STYLING: SARAH MALONE; MODEL: BECCA D

LUXE TOUCH

It’s time to glam up – make Cut One Pair’s easy-sew skirt for instant festive fun

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HOW TO MAKE A TIERED SKIRT MATERIALS ■ 2.5m (2¾yrd) mediumweight taffeta fabric (we used Two Tone Poly Taffeta Dress Fabric in Chalky Lilac from www. minervacrafts.com) ■ Elastic, 2cm (1") wide ■ Pattern paper ■ Tailor’s chalk ■ Rotary cutter

Normally we’d be getting party ready right about now, but just because things are different this year, doesn’t mean we can’t still get fancy. Use the power of dressing up to boost your mood with this swishy tiered skirt, be it for a social bubble shindig or your Christmas day outfit.

If you want to practise your sewing skills this is a good place to start, as it’s a simple project with an impressive result. And, it’s even got an elasticated waistband to make space for festive indulgences.

Seam allowances are 1cm (½") unless otherwise stated.

01 Use a tape measure to find your natural waist circumference – the bit where your waist bends. Note down the waist measurement (W), then measure from your natural waist to where you want the hem to sit (waist to hem, or WH) – we recommend around 10cm (4") below your knee.

02 Work out the length of the main skirt pattern piece using the following sum: WH ÷ 3 + 2cm (¾")

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+ 5cm (2"). The 2cm (¾") is the seam allowance, and the 5cm (2") is for the waistband channel. Work out the width using: W ÷ 2 x 1.5 + 2cm (¾"). Draw out a rectangle this size onto the pattern paper and mark as Main Skirt (MS).

03 For the skirt tiers pattern piece, work out the length using: WH ÷ 3 + 2cm (¾"). Work out the width using: W ÷ 2 x 2 + 2cm (¾"), then draw this out onto the pattern paper and mark as Skirt Tiers (ST).

04 Label the MS pattern piece with a note to ‘Cut Two’ and the ST pattern piece with a note to ‘Cut Five’. Draw an arrow across the width of both pattern pieces – this marks the direction of the grainline when cutting the fabric.

05 Lay the fabric out wrong side (WS) up, then place the pattern pieces on top with the grainline arrow running parallel to the selvedge. Pin in place, then cut out using the rotary cutter or scissors.

As per the pattern markings, cut two MS pieces and five ST pieces.

If the fabric looks the same on both sides, mark or put a pin on the WS.

06 Place the MS pieces with right sides (RS) together, pinning at the side seams – along both short edges. Sew using a 1cm (½") seam allowance, then finish the seams using zig zag stitch or an overlocker to prevent any fraying. Press the seams to one side.

07 Press the top edge of the MS to the WS by 1.5cm (5/8"), then press to the WS again by 3.5cm (1¼"). This will create a channel for the elastic.

Sew 1cm (½") up from the bottom folded edge, leaving an 8cm (3¼") gap at the back of the skirt to thread the elastic through.

08 Cut a length of elastic that fits comfortably around your waist when 1.5cm (5/8") from either end is overlapped. Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic, then use this to feed it through the waistband channel and out the other side.

09 Check the elastic is lying flat, then overlap the ends by 1.5cm (5/8") and sew them in place. Tuck the elastic up into the waistband, then sew the gap closed 1cm (½") in from the folded edge, making sure not to catch the elastic.

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10 Distribute the gathers in the fabric evenly around the waistband, then sew through the elastic at the side seams to prevent it from twisting when wearing.

11 Fold the MS in half, matching the side seams. Mark the folded halfway point on the front and back bottom raw edges using tailor’s chalk to help when adding the ST. 12 Repeat Step 6 with two ST pieces, then repeat Step 11 to mark the halfway points. Repeat Step 6 with the remaining three ST pieces, sewing two pieces along one short edge first, then adding on the third. Sew the first and third ST pieces to form a wide circle.

13 For the ST with three pieces, position one seam at the side, fold in half and mark both halfway points. Fold in half again, matching the marks, then make two more marks at the folded points giving four even points to match.

14 Set the machine to a long stitch length – approximately 4mm (¼").

Starting at the side seam on the smaller ST piece, sew two lines of gathering stitches along the front

raw edge, 0.7mm (¼") and 1.5cm (5/8") down from the top. Stop at the second side seam, then repeat along the top back edge. Repeat for the larger ST piece, again, sewing in between the seams of each section.

15 Turn the smaller ST WS out and pin to the bottom of the MS, RS together and matching the raw edges, marks and side seams – it helps to pin at the marks and side seams. Starting on one side of the ST, pull the gathering threads until the ST is the same width as the MS. You may need to adjust the pins, making sure the seams and marks still match. Repeat on the other side, then sew using a 1cm (½") seam allowance. Finish the seams as before, then press to one side.

16 Repeat Step 15 to sew the larger ST to the bottom of the smaller ST, then carefully remove all the gathering stitches.

17 Fold the skirt hem to the WS by 1cm (½") and press, then fold to the WS again by 1.5cm (5/8"). Pin in place, then sew 1cm (½") in from the folded edge to finish.

MEET THE MAKER CUT ONE PAIR Louise and Jenny created Cut One Pair as a space to share their passion for sewing.

Their fun website features tutorials, free sewing patterns, hacks and more, as well as a platform to connect with other makers. Find them on Insta @cutonepair. www.cutonepair.com

MOLLIE MAKES 23

WARM GLAM Don’t let party season pass you by – just because we’re staying in more, doesn’t mean we can’t go all out. Luxe up your home while keeping it cosy with velvet, fringing and faux fur, and go extra with your loungewear look.

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24 MOLLIE MAKES

PHOTOGRAPHY: CHRIS WEBB WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/CHRISPICASSO

PHOTOGRAPHY: ZACK MCLAUGHLIN WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/PAPERANDWOOD_

LATEST CRUSH

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01 Day-to-night dressing finally done right. www. instagram.com/heartzeena 02 Peak video call chic. www.edgeofember.com 03 Cheers to indoor winter shindigs. www.nkuku.com 04 Step up your festive dĂŠcor to disco-ready levels. www.gingerray.co.uk 05 Statement ways to get lit at home. www.anure.store 06 Designed to serve serious style, as well as mince pies. www.oyoylivingdesign.co.uk 07 Pure 70s decadence for socially-distanced drinks. www.oliverbonas.com 08 No tassel, no entry. www. tamarmogendorff.com 09 See ya later, heels. www. bumblebeeofjesmond.co.uk 10 The right kind of shade. www.beauvamp.com

make it!

TURN OVER TO DIY WARM GLAM MOLLIE MAKES 25

make it!

WARM GLAM EARRINGS MATERIALS

Jesmonite AC100 Kit (we got ours from www. mbfg.co.uk) Jesmonite colour pigments (we used yellow, red, blue, green and white) Faceted earring mould (we got ours from www.etsy.co.uk) Wooden stick Cocktail sticks Sandpaper Plastic cups Polishing wax (we used Renaissance MicroCrystalline Wax Polish) Cloth Earring stud backs

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MEET THE MAKER

BENITA NAGRA

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01 First, prepare the colours by weighing out 10g of jesmonite liquid in three separate plastic cups. Slowly add the colour pigments to each cup one drop at a time until you achieve the colours you want, stirring as you go – we used green to make the mint colour, and red and blue to make lilac.

02 Add 25g of jesmonite powder to each cup, a bit at a time, stirring well until the mixture is smooth and thick.

03 Make sure the earring moulds are clean, with no dust

26 MOLLIE MAKES

05

or dirt inside. Dip a cocktail stick into the first colour and carefully spread it onto the mould in small dots, as shown.

Repeat with the remaining colours and different cocktail sticks, then leave to set – this will form the surface pattern.

04 Next, prepare the colour for the background. Weigh out 30g of jesmonite liquid, then add colour pigment – we used yellow and red. Stir in 75g of jesmonite powder until smooth, then pour into the moulds over the top of the surface pattern.

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05 Carefully place an earring back on the surface of each mould, slightly submerging them, as shown. Leave the earrings for approximately 30 minutes until completely solid and dry, then carefully remove from the moulds.

06 Sand down any rough edges with sandpaper. Using a clean cloth, rub a small amount of wax polish onto the surface of each earring, then buff in circular motions until it’s completely rubbed in and the surface is shiny and smooth.

Benita is based near London where she runs her homeware and jewellery business, The Abstract Bee. After leaving the world of finance, she now fills her days making candles and concrete and resin pieces, with a focus on being eco and vegan friendly. www. theabstractbee.com

Online shop – cottons, linens, corduroys, canvas & Japanese fabrics

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ÿÎæa ~ a

ÿ~æÿ Ï 100% wool, 40% wool, Polyester & Handmade felts

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!« !R0Á

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DODODODODOD DODODODODOD DODODODODOD DODODODODOD DODODODODOD DODODODODOD For more advertising DODODODODOD opportunities, please contact: DODODODODOD Emily Williams 0117 300 8531 DODODODODOD DODODODODOD on

email: emily.williams@immediate.co.uk

Tablescape artist Make this year’s festive spread one to remember with Lucy McGrath’s marbled crackers

28 MOLLIE MAKES

PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP SOWELS; STYLING: SARAH MALONE

Subscribe at molliemakes.com

MOLLIE MAKES 29

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HOW TO MAKE MARBLED CRACKERS MATERIALS ■ Six sheets of A3 green paper ■ Large tray ■ Two paint brushes ■ Black ink ■ Jar ■ Washing up liquid ■ Cracker snaps ■ Glue ■ Double-sided sticky tape ■ Six toilet roll tubes ■ Gold ribbon

When you’re a crafter, everyone expects a handmade touch to gifts, décor and more. So, give them what they want with these simple yet super-luxe crackers and a beautifully laid table.

You’ll get all the impact of an opulent make using the art of Suminagashi, a centuries-old type of marbling originating in Japan.

But, it’ll take no time at all – these beauties can easily be done over a couple of evenings.

Finish your Christmas Day tablescape with foraged greenery and fancy gold details for a next-level look, and fill the crackers with your choice of goodies – cheesy dad jokes optional.

01 Fill the tray or a shallow container with 2-3cm (¾-1¼") of water – the tray should be big enough to comfortably lay a sheet of A3 paper flat inside. Put 2-3 pea-sized blobs of washing up liquid into the jar and fill with 100ml (3½floz) water, then stir well.

30 MOLLIE MAKES

02 Put one of the paint brushes into the bottle of ink and stir so it’s well-saturated. Carefully touch the brush to the surface of the water in the centre of the tray – a circle of ink should quickly spread out from it. The ink will be very light in colour at this stage.

03 Put the second brush into the washing up liquid solution, then touch this brush lightly to the surface of the water, in the same area as Step 2. A clear circle should now spread out onto the surface from the brush.

04 Repeat Steps 3-4 to fill the tray with concentric black and transparent circular bands. The colour should become darker as more circles are made, so keep adding paint and washing up liquid solution to the surface of the water until you’re happy with the look and depth of colour.

05 Blow lightly onto the surface of the water to create interesting movements within the pattern – you could also drag a skewer

through the water to disrupt the ink and make shapes. Play around with the different patterns to get one you’re happy to use.

06 Gently lay the paper down onto the surface of the water. Try to do this in one fluid motion, rolling the paper onto the water from the bottom left-hand corner to the top right-hand corner. Let it sit in the tray for approximately 10 seconds to absorb the colour.

07 Pick the paper up carefully by the bottom two corners – the ink should have transferred onto the paper by now. If there’s a lot of ink run-off, give the paper a light rinse to remove this. Hang it to dry on a clothesline or airer, making sure to protect the floor underneath if working inside.

08 If there’s still plenty of ink left on the surface of the water, repeat Steps 6-7 with a second sheet of paper. If not, repeat Steps 2-6 to add more ink and marble a second sheet. Continue until all six sheets of papers have been marbled.

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09 Once the sheets of paper are completely dry, flatten them under a pile of heavy books to make them easier to work with. It may be best to do this whole process over a few evenings, marbling the paper on the first day, pressing it flat on the second, then making the crackers on the third.

10 Using the template on page 82, draw the cracker outline onto the wrong side (WS) of one sheet of paper – the non-marbled side.

Carefully cut out the shape using a pair of scissors or a craft knife and cutting mat. The best way to cut out the diamond-shaped areas is to fold along the area indicated on the template with a dotted line, then make two cuts along the solid lines with scissors or a craft knife, cutting triangle-shaped pieces out of the folded paper.

11 Lay the cracker out WS up, as shown above, then place the cracker snap along the length of the paper, roughly 2.5cm (1") down from the top long edge. Secure

the cracker snap in place with strong glue or double-sided sticky tape at either end.

12 Stick a length of double-sided tape to one long edge of the cracker along the right side of the paper – the marbled side. Next, place the toilet roll tube on the WS of the cracker so it sits in the middle section, with the cut-out diamonds on either side. Roll the cracker around the tube, then peel off the strip from the double-sided tape to secure the overlapping edge in place.

13 Place a length of ribbon around the diamond-shaped cut-outs at one end of the cracker and pull it tight – it should gather the paper together in a fluted shape. Secure in place with a neat bow.

14 Fill the cracker with your choice of goodies through the open end, then close this end of the cracker with ribbon as per Step 13.

15 Repeat Steps 10-14 with the remaining five sheets of paper to make the rest of the crackers.

MEET THE MAKER LUCY MCGRATH Lucy started Marmor Paperie to breathe a new life into the endangered craft of marbling. She makes luxury stationery using marbled papers, and her new book, Contemporary Paper Marbling, is available on her website. www. marmorpaperie.co.uk

MOLLIE MAKES 31

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Living CREATIVE INSPIRATION FOR YOUR LIFE AND HOME

Our super savvy tip for this Christmas? Shop and craft goodies you can leave up all year round. Right now we need as much joy as possible in our lives, plus handmade beauties – like Polly Fern’s ceramic decs – deserve to be worshipped daily. www.pollyfern.com

MOLLIE MAKES 35

made for keeps

PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP SOWELS; STYLING: SARAH MALONE

Create an extra-special heirloom gift with Wendy Chow’s patchwork stocking

36 MOLLIE MAKES

Subscribe at molliemakes.com

MOLLIE MAKES 37

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HOW TO MAKE A PATCHWORK STOCKING MATERIALS ■ One fat quarter of each of Ruby Star Society Flurry in: Spill in Teal Navy (Fabric A) and Tangerine (Fabric F); Christmas Tunes in Shell (Fabric B), Peach Fizz (Fabric C) and Teal Navy (Fabric E); Meowy Christmas in Wool (Fabric D) and Ruby (Fabric G); Snow Bears in Icebox (Fabric H) and Gift Wrap in Ruby (Fabric I) ■ 46 x 106cm (18 x 42") Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Solids in Fresh Water (Fabric J) ■ 11.5 x 106cm (4½ x 42") Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Solids in Deep Black (Fabric K) ■ 54.5 x 106cm (21½ x 42") wadding ■ Matching sewing thread ■ Erasable fabric marker ■ Rotary cutter ■ Quilting ruler ■ Hera marker ■ Basting spray 38 MOLLIE MAKES

Say hello to the most beautiful Christmas stocking you ever did see. Ready to be hung by the chimney with care – or from your bedframe/door handle/radiator – this Scandi-style design is one that’ll be treasured forever.

Make for yourself or your kids, or give as a gift for a tot’s first Christmas and watch them grow up with it. It’s a great introduction to patchwork if the thought of tackling a quilt is too much, and you can easily swap out our fabrics for ones from your own stash.

Throughout the project make sure to align all raw edges and line up any seams, and use a ¼" seam allowance, unless specified.

01 Use the rotary cutter, ruler and a cutting mat to cut six 4" squares each from Fabrics A to H – these are for the Hourglass blocks. From Fabric I, cut two 5½ x 10" pieces for the cuff. Cut two 18 x 21" pieces each from Fabric J and the wadding for the lining, then cut a 2 x 42" piece from Fabric K for the binding and the loop.

02 On the wrong side (WS) of each of the Fabric B, D, F and H squares,

draw a diagonal line from corner to corner using the fabric marker. Pair the following squares with right sides (RS) facing, with the diagonal line face up: Fabrics A and B, Fabrics C and D, Fabrics E and F, and Fabrics G and H. Sew ¼" out from either side of the marked line on each of the pairs, then cut along the marked lines. Open out each block, pressing the seams towards the darker fabric to create 48 half-square triangles (HST).

03 On the WS of 11 Fabric C/D HST and 11 Fabric G/H HST, draw a diagonal line from corner to corner in the opposite direction to the seam. Pair 11 Fabric A/B and Fabric C/D HST with right sides (RS) together, matching the seams and the orientation of the fabrics. The diagonal line should be face up.

Repeat to pair 11 Fabric E/F and Fabric G/H HST. Sew ¼" out from either side of the marked line on each of the pairs, then cut along the marked lines. Open out each block, pressing the seams open to create 22 Hourglass A units with Fabric A/B and C/D HST and 22 Hourglass B units with Fabric E/F and Fabric G/H HST.

04 Trim each Hourglass unit to a 3" square by matching the intersection of the 1½" lines on the ruler with the centre seams, and the 45° mark with the diagonal seam. Trim the top and right edges of the blocks, then rotate the block to trim the remaining two sides.

05 Lay out the Hourglass units as shown, alternating Hourglass A and B in each row to make diagonal lines of each unit. These will be the two sides of the stocking, and should be mirror images. Starting on one side, place the first two units in the top row RS together.

Sew along the joining edge, press open, then repeat to add the final unit in the row. Repeat to join the units in each row, then repeat to join the rows, working from top to bottom and matching the seams.

06 Pin a Fabric I rectangle horizontally across the top short edge of one stocking side, RS together and aligning the top raw edges, and centring it so the Fabric I overhang is the same width on either side. Sew ¼" in from the edge, press the seams open, then repeat with the second stocking side and Fabric I rectangle.

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07 Fold the stocking template on page 82 along the centre line.

Match the folded edge with the centre seams of the centre Hourglass units on one stocking side, and position the horizontal guideline along the Fabric I/ Hourglass units seam. Pin in place and trace around the template using a fabric marker, then flip the template and repeat with the second stocking side.

08 Lay a Fabric J rectangle WS up, place an 18 x 21" wadding piece on top, then layer on one stocking side, RS up and central. Spray basting spray between each layer to prevent them from shifting, then repeat with the remaining Fabric J rectangle, 18 x 21" wadding piece and stocking side.

09 Use the hera marker, or a blunt kitchen knife, and ruler to mark guidelines for the quilting stitches on the RS of each stocking piece.

Refer to the image as a guide to placement, or use your own design.

Using coordinating sewing thread, sew along each of the marked lines, securing the quilt layers.

10 Following the marked outline, sew around the outside of both

stocking pieces, approximately 1/8" in from the edge. Cut out each one along the marked line.

11 Pin the stocking pieces RS together and sew around the outside, ¼" in, leaving the top cuff edge open. Go back over the seam allowance using zig zag stitch or an overlocker to prevent fraying, then turn RS out.

12 Fold the 2 x 42" Fabric K piece in half along the length with WS together and press. Cut a 4½" length from one end for the loop, then place the rest to one side.

Open out the fabric, fold the long raw edges to the centre with WS together and press. Fold in half along the length again, hiding the raw edges, then sew along the long open edge, 1/8" in.

13 Fold the loop in half, aligning the raw edges. Pin to the WS of the stocking, positioning it along a side seam, and aligning all raw edges.

Sew in place ¼" in from the edge.

14 Pin the remaining strip of Fabric K along the WS of the stocking cuff, aligning the raw edges. Sew ¼" in from the edge, then fold the binding to the RS of the stocking and sew in place to finish.

MEET THE MAKER WENDY CHOW An Aussie quilter and designer based in New York City, Wendy hopes to pass on the legacy of quilting through her designs. Visit her website for modern patchwork patterns, tips and tutorials, and check out her Instagram @the.weekendquilter. www.the-weekend quilter.com

MOLLIE MAKES 39

AT HOME WITH...

BRUTALIST STYLE MEETS PALM SPRINGS’ VIBES IN NIKKI GRIFFITHS’ LONDON HOME

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Words: SARAH DAWSON Photographs: INGRID RASMUSSEN

40 MOLLIE MAKES

here’s nothing run-of-the-mill about Tierney Terrace, a 1960s ex-local authority terraced house in Streatham Hill, South London, which is home to Nikki Griffiths and her boyfriend Luke Moseley. From its pink corrugated steel exterior to the colour-pop rooms inside, every inch of this renovation has been thought through and executed with authenticity and love.

The couple, originally from Yorkshire, have always been fans of mid-century architecture, and fell in love with the Brutalist style and ethos when house hunting in the capital. “We’re hugely influenced by it, stretching from London’s angular concrete buildings to Palm Springs’ laid-back, modernist vibe.

Brutalist architecture was all about clean lines and geometry, as well as the follow of light,” explains Nikki. “There was a big emphasis on bringing the outside in.”

When updating the house, it was also important to Nikki and Luke to keep the house true to itself. “It comes from humble beginnings, so anything too lavish would have felt very insincere to us.” To honour this style, they used mainly cheap materials like corrugated steel for the external cladding and concrete for the kitchen worktop, but also added their own character and style with vibrant hits of colour throughout.

“I’d describe our style as bold, but restrained,” smiles Nikki. “We love using colour to add personality to a room but know when to hold back so its stays colourful, not maximalist. While the house is packed with colour, we’ve also used a lot of clean lines and strategic white – on the flooring downstairs for example – so it feels really light and bright.” And the inspiration for that incredible pink cladding? “Pink is my favourite colour, so

“While the house is packed with colour, we’ve also used a lot of clean lines.”

MOLLIE MAKES 41

AT HOME WITH...

“I love cooking and we have a lot of parties here, feeding friends and family.”

that was always going to feature prominently,” she laughs. “We then wanted to make sure each room had a different vibe, so basically we just worked our way through the rainbow!”

Tierney Terrace has been a real collaborative effort between the couple, which has proven to be a resounding success. “We’re really fortunate that we broadly agree on style,” explains Nikki.

“In fact, we tend to spark ideas in each other. One of us will start with an idea and the other will build on it until we get to something we’re really excited about.

We both also have a tendency to go

42 MOLLIE MAKES

overboard, so we’ve gotten good at reining each other in too!”

Celebrating indie creatives has been hugely important to Nikki and Luke. “We use Etsy, Trouva and Instagram to find new makers wherever we can,” she shares.

“Designers like Adam Nathaniel Furman (www.adamnathanielfurman.com) and Camille Walala (www.camillewalala.com), artist Luisa Salas (www.holalou.com) and homeware stores like W. A. Green (www. wagreen.co.uk) and Luxeology (www. luxeology.co.uk) are all go-to places for us.”

So what’s the most treasured item in their house? “For me, it’s a glass car that sits

under our coffee table. It absolutely doesn’t match the house, but I have really vivid memories of my dad buying it when I was a kid, so it means a lot to me.”

As well as Nikki and Luke’s dream home, Tierney Terrace is also a location house, available to rent for videos and photography shoots, and even has its own music studio to hire, working alongside Luke. “We knew we were going to have to spend quite a lot on the renovation, so we decided we’d put the house to work to pay for some of the expense.” It’s only been marketed as a location house since the start of lockdown, but already has been

snapped up for a music video, product shoot location and a documentary.

For some, mixing home with work might not come easily, but for Nikki and Luke it’s the ideal solution. “One of the best things about hiring out our home is we’re forced to keep it super clean, which is great!” laughs Nikki.

When it comes to their top tips for styling, Nikki says, above all, “be brave!

Nothing is permanent, so be bold and know that if you really don’t like it, you can always change it. Take inspiration from magazines and the internet, but then think about what’s going to make a room

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uniquely yours.” Tierney Terrace has Nikki and Luke’s style stamped all over it, but it’s the vibrant blue kitchen that’s really stolen Nikki’s heart. “I love cooking and we have a lot of parties here. Feeding our friends and family was the epicentre of our plans and I think you can really feel that when you’re in here.”

Christmas has given the couple a chance to add another dimension to their interior styling – something Nikki is all for. “When we were designing the house we took loads of inspiration from modernist Palm Springs architecture, and we thought it would be really fun to dial

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The La Volière

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The couple’s

chandelier by

statement front

Mathieu Challières

door was inspired

was on Nikki’s

by the Palm

wish-list for years.

Springs Door Tour.

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Painting the

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“Our main aim

staircase to create a

with a Christmas

3D effect was also

tree is to make it as

budget-friendly.

tacky as possible!”

MOLLIE MAKES 43

AT HOME WITH...

that up for Christmas,” she enthuses.

“Our white artificial tree we bought second-hand from Gumtree – it’s totally tacky and over the top, but really suits the mid-century aesthetic. It was all tinsel and bottle brush around that time!”

Nikki also got very hands-on, creating unique decorations to fit the house’s vibe.

“I spray-painted a load of faux ivy and tumbled it over the bannister, then made some baubles inspired by the ‘Palm Springs Door Tour’ – a famous attraction where you can visit lots of the colourful doors they have in the area. I also made a wreath, and created the wintery putz

44 MOLLIE MAKES

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house scene using designs by Krys Melo of Melodrama. The bottle brush trees were dyed in food colouring and the house designs were created in Photoshop then printed onto card.”

This level of care for every detail is evident throughout. A vibrant, welcoming house that manages to be incredibly cool and full of warmth at the same time, we’re wondering if there’ll be space around that kitchen table for us at Christmas?

To discover more about Nikki and Luke’s amazing property, visit www.tierneyterrace.com, or follow their journey on Insta @tierneyterracelocation.

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Nikki and Luke

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This ‘Christmas

sourced the made-

in Palm Springs’

to-measure slabs of

decorative scene

terrazzo from Italy.

was made by Nikki.

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‘Cooper’, from

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The Quirk &

Dogwood Lifestyle,

Rescue Wundt 2

was given a Tiger

wallpaper takes

King makeover

inspiration from

in lockdown.

optical illusions.

THE NEW HOME OF... come & visit our brand new website at www.gathered.how – we’ve joined this creative community to bring you even more easy ways to embrace handmade!

LEARN NEW CRAFTS & TECHNIQUES QUICK MAKES WITH SIMPLE HOW-TOS FRESH IDEAS FROM MODERN CREATIVES DAILY INSPO & FREE PROJECTS! BEGINNER-FRIENDLY WAYS TO GET CRAFTING EASY-TO-FOLLOW STEP-BY-STEP GUIDES HANDY VIDEO TUTORIALS

Explore fresh project ideas for all your favourite crafts with the brand new website for makers everywhere. Discover the latest patterns and tutorials for crochet, knitting, sewing, quilting, papercraft, embroidery and more, and pick up skills from experts you can trust.

www.gathered.how/molliemakes

GET THE LOOK PALM SPRINGS CHRISTMAS This festive aesthetic is an antidote to gloomy days, giving the clean lines and bold colours of mid-century modernism a playful twist. Add accent hues in flamingo pink, and all things kitsch – the tackier, the better.

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01 Luana Asiata’s artwork was made for crisp white walls.

Layering colour, pattern and shape to create modern abstract scenes, her Movement print will take you on a visual journey. Destination?

Sunny California. www.luxeology.co.uk

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02 Why nod to Christmas when you can give it a massive wave? There’s nothing subtle about these star wall hangings, which is exactly why we love them. Combining metallic glam with vintage vibes, they’re a celestial statement. www.oliverbonas.com

03 We’re pretty sure Santa invented maximalism – have you seen his uniform? – so this tinsel pom pom wreath is guaranteed to have him slamming on those sleigh brakes.

Extra sweets in your stocking if your door’s painted pastel. www. noths.com/fatpompoms

04 These braided stoneware baguette baskets are the exact quirky twist your table needs. Giving us retromade-modern energy, use them to take your mince pie plating to the next level, or fill with satsumas for an extra pop of colour. www.klevering.nl

05 Seasonal resort style requires bottle brush trees galore, so kick off your collection with this classic tree-atop-acar decoration. After all, nothing evokes sunshine and fun times like an ocean blue Volkswagen Beetle. www.cornucopiaworcester.co.uk

Living 01

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PHOTOGRAPHY: LIZ HARRY WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/LIZHARRYHOME

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Flea market finds delivered to your door is Pineapple Retro’s thing. Their website is filled to the rafters with 60’s and 70’s gems, from homewares and clothing to furniture, but we’re here for their Xmas decs section.

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06 No one should start their day drinking from an ugly mug. Charity shop your old ones and treat yourself to The Completist’s new range. They’re basically contemporary art parading as coffee holders, so we 10 out of 10 recommend. www. the-completist.com

07 If Barbie had a forest near her DreamHouse, these would be the trees growing there. A mix of translucent, opaque and opalescent glass, each ornament is a precious piece of kitsch just waiting to adorn a mantlepiece. www.crankycakes shop.etsy.com

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Surface pattern designer Kirath Ghundoo is all about geometrics.

Shop her wallpaper collection to bring that signature desert architecture look to a room, opting for subtle shapes in blush pink, or picking free-and-easy pattern clashes with rolls designed not match up or repeat. Effortless chic that also takes the stress out of decorating? Sign us up. www.kirathghundoo.com

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MOLLIE MAKES 47

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a

PHOTOGRAPHY: LAURA EDWARDS DS

Festive gath gathering h ering Give the gift of nature with Bex Partridge’s mini dried flower wreaths Subscribe at molliemakes.com

MOLLIE MAKES 49

HOW TO MAKE DRIED FLOWER WREATHS MATERIALS ■ Thin, flexible vines like Virginia creeper or clematis ■ Raffia ■ Selection of dried grasses, seed heads and flowers

The season of chunky knitwear and hot chocolates is fast approaching, so get ready to cosy up with some seriously comforting crafting.

These beautiful mini wreaths make the loveliest winter decorations – use them to embellish fabric-wrapped gifts for eco vibes, or to dress up a place setting at a dinner table. You could even use them to style up your home, creating a feature wall from a nature-inspired wreath montage.

The best part? This make is super sustainable. Wrap up warm, then take a stroll in your local park or the countryside to forage for materials, and raid your craft stash for ribbons, raffia or twine.

01 Form a 5-10cm (2-4") diameter circle at one end of the vines, then hold it closed between your thumb and forefinger while winding the other end through and round to build up a solid but delicate base. For a secure finish, there should ideally be at least three lengths of vine in any one place.

Take the loose end of the vine and tuck it in and through the existing structure to hold it in place.

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02 Tie a length of raffia in a double knot around the section of wreath where the loose end is tucked in.

This ensures the wreath base doesn’t ping open, which can happen with flexible vines.

03 Gather a small bunch of dried materials and lay them over the top of the raffia knot. Hold the loose end of the raffia in position with your thumb and forefinger, then wrap it around the base of the flowers a couple of times and gently pull it tight. Take care not to wrap the raffia too high up on the stems – the flowers will need enough freedom to be tweaked into position.

04 Repeat Step 4, adding small bunches of dried materials to the wreath base until roughly a third is covered. It should have the effect of a mini bouquet, allowing the beauty of the tiny flowers to shine.

05 Carefully wrap the raffia around the base of the last bunch of flowers to secure the stems, then knot at the back by looping the loose end through one of the wrapped sections and pulling tight.

The raffia can form part of the design, or twine, ribbon or fabric can be used to finish the piece.

EVERLASTINGS

This project appears in Everlastings: How to Grow, Harvest and Create with Dried Flowers by Bex Partridge (Hardie Grant, £14.99). Bex is a floral artist and the founder of Botanical Tales, and her new book includes project ideas, plus advice on drying flowers and grasses. www.hardiegrant.com/uk

everyday treat

PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP SOWELS; STYLING: SARAH MALONE

Hook up an advent calendar that doubles as storage – Lindsey Newns shows you how

Subscribe at molliemakes.com

MOLLIE MAKES 51

HOW TO MAKE A CROCHET ADVENT CALENDAR MATERIALS ■ Wool and The Gang Feeling Good Yarn, 70% baby Alpaca/7% Merino/23% nylon, 50g/130m per ball, three balls in Ivory White (Yarn A), and one ball each in Lilac Power (Yarn B), Eucalyptus Green (Yarn C), Hot Punk Pink (Yarn D) and Bronzed Olive (Yarn E) ■ 6mm (UK 4, US J/10) crochet hook ■ 5mm (UK 6, US H/8) crochet hook ■ Wooden dowel, 1m (393/8"), 0.8cm (¼") diameter ■ Bakers’ twine ■ Yarn needle

TENSION Approx. 14 sts and 11 rows to 10cm (4") square, worked in htr rows using 5mm crochet hook ABBREVIATIONS (UK) st(s) stitch(es) ch chain htr half treble inc increase by working 2 dc in next st BLO work stitch through back loop only FLO work stitch through front loop only rep repeat RS right side ss slip stitch WS wrong side FINISHED SIZE 45 x 35cm (17¾ x 13¾")

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52 MOLLIE MAKES

Counting down to the Big Day is all part of the festive fun, and we think everyone of all ages deserves an advent calendar.

This grown-up version is a definite upgrade on shop-bought ones, with its rows of colourful scalloped pockets just waiting to be filled with mini gifts. Make for yourself or for the whole family, using tiny tags to mark each date.

Lindsey’s cleverly left off the numbers so once 25th December rolls around you can leave yours up and use as year-round storage for craft bits or jewellery. This beauty is for life, not just for Christmas.

Instructions The calendar is worked flat in pieces – one backing piece, four strips, and 24 scallop shapes. The scallops are slip stitched together, then sewn onto the strips, which are in turn sewn onto the backing piece and sectioned off to create the pockets.

This pattern uses concise crochet terms, for example 6 dc means work 1 dc in each of next 6 sts.

Scallops (make 24) Make six scallops in each of Yarns B, C, D and E Using 5mm hook, ch7 leaving a

long 20cm (77/8") tail Row 1 starting in 2nd ch from hook, 5 dc, 3 dc in final ch, rotate piece 180° and work 5 dc back down the other side of the ch, turn [13 sts] Row 2 ch1 (does not count as a st here and throughout), 5 dc, *inc; rep from * 3 times, 5 dc, turn [16 sts] Row 3 ch1, 5 dc, *1 dc, inc; rep from * 3 times, 5 dc, turn [19 sts] Row 4 ch1, 5 dc, *2 dc, inc; rep from * 3 times, 5 dc, turn [22 sts] Row 5 ch1, 5 dc, *3 dc, inc; rep from * 3 times, 5 dc [25 sts] Break yarn, fasten off with ss and leave a long 20cm (77/8") tail Don’t weave in the ends Using the long cast-off tails, join the scallops with ss as follows: Place two scallops of the same colour RS together, then insert the hook into the FLO of the last dc of Row 5 on one scallop and the BLO of the first dc of Row 5 on the second scallop. Use the long cast-off tail to ss these together, then repeat another four times through the FLO and BLO of the sts of the next 4 sts Fasten off the yarn but don’t weave in the ends Repeat until all the colour groups are joined together in this way,

making four separate scallop strips in each yarn colour. Ensure all ss joins are on the same side (WS) of the work.

Reattach the yarn to the last dc on the RS of the scallop on the far right, and evenly work 9 dc across the base of each scallop [54 sts] Fasten off the yarn but don’t weave in the ends Backing Using Yarn A and 6mm hook, ch62 Row 1 using 5mm hook, starting in 3rd ch from hook, 1 htr in each ch along, turn [60 sts] Rows 2-44 ch2 (does not count as a st here and throughout), 60 htr, turn Break yarn, fasten off with ss and weave in the ends Pockets (make four) Using Yarn A and 6mm hook, ch56 Row 1 using 5mm hook, starting in 3rd ch from hook, 1 htr in each ch along, turn [54 sts] Rows 2-7 ch2 (does not count as a st throughout), 54 htr, turn At the end of each pocket, don’t fasten off the yarn Finishing To attach each scallop strip to each pocket strip:

Lay one scallop strip on top of one pocket strip which still has Yarn A attached. Using Yarn A and 5mm hook, ch1, make 54 dc into each dc on the base of the scallops and each htr of Row 7 of the pocket, working through all four loops to join. Using the long cast-on tails on each scallop, sew each scallop to the pocket with a running stitch, in and out of every other stitch on Scallop Row 5, following the curve of the scallops.

To join the pockets to the backing: Sew the base of the bottom pocket, in Yarn E and Yarn A, on the base of the seventh row from the bottom of the backing, leaving a gap of six rows to the bottom.

Sew the short outside edges of each pocket with a gap of 3 sts from the edge of the pocket to the edge of the backing on each side – each pocket should cover seven rows of the backing piece. Leave the top of each pocket unsewn.

Attach the second pocket, in Yarn D and Yarn A, two rows above the previous pocket, leaving a gap of 3 sts from each edge of the backing.

Attach the third pocket, in Yarn C and Yarn A, two rows above the previous pocket, leaving a gap of 3 sts from each edge of the backing.

Attach the final top pocket two rows above the previous pocket, leaving a gap of 3 sts from each edge of the backing and six or seven rows from the top.

Next, sew five vertical rows of stitching to divide up each scallop into a separate pocket as follows: Thread the yarn needle with the long tail cast-offs. Use these to sew in between the ss join of each scallop, through all three layers of scallop, pocket and backing. Use Yarn A to continue this line of stitching directly above the scallop ss join, sewing through the pocket and the backing.

Finally, attach the dowel as follows: Cut the dowel in half to create two 50cm (19¾") lengths, then turn the calendar WS up and place the dowels at the top and the bottom.

Create a channel for the bottom dowel by rolling up the bottom two rows of the piece, and using whipstitch to sew the bottom of the backing to the top of the fourth row from the bottom. Repeat to create a channel for the top dowel, rolling down the top two rows.

Each channel should be 4 rows deep. To hang, tie a length of twine to either end of the top dowel.

MEET THE MAKER

LINDSEY NEWNS Lindsey is a UK-based crochet designer and vlogger with a love of colourful, fun and modern crochet makes.

Visit her blog for more patterns and to link through to her YouTube channel, and check out her colourful Instagram @lottieandalbert for tons more crochet inspiration. www. lottieandalbert.com

MOLLIE MAKES 53

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54 MOLLIE MAKES

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MOLLIE MAKES 55

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WRAP GIFTS, CRAFT YOUR OWN CARDS AND DECK THE WALLS WITH THESE FUN FESTIVE PRINTS Susanne is a Swedish-based illustrator with a big love for nature and animals, and takes inspiration from them for her abstract prints in bold, bright colours.

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Making HAND-PICKED PROJECTS TO FALL IN LOVE WITH

PHOTOGRAPHY: JESSE WILD; STYLING: BECKI CLARK

Christmas comes but once a year, so we’re starting festive crafts and mince pies now, with decs up on December 1st. Too much? Check out Modern Brush Lettering by Becki Clark for more subtle nods to the season, like this botancial advent calendar. www.beckiclark.com

MOLLIE MAKES 65

Mitten weather

Embrace Scandi vibes and stay cosy with Sandra Gutierrez’s knitted mittens

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PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP SOWELS; STYLING: SARAH MALONE

HOW TO MAKE KNITTED MITTENS MATERIALS ■ Cascade 220 Superwash, 100% wool, 100g/200m per ball, one ball each in Shire (1918) (Yarn A) and Feather Grey (875) (Yarn B) ■ 4mm (UK 8, US 6) circular needle ■ 3.5mm (UK 9/10, US 4) circular needle ■ Two stitch markers ■ Stitch holder ■ Yarn needle TENSION Approx. 19 sts and 25 rounds to 10cm (4") square, over pattern using 4mm needles

p purl M1R make one right – insert left-hand needle from back to front under the loop between sts, using right-hand needle knit into the back of this loop M1L make one left – insert left-hand needle from front to back under the loop between sts, using righthand needle knit into the back of this loop kfb knit into the front and back of the st k2tog knit 2 sts together ssk slip one st, slip one st, knit slipped sts together pm place marker

ABBREVIATIONS (UK) st(s) stitch(es) k knit

FINISHED SIZE Approx. 25cm (97/8") long and 19cm (7½") diameter

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68 MOLLIE MAKES

As soon as the temperature drops, all we can think about is wearing chunky head-to-toe Fair Isle, so these toasty warm mitts are seasonal goals. Worked in soft wool using a forest-inspired design, they’re also a great introduction to the world of colourwork.

Special techniques Magic loop this method allows small circumference projects to be worked on one long circular needle. Cast on, then divide the stitches into two equal parts and pull the cable loop through the middle of them. Use the free needle tip to knit across half the stitches, then rotate the project and work the remaining stitches.

Fair Isle the Fair Isle pattern is created by using two colours per round, floating unused yarns across the back of the work, and bringing them in when needed. Each time the yarn is floated, ensure the sts on the right needle are stretched out so the floats aren’t too tight – otherwise the knitting will be puckered. To bring in a new colour, place the new yarn over the right needle, leaving a long tail, and begin knitting. Charts are provided for the Fair Isle pattern on page 82.

Each square on a chart represents one st. When knitting in the round, always read charts from right to left. A grey square denotes Yarn B and a white square denotes Yarn A – all sts are knit unless shown as M1L or M1R on the chart.

Kitchener stitch Kitchener stitch is used to join two pieces of knitting with no visible seam. Hold two needles of stitches together and, using a tapestry needle, weave the yarn in and out both sets of stitches to simulate the knitted fabric.

Instructions The mittens are worked in the round from the bottom up on circular needles. The cuff is ribbed, then the hand is worked in Fair Isle, and the thumb is shaped on one side. After completing the thumb shaping, the thumb sts are separated and the body of the mitten is worked separately until reaching the end of the chart and closing off at the top of the fingers.

The thumb is finished in the round.

Cuff Using 3.5mm needle and Yarn A, loosely cast on 36 sts – to use the magic loop technique, place 18 sts on each needle to start working in

the round [36 sts] Round 1 (k1, p1) repeated to the end of the round Repeat Round 1 until cuff measures approx. 7cm (2¾") Change to 4mm needle Hand Set-up round k17, pm, k1, continue on second needle, k1, pm, k16, kfb in last st [37 sts] The thumb will be worked at the 2 sts in between the markers Rounds 1-13 follow Chart 1 on page 82, noting the following: Make one stitch per square and change colour when indicated Increase at thumb on every other round where indicated in the chart – first after the first marker, then before the second marker Whenever there are floats longer than 4 sts, twist the yarn at the back before continuing to keep the back of the work neat At the end of Round 13 there are 16 sts in between the markers – a total of 25 sts on needle 1 and 26 on needle 2 [51 sts] The thumb shaping is complete Round 14 work the first 17 sts of Chart 2, cast on 1 st, remove marker and place the next 16 sts on a stitch holder, remove marker,

work Chart 2 to the end [36 sts] Rounds 15-36 follow Chart 2, repeating it twice on every round (once on each needle) Finger shaping Round 37 k2tog, k to 2 sts before end of needle 1, ssk, on needle 2, k2tog, k to 2 sts before end, ssk [32 sts] Round 38 k Repeat the previous two rounds until there are a total of 20 sts – 10 on each needle Close the finger end by joining the sts on each needle together using Kitchener stitch Thumb Transfer the 16 thumb sts onto the 4mm circular needle and pick up 3 sts where the thumb joins the hand – the st that was casted on after the thumb separation and one more on each side of it. Place the sts on the needles to continue working in rounds using the magic loop technique. There should be 9 sts on needle 1 (the one closest to you) and 10 sts on needle 2 [19 sts] Round 1 using Yarn B, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1 [17 sts] Round 2 k to last 2 sts, k2tog [16 sts]

Round 3 k Round 4 k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1 [14 sts] Rounds 5-6 k Rounds 7-9 repeat the previous 3 rounds [12 sts] Round 10 k3 with Yarn B, k1 with Yarn A, k5 with Yarn B, k1 with Yarn A, k2 with Yarn B Round 11 k2 with Yarn B, k3 with Yarn A, k3 with Yarn B, k3 with Yarn A, k1 with Yarn B Round 12 k1 with Yarn B, k5 with Yarn A, k1 with Yarn B, k5 with Yarn A, k1 with Yarn B, cut Yarn B Knit 5 more rounds in Yarn A Next round (k2tog, k2, ssk) twice [8 sts] Cut the yarn. Using a yarn needle and the tail left at the end of the thumb, pass the yarn through all 8 sts, remove the circular needle, pull to close the hole and fasten off on the wrong side Finishing Weave in all ends. Use the yarn left at the beginning of the thumb to close any gaps where the thumb meets the hand.

To block the mittens, dampen them, then carefully stretch them out to the approximate measurements. Leave to dry.

MEET THE MAKER

SANDRA GUTIERREZ Sandra is a crochet and knitwear designer from Mexico who lives in the UK with her husband, daughter and two dogs. She loves the the outdoors almost as much as yarn, and her designs are inspired by nature and her travels.

Find more on her website, and on Insta @nomadstitches. www. nomadstitches.com

MOLLIE MAKES 69

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PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP SOWELS; STYLING: SARAH MALONE

Makers mark

Pretty up your craft essentials with Taylor Clem’s polymer clay stitch markers

MOLLIE MAKES 71

02

03

04

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HOW TO MAKE STITCH MARKERS MATERIALS ■ Sculpey Souffle Polymer Clay, 2oz (57g), one pack each in Sea Glass, Guava, Raspberry and two packs of Igloo ■ Acrylic rolling pin ■ Craft knife ■ Cocktail stick ■ Mini metal cutters, circular and oval ■ Baking paper ■ Baking tray ■ Sandpaper, 600 grit and 1200 grit ■ Hand drill ■ Jump rings ■ Pliers ■ Lobster clips

The one thing both knitters and crocheters can agree on is that stitch markers are a crafter’s best friend. Whether you’re marking off rounds in amigurumi or using them to keep place on a cosy sock pattern, they’re beyond handy, but not always beautiful.

These decorative treats are made using the material of the moment – polymer clay – for an extra special way to mark the spot. Inspired by vintage Christmas baubles, they’d also make a top gift for your yarny pals. Personalise your designs and colourways however you like, and if you can’t get your hands on mini cutters, cut around a small object or template using a craft knife.

01 Preheat the oven to 135°C/275°F/Gas Mark 1, or to the temperature advised by the manufacturer on the clay packaging. Take each of the clay colours out of the packaging and work each individual colour until it’s

72 MOLLIE MAKES

soft and malleable by kneading and twisting it. The clay is well conditioned and ready to use when it can be folded in half without getting any tears along the fold line. This processes softens up the clay for ease of use, and doing this also prevents the finished pieces from cracking after baking.

02 Next, create the colours for each of the stitch marker elements using the following quantities: three parts Igloo clay and one part Sea Glass clay for the base colour, two parts Igloo clay and one part Sea Glass clay for the base accent colour, one part Guava clay and one part Igloo clay for the first bauble colour, and one part Raspberry clay and one part Igloo clay for the second bauble colour. Knead each of the colour combinations together until the clay becomes a solid shade with no marbling through it.

03 Using the acrylic rolling pin, roll out the base colour on a flat non-stick surface, such as a

ceramic tile or piece of parchment paper, to roughly 2-3mm (1/8") thick.

04 Next, roll out the base accent colour very thinly – roughly 1mm (1/16") thick. Start tearing small pieces off and place them randomly on the base slab, then use the rolling pin to gently press these pieces into the base.

05 Roll the first and second bauble colours to a 1-2mm (1/16") thickness.

Use the craft knife to cut bauble shapes from each of the colours, as shown, then gently place them in vertical lines on the base, spacing each bauble shape roughly 1-2cm (3/8-¾") apart and alternating the colours in each vertical line.

06 Take small amounts of each of the bauble colours and roll them into a thin snake-like shape. Cut 2mm (1/16") chunks from each one of these shapes, then roll these into small balls. Place three balls in between each of the baubles as shown, using dark pink balls between the light pink baubles,

05

06

07

11

12

13

and light pink balls between the dark pink baubles.

07 Roll the white clay out to a 1-2mm (1/16") thickness. Use the craft knife to cut out star shapes, then gently place the stars between the lines of baubles. Make sure to space them out evenly.

08 Using a cocktail stick or texture tool, start to add patterns to the baubles, stars and beads using the image as a guide. Press gently so as not to put a hole through to the other side of the slab.

09 Next, cut out shapes from the clay slab using the cutters. Check the position of the cutter before pressing down so you know what the stitch marker will look like – we tried to get lots of colour and shape on each one.

10 Place a piece of baking paper onto a baking tray, then gently move each stitch marker shape from the slab onto the paper, using the craft knife to lift them – try to handle the clay as little as possible

to avoid fingerprints. Bake at 135°C/ 275°F/Gas Mark 1 for 50 minutes.

11 Once the stitch markers have cooled, gently sand down any rough edges with the 600 grit sandpaper first, then the 1200 grit sandpaper. Make sure to do this in a well-ventilated area, and always wear a face mask to prevent breathing in any dust.

12 Place a stitch marker on a scrap piece of wood or similar, then use the hand drill to drill a hole 2mm (1/16") down from the top – the wood will prevent the surface underneath from getting damaged. Repeat to drill holes at the top of each of the markers.

13 Use a pair of pliers to open a jump ring, then thread it through the hole at the top of one stitch marker. To make a knit stitch marker, close the jump ring. To make a crochet stitch marker, add a lobster clasp before closing the jump ring. Repeat to finish off the rest of the markers.

MEET THE MAKER TAYLOR CLEM Taylor is a Canadian jewellery maker living in Glasgow, and loves crafting colourful, bold patterned earrings. Her Etsy shop is filled with polymer clay beauties, and you can also find them on her Insta @_mysundaystudio. www.shopmysunday studio.etsy.com

MOLLIE MAKES 73

ILLUSTRATION: MILLIE SEWELL-KNIGHT WWW.MILLIE-AMBER.CO.UK

74 MOLLIE MAKES

WE’VE GOT THIS, SANTA IT’S BEEN A BIG YEAR, BUT WITH OUR HEARTS, MINDS AND HANDS WE CAN CREATE PAPER CHAINS OF POSITIVITY AND HOPE THIS FESTIVE SEASON Words: HELEN MARTIN Illustration: MILLIE AMBER

W

ithin each of us lies a heart that soars with craft and creativity. Sometimes you’ll unexpectedly feel something huge within a single stitch, a still moment, a flourish of paint. That quiet thread of feeling whirls within before perhaps freeing you. That’s the beauty of creativity – it’s a meditative and meaningful balm. It’s also active and loaded with love and power. What we all need this Christmas is an extravaganza of this; we need to knit it into baubles and pave a glittery path to 2021.

For creative small businesses, your support never goes unnoticed, and over this year many brands have relinquished control and opened up. For example, Kalkidan Legesse, managing director of sustainable clothing company Sanchos, says: “We leaned into being in a position of vulnerability, particularly to our audience, allowing us to be open and ask for support in navigating the uncertainty. In our personal lives, we looked inward both into our relationship and ourselves to see what new levels of security could be found from introspection.” Positivity, realism and brilliant customers have been key, explains Kalkidan. “It’s surreal and heartwarming to know there is so much warmth around our small business.” A Christmas gift from a small store or #justacard makes a truly positive difference, bringing with it joy and connection.

MEANINGFUL EXPRESSION Communication and closeness have been profound for many this year, with both honesty and feeling natural and essential. “It’s deepened my relationships,” Frankie Tortora, founder of freelance community Doing It For The Kids, reflects. “I feel like there’s been less small talk with the people in my life – more honest and open connections have been made.” As we enter the Christmas festivities, nurture your love for craft and connect with others over a personally embellished Christmas jumper and a homemade mince pie. Take part in Mind’s Crafternoon this November, book a virtual workshop, or try something new and engage with its online community. Don’t forget to connect with yourself too. Kristen Drozdowski of Worthwhile Paper has a guided journal, You Are The Magic You Seek, focused on healing and personal growth – “a companion for tuning into your own wisdom and selfconnection”. Sow those seeds and allow yourself to bloom.

“When my creativity flows, I feel free,” shares Lucy Peltier of LucyLu Dreams. Empower yourself and others to believe in themselves and help create change too.

Remind and add extra tinsel to this at Christmas. “Craft is a powerful medium through which we can express our thoughts, feelings and passions,” Lucy points out. Her

own beautiful, hopeful embroidery patterns for beginners are “inspired by nature, the seasons, my story and those of other Black and Brown people”. See: Fire In My Heart and Summer Queen and the stories behind them. This year she released her Power of Love embroidery design, featuring the raised clenched fist symbolic of Black power, intertwined with flowers and vines, a reminder that equality and justice needs to be driven by love. “I created it in response to my belief we can be sensitive and strong, gentle and firm, loving and powerful. It’s about love needing to be the driving force behind the fight for equality.” Lucy radiates positivity, purpose and love. For her, nature, craft and hope are entwined. “Crafting is an essential outlet for what is going on in my heart and mind.”

FEELING AND HEALING Like Lucy, Kristen believes that creativity is central to practising mindfulness and self-care. “I love having a holistic perspective on creativity, into the realm of healing, growth and emergence of life.” This Christmas, make time to self-reflect. One way Kristen processes her feelings is through stream of consciousness journaling, “just writing it all out and letting the thoughts flow”. She also finds release through “sitting and letting emotions arise and letting them take up space”.

Over Christmas, Kristen will be spreading positivity as a way to also cultivate it. “Since the holidays are typically times of giving, focusing some energy to homemade and handmade gifts, and written notes of love and encouragement can really elevate my spirit,” she enthuses.

Why not create your own Christmas wrap and cards using pattern? Joanna Thompson of Mother Feels designed her Curveball stationery within lockdown, eloquently encapsulating so many emotions. “It’s inspired by change being thrown at you and finding hope within it all. It was real therapy for me to create them,” recalls Joanna. She encourages everyone to try the beauty of pattern making.

Joanna’s tip? “Just let go and express feelings in different shapes, lines and colours as one big release!”

This Christmas, craft with positive intention and festoon with handmade magic, pouring love into what you make, buy and give. As Lucy reminds us, “craft brings people together and togetherness is essential if we are going to make things better for us all.”

Be kind to yourself. These are not normal times, but we can acknowledge and celebrate our vulnerability, strength, self-belief, love and hope. We can embrace our love of craft. The future is a picture yet to be created, but you can choose to believe in its magnificent possibilities.

MOLLIE MAKES 75

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76 MOLLIE MAKES

Deck the halls

PHOTOGRAPHY: STACY GRANT AND MARK DAVISON © SEARCH PRESS LTD 2020

Spread festive cheer with Sarah-Jane Hicks’ mini crochet Christmas tree

MOLLIE MAKES 77

HOW TO MAKE A CROCHET CHRISTMAS TREE MATERIALS ■ Sirdar Happy Cotton DK, 100% cotton, 20g/43m per ball, one ball in Wicket (0781) (Yarn A) and small amounts each of Cookie (0777) (Yarn B), Lippy (0789) (Yarn C), Melon (0794) (Yarn D) and Shower (0762) (Yarn E) ■ 3.5mm (UK 9, US E/4) crochet hook ■ Two 9mm (3/8") safety eyes ■ Black embroidery thread ■ Embroidery needle ■ Yarn needle ■ Soft toy stuffing ■ Stitch marker TENSION Tension is not important, but the stitches need to be dense enough so the stuffing doesn’t show ABBREVIATIONS (UK) st(s) stitch(es) ch chain ss slip stitch dc double crochet dc2tog double crochet 2 together – (insert hook in next st, yrh and draw loop through) twice, yrh and draw through all 3 loops on hook BLO work stitch through back loop only FINISHED SIZE Approx. 17cm (6¾") high

78 MOLLIE MAKES

If you’ve ever wanted to give amigurumi a go, this super-cute stocking filler is the place to start. Worked in rounds using basic double crochet stitch, even total newbies can get in on this one – turn to page 82 for a handy guide.

If you haven’t got the recommended yarn, swap it out for any DK-weight version, mixing up the colours to suit your stash. Add a loop of thread to turn yours into an ornament, or string a whole forest together to make the cutest bunting. And, go wild with embellishments – from sequins to beads, the more the merrier.

Instructions Most parts of the pattern are worked using the amigurumi method, working in a continuous spiral without closing off the round with a ss. It may help to use a st marker in last the st of each round, moving it up as you work.

This pattern uses concise crochet terms, for example 6 dc means work 1 dc in each of next 6 sts.

Tree body Using Yarn A, ch2 Round 1 6 dc in 2nd ch from hook [6 sts] Round 2 (1 dc, 2 dc in next st) three times [9 sts] Round 3 1 dc in each st around Round 4 (2 dc, 2 dc in next st) three times [12 sts] Round 5 1 dc in each st around Round 6 (3 dc, 2 dc in next st) three times [15 sts] Round 7 1 dc in each st around Round 8 (4 dc, 2 dc in next st) three times [18 sts] Round 9 1 dc in each st around Round 10 (5 dc, 2 dc in next st) three times [21 sts] Round 11 1 dc in each st around Round 12 (6 dc, 2 dc in next st) three times [24 sts] Round 13 1 dc in each st around Round 14 (7 dc, 2 dc in next st) three times [27 sts] Round 15 1 dc in each st around Round 16 (8 dc, 2 dc in next st) three times [30 sts] Round 17 1 dc in each st around Round 18 (9 dc, 2 dc in next st)

three times [33 sts] Round 19 1 dc in each st around Round 20 (10 dc, 2 dc in next st) three times [36 sts] Round 21 1 dc in each st around Round 22 (11 dc, 2 dc in next st) three times [39 sts] Round 23 1 dc in each st around Round 24 (12 dc, 2 dc in next st) three times [42 sts] Round 25 work this round through BLO, (5 dc, dc2tog) six times [36 sts] Round 26 (4 dc, dc2tog) six times [30 sts] Round 27 (3 dc, dc2tog) six times [24 sts] Round 28 (2 dc, dc2tog) six times [18 sts] Break yarn and fasten off Tree trunk Using Yarn B, ch2 Round 1 6 dc in 2nd ch from hook [6 sts] Round 2 2 dc in each st around [12 sts] Round 3 (1 dc, 2 dc in next st) six times [18 sts] Round 4 work this round through BLO, 1dc in each st around Rounds 5-7 1 dc in each st around Break yarn and fasten off, leaving a long yarn tail to sew it to the body

Finishing Attach the safety eyes to the tree body between Rounds 19 and 20, 6 sts apart.

Stuff the tree body, then use black embroidery thread to embroider on the mouth, referring to the image as a guide to placement.

Sew on the cheeks just under the outer edge of the eyes, then stuff the trunk and sew it to the tree.

Next, sew the star to the top of the tree, then wrap the tinsel around the tree and sew in place with a few evenly spaced running stitches.

Cheeks (make two) Using Yarn C, ch2 Round 1 6 dc in 2nd ch from hook, join with ss to 1st dc [6 sts] Break yarn and fasten off, leaving a long yarn tail to sew it to the tree Star Using Yarn D, ch2 Round 1 5 dc in 2nd ch from hook, join with ss to 1st dc [5 sts] Round 2 *ch2, 1 dc in 2nd ch from hook, ss in next st on Round 1; repeat from * four more times until five points have been made Break yarn and fasten off, leaving a long yarn tail to attach it to the tree Tinsel Using Yarn E and leaving a long yarn tail to start, ch80 Break yarn and fasten off, leaving a long yarn tail to attach the tinsel to the tree

AMIGURUMI CHRISTMAS This project was taken from Amigurumi Christmas: 20 SuperCute Kawaii Crochet Projects for the Festive Season by Sarah-Jane Hicks, published by Search Press (£9.99), and filled with fun toys to make you smile. www.searchpress.com

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APPLIQUÉ BANNER

By Jessie Doughty PAGE 14

CAMEL

cut one

SADDLE

cut one

STITCH GUIDE

Thank you for making this project from Mollie Makes. We have requested specific permission from designers so that you can recreate and sell selected projects from this issue on the following conditions. Just look for this icon.

You can individually hand-make as many as you wish of our labelled projects, to sell either for yourself, your local event or to raise money for charity. You cannot sell in shops (online or otherwise) and you cannot go into mass production, which means you cannot manufacture in large quantities, especially by machine. Selling photocopies of any part of this magazine, its kits or supplements is prohibited. We don’t mind if you make a copy of the templates for a friend but please do not make any part of the templates or instructions available to others through your website or a third party website, or copy it multiple times without our permission. Please respect one another’s copyright.

82 MOLLIE MAKES

Templates

BANNER

cut two

MOLLIE MAKES 83

Templates PATCHWORK STOCKING

by Wendy Chow PAGE 36

PHOTOCOPY AT 200%

HORIZONTAL LINE

CENTRE LINE Thank you for making this project from Mollie Makes. We have requested specific permission from designers so that you can recreate and sell selected projects from this issue on the following conditions. Just look for this icon.

You can individually hand-make as many as you wish of our labelled projects, to sell either for yourself, your local event or to raise money for charity. You cannot sell in shops (online or otherwise) and you cannot go into mass production, which means you cannot manufacture in large quantities, especially by machine. Selling photocopies of any part of this magazine, its kits or supplements is prohibited. We don’t mind if you make a copy of the templates for a friend but please do not make any part of the templates or instructions available to others through your website or a third party website, or copy it multiple times without our permission. Please respect one another’s copyright.

84 MOLLIE MAKES

Templates KNITTED MITTENS

by Sandra Gutierrez PAGE 66

CHART 1

CHART 2

KEY

M1L M1R K1 With yarn A K1 with yarn B

Thank you for making this project from Mollie Makes. We have requested specific permission from designers so that you can recreate and sell selected projects from this issue on the following conditions. Just look for this icon.

You can individually hand-make as many as you wish of our labelled projects, to sell either for yourself, your local event or to raise money for charity. You cannot sell in shops (online or otherwise) and you cannot go into mass production, which means you cannot manufacture in large quantities, especially by machine. Selling photocopies of any part of this magazine, its kits or supplements is prohibited. We don’t mind if you make a copy of the templates for a friend but please do not make any part of the templates or instructions available to others through your website or a third party website, or copy it multiple times without our permission. Please respect one another’s copyright.

MOLLIE MAKES 85

Templates CROCHET STITCH GUIDE

use our handy guide for the crochet projects inside this issue

HOLDING THE HOOK

Pencil method

Knife method

Hold the hook in your dominant hand like a pencil, roughly 3-5cm (1¼-2") from the hooked end. If the hook has a flat area, hold it here between your index finger and your thumb.

Hold the hook between your thumb and your index finger, about 3-5cm (1¼-2") from the hooked end, resting the other end against your palm. This will give you plenty of control.

02

01

HOLDING THE YARN

Method one

Method two

Pass the ball end of the yarn between the little finger and third fingers of your nondominant hand, then behind the third and middle fingers, over your index finger.

Loop the ball end of the yarn around the little finger of your non-dominant hand, then take it over the third finger, behind the middle finger, and finally over your index finger.

03

04

MAKING A SLIPKNOT

The first loop on the hook 01 Hold the tail of the ball of yarn in your non-dominant hand and drape the yarn clockwise over the top of it to form a circular loop, as shown.

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

02 Hold the loop between your left thumb and your index finger, then insert the crochet hook through the centre of the loop, from front to back.

01

03 Catch the ball end of the yarn with the crochet hook and pull the hook back through the centre of the loop, taking the yarn through with it as you go.

02

04 Pull both ends of the yarn to tighten the knot, then pull just the ball end to tighten the loop so it’s close to the hook, but not quite touching it.

03

CHAIN STITCH HOW TO COUNT Each chain or loop counts as one stitch. Never count the first slipknot or loop on the hook (called the working loop). So you can be accurate, make sure the chain is not twisted, and that the front is facing you.

Use this stitch to make your foundation chain 01 Hold the hook in your dominant hand, and the yarn end and working yarn in your other hand. Move the hook under and over the yarn to wrap it around the hook anti-clockwise.

02 Pull the hook towards the slipknot, catching the yarn, and pulling it through the loop. This forms the first chain stitch (ch).

Repeat Steps 1-2 as required to form a chain length.

03 This is what the row of chains will look like. Hold the chain with your non-dominant hand as you work, near the hook, to keep the tension. Continue until you have all the chains needed.

Thank you for making this project from Mollie Makes. We have requested specific permission from designers so that you can recreate and sell selected projects from this issue on the following conditions. Just look for this icon.

You can individually hand-make as many as you wish of our labelled projects, to sell either for yourself, your local event or to raise money for charity. You cannot sell in shops (online or otherwise) and you cannot go into mass production, which means you cannot manufacture in large quantities, especially by machine. Selling photocopies of any part of this magazine, its kits or supplements is prohibited. We don’t mind if you make a copy of the templates for a friend but please do not make any part of the templates or instructions available to others through your website or a third party website, or copy it multiple times without our permission. Please respect one another’s copyright.

86 MOLLIE MAKES

Templates

01

02

SLIP STITCH (SS)

This stitch has no height, and is often used to join rounds 01 Slip stitch is used to join a length of chain into the round.

Insert the hook from front to back into the first chain worked.

Wrap the yarn around the hook, anti-clockwise.

01

02 Pull the yarn through the chain stitch, then the loop already on the hook, to make a slip stitch. You can also work this into each stitch along a row to form a neat edging.

02

01

02

WORKING IN ROWS

Follow these simple rules to construct crochet fabric 01 The first row is made by working across the foundation chain from right to left. At the end of the chain or row, turn the work so the yarn coming from the ball is behind the hook.

03

02 For the next row, first make the turning chain for the stitch you’re about to work. Then, work the next stitch into the top of the stitches on your first row, missing the first stitch.

04

DOUBLE CROCHET (DC)

One of the key stitches in crochet, doubles are simple, compact stitches that form a dense fabric 01 To make a double crochet stitch, insert the hook under the top two loops of the next stitch on the previous row.

02 Wind the yarn around the hook (yrh) in an anti-clockwise direction, as shown.

03 Pull the yarn through the

stitch, giving you two loops on the crochet hook.

04 Yrh again as per Step 2, then pull the yarn through both loops

to make the double crochet stitch, leaving one loop on the hook. Repeat Steps 1-4 as needed for the pattern.

01 02

03

04

HALF TREBLE CROCHET (HTR)

A handy stitch that’s between double and treble crochet in size, and looks slightly looser than double crochet 01 To make a half treble crochet stitch, work up to where you want the htr, then wind the yarn around the hook (yrh).

02 Insert the hook under the top two loops of the next stitch in the previous row as shown.

Wrap yrh again.

03 Pull the yarn through the stitch only – this will give you a total of three loops on the crochet hook.

04 Yrh again, then pull the yarn through all three loops to make the half treble crochet. Work htr into the next stitches as needed.

Mollie Makes (ISSN 20460228) (USPS 20517) Christmas 2020 is published 13 times a year (monthly, with a Christmas issue in October) by Immediate Media Company Bristol Ltd., Eagle House, Colston Avenue, Bristol, BS1 4ST United Kingdom. Distributed in the U.S. by NPS Media Group, 2 Corporate Dr., Suite 945, Shelton, CT 06484. Periodical Postage paid at Shelton, CT and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to Mollie Makes, Immediate Media, 2900 Veterans Highway, Bristol, PA 19007, USA Thank you for making this project from Mollie Makes. We have requested specific permission from designers so that you can recreate and sell selected projects from this issue on the following conditions. Just look for this icon.

You can individually hand-make as many as you wish of our labelled projects, to sell either for yourself, your local event or to raise money for charity. You cannot sell in shops (online or otherwise) and you cannot go into mass production, which means you cannot manufacture in large quantities, especially by machine. Selling photocopies of any part of this magazine, its kits or supplements is prohibited. We don’t mind if you make a copy of the templates for a friend but please do not make any part of the templates or instructions available to others through your website or a third party website, or copy it multiple times without our permission. Please respect one another’s copyright.

MOLLIE MAKES 87

Templates EMBROIDERY STITCH GUIDE use our handy guide for the appliqué banner on page 14

02

01

03

01

02

01

02

FRENCH KNOT This is a stitch that everyone should learn, because it’s so useful. The secret is to hold the working thread taut while you pull it through.

Come up at point 1, then wrap the thread around the needle twice.

Holding the working thread with your non-dominant hand, bring the needle down at point 2 (close to point 1, but not the same hole) and pull slowly until the knot is formed.

02 03 01

BACKSTITCH This stitch is ideal for outlines, and it’s the one you’ll find you use the most.

Come up from the back at point 1, then go down at point 2. Come up at point 3, then go back to point 1 and bring the needle through to the back.

01

02

03

04

WHIPPED BACKSTITCH This is a great way to embellish a line of backstitch, adding thickness, texture or some extra colour.

Start with a line of backstitch. Come up at point 1. Slide the needle under the first backstitch from the top down. Slide the needle under the next stitch from the top down. Repeat. Bring the needle down at point 2 when you reach the end of the line of backstitch.

01 01

02

02 03

SATIN STITCH When you want to fill an area with a smooth finish, this stitch is the ideal choice. It’s best worked in small areas, because if the stitches are too long, they may snag.

Come up at point 1, then go down at point 2. Come up at point 3, then go down at point 4. Repeat. Always work the stitches across the area you’re filling, coming up on the opposite side where your needle went down.

LAZY DAISY Usually used for flower petals, this stitch is also ideal for embroidering tiny seeds.

Come up at point 1, then go back down at point 1, leaving a small loop.

Come up through the loop at point 2, then go down at point 3 (next to point 2, but not the same hole).

BLANKET STITCH This is fun for decorative stitching or appliqué. Try to keep the spacing and stitch height consistent.

Come up at point 1. Go down at point 2 and come back up at point 3, keeping the needle over the working thread. Pull the thread to create a right angle, then repeat as per the pattern.

Thank you for making this project from Mollie Makes. We have requested specific permission from designers so that you can recreate and sell selected projects from this issue on the following conditions. Just look for this icon.

You can individually hand-make as many as you wish of our labelled projects, to sell either for yourself, your local event or to raise money for charity. You cannot sell in shops (online or otherwise) and you cannot go into mass production, which means you cannot manufacture in large quantities, especially by machine. Selling photocopies of any part of this magazine, its kits or supplements is prohibited. We don’t mind if you make a copy of the templates for a friend but please do not make any part of the templates or instructions available to others through your website or a third party website, or copy it multiple times without our permission. Please respect one another’s copyright.

88 MOLLIE MAKES

MARBLED CRACKERS

By Lucy McGrath PAGE 28

EDITORIAL Editor Yvette Streeter Art Editor Sarah Malone Commissioning Editor Becca Parker Digital Content Editor Phoebe Burt Picture Editor Emma Georgiou

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COPYRIGHT GUIDELINES FOR PROJECTS We have requested permission from designers so you can make and sell selected projects on the following conditions. Just look for this icon. Please credit the designer where appropriate and when requested. Mollie Makes encourages creativity, and want to help you make small batches of handmade items to sell. You can handmake as many of our labelled projects as you wish to sell for yourself, a local event or for charity. You cannot sell in shops (online or otherwise) or go into mass production, so you cannot manufacture in large quantities, especially by machine. Selling photocopies of any part of this magazine or its gift is prohibited – please respect one another’s copyright.

All toys for sale in the UK must meet a list of safety requirements, set out in the Toy (Safety) Regulations 2011. To prove the requirements are met, all toys should carry a CE Mark – a declaration by the maker that a toy is safe. In order to use the CE mark, you must check your products meet the requirements under the Regulations. If you’re using one of our patterns to make items that appeal to children under 14, please take the necessary steps to comply with legislation. Visit www.gov.uk/ce-marking or visit shop.conformance.co.uk to find out about self-certification packs.

Mollie Makes is published by:

Immediate Media Company Limited, Eagle House, Colston Avenue, Bristol, BS1 4ST United Kingdom We abide by IPSO’s rules and regulations. To give feedback about our magazines, please visit immediate.co.uk, email editorialcomplaints@immediate.co.uk or write to Yvette Streeter or Katherine Conlon, Immediate Media Co., Vineyard House, 44 Brook Green, London W6 7BT.

Thank you for making this project from Mollie Makes. We have requested specific permission from designers so that you can recreate and sell selected projects from this issue on the following conditions. Just look for this icon.

You can individually hand-make as many as you wish of our labelled projects, to sell either for yourself, your local event or to raise money for charity. You cannot sell in shops (online or otherwise) and you cannot go into mass production, which means you cannot manufacture in large quantities, especially by machine. Selling photocopies of any part of this magazine, its kits or supplements is prohibited. We don’t mind if you make a copy of the templates for a friend but please do not make any part of the templates or instructions available to others through your website or a third party website, or copy it multiple times without our permission. Please respect one another’s copyright.

Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited (company number 05715415) is registered in England and Wales. The registered office of Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited is at Vineyard House, 44 Brook Green, London W6 7BT. All information contained in this magazine is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information.

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MOLLIE MAKES 89

TEA AND A CHAT “Everything was inspired by the world I’d been immersed in.”

POTTER LEELA CHAKRAVATI ON MAKING A CREATIVE CAREER CHANGE

IMAGES FEATURING LEELA – ART DIRECTION AND PHOTOGRAPHY: THE INK GARDEN DESIGN STUDIO (WWW.THE INKGARDEN.COM) AND LAUREN + DOUGLAS PHOTOGRAPHY AND FILMS (WWW.LAURENANDDOUGLAS.COM)

O

THIS MONTH I’M LOVING...

Listening to: Audiobooks while I create.

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell is a favourite, on repeat. An idyllic life on a Greek island, filled with animals.

Reading: If glaze chemistry books count as reading, that is. Note to self – take time to sink your teeth into some good fiction, not just audiobooks.

Eating: Lemon curd and lashings of butter heaped onto lightly toasted bread. Every single day.

90 MOLLIE MAKES

riginally I moved to Australia to pursue a doctorate in Marine Biology, but four years later I emerged from there as a potter with a PhD. I’d spent the last 10 years of my life in academia, first doing my Bachelors and Masters, then as a researcher and finally a PhD candidate, publishing papers on climate change and ocean creatures. One year into my PhD I joined a pottery class. I hated it. It was so difficult and I was terrible at it. It was nothing at all like the meditative and fluid movements you watch in pottery videos, more a panicked splashing and sloshing as the top of the espresso cup you’ve been meticulously perfecting for an hour flies off the wheel and across the room. Splat. Somehow, I persevered and after a couple of months I was totally hooked. Thimble-sized cups morphed into fully-fledged mugs and soy sauce dishes became fruit bowls. By the time I was finishing up my PhD, I had started teaching my own pottery classes, my work was featuring in exhibitions and I was selling my makes online, too. Everything was deeply inspired by the marine world that I had been immersed in for so many years. When I decided to switch from a life in marine biology to full-time pottery, it was actually one of the easiest transitions of my life, combining the two things I love the most into my business. In April of this year I moved back home to England and I’m having the time of my life continuing an adventure of creativity and ceramics, with the underwater world firmly at the centre of it all.

To browse through Leela’s latest work or to purchase a piece of your very own, head over to www.leelachakravarti.com. You can also follow her creative journey on Instagram @leelapottery.

Find perfect gift ideas for your loved ones as well as decorative inspiration for the most beautiful time of the year in the Posterlounge online shop.

High-quality wall prints & frames :LGH UDQJH RI SURGXFWV )DVW D RUGDEOH GHOLYHU\ www.posterlounge.co.uk

Because the Small Details Matter too‌

Instructional app available which uses the machines QR code to access help videos.

Largest Sewing Space

janome.co.uk/continental-m7

12 Christmas bakes t o bring joy

BAKES

festive recipes HANDMADE TREATS FOR R GIVING & SHARING

INSIDE

EA SY WAY S TO HAVE FUN IN THE KI TCHE N!

XXXXXXX CHRISTMAS MOLLIE MAKES 801

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Welcome I think we can officially say that 2020 has been the year of baking.

From banana bread galore to the welcome return of The Great British Bake Off, there’s something hugely comforting about all things cake we’ve embraced with open arms.

There’s so much joy to be had from creating something delicious in the kitchen, especially when you can share it with friends and family. So, with Christmas just around the corner, we’ve teamed up with

Bacofoil® to put together a selection of fun, festive recipes that are easy to make, from quick gifts to those you can take your time over. Sending love and sugary treats your way!

Yvette Streeter Editor

CONTENTS

18

9

39

28

26 21

32

14

WEEKEND BAKES

TREATS TO GIFT

FOOD FOR SHARING

6 Rudolph cake pops Get festive with gluten-free treats on a stick in the shape of Santa’s bestie

18 Ginger biscuits Ice the cutest Christmas jumpers

32 Blackberry doughnuts Laced with spice and all things nice, this classic bake just got seasonal

9 Winter wonderland cake More than worthy of a Paul Hollywood handshake, this is a true showstopper

21 Chocolate truffles Easy crowdpleasers in eco gift wrap 23 Cotton candy squares A slice of unicorn-inspired fun

12 Pop tarts DIY your own sugary breakfast treat, complete with icing and sprinkles

26 Bacofoil® tree treats Goodies from the baking experts

14 Snowman macarons Bitesize helpings of fluffy goodness

28 Dark chocolate and orange bark Looks luxe, takes minutes to make

4 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

34 Popcorn pretzel brownies Balance sweet, salt and squishy texture for the ultimate indulgence 37 Elf cookies Inspired by everyone’s fave festive film 39 Orange blossom bundt cake Flavour takes centre stage in this simple yet impressive recipe

weekend bakes Festive recipes to take your time over

LAZY DAYS SPENT IN THE KITCHEN

are a top perk of winter.

There’s no pressure to make plans when its grey outside, so embrace faffing with fun finishing touches instead, like this cheery wire cake topper. www.theletterloft.co.uk

MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS 5

Rudolph cake pops WHIP UP SANTA’S BEST PAL IN EDIBLE FORM WITH KATARINA CERMELJ’S FESTIVE GLUTEN-FREE TREATS

6 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

rudolph cake pops

INGREDIENTS ■ 3 medium eggs ■ ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil ■ ½ cup (120ml) milk ■ 1 tsp vanilla extract ■ 1¼ cups (150g) plain gluten-free flour ■ ¾ cup (150g) caster sugar ■ ¼ cup (25g) cocoa powder ■ 1 tsp baking powder ■ ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda ■ ¼ tsp xanthan gum ■ ¼ tsp salt ■ 51/3oz (150g) dark chocolate ■ 1 cup (240 ml) double cream ■ 51/3oz (150g) milk chocolate ■ 40 gluten free pretzels ■ 20 red M&M’s ■ 40 edible eyes

EQUIPMENT ■ Two 20cm (8") round cake tins ■ Baking paper ■ Baking tray ■ Ice cream scoop ■ 20 cake pop sticks ■ Cooling rack ■ Cardboard box

MAKES 20

We always knew that miniature versions taste better than their full-sized counterparts, but these super adorable treats have officially proved our case.

Making these individual cake pops might take a little more time, but just think of all the fun you’ll have creating your own herd of reindeer. And, the fact they’re gluten-free means they

enough to share around. If you fancy trying out the tree versions, or the cinnamon-spiced Christmas bauble and snowman pops pictured above, head to Katarina’s website at www.the loopywhisk.com for the recipes.

can be enjoyed by everyone.

Get the kids involved if you’re up for a bit of mess, then gift to

middle position. Line the cake tins with baking paper.

02 To make the chocolate

family and friends at Christmas – the recipe makes more than

sponges, whisk the eggs, oil, milk and vanilla together in a

01 Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4, adjusting the oven rack to the

MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS 7

rudolph cake pops medium-sized mixing bowl, then put this to one side.

03 In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, xanthan gum and salt. Next, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk together until completely smooth.

04 Divide the batter evenly between both of the cake tins and smooth out the tops. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

05 Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 10-15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

06 To make the ganache, chop up the dark chocolate and place in a heat-proof bowl. Next, heat the double cream in a saucepan until it just starts to boil, then pour the hot cream over the chocolate.

Allow the mixture to sit for five minutes, then stir until it reaches a smooth ganache consistency.

Set this aside to cool.

07 To create the cake pops, crumble the cooled chocolate sponges into a bowl, turning them into fine crumbs. Add the cooled ganache to the bowl and mix until combined.

cake pops, then shape them into round balls with your hands.

Place the balls onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

09 Once the cake balls have chilled, take them out of the fridge and place on the side.

Poke 20 holes into the top of the cardboard box – this will act as a stand for the cake pops. Break up the milk chocolate into a microwavable bowl, then melt it in the microwave at 30 second intervals, making sure to keep an eye on it as it’ll melt quickly.

10 Dip one end of a cake pop stick into the chocolate before inserting it into a chilled cake ball.

Leave for approximately 30 seconds to allow the chocolate to set slightly – this will keep the cake pop in place on the stick.

11 Dip the cake pop into the melted chocolate to completely cover it, allowing any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Stick two pretzels into the top of the ball for ears, add a red M&M nose and two edible eyes to the front, then stand it upright in one of the cardboard box holes and leave it to set.

12 Repeat Steps 10-11 to decorate the remaining 19 cake pops – these will keep for around

08 Use the ice cream scoop to divide the cake mixture into 20

three to four days if stored in an airtight container.

8 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

MEET THE MAKER KATARINA CERMELJ Katarina is the creator of feelgood food blog The Loopy Whisk, sharing delicious recipes for all dietary requirements.

Her debut cookbook, Baked to Perfection, is out in March 2021 – look for pre-order deets on her Instagram @theloopywhisk. www.theloopywhisk.com

winter wonderland cake CREATE SNOWY FOREST MAGIC WITH LINDSAY NATHANSON’S DREAMY CHOCOLATE AND COCONUT DELIGHT

34 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

MOLLIE MOLLIE BAKES BAKES CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS 809 9

HOW TO MAKE A WINTER WONDERLAND CAKE

Talk about a showstopper – if this beauty isn’t Bake Offworthy, we don’t know what is.

Evoking snowy walks through

with baking paper. Lay eight chocolate coated-biscuit sticks onto the tray, leaving space between them for the branches.

02 Divide the chocolate into three microwavable bowls and heat each one in 30 second intervals until melted. Add pink chocolate colouring to one bowl and blue to another until you reach your desired shades.

03 Pour the white chocolate into the piping bag. Pipe lines of the chocolate onto three biscuit sticks using a back and forth motion to create the tree shape, starting with small lines at the top and increasing to larger lines near the bottom. Make sure to

07 With the mixer on a low speed, add the eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla. Once combined, increase to medium speed and beat for one minute.

butter ■ 2 tsp vanilla extract

fairytale forests, this gorgeous cake definitely deserves a place

leave enough of a gap so you can still see the tree trunk when

08 Divide the batter equally between the two cake tins and

■ ¼ tsp salt ■ 2/3 cup (160ml) coconut milk ■ ¾ cup (110g) chopped chocolate coated-biscuit sticks (we used Pocky Sticks) ■ Shredded coconut For the trees ■ 8 chocolate coated-biscuit sticks (we used Pocky Sticks) ■ White chocolate ■ Chocolate colouring

at the table on the Big Day, plus it’s way tastier than Christmas pudding (controversial but true).

When icing the cake make sure it’s completely cool, otherwise the buttercream will just melt off.

And it’s worth applying a really thin layer first – a crumb coat – then popping it back in the fridge for a bit. That’ll make your second round of icing super easy.

they’re pushed into the cake.

04 Repeat Step 3 with the pink chocolate to decorate three more trees, then repeat with blue chocolate for the last two.

Scatter the sprinkles over each tree, then place to one side.

05 For the cake, preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4.

Grease two cake tins and line the bases with baking paper.

bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Transfer the tins to a wire rack and leave to cool.

09 To make the buttercream, add the sugar and egg whites to a heat-proof bowl placed over a pan of simmering water. Whisk the mixture every 15-30 seconds until it’s warm to the touch in the centre – this should take roughly

Start by making the trees for the top of the cake. Insert the

06 Add the sugar, flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl and

five to eight minutes.

10 Take the bowl off the saucepan, then beat on a

small round piping tip into the piping bag and line a baking tray

mix until combined using a stand mixer or electric whisk.

medium-high speed for five minutes using the stand mixer or

INGREDIENTS

EQUIPMENT

For the cake ■ 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar ■ 1¾ cups (210g) plain flour ■ ¾ cup (95g) cocoa powder ■ 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda ■ 1 tsp baking powder ■ 1 tsp salt ■ 2 eggs ■ 1 cup (235ml) buttermilk ■ 1 cup (235ml) coffee ■ ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil ■ 2 tsp vanilla extract For the buttercream ■ 1½ cups (300g) sugar ■ 6 egg whites ■ 1½ cups (340g) unsalted

■ Two 20cm (8") round cake tins ■ Piping bag ■ Small round piping tip ■ Baking paper ■ Baking tray ■ Cooling rack ■ Cake board or stand ■ Spatula

(we used pink and blue) ■ Edible sprinkles

10 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

SERVES 12-16

01

electric whisk – the mixture should turn pure white and look thick and glossy. Next, turn the speed to high and mix until the sides of the bowl are cool – this will take three to five minutes.

11 Turn the mixer to a low speed and gradually add the butter – this should be at room temperature. Increase the speed to high – the mixture will look curdled at first, but it’ll eventually come together and whip into a buttercream consistency.

12 Turn the mixer to a medium speed and add the vanilla extract, coconut milk and salt, then beat for two to four minutes until everything is combined.

13 Once the cakes have cooled, remove them from the tins and place one onto the cake stand.

Use the spatula to spread one cup of the buttercream on top of the cake, then sprinkle the chopped biscuit sticks on top.

14 Take the second cake and turn it upside down, so the bottom of the cake is facing up. Gently place it on top of the first layer of cake, then frost the rest of the cake with the remaining buttercream. Start with a generous amount on top,

MEET THE MAKER

LINDSAY NATHANSON California-based Lindsay helps people shake off self-doubt and find confidence in the kitchen with the bright, colourful recipes she creates for her blog, Sprinkles for Breakfast. www.sprinkles forbreakfast.com

then work down the sides.

15 Cover the frosted cake with shredded coconut, then an hour before serving arrange the chocolate trees on top.

MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS 11

Apricot and mascarpone pop tarts UP YOUR BREAKFAST GAME WITH EDD KIMBER’S TAKE ON THE CLASSIC TOASTER TART INGREDIENTS For the pastry ■ 350g (12oz) plain flour ■ 1 tsp fine sea salt ■ 300g (10½oz) unsalted butter, chilled ■ 10-12 tbsp ice-cold water ■ 1 large egg white ■ Granulated sugar For the filling ■ Unsalted butter ■ 8 tbsp mascarpone ■ 8 tbsp apricot jam ■ 1 tsp vanilla bean paste ■ 1 large egg yolk For the glaze ■ 3 tbsp lemon juice ■ 180g (6¹⁄3 oz) icing sugar ■ Edible sprinkles

EQUIPMENT ■ Rolling pin ■ 23 x 33cm (9 x 13") baking tin ■ Baking paper ■ Pastry brush ■ Cooling rack

MAKES 8

12 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

If you can make your own pastry, you can accomplish anything.

And, while it is easier to opt for shop-bought, just think how smug you’ll be when everyone’s tucking into these homemade treats.

As we all know, sugar is a completely acceptable breakfast food on the weekends, especially around Christmas time. So, teach yourself a new skill with Edd’s step-by-step guide, then wait for the compliments to roll in.

For the pastry, mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Dice the butter and toss it in the flour, then use your fingertips to press the pieces of butter into flat flakes, trying not to overwork it. Chill the mixture in the fridge for 15 minutes.

02 Take the mixture from the fridge and drizzle in the water, stirring it in with a round-bladed knife. Once 01

the mixture starts to hold together, use your hands to bring it into a uniform dough. Shape into a rectangle, then wrap it in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

03 On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 40 x 20cm (15¾ x 77/8") rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds like a letter, folding the bottom short edge up over the centre and the top edge down over this. Wrap it in clingfilm, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.

04 Lightly flour the surface again, roll the chilled dough into another 40 x 20cm (16 x 8") rectangle, then fold as before. Cut the dough in half, wrap it in cling film and chill it for at least an hour.

05 Lightly grease the baking tin and line with baking paper. Take one of the chilled dough halves and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to fit the baking tin, trimming it to make a neat rectangle, then place the pastry into the tin. Use a knife to score it into eight equal sections.

06 Spread a tablespoon of mascarpone onto each section of pastry, leaving a thin border around the edge. Mix the jam and vanilla together in a bowl, then place a tablespoon of jam onto each

section of pastry, spreading it over

the mascarpone. Brush the pastry borders with beaten egg yolk.

07 Roll out the remaining piece of pastry slightly bigger than before, then carefully drape it over the first, trying not to disturb the fillings too much. Use your fingers to gently press around the fillings, sealing the pastry pieces together.

08 Cut between the tarts with a sharp knife, then use a fork to create a decorative edge around each tart. Poke a steam vent in each one with a fork and brush with beaten egg yolk. Chill the tarts in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

09 Preheat the oven to 190°C/ 375°F/Gas Mark 5 then, once the tarts have chilled, bake them for 20-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Leave to cool in the tin for five minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

10 Mix the lemon juice and icing sugar in a bowl until smooth. Use a knife to separate the tarts, spoon a little of this glaze over each one, then add sprinkles. Store in a sealed container for two days.

ONE TIN BAKES This recipe was taken from One Tin Bakes

by Edd Kimber (Kyle Books, £17.99). Edd won the first series of The Great British Bake Off, and his latest book is aimed at home bakers who want to make delicious treats with a minimal amount of equipment. Whip up cakes, cookies, dessert and pies with just one tin and Edd’s expertise. www.kylebooks.co.uk

MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS 13

Snowman macarons HAVE A JOLLY HOLIDAY BAKING ERIKA LOW’S CUTE MACARONS WITH A FLUFFY CREAM CHEESE FILLING

14 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

snowman macarons

INGREDIENTS For the macaron shells ■ 35g (1oz) egg whites ■ 45g (1½oz) caster sugar ■ 40g (1½oz) ground almonds ■ 40g (1½oz) icing sugar For the buttercream ■ 50g (1¾oz) caster sugar ■ 1 egg white ■ 75g (2½oz) unsalted butter ■ 75g (2½oz) cream cheese ■ Lemon juice For the decoration ■ Coloured writing icing (we

01

02

03

05

used light blue, dark blue, yellow, pink and black)

EQUIPMENT ■ Spatula ■ Baking paper ■ Baking tray ■ Piping bag

MAKES 10

Do you want to build a snowman? Us too! These super-cute macarons are just the thing to get you through winter, with a crispy shell, chewy centre and deliciously soft Swiss meringue buttercream filling.

Now, we know this might not sound like the easiest recipe, but we promise if you follow the steps and take your time you’ll be fine.

01 First, make the macaron shells.

Add the egg whites to a bowl and, using an electric whisk, beat on a low speed for one minute, or until the egg whites are white and frothy. Add a quarter of the sugar and whisk until dissolved, then increase the whisk to a medium speed and gradually add the remaining sugar a quarter at a time. Mix until the sugar is fully

There’s something really meditative about the whole process, so set aside a Sunday

incorporated, then continue to beat until stiff peaks form.

02 Sift the almond flour and icing

afternoon, put on some festive tunes and relax into it.

sugar into the meringue mixture, then use the spatula to lightly

MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS 15

snowman macarons fold and scrape the top of the batter. Continue gently working the meringue until it becomes shiny and comes off the spatula in ribbons when lifted, as shown.

Transfer the meringue batter into a piping bag.

03 Line a baking tray with baking paper. Pipe out the snowmen onto the paper, piping a large circle for the body and a smaller circle for the head – as the batter will spread while cooking, the small circle should just touch the large circle. Knock the bottom of the tray against a flat surface to remove any air bubbles.

04 Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2, then leave the macaron shells to dry for 30 minutes in a cool room – you should be able to touch them gently with the tip of your finger without it sticking. Once dry, bake the macarons for approximately 15 minutes, then leave to cool before removing them from the baking paper.

05 Next, make the Swiss meringue buttercream. Fill a saucepan with roughly one-third of water, then bring to a simmer.

Add the sugar and egg white to a heat-proof bowl, then place this over the saucepan of simmering water, whisking continuously until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes thick and sticky.

16 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

Once it reaches this stage, beat the egg white mixture on a medium-high speed until stiff peaks start to form.

06 Continue beating on a medium-high speed while gradually adding small chunks of the butter – this should be at room temperature. The mixture may curdle at this point, but keep beating until the butter is completely blended and the buttercream is smooth.

07 In a separate large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric whisk on a medium speed.

Scrape the bowl down, then mix in the Swiss meringue buttercream on a low speed until combined. Add a few drops of lemon juice to bring out the taste of the cream cheese, then transfer the meringue buttercream into a piping bag.

08 To assemble the macarons, pipe the buttercream onto one macaron shell, then press another on top to create a sandwich.

09 Using the writing icing, or coloured icing in a piping bag with a small round tip, decorate the shells. We added two eyes in black icing, a nose in yellow icing, cheeks in pink icing, a scarf in light blue icing, and buttons in dark blue icing. Store in an airtight container in the fridge overnight before serving.

06

06

08

09

MEET THE MAKER ERIKA LOW Erika is a self-taught baker based in Singapore who loves creating edible art in the shape of macarons. Her website, Sumopocky, is home to all her creative bakes, including Japanese inspired desserts.

Find her on Insta @sumopocky. www.sumopocky.com

treats to gift MOMMY & ME ROLLING PIN SET CO-DESIGNED WITH TIEGHAN GERARD FROM HALF BAKED HARVEST; PHOTOGRAPHY: KRISTAN KILPATRICK FOR HALF BAKED HARVEST

Handmade goodies for family and friends

SUGAR AND SPICE ARE ALWAYS NICE,

so when you’re stuck for present ideas, get baking.

Looking to give a little more? Pair with kitchen essentials like this tapered rolling pin and inspire a future Star Baker. www. cattailswoodwork.etsy.com

MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS 17

Ginger biscuits

Put down the yarn and pick up your apron – The Great British Bake Off legend Kim-Joy is here to spark creativity in the kitchen. It might not be the kind of pattern you’re used to, but these treats are just as impressive as any handmade pullover.

The biscuits themselves are

mix the butter, sugar and treacle together on a high speed until fluffy. Next, add in the beaten egg and spices and mix briefly.

easy enough to make, with that festive gingerbread flavour we all

02 Add in the flour and combine into a ball with your hands, then

love, but the icing is where you can really show off your creative flair. Practise details like outlining on a piece of baking paper first, then bring the garment of your dreams to life in biscuity form.

Can’t get hold of a jumpershaped cutter? Make a template from a piece of card and use that to cut out each biscuit instead.

turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll it out to the thickness of a coin. Use the biscuit cutters or a handmade card template to cut out the jumper shapes, then transfer them to the prepared baking tray and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 170°C/ 340°F/Gas Mark 3.

03 Bake the refrigerated biscuits

■ 40g (1½oz) egg white (substitute with aquafaba for a vegan version)

For the biscuits 01 Line the baking tray with baking paper. Using an electric

for 10-12 minutes until just beginning to colour. Leave to cool for 10 minutes on the tray,

■ 225g (8oz) icing sugar

whisk, or a stand mixer fitted with the balloon whisk attachment,

then gently transfer them to a rack to finish cooling.

ALMOST TOO CUTE TO EAT, KIM-JOY’S MINI CHRISTMAS BAKES ARE OUR NEW FAVOURITE KNITWEAR

INGREDIENTS

EQUIPMENT

For the biscuits ■ 150g (5oz) salted butter ■ 120g (4oz) soft brown sugar ■ 2 tsp black treacle ■ 2 tbsp beaten egg ■ 2 tbsp ground ginger ■ ¾ tbsp ground cinnamon ■ ¼ tsp ground cloves ■ 225g (8oz) plain flour For the royal icing

■ Baking tray ■ Baking paper ■ Jumper biscuit cutters ■ Disposable piping bags ■ Cocktail sticks ■ Food colouring (we used red, blue, green, orange and pink)

18 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

MAKES 30-40

MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS 19

PHOTOGRAPHY: ELLIS PARRINDER

ginger biscuits For the icing

07

To outline, fill a piping bag

Using an electric whisk, or a stand mixer fitted with a balloon whisk attachment, whisk the egg white and icing sugar until smooth. After stirring, the surface of the mixture should return back to its former smooth state in about 15 seconds. If it doesn’t, add tiny amounts of extra egg white and/or icing sugar until it reaches the right consistency.

05 Separate out the icing into bowls – the number of bowls you use depends on the number of different colours you want to decorate your jumpers with.

Slowly add drops of food dye to each bowl, stirring as you go, to create your desired colours – we used red, blue, green, orange and pink, and left one bowl white.

with icing and cut a tiny tip from the end. Squeeze the piping bag gently, then lift it and ease the line of icing where you need it.

Continue around the biscuit until the lines meet up – practise on a piece of baking paper first to get the hang of the technique.

08 To flood, fill a piping bag with icing and cut a slightly bigger tip – if you don’t want to use the previous colour for detail work, you can always cut a bigger tip from the same bag. Fill the space inside the outline with icing, then use a cocktail stick to even it out and get rid of any bubbles.

09 If using the wet-on-wet technique, like with the decoration around the necks of the white Christmas tree jumper and green fox jumper, you don’t

and Christmas tree jumpers, we added these details with another layer of outlining and flooding in different coloured icings. The fox and polar bear were left to dry again, then the hat, scarf and nose were added.

12 To add the details on the white

For the decorating 06 When decorating, you’ll need to pipe an outline around the area you want to decorate, then fill – or flood – the area with icing.

This prevents the icing from spilling off the biscuit. It helps to draw a guide of where you’ll pipe the outlines before starting, and decorating does take some forward planning if you want to do more than one layer, as you’ll have to wait a few hours for the first layer to dry before working on the second.

have to wait for the icing to dry.

Use a cocktail stick to paint a small amount of icing on in a different colour, then use the same stick to pull the line up and down, creating a feathered effect, as pictured.

10 Leave the biscuits to dry completely – this usually takes 4-6 hours, but it’s best to wait overnight to be sure.

11 Once dry, continue decorating the biscuits using the images as a guide, or creating your own designs. For the polar bear, fox

Fair Isle jumper, and the snowflake, star, neck and cuff details on the other jumpers, fill a piping bag with icing and cut the tiniest tip from the bag.

13 You can also decorate the biscuits by painting on food dyes with a small paintbrush, and you can add lustre dusts mixed with vodka this way too – the vodka evaporates quicker than water.

Or, you could brush lustre dusts directly on to add depth, or draw straight onto the icing using edible ink pens.

04

20 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

CHRISTMAS WITH KIM-JOY This recipe was taken from Christmas with Kim-Joy: A Festive Collection of Edible Cuteness by Kim-Joy (Quadrille, £15). KimJoy’s creations have won hearts since Bake Off 2018, and she’s back to impress with her second book, filled with seasonal treats. www. hardiegrant.com/uk

Chocolate truffles DOUBLE UP ON HANDMADE POINTS WITH BECKI CLARK’S SWEET TREATS IN NATURALLY DYED GIFT WRAP

MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS 21

02

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES INGREDIENTS For the truffles ■ 400g (14oz) chocolate spread ■ 400g (14oz) icing sugar ■ Chopped almonds ■ Chopped hazelnuts ■ Desiccated coconut

EQUIPMENT ■ Large bowl ■ Petit four cases

MAKES 14-20 MATERIALS For the gift wrap ■ 8 strawberries ■ ½ cup (150g) salt ■ 16 cups (4l) water ■ White cotton fabric ■ Small gift boxes ■ Dried flowers or grasses

22 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

Good things come in eco-friendly packages, just like these naturally wrapped chocolate truffles.

Yes, we know this is a baking book, but we couldn’t resist slipping the teeniest bit of crafting in here too. Plus, think how much more impressed all your pals will be when they get their beautiful gifts.

You can use any fabric for the wrapping, so long as it’s natural and untreated – otherwise the dye won’t take to it. And, you can easily switch out the dried flowers for something more festive, like a spring of holly or eucalyptus.

For the truffles 01 Add the chocolate spread to a large mixing bowl. Gradually add the icing sugar and mix until completely combined – the mixture should become thick and stiff. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.

Place the desiccated coconut,

09

Add the fabric to the bowl and

chopped almonds and chopped

leave to soak for at least 30

hazelnuts out into three separate small bowls.

03 Take the chilled truffle mixture from the fridge and use a teaspoon to scoop out a small amount. Roll into a ball with your hands, then roll in either the desiccated coconut, chopped almonds or chopped hazelnuts.

04 Place the truffle into a petit four case, then repeat Steps 3-4 with the remaining mixture.

05 Return the truffles to the fridge to chill until gifting.

minutes – the longer the fabric is left to soak, the deeper the colour achieved will be.

10 Once you’re happy with the colour, squeeze any excess dye from the fabric and hang it to dry.

11 To wrap the truffles, add the truffles to the gift box and place the box in the centre of the fabric. Take two diagonal corners of the fabric and tie them across the box, then tie the two remaining corners across the box to create a knot in the middle.

For the gift wrap 06 Cut the fabric into large rectangle shapes – they should be big enough to cover the gift boxes. Mix 8 cups (2l) of water with the salt in a large bowl, then add the fabric to the saltwater and leave to soak for an hour.

This will prepare the fabric and act as a mordant, fixing the dye so the fabric can be washed without losing its colour.

07 Rinse the fabric with cool water, then wring to squeeze out any excess water.

08 Chop up the strawberries and add them to a saucepan, then add 8 cups (2l) of hot water and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 25 minutes, then drain the water into a large bowl, sieving out the strawberries as it’s poured.

MEET THE MAKER

BECKI CLARK Becki is a designer based in the New Forest, and takes her inspiration from nature.

From beautiful makes to illustration, she loves all things creative, and regularly hosts workshops in botanical painting and brush lettering. Find her on Insta @becki_clark_. www.beckiclark.com

Cotton candy party squares PRETTY UP YOUR FESTIVE OFFERINGS WITH JENNA RAE CAKES’ UNICORN-INSPIRED BLONDIES

MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS 23

HOW TO MAKE COTTON CANDY PARTY SQUARES

For the blondies ■ 2½ cups (550g) brown

■ 3 cups (375g) icing sugar ■ 1½ tsp vanilla bean paste

With a fudgy centre, pretty pastel colour palette, and a rainbow of sprinkles, there’s hundreds and thousands of reasons to bake these cotton candy party squares.

They may be hard to resist, but blondies are as easy to make as their brownie cousins, and just as soft and squidgy too – be careful not to overbake them to get that winning dreamy texture.

If you can’t get hold of purple candy melts for the topping, don’t

sugar ■ 1½ cups (340g) unsalted

■ 1 tsp cotton candy flavouring

worry – simply add a couple of drops of purple food colouring to

butter, melted ■ 3 eggs ■ 2 egg yolks ■ 2 tsp pure vanilla extract ■ 1 tsp cotton candy flavouring ■ 3¾ cups (450g) plain flour ■ 1½ tsp cornflour ■ 1½ tsp salt ■ ¾ tsp baking powder ■ Gel food colouring in

■ Gel food colouring in pink and blue For the decoration ■ Purple candy melts ■ Edible sprinkles

melted white chocolate to make your own version.

pink and blue For the buttercream ■ 2 cups (450g) unsalted

■ Piping bag

INGREDIENTS

butter

24 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

EQUIPMENT ■ 33 x 23cm (13 x 9") baking tin ■ Baking paper ■ Spatula

MAKES 12

01 Preheat the oven to 180ºC/ 350ºF/Gas Mark 4, then grease the tin and line with baking paper.

02 Place the butter and sugar into a bowl then, using an electric whisk or a stand mixer, cream the sugar and butter on low speed for one minute, or until combined. Add in

the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla and cotton candy flavouring and mix until combined, then scrape down the sides of the bowl.

03 In a small bowl, mix the flour, cornflour, salt and baking powder.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold together with a spatula until smooth.

04 Divide the batter evenly between two medium-sized mixing bowls. To one bowl, add one drop of pink food colouring and use the spatula to gently fold in the colour until it’s uniform. To the other bowl, add two drops of blue food colouring and gently fold in until the colour is uniform.

05 Scoop the batter into the prepared baking tin, alternating

large scoops of each colour. Run a butter knife through the batter to swirl the colours, then bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out almost clean. Leave the blondies to cool to room temperature.

06 For the buttercream, add the butter to a bowl – the butter should be at room temperature.

Using an electric whisk or a stand mixer, whisk on a low speed for 30 seconds, then increase the speed to high and whisk for two minutes to soften.

07 Reduce the speed to medium and add in the icing sugar. Whisk for 30 seconds, then increase the speed to high and whisk for two minutes until the buttercream mixture looks light and fluffy.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add in the vanilla bean paste and whisk on a high speed for one minute.

08 Add the cotton candy flavouring to the buttercream and whisk on a medium speed for approximately one minute to incorporate.

09

Divide the buttercream

evenly between two mediumsized mixing bowls. To one bowl, add one drop of pink food colouring and use the spatula to fold in the colour until it’s uniform. To the other bowl, add one drop of blue food colouring and fold in until the colour is uniform. Transfer all the buttercream to one large bowl and gently fold with the spatula two to three times to swirl the colours together.

10 Scoop the cotton candy buttercream onto the cooled

blondie in heaped tablespoons.

Use a spatula to spread the buttercream into an even layer, taking care not to mix it too much and lose the swirl of colours. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least an hour so the buttercream can set.

11 Take the blondie out of the refrigerator and transfer it onto a cutting board, lifting it by the edges of the baking paper. Pull the baking paper away from all four sides, then use a sharp knife to cut the blondie into 12 equally sized squares.

12 In a medium-sized heatproof bowl, melt the purple candy melts in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until fully melted.

Transfer the chocolate to a piping bag and cut off the tip, then drizzle half of each blondie square with chocolate. To finish, scatter over the sprinkles.

13 Store the blondies in an

JENNA RAE CAKES AND SWEET TREATS This recipe was taken from Jenna Rae Cakes and Sweet Treats: Over 100 Recipes for the Modern Baker by Ashley Kosowan and Jenna Hutchinson (Penguin Canada, £20.47).

Ashley and Jenna have been baking together since they were two years old in their FisherPrice kitchen, and their debut cookbook is filled with detailed tutorials, helpful tips and beautiful images to spark your own baking journey. www. penguinrandomhouse.ca

airtight container in the fridge for up to one week, removing them from the fridge 30 minutes before serving.

MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS 25

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The unique textured surface allows you to peel off the trees with ease once set

Make as a tasty treat, or as decoration for a Christmas cake

how to make white chocolate and pretzel christmas trees INGREDIENTS ■ Large bar of white chocolate ■ Pretzel sticks ■ Edible silver and gold stars EQUIPMENT ■ Bacofoil® Non-Stick Baking Paper ■ Heatproof bowl

Quick, easy and delicious, these super-cute Christmas trees are a great way to get kids into baking, and make fab gifts for friends and family too.

Don’t forget to use Bacofoil® Non-Stick Baking Paper if you want stress-free serving and a Star Baker-worthy finish.

■ Piping bag and nozzle COOKING TIME 20 minutes, plus cooling

01 Lay a large piece of Bacofoil® Non-Stick Baking Paper on a flat board – you may need to use more than one piece of paper, depending on how many trees you’re planning on making.

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02 Fill a saucepan with 5cm (2") of water and bring to a simmer.

Break the white chocolate into pieces and place into a heatproof bowl, then suspend the bowl over the pan. Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and the water doesn’t boil. Allow the chocolate to melt.

03 Break the pretzel sticks in half, then arrange them on the paper, spacing them out to leave room for the chocolate branches.

04 Once the chocolate has melted, spoon it into a piping bag fitted with a fine plain writing

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nozzle. Pipe zig zags of chocolate over the pretzel sticks to form a tree shape, starting narrowly at the top and getting wider for the lower branches.

05 Sprinkle over the stars, or any edible decorations of your choice, then leave the trees to set in a cool place or the fridge.

Once set, the trees will easily peel off the baking paper.

To find out more about Bacofoil® products, or to check out more of their festive recipe inspiration, visit www.bacofoil.co.uk.

Dark chocolate orange bark FOR GROWN-UP GOODIES THAT STILL SATISFY A SWEET TOOTH, CHECK OUT LAURA SCHERB’S INDULGENT TREAT

recipe is enough to serve eight, but scale it up and make multiple batches if you’re playing Santa to friends and family.

01

Remove the peel from the

04 Preheat the oven to 180ºC/ 350ºF/Gas Mark 4 and line another tray. Spread the hazelnuts out onto the tray and toast for five minutes, being careful not to burn them. Set aside to cool.

orange, making sure to not to include any pith – the white part.

05 Add 1 cup (235ml) of water to a medium saucepan and place a

If you’re ever stuck for a last-minute gift, chocolate bark is the ultimate go-to. It’s quick and easy to make, you can chuck on top whatever extras you have rattling around in the cupboard, and it looks beyond impressive.

Laura’s flavour combos are spot on for this time of year, but you

Roughly chop the orange peel, then cut the pith from the orange and cut the orange into slices.

02 To candy the orange peels, place the sugar in a medium saucepan with 2 cups (470ml) of water and simmer, stirring with a fork until the sugar dissolves.

03 Add in the orange slices and cook over a low heat until the liquid has dissolved – this takes

metal bowl on top. Bring the water to a simmer, then add the dark chocolate to the bowl, stirring occasionally until completely melted. Remove the bowl from the heat.

06 Line another baking tray with baking paper and pour on the chocolate. Scatter the candied orange peel and toasted hazelnuts on top, then sprinkle

■ Baking tray ■ Baking paper

can always experiment with your own variations like sour cherries and almonds, or add swirls of

around 15 minutes. Pour the orange slices and peel onto a baking tray lined with baking

with demerara sugar and place in the fridge to chill.

07 Once the chocolate has set

SERVES 8

white chocolate on top for an extra Christmassy touch. This

paper, sprinkle with extra sugar, then put to one side.

completely, use a sharp knife to cut it into irregular shards.

INGREDIENTS ■ 2 cups (400g) sugar ■ 1 orange ■ 1 cup (135g) hazelnuts ■ 3 cups (510g) dark chocolate ■ ¼ cup (50g) demerara sugar

EQUIPMENT

28 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

MEET THE MAKER

LAURA SCHERB Laura is a food photographer, stylist and content creator from Chicago, USA. She started her food and book blog Page and Plate in 2017 and soon realised snapping her delicious recipes was her favourite part of the process.

Laura now works with a range of clients, from international food brands to local restaurants, helping them showcase their work – find her on Insta at @pageandplateblog. www.pageandplate.com

MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS 29

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FOOD FOR sharing Easy ways to bring loved ones together

STAYING IN IS THE NEW GOING OUT,

so why not make a big deal for catch ups and casual get-togethers?

Breaking out the baked goods always helps, and we’re all for excess décor on the daily, not just 25th Dec. www.merimeri.co.uk

MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS 31

Spiced Blackberry Doughnuts WHIP UP A WARMING BATCH OF SEASONAL GOODNESS – GEM MORSON SHOWS YOU HOW

INGREDIENTS For the doughnuts ■ 140g (5oz) plain flour ■ 30g (1oz) sugar ■ 1 egg ■ 125ml (4floz) milk ■ 1 tsp mixed spice

Is it even Christmas if you don’t add spices to your food and drink? From mulled wine to mince pies, they make everything feel festive, including these sumptuous doughnuts.

The rich blackberry glaze feels

the whisk to crush the blackberries as you go. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

04 Pass the liquid mixture through a fine sieve into the dry ingredients from Step 2 and stir until combined.

Spoon the batter into the sections

■ 3 tbsp butter ■ 1½ tsp baking powder

like peak winter opulence, and also technically makes them healthy

of the doughnut pan and bake for eight minutes, or until a skewer

■ 25g (¾oz) blackberries For the glaze ■ 75g (2½oz) blackberries ■ 100g (3½oz) icing sugar

too. Ish. Bake a batch for cosy evenings in, or make for friends and share the seasonal love.

01 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and grease each individual ring in the doughnut pan with butter.

02 Mix together the flour, sugar, mixed spice and baking powder in a medium mixing bowl until well

comes out clean.

05 Leave the doughnuts to cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

06 Place a sieve over a bowl, then push the blackberries for the glaze through the sieve.

07 Sift the icing sugar into a separate bowl, then slowly add the blackberry juice, stirring thoroughly

combined, then put to one side.

03 Add the milk, egg, butter and blackberries to a saucepan and

until it reaches a thick but runny consistency. Dip the warm doughnuts into the glaze and leave

heat on low. Whisk continuously until the butter has melted, using

to set completely, then dust with icing sugar to serve.

EQUIPMENT ■ Doughnut pan ■ Mixing bowls ■ Cooling rack

MAKES 8

32 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

MEET THE MAKER

GEM MORSON Gem is an author and founder of The Mother Cooker, a multi-awardwinning food and gardening website focused on seasonal eating. She’s also an organic gardener, and extremely passionate about teaching people how to grow their own food and eat by the seasons. Her new book, In Season: Autumn, is available for digital download now. www. themothercooker.com

XXMOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS 833

34 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

popcorn and pretzel brownies

INGREDIENTS ■ 150g (5oz) light brown sugar ■ 225g (8oz) caster sugar ■ 200g (7oz) butter ■ 150g (5oz) dark chocolate, chopped ■ 3 eggs ■ 125g (4½oz) plain flour ■ 30g (1oz) cocoa powder ■ 50g (1¾oz) popcorn ■ 25g (¾oz) salted pretzels ■ 2 tblsp salted caramel sauce

MAKES 9

Made slightly differently to standard cakes, brownies involve melting the butter and sugar first for maximum gooeyness in every bite. Don’t overbake them – simply leave to cool until set for that perfectly squishy middle.

That classic combo of sweet and salt means these popcorn and pretzel brownies won’t last

180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4 and line the tin with baking paper.

02 Place the sugars and butter

long, but luckily you can whip up a new batch in no time.

into a large saucepan over a medium heat, stirring

EQUIPMENT

Popcorn and pretzel brownies

■ 24 x 24cm (9½ x 9½") square baking tin ■ Baking paper

01

INDULGE YOUR TASTEBUDS WITH SWEET AND SALTY HEAVEN – BAKE OFF’S MARTHA COLLISON SHOWS YOU HOW

Preheat the oven to

MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS 35

popcorn and pretzel brownies occasionally until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. It should lose its grainy appearance, and the butter will completely combine with the sugar instead of being a separate layer – this takes a few minutes.

Remove from the heat.

03 Add the chopped dark chocolate into the warm sugar and butter mixture and stir in until it’s completely melted.

Leave the mixture to cool until just slightly warm.

04 Once the brownie mixture is cool enough to comfortably touch, beat in the eggs. Add the flour and cocoa powder, then stir briefly to combine – don’t beat the mixture too much, or air will be added and the brownies will become cakey rather than soft and gooey. Spread the brownie batter into the lined tin.

05 Gently crush the pretzels, then sprinkle the pretzel pieces and popcorn over the top of the batter. Bake in the middle of the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the brownie batter is shiny on top and feels almost set.

06 Leave the brownies to cool for five minutes, then drizzle the top with the salted caramel and leave to cool completely.

07 Slice into squares using a sharp knife – these will keep for up to a week in an airtight container.

36 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

MEET THE MAKER

MARTHA COLLISON

Martha is a Brightonbased baker and food writer, and appeared on The Great British Bake Off when she was 17. She’s since pursued a career in food, and also helps run a youth group, teaches cookery classes, and has recently started to learn to knit. www. bakingmartha.co.uk

Elf Cookies MAKE LIKE BUDDY THE ELF AND SPREAD CHRISTMAS CHEER WITH CHELSEA FOY’S COLOURFUL BISCUITS

MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS 37 21

HOW TO MAKE COOKIES INGREDIENTS ■ 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter ■ 2oz (55g) cream cheese ■ 1 cup (200g) sugar ■ 1 large egg ■ 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract ■ 3 cups (360g) plain flour ■ 1½ tsp baking powder ■ ½ tsp salt ■ Pink, green and blue food colouring

EQUIPMENT ■ Baking tray ■ Non-stick spray ■ Biscuit cutters ■ Alphabet biscuit stamps ■ Cooling rack

Fans of iconic Christmas film Elf, rejoice. These moreish sugary treats not only fall under one of the main four elf food groups – candy, candy canes, candy corn and syrup – they’re also sprinkled with quotes galore.

Not so up on your movie trivia?

Personalise yours with cute festive messages for friends and family – sort of like Love Hearts sweets, but in biscuit form.

01 In a large bowl, cream together the sugar, butter and cream cheese until light and

38 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined.

02 Place the flour, baking powder and salt into a separate bowl and mix together. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until thoroughly combined, forming a dough.

03 Divide the dough into four equal pieces and add food

in the fridge to chill for at least an hour, or overnight.

05 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and apply non-stick spray to the baking trays. Remove the dough from the fridge and leave to soften for five minutes.

06 Generously flour a clean surface and a rolling pin. Roll out

colouring to each piece to create the colours you want. We added five drops of pink food colouring to make the pink biscuits, 20 drops of pink food colouring to make the red biscuits, one drop each of green and blue food colouring to make the light green biscuits, and five drops of green to make the dark green biscuits.

04 Knead each piece of dough until the food colouring is evenly mixed in. Gently flatten into four discs and individually wrap each one in cling film, then place them

one piece of dough to 0.5cm (¼") thick, then use the cutters to cut out circles from it. Place the circles onto the baking tray, then repeat with the remaining dough.

07 Stamp the letters onto the biscuits one at a time, starting with whichever letter will be in the centre of that biscuit and working outwards.

08 Bake for 8-12 minutes, keeping a eye on them as they can burn easily. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

MEET THE MAKER

CHELSEA FOY Chelsea is the maker, blogger and adventurer behind Lovely Indeed, a blog about all the things that make life lovely. When she’s not making, Chelsea loves to explore, eat good food, and spend time with her husband Ryan and children Henry and Maggie. Follow her on Insta @lovelyindeed. www.lovelyindeed.com

Orange blossom and yoghurt bundt LET FLAVOUR TAKE CENTRE STAGE WITH BENJAMINA EBUEHI’S DELECTABLE BAKE

MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS 39

HOW TO MAKE ORANGE BLOSSOM AND YOGHURT BUNDT INGREDIENTS For the syrup ■ ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar ■ Juice of 1 orange For the cake ■ 2¼ cups (280g) plain flour ■ ¾ tsp baking soda ■ ¼ tsp baking powder ■ ½ tsp salt ■ 1 cup and 2 tbsp (225g) caster sugar ■ Zest of 2 large oranges ■ 3 eggs ■ 2 tsp (10ml) orange blossom water ■ ½ tsp vanilla extract ■ ¾ cup (180ml) olive oil ■ 2/3 cup (150ml) yogurt, room temperature For the glaze ■ ¾ cup (100g) icing sugar ■ ½ tsp orange blossom water ■ Juice of ½ an orange

EQUIPMENT ■ Sieve ■ 10 cup (2.6l) Bundt cake tin ■ Cooling rack

SERVES 12-16

40 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

Fun to say and even more fun to make, Bundt cake is our new favourite thing. Named after the distinctive pan it’s baked in, this beauty does most of the work in making it look good without too much effort on your part.

The orangey syrup will keep it moist for days, if it lasts that long, while the tangy glaze added at the end is – literally and figuratively – the icing on the cake.

01 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

Generously grease the Bundt tin with butter and dust lightly with

blossom water and vanilla and, using an electric whisk or a stand mixer, beat on a medium-high speed for three to five minutes, or until the eggs are thick and pale.

05 Turn the mixer to a low speed and alternate adding in the dry ingredients and the olive oil, small amounts at a time, then stir in the yogurt once thoroughly mixed.

06 Pour the batter into the Bundt tin, then bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

07 While the cake is still in the tin, poke plenty of holes across the top with a cocktail stick or skewer. Pour

flour, tapping out the excess. Be sure to get into all the nooks and

the syrup on top, letting it seep through the holes, then leave the

crannies to make sure the cake doesn’t stick when baked.

02 To make the syrup, heat the sugar and orange juice together in a small saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

03 For the cake, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Put the bowl to one side.

04 In a large mixing bowl, add the

cake to cool for exactly 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. If you try to remove the cake from the pan too early or too late, it could stick to the pan.

08 To make the glaze, mix the sugar and orange blossom water in a small bowl. Add the orange juice a spoonful at a time until it reaches a smooth, pourable consistency. If

sugar and orange zest. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips until it resembles wet

it’s too thin, add a little more sugar, and if it’s too thick, add a little more orange juice or water. Pour

sand. Add the eggs, orange

the glaze evenly over the cake.

This bake was taken from The New Way to Cake: Simple Recipes with Exceptional Flavor

by Benjamina Ebuehi (Page Street Publishing, £16.99). Inspired by her journey on The Great British Bake Off and beyond, Benjamina’s groundbreaking recipes put flavour at the forefront by letting star ingredients like toasted nuts, fragrant spices, bold herbs and fruit do the work. www.page streetpublishing.com

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE NEW WAY TO CAKE BY BENJAMINA EBUEHI, PAGE STREET PUBLISHING CO. 2019. PHOTOGRAPHY: HOLLY WULFF PETERSEN

THE NEW WAY TO CAKE

MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS 41

Contributors Kim-Joy Kim-Joy’s birthday falls on World Baking Day – a sure sign she was born to bake. In 2018 she made the Bake Off final, and she’s just published her second book, Christmas with Kim-Joy. Find Kim-Joy’s bake on page 18. www.hardiegrant.com/uk

Benjamina Ebuehi Benjamina is all about showing off ingredients and putting taste first.

She shares flavour-filled recipes on her blog, Carrot & Crumb, and in her book, The New Way to Cake.

Whip up Benjamina’s orange Bundt cake on page 39. www.pagestreetpublishing.com

Martha Collison Martha started baking at eight years old and hasn’t stopped. She was the youngest contestant to appear on The Great British Bake Off, aged 17, and now writes a column for Waitrose Weekend.

Bake Martha’s brownies on page 34. www.bakingmartha.co.uk Edd Kimber Edd is a baker, food writer and TV personality. After winning the first series of Bake Off he followed his passion, and has just released his fourth book, One Tin Bakes.

Try Edd’s pop tarts on page 12. www.kylebooks.co.uk

42 MOLLIE BAKES CHRISTMAS

Cheers!

Katarina Cermelj, Becki Clark, Chelsea Foy, Jenna Hutchinson, Ashley Kosowan, Gem Morson, Lindsay Nathanson, Laura Scherb

Erika Low Singapore-based Erica sees baking as a form of therapy. It keeps her calm and allows her to channel her inner artist, and she specialises in fun macarons in all shapes and sizes.

Make Erika’s snowmen on page 14. sumopocky.com

WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO BACOFOIL

Our go-to brand for making everyday bakes easy

FOLLOW MOLLIE MAKES FOR DAILY INSPIRATION...

festive recipes SWEET TREATS TO GIFT ✶ BAKES FOR BEGINNERS SHOWSTOPPER MAKES ✶ GLUTEN-FREE & VEGAN IDEAS The team behind Mollie Makes brings you this delectable Festive Recipes book, filled with fun, seasonal desserts to make this Christmas magical. From quick and easy gifts to impressive treats you can take your time over, it’s filled with ways you can spoil yourself and your loved ones at this extra-special time of year.

www.gathered.how/molliemakes Supplement to Mollie Makes issue 123