Oh Seamstar, you are spoiling us

Ooh, lots of lovely new things for the Summer from spectacular online fabric store, Seamstar...

(from top down)

1. I love this sexy, retro-tinged African Queen print by California-based designer, Alexander Henry (£3.25 per ¼ metre, from a 110cm wide roll). I'm not sure I'd use it for cushions, but think it would be fantastic for a bit of light upholstery, chair seats perhaps, or as a bed runner or a roman blind in the loo.


2.  Or if you can't decide which of the Alexander Henry fabrics to choose, buy a bundle: £26 the lot, and each piece measures ¼ metre square. It looks good as it is – stick it on a prominent shelf and leave the sewing machine under cover.

3.  Circa 60 Beach Mod, £3.90 per ¼ metre for a 116cm wide roll, would make great curtains and quilts for a campervan – or pillow cases for an outdoorsy small person. The designer is another Californian, Jennifer Moore who runs Monaluna.

4. This bundle of vintage-inspired designs is by Heather Moore, from her Cut Out and Keep range. It costs £25.20 (per ¼ metre, from a 110cm wide roll) and would make a gorgeous gift – but hurry, there are just six left in stock.

5. Can't resist one more Alexander Henry. This is Mum in Pink, from the Griffith Park range. Again, it's £3.25 for ¼ metre, on a 110cm roll.

Clever upcycled jam jar lamps

I just came across this pretty chandelier, above, made from jam jars on Etsy (and, below, there's one made from amber punch glasses, right, and a a night light made from a tissue box, left).

Sadly Boots n Gus, the shop behind this clever creation, only delivers to the States, where it is based. (And not surprising, as this mama would weigh quite a bit to post.) But for those with craft aspirations or, even better, actual skills – the images of all the ingenious things the owner has fabricated out of, essentially, rubbish, are super inspiring. *UPDATE: have heard from Fritz Fryer antique lighting, in the UK, who say they can fashion customers similar lamps, and for around the same price - $130/£80 * The lamp made from glasses, below, is super simple – as there is just one single light source in the middle... I'd love to see your own creative endeavours so please drop me a line and a snap if you'd like to share.

For more lighting inspiration, read my recent 'how-to' lighting tips in the Independent on Sunday.

Romantic cushions and cupcakes

My friend Holly made this beautiful "kiss" cushion for her boyfriend for Valentine's day. 

I must get her to send me a close-up photo, as it is trimmed in the loveliest multi-coloured bobble-y trim. Besides, you can't see the luscious embroidery nearly well enough from here. 

She's also quite the cake mistress – and has her baked creations always look so pretty, thought I'd throw some of those in too. At the top, blueberry, in the middle, Christmas cake (which was deliciously alcoholic yet not too heavy) and below, strawberry cupcakes. Yum.

How to… Do craft (even if you’re a needle novice)

When I was small, my grandma tried to teach me to crochet. The memory of the ensuing “can't-do-it!” tantrum remains embarrassingly vivid. If, like me, the idea of making your own appeals, but the sight of needles – or ‘Kirsty’s Home Made Home’ – make you sweat, read on…

Get booked Make Eames-y shelves via ReadyMade (Thames & Hudson) or speed reupholster a dull office chair chair in a flash with Design*Sponge – if you can grapple with basic ikea assembly, you can do this.

Cheat Well – a little bit. Clothkits fully-prepped tapestry or Rob Ryan cushions are peasy. Similarly, try Wool and the Gang, or Backstich.

Join the press gang Try a screen-printing class at The Papered Parlour (London) or Artison (Yorkshire) – and take home your own art.

Twinkle, twinkle little tealight My friend Holly’s candles really sparkle – thanks to a super simple craft trick. De-label empty food cans and pierce holes in the aluminum with a metal kebab skewer (or a thin bit on your drill – generally the gold coloured ones if, like me, you always forget which ones work on metal). Put a tealight inside. Repeat. If you're drilling not skewering, you'll love this great drillbit guide. Geek, moi?

Shoot ’em up Make friends with a staple-gun: fabulous fabric (LOVE love Seamstar) stretched over a canvas (Amazon is cheap) will look lovely.

Sprayed in full Picture framing can be so pricey. Often I'll find horrible artworks or horrible frames – or both – in charity shops. This isn't for every interior, but can look fantastic on one deliberate wall: replace the art with things you like, and spray the all the frames with the same colour aerosol paint (it avoids brush marks). Try Rustoleum.

Listen and learn If you're brave enough to grapple with more complex crafts (for me, that includes anything that involves a sewing machine or any kinds of needles) there are some inspiring classes all over the country. In Scotland Lovely Pigeon does sporadic but great looking lessons and in Sussex, West Dean offers residential courses in various homes-y crafts.

On a plate Stylish chef, Arno Maasdorp, does clever things on – and with – plates: take a charity shop patterned platter, lay an alphabet letter on top (steady hand? Alphabet Patterns), using aerosol paint, spray it. Matt black is striking. Now hang it.

Sit on it Revamp an old wooden chair with a collage. Pick a theme – torn up newspapers, maps, ornithology books… and, using PVA glue, cover the chair with them artfully, then varnish over and over for durability.


This is an extended version of my weekly column, The Insider, in the Independent on Sunday

Springtime fabrics at Seamstar

Just got a colourful and cheery newsletter from the spectacular fabric and craft emporium, Seamstar. And 15 minutes later was still poring over the images of prints on their Flickr feed. This spring-like lovely is by Momo – and you can get all sorts of other chirpy and cheerful designs by them too. From owls to flowers, patchwork tweetiepies (from £2.80 for 1/4 metre) and bundles fabrics in the same family, starting at £14. Here are just a few options, all from the Momo range, to tempt you...

And, for luck, one from the Monaluna Organics range, below (couldn't resist it)

The Lovely Pigeon

I've just discovered the Lovely Pigeon blog – the creation of print-maker, illustrator and upcycler, Kirsty Thomas. The blog is very sweet, is made in Scotland and is full of craft ideas – many themed around pigeons. I like a pigeon. 

Lovely Pigeon also sell lovely wares through Not On The High Street – including this sweet, romantic, pigeon-y card, for £2.

Check out some of their other items – such as this:

The 'Brown Bird' lino print, 29.7cm x 42cm, is just £20 and part of a limited edition set of 30.

My kinda needlework

I'm not a natural with a sewing machine. In fact, it's not even the machine bit that stumps me, it comes earlier - all that measuring, cutting, drawing straight lines with tailor's chalk...

It's like cooking, you're either good at cakes (measuring, following instructions) or freestyle 'creations' (the 'blindly bumbling through a recipe even though you have fewer than half the ingredients in the fridge' school).

I'm crap at making cakes.

But I think patchwork may well be the blunderer-friendly version of sewing. And with this lovely practical beginner's guide book, costing just £6.99 in the V&A Shop sale, there's nothing stopping me from finding out.