Ros Badger - Homemade Christmas and Festive Decorations - 25 Home Craft Projects

Copyright Contents Title Page Copyright Introduction Christmas Dressing the Christmas tree Felt decorations Knitted angel Floating baubles Festive mantelpiece Christmas wreath Cranberry Christmas decorations Christmas card garland Hand-painted Christmas plate Advent calendar Christmas stocking Valentine’s day Rose-scented Valentine heart Valentine paper cut-out Valentine bed garland Easter Easter tree Easter egg bunting Easter bird decorations Pin the egg on the chicken Halloween Pumpkin lanterns Halloween goodie bags Spooky silhouettes Birthdays Vintage birthday banner Pretty piñata Paper pompoms Party bags Cards, gift wrap and labels Homemade basics Craft basics Sewing basics Knitting basics Patterns and templates Directory List of Projects Acknowledgements Also available About the Publisher

This ebook edition published in 2012 by Collins includes some material first published in Homemade , first published in 2009.

HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk

First published by HarperCollinsPublishers 2012

FIRST EDITION

Text © Ros Badger and Elspeth Thompson 2009, Ros Badger 2012

Photography © Benjamin J Murphy 2009, 2012

Ros Badger and Elspeth Thompson assert their moral right to be identified as the authors of this work.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

PhotographyBenjamin J Murphy

EditorsEmma Callery and Sarah Tomley

PackagerTracy Killick Art Direction and Design

Source ISBN: 9780007489558

Ebook edition © October 2012 ISBN: 9780007489565

Version 2016-11-29

Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

Christmas

Dressing the Christmas tree

Felt decorations

Knitted angel

Floating baubles

Festive mantelpiece

Christmas wreath

Cranberry Christmas decorations

Christmas card garland

Hand-painted Christmas plate

Advent calendar

Christmas stocking

Valentine’s day

Rose-scented Valentine heart

Valentine paper cut-out

Valentine bed garland

Easter

Easter tree

Easter egg bunting

Easter bird decorations

Pin the egg on the chicken

Halloween

Pumpkin lanterns

Halloween goodie bags

Spooky silhouettes

Birthdays

Vintage birthday banner

Pretty piñata

Paper pompoms

Party bags

Cards, gift wrap and labels

Homemade basics

Craft basics

Sewing basics

Knitting basics

Patterns and templates

Directory

List of Projects

Acknowledgements

Also available

About the Publisher

Introduction Contents Title Page Copyright Introduction Christmas Dressing the Christmas tree Felt decorations Knitted angel Floating baubles Festive mantelpiece Christmas wreath Cranberry Christmas decorations Christmas card garland Hand-painted Christmas plate Advent calendar Christmas stocking Valentine’s day Rose-scented Valentine heart Valentine paper cut-out Valentine bed garland Easter Easter tree Easter egg bunting Easter bird decorations Pin the egg on the chicken Halloween Pumpkin lanterns Halloween goodie bags Spooky silhouettes Birthdays Vintage birthday banner Pretty piñata Paper pompoms Party bags Cards, gift wrap and labels Homemade basics Craft basics Sewing basics Knitting basics Patterns and templates Directory List of Projects Acknowledgements Also available About the Publisher

A homemade Christmas, or indeed any festivity, must be the most rewarding way to celebrate. Making something for someone else with love – whether it is a cake, a Christmas wreath or a simple greetings card – feels good, and in a world often said to be divided between those who spend money in order to save time and those who spend time in order to save money, our time is still seen as the ultimate luxury.

It is not a cliché that Christmas is about giving and there are plenty of ideas in this book that would make wonderful gifts. Mostly, however, this is a book about how to dress your home to create a beautiful, warm and inspiring environment in which to welcome friends and family to celebrate events throughout the year. All of the projects have been chosen because they can be imbued with meaning, in a way that’s simply not possible for mass-made products – you can incorporate favourite old items that have seen better days or have long been outgrown but retain fond memories. These decorations can also be made without too much expense and uniquely tailored to suit a loved one or friend. There is nothing more rewarding and nurturing for the soul than spending time making something that is genuinely appreciated and admired by others.

This book is filled with ideas, many of them very simple and quick to make. We hope they will not only enhance your celebrations and save you money, but also help you recycle – and upcycle – materials that you may already have lying around.

I am forever encouraging people to get into the habit of keeping old wrapping paper, cards, ribbons, fabric scraps, buttons and yarn, not in a post–war ‘make do and mend’ way, but because much of today’s wasted material can be made into very stylish new objects. There has never been so much ‘stuff’ around – so don’t waste it, grab it with both hands! Look out for interesting items that other people don’t spot. Once you have got used to noticing pretty old buttons on flea-market jackets and the beautiful paper someone used for your own birthday presents, you’ll begin to see just how much wonderful stuff is there for the taking. Save what you can and it will give you an endless source of materials to turn into beautiful creations of your own.

We have created a wide range of projects, which will allow readers to use even the most basic of craft skills in new and unusual ways. There are plenty of ideas and alternatives for the skilled maker as well as the reader who feels more at home with a glue stick than a sewing needle.

I have always been proud to be seen as a creative person, but now we are firmly back to a time where craft is not the preserve of an envied talented few, but widespread across the globe. ‘Homemade’ (including ‘homegrown’) has become a way of life for a huge number of people. So many can now be heard saying with pride, ‘I made it myself!’ People are no longer happy with doing an occasional piece of knitting on their commuter train or taking a homemade gift to a party – they want to ‘live the life’, embracing the authenticity and love behind everything homemade.

This book is for anyone seeking respite from impersonal commercialism and all things disposable, and who would like to spend half an hour or so now and then making things – either alone, or with friends or family. Enjoy the process and reap the rewards.

Ros Badger

Contents Title Page Copyright Introduction Christmas Dressing the Christmas tree Felt decorations Knitted angel Floating baubles Festive mantelpiece Christmas wreath Cranberry Christmas decorations Christmas card garland Hand-painted Christmas plate Advent calendar Christmas stocking Valentine’s day Rose-scented Valentine heart Valentine paper cut-out Valentine bed garland Easter Easter tree Easter egg bunting Easter bird decorations Pin the egg on the chicken Halloween Pumpkin lanterns Halloween goodie bags Spooky silhouettes Birthdays Vintage birthday banner Pretty piñata Paper pompoms Party bags Cards, gift wrap and labels Homemade basics Craft basics Sewing basics Knitting basics Patterns and templates Directory List of Projects Acknowledgements Also available About the Publisher