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Written by Jess Unsworth with Katie Done AKA The Fabric Squirrel Katie AKA The Fabric Squirrel recently went on holiday to Majorca, and if like us you were enviously watching her Insta stories from home, you will have seen that she did an entirely ‘Me Made’ holiday. Now, I don’t know about you but we are itching to know how she found the whole process. We imagine an even mix of incredibly stressful and exciting. We have decided the only way to get the answers we all want is by sitting her down and doing a Q&A, so here we are. Your holiday looked FANTASTIC. Watching your Insta stories from our office in rainy Manchester was quite the contrast. How was the holiday? Thanks! We had a fabulous time thank you. It was so nice to be on holiday again and take the boys on some adventures. (Us watching Katie's Insta stories) So an entirely ‘Me Made’ holiday, what made you want to do this? I do a lot of sewing for other people, but I am not very good at making time for myself. I have a list of quilts that I need to make and blogs to write. Clothes for myself end up at the bottom of a very long list. Having a reason and a deadline is one of the only ways I can make time for myself, so a holiday was a great excuse. Did you manage to make all of the outfits you wanted to make? And more importantly did you manage to wear all the ones you did make? I didn’t make everything that I wanted to. There are still a few fabrics that I would have liked to have played with and it would have been nice to have made my husband a shirt. Although, saying that, I did wear everything I packed. I would have had to have a few costume changes and a few more kilos of luggage allowance to make anything else. I would have also loved to have made myself a bag, although I had my Snoopy beach bag, I wanted to attempt a rucksack in a fun print. It remains on the to do list. There were a couple of items that I didn’t take in the end. I made a couple of versions of McCalls M8104 in a William Morris print and some Craft Cotton denim chambray. I love them so much that I have been wearing them for months and they didn’t feel like holiday clothes anymore, if that makes any sense! Here's Katie in her William Morris dress, stood next to her denim chambray dress! What was your favourite outfit of the holiday? It has to be my Soller outfit with the lemon skirt and black jersey top. I don’t usually wear skirts but the lemon fabric from Figo felt like it had to be a skirt. It needed to be paired with something plain so I used Craft Cotton plain black jersey to make a Tilly and the Buttons Agnes top. Although it was plain, I don’t think the outfit would have had the same impact without the top. The ruffled sleeves and gather at the front all help create the perfect silhouette. I was also particularly proud of the skirt because it was a self-drafted pattern. I already plan on making it again. How long did you spend making sure everything was ready for the holiday? I dread to think! I made my first holiday dress in February and I finished my last project three days before we flew on the 11th April. My last project wasn’t clothes. I wanted as many aspects of the holiday to be me made, or mummy made. So, I made Alfie a little carry case for his cars to play with in the room and on the plane. The idea of playing on the plane wasn’t as well thought out in reality. I ended up trying to find cars that had rolled under my seat. We loved the matching Bethany Salt outfits you made for you and your boys! You served von Trapp chic in the best way possible. Is this something you have done before? Yes, and hopefully it won’t be the last. I love matching with the boys and while they still like matching with me, or have no opinion, I am going to milk it! It is a good job I didn’t have girls really because I would be making matching outfits all the time. I made matching outfits for us in Craft Cotton black and white cloud Jersey in 2020. I was really sad when Alfie grew out of this outfit. The Romper pattern is still on the blog. When making clothes, what comes first, the fabric or the pattern? Both. I subscribe to a sewing magazine where I get two patterns a month. I have the hugest box of patterns, some I want to make straight away and know just the fabric to use. Others just get filed away until I am looking for inspiration on what to make with a certain fabric. When I first saw The Crafty Lass’s Wild Dreams collection, I knew I needed a pair of shorts in one of the prints. In this case the pattern and fabric decision was simultaneous. The shorts I have made before using Simplicity 1887. There are only so many ways you can make a pair of shorts so I tend to stick to this same pattern. I own my fabric shop The Fabric Squirrel so, more often than not, the fabric comes first. I see it, I want it, I need to work out what to make with it. Is a ‘Me Made’ holiday something you would recommend others to try? Yes definitely although not necessarily to the same extent. It has taken me 15 years of sewing clothes for myself to be confident enough to wear everyday me made clothes. Although I used it as an excuse to make new things, I also made sure I took some old favourites too. Just one day of wearing me made clothes on holiday is enough to make you feel really proud of yourself. Do you have any tips for anyone thinking of doing a ‘Me Made’ holiday? Set yourself one project at a time, that way you won’t be disappointed if you don’t finish everything you wanted to. Not everything has to be a brand-new project, try upcycling some of your summer wardrobe to give it another lease of life. This is something I intend on doing more of this year. Most importantly, enjoy the process. Final question. Would you do a ‘Me Made’ holiday again? For sure! I did a me made holiday in 2019 but I kept it much simpler and I didn’t wear 100% me made. It will be easier for the next holiday because I will have lots of items I can take again and just add a few new treat outfits. Alfie repping an adorable hat made from Craft Cotton Fabric. Katie has written a blog over on her page about her experience of having an entirely me made holiday, click on the link below and give it a read! To see more from Katie follow her on Instagram @thefabricsquirrel, Facebook @thefabricsquirrel or visit her website. Written by Jess Unsworth feat. Katie Done for The Craft Cotton Co 2022.

Project by Paula Milner- The Crafty Lass You Will Need: Fabric Thread Inner pillow Craft Essentials: Sewing Machine Fabric Scissors Pins Tape Measure Iron A great little simple sewing make using an old pillow as the inner for your pet bed. How to Make 1. Select, Cut & Press Select, measure and cut out your fabrics - I have used ‘Wild Violets’ from The Crafty Lass Petal and Pip fabric range. The measurements were based on the pillow inner we had spare! So you can easily adapt these, but I used as below. Press if needed. 1 Front piece 64cm x 40cm 2 Back pieces 45cm x 40cm 2. Back Pieces- Sew Turn one of the back piece 40cm edges over by 1.5cm and sew using a 1cm seam allowance a straight running stitch to secure. Repeat with the second back piece. 3. Assemble Place the front piece right side up and then lay the back pieces on to this with right sides together and pin into position if required. 4. Sew Using a 1cm seam allowance sew around the edge and secure your threads. 5. Turn Out Turn out the right way and push the corners out. Press if required. 6. Inner Insert your pillow into the case before letting your pet get snuggly! Et voila… One pet bed! To see more from Paula follow her on Instagram @thecraftylass. Made by Paula Milner for The Craft Cotton Co 2022.

Project by Michelle Roberts- Creative Blonde Follow my tutorial to make a super cute 16” cushion cover, made from just 2 fat quarters! Materials 16”x 16” front piece (I used stars and plaid from Fabric Editions) Two backing pieces measuring 16” x 11” and 15” x 9” (I used purple and blue from Hobbycraft FQ pastel collection) 15” cushion pad 7” x 7” felt Gutermann thread Haberdashery items · Quilter’s ruler · Rotary cutter/scissors · Iron · Cutting mat · Basic sewing supplies Lets get sewing… 1. Take your chosen coloured piece of felt and using a machine or by hand, embroider your message. 2. Finger press under 3/8” down one length and sew, repeat on opposite edge, and again along the bottom edge. 3. This pocket is now ready to sew to the front of your cushion, place in the centre and 6” from the top. Pin to keep secure. 4. Sew 1/8” from edge of pocket, along all 3 sides ( do not sew along the top). 5. Take the backing pieces and along one of the longest edges, fold and press the edge over twice. Then top stitch to hold in place, repeat on the second backing piece. 6. Sew your cushion with right sides together, making sure to lay the bigger backing piece down onto the right side of the cushion front piece, with raw edges all on the outer edge. Pin and sew using ½” seam allowance. Snip corners. Turn right side out and press (take care not to iron the felt) Add cushion pad. Your cushion is complete! Just pop your tooth in the pocket and leave it in a spot easy for the tooth fairy to find when they come to visit. To see more of my tutorials, you can follow my blog www.creativeblonde.co.uk and my new website www.creativeblondegifts.com and/or Instagram page www.instagram.co.uk/michelle_creativeblonde and www.facebook.com/creativeblonde66 Stockist for Fabric www.visagetextiles.com www.hobbycraft.co.uk Made by Michelle Roberts for The Craft Cotton Co 2022

Project by Michelle Roberts AKA Creative Blonde Team this safari FQ bundle up with some solid black to make the safari fabric pop! Please read through all the instructions before starting your project. Finished size: 16” x 13” (not including handles) Materials 4 FQ from the Safari range - all available at Craft Cotton and Hobbycraft 3 FQ of solid black fabric 2 FQ of Bosal single sided fusible fleece (Two 14” x 18 and One ¾” x 20 ½”) Gutermann black thread Haberdashery items Iron-away marker pen Quilter’s ruler, rotary cutter/scissors Iron Cutting mat Basic sewing supplies Making the tote bag Two 9” squares for the main panel (front and back) * Four 9” x 3” black strips Two 14” x 3” black strips Two 14” x 7 ½” black strips Two 3” x 21 ½” black strips (handles) Two 1 ½” x 21 ½” tiger print (handles) One 14” x 18 ½” black piece (lining) One 14” x 18 ½” ginger piece (lining) Two 14” x 18 ½” fusible fleece interfacing (lining) One ¾” x 20 ½” fusible fleece interfacing (handles) Fussy cut the 9” squares trying to keep the animal prints complete Assembling the tote bag Take a 9” square panel and join a 3” x 9” black strip either side, press seams towards black fabric, repeat for other panel. Take the two 9” x 14” strips and sew to the top of each panel. To complete the front and back panel, sew the 14” x 7 ½” strips to the bottom of each panel, press seams towards black fabric. The front and back panels are now completed. To create the lining, fuse the black and ginger pieces to the fusible fleece. Making the handles Fuse the 3/4” fusible strip to the centre of the 1 ½” animal print strip. Press over the excess fabric towards the centre and baste to hold it. Pin the animal print to the centre of the 3” black strip and sew along each long edge of the animal piece to secure in place. Fold the black strip right sides together and sew together using ¼” seam allowance. Using a Clover turning tool, turn the handle right side out and press, with the outer black surround sitting evenly either side of the tiger print, repeat for the second handle. Lay one set of handles, right sides together to the front panel of the bag, 1 ½” from outer edge, repeat with the other handle onto the back panel. Sew a row of stiches 1/8” from raw edge. Take the two outer pieces of the tote bag, place RST and sew down one edge, along the bottom and back up the other side using ½” seam allowance. Repeat for the two lining pieces (place RST), this time leave a 4” gap in the bottom edge for turning through later on. Turn outer panel right side out, and place inside the lining pieces, so right sides are together. Pin at seams and join the two bag pieces together using ½” seam allowance along the top edges. To create the base for your bag, pull the bottom corners out (like opening a packet of crisps) and draw a line 2in from the corner, sew along this line, and trim of excess. Repeat this process for the remining lining corner, and on the two outer fabric corners. Push it all through the gap and press. Hand-sew up the gap with a simple ladder stitch. Top stitch using the Gutermann thread ¼”, all the way around the top of your bag. To see more from Michelle, you can follow her blog www.creativeblondegifts.com, her Instagram @michelle_creativeblonde or her Facebook @creativeblonde66. Stockist for the fabrics and Bosal fusible fleece www.visagetextiles.com and all good crafting retailers Stockist for Gutermann thread gutermann@stockistenquiries.co.uk and all good crafting retailers Stockist for Clover Tools and basting glue www.grovesltd.co.uk and all good crafting retailers Made by Michelle Roberts for The Craft Cotton Co 2022.

Project by Michelle Roberts AKA Creative Blonde Follow my tutorial on how to make your very own ‘fabric dish covers’ the perfect alternative to cling film. Please read through all the instructions before starting your project Materials 2 FQ from William Morris Winter Berry collection - all availble at Craft Cotton and Hobbycraft 1 FQ of Vlieseline double sided interfacing HH650 Cream or forest green bias binding Gutermann thread 824 Cord elastic 40” Haberdashery items Iron-away marker pen Quilter’s ruler, rotary cutter/scissors Iron Cutting mat Basic sewing supplies Making the casserole dish cover (mine measures 12” x 8 ½”) Cut two pieces 14 ½” x 11” and one piece of interfacing 14 ½” x 11” Fuse wrong side of fabric to either side of the interfacing Mark two-inch lines in both directions on the top fabric, and quilt along these lines. Sew bias binding (in either cream or green) to the top of the dish cover, creating neat right-angled triangles on the corners. Hand sew to reverse, leaving a 2” gap for threading the elastic cord through. Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic, and thread though bias binding. Pull elastic tightish and secure with a knot, close the gap in the binding to complete your casserole dish cover. Making the cereal bowl cover (suitable for 17” to 20” circumference) Cut two 8” circles and one 8” circle from interfacing. Repeat process above. When adding bias binding sew slowly and neatly around curved edge. Great for keeping the flies off your food, and still looking gorgeous in your kitchen. To see more from Michelle follow her on Instagram @creativeblondegifts or Facebook @creativeblondegifts or visit her website creativeblondegifts.com. Made by Michelle Roberts for The Craft Cotton Co 2022.

Project by Michelle Roberts Have you got some scraps of the stunning new collection ‘Indigo Elements’ by Stuart Hillard, and looking for a project? Follow my tutorial to make a super cute and useful key fob Please note – photos show two key fobs being made Materials to make one key fob 3” x 10” piece of your favourite fabric 3” x 3” piece of your favourite fabric (contrasting to the previous piece) 2” x 10” Bosal fusible fleece interfacing Gutermann thread Key fob clasp Haberdashery items Quilter’s ruler Rotary cutter/scissors Iron Cutting mat Basic sewing supplies Lets get sewing… Fuse the fleece to the centre of the wrong side of your chosen strip of fabric. Fold and press over the raw edges, either side of the fleece. Fold in half again and top stitch along all four edges (1/8” from edge). Thread key fob clasp through and lay the two raw edges together, with your machine set it the longest zig zag stitch (mine was 7mm) sew over the two edges to join. Take your 3” square and fold in half, open and fold the raw edges to the folded centre line. Fold in half again and press. Clover wonder clips are great for holding this in place. With the join about ¾” from the clasp, wrap the band around and tuck the raw edges inside. Hold in place with a Clover wonder clip. Sew along each side 1/8” from edge to secure. To see more of Michelle's tutorials, you can follow her blog www.creativeblonde.co.uk, her Instagram @michelle_creativeblonde and her Facebook www.facebook.com/creativeblonde66 Check out her website at www.creativeblondegifts.com Stockist for Fabric and Interfacing www.visagetextiles.com www.hobbycraft.co.uk https://bosalfoam.com Stockist for Clover wonder clips www.grovesltd.co.uk Made by Michelle Roberts for The Craft Cotton Co 2022.

Project by Mary-Ellen In this blog, I want to share with you some tips for dressmaking with craft cotton and show you what I have been making with the recent Simplicity ‘All Dressed Up’ range of fabrics. There is a common misconception that quilting (or craft) cottons are not intended for dressmaking but that could not be further from the truth. I’ve seen friends in sewing shops bypassing the quilting cottons and going directly to the ‘dressmaking’ section of the fabric store; they are unaware that they are missing out on so much. Quilting cotton is an amazing quality of cotton that really ought to be considered for dressmaking projects; medium weight (being a little heavier than a poplin), it is stable and does not fray easily which makes it a brilliant fabric for less experienced sewists to work with. What I love most about quilting cottons is that they are consistent in quality; no matter which quilting cotton company you buy from the quality will be consistent. The fabric holds up to repeated washing and ironing, making it a sustainable fabric choice as it will last well. There is also a seemingly limitless selection of prints available; you can find a quilting cotton with pretty much anything on it. Quilting cottons are a sure-fire way to bring your personality into your wardrobe. Top Tips for Sewing with Craft Cottons 1. Prewashing: You want to make sure all shrinkage is done before you start sewing your garment up or you’ll end up with a garment that no longer fits well after washing. 2. Pressing: Iron out your creases before cutting as this ensures your pattern pieces are cut accurately and make good use of iron to press your seams while sewing to get a professional finish to your garment; craft cotton is really resilient and handles steam and a hot iron really well. I recommend you press with the printed side down for the best results. 3. Marking: When marking your quilting cottons, they can handle most things; carbon paper, chalk, marking pens – but I would remind you to always mark on the wrong side of the fabric so that you don’t affect the print. Even an iron off or disappearing ink can leave residue sometimes; if in doubt, and you need to mark the right side of the fabric, always test it on a scrap piece of the fabric first. 4. Cutting: Quilters will generally use a rotary cutter to get clean cutting lines – they’re probably the best example to follow when sewing with quilting cotton (saying that; I am team scissors for everything and believe that this is a matter of personal preference). 5. Interfacing: fusible lightweight interfacing is the best choice for craft cottons – in my project I’ve used it on my facing pieces. 6. Sewing: Thread - Polyester is perfect for sewing craft cotton as it is strong. Needle - quilting cotton is best sewn with a Universal needle (size 80/12). Construction Tips: 1. Stay stitch: Quilting cotton might look and feel stable, but it will stretch when cut on the bias. Always stay stitch your necklines to ensure they don’t stretch. This is just good practice: I stay stitch even when the pattern doesn’t instruct me to. 2. Under stitch: This is also an invaluable technique to bring to sewing garments in general, particularly on necklines. If you find that your facing is ever popping out, it may well be because you have not under-stitched. 3. Watch your grainline: Quilting cotton prints are literally printed on to the fabric so the patterns may not necessarily line up with the grainline of your fabric. Craft Cotton and Self Expression For me, one of the most amazing things about sewing is that there is two-pronged act of creativity at play when we make our own clothes. When we sew, we express our creativity in our choices of colours, prints and patterns. It’s a form of art to make wearable garments. What’s more, when we wear those creations, we express who we are to everyone who sees them. Our choice of clothes says a lot about who we are as individuals. As Marc Jacobs rightly said: “Clothing is a form of self-expression – there are hints about who you are in what you wear”. The Craft Cotton Co x Simplicity ‘All Dressed Up’ fabrics are a playful way for me to show my love of sewing and vintage inspired style. Prints like this become real conversation pieces. Even at work, when wearing this dress, I’ve had many people from older generations come up and talk to me about how they used to have (and used to sew!) dresses just like the ones worn by the Simplicity cover models on this fabric design. I think these are the kinds of conversations that are even more potent from behind a mask where conversation in public places rarely becomes as personal as they used to be pre-pandemic. Each of the 5 designs are beautiful (and I do have a little of each of them for smaller home and sewing room projects) but the Simplicity ladies seemed perfect for dressmaking as they run in a single direction. When a print is multi-directional, it is not ideal for dressmaking but, with the right pattern you can find that single directional prints make beautiful garments. I decided to make one of my tried-and-true patterns to make a dress from this fabric. The Sew Over It Marguerite is a beautiful dress, a ringer for the dresses worn by Charlotte Le Bon in the film The Hundred Foot journey from which the pattern gets its name. I love this pattern because it just works for my figure. It cinches me in at the waist, (where I need it!), and fits the bust area really well. The dolman sleeves and the skirt are really well balanced, so it creates a good silhouette. As a curvy woman, I love a pattern that works with my curves, not against them. For the Marguerite dress, the shape is in the details. Most of the shaping work is done by gathering, except for bust darts, making it a good pattern for sewing up busier prints. The only real interruption in the dress is the waistband. The style of the dress – the semi fitted bodice and dolman cuffed sleeves – makes this a really easy pattern to fit, too. I would recommend this even to people staring out on their dressmaking journey; prepare yourself for a Netflix binge and some hand stitching on the cuffs and waistband. Admittedly, Marguerite is intended to be made in lighter weight fabrics such as rayon or cotton lawn, but I personally prefer to break the rules of fabric recommendations and make this pattern in quilting weight cottons. It gives a little more structure to the dress than a lawn or rayon would do. I also like to make dresses that are transitional throughout the seasons and, for that, cotton is an excellent choice. Marguerite was a good choice of pattern for quilting cotton because it can be cut for 44” fabrics; as an aside, this pattern requires 3.4m of fabric this width but I got this dress cut out in just 2.5 metres with a little placement care. Most vintage (and vintage inspired) patterns need wider fabrics to get full skirts, but a gathered skirt is a good option for craft cottons. This fabric – and this dress – is very ‘me’. Quilting cottons are a frequent fabric choice for me as I love to project who I am and wear something a little bit different from everyone else – isn’t that why a lot of us came to sewing, after all? Because fashion trends in the stores didn’t really speak to us? I think I might also need a dress in the ‘Underestimate me, that’ll be fun…’ print. Wouldn’t that be the ultimate statement dress? Happy stitching and thanks for reading. Mary-Ellen x To see more from Mary-Ellen follow her on Instagram @shesewshappiness. Made by Mary-Ellen for The Craft Cotton Co 2022.

Written by Jess Unsworth Image and make by @letsgetsewing1 Textiles is the one industry that will always be around, no one can escape it, not even the nudists. The seats in your car? Fabric. When you get out the shower, what do you dry yourself with? Fabric. Even Greta Thunberg, the biggest environmental activist of our time and general badass, couldn't leave the house without her iconic yellow raincoat, which is made from what? Fabric. So WHY I cry when I'm lay in bed at night, is it falling so far behind when it comes to sustainability? The answer is money probably, but that response will simply not do! Some of the major environmental effects of the textiles industry are the high levels of water consumption, the hazardous, synthetic pesticides that are used and the waste products ending up in landfills. Now, I'm not saying that everyone should sack off fabric, and join a self-sufficient environmentalist cult in the fields of Southern France (although that does sound tempting). What I am going to discuss, is the different ways that we as companies and you as sewists can start taking steps in the right direction. There are many things big companies can be doing, and here at Craft Cotton Co, we are actively trying to improve our products to create a more sustainable future. Which, I am super happy to say, we will be doing! This month we have launched our new brand 'Make + Believe Fabrics'. It will focus on digitally printing on to organic cotton. We have chosen to do this as a step towards people becoming more environmentally aware. The main positives of working with organic cotton are that it eliminates hazardous synthetic pesticides and it allows farmers to grow other food stuffs alongside the cotton, which allows them to diversify their income and and cope with demand and change in the market. When it comes to fabric hoarding I know you guys are the worst for it (because I am the same). You don't just want that gorgeous FQ you've clocked in the bargain bin, you NEED it. The chairs made from piles of fabric in your living room isn't clutter, it's just a quirk. We all need to Marie Kondo our sewing rooms, and the best way to do this is scrap busting. Not only does it use up your piles of 'too nice to throw out' scrap fabrics, it also means you can save that pair of jeans that are on their last legs! Now, with Earth Day coming up (22nd April), I have decided to challenge all you lovely sewists. I want to see what YOU can make with some of your left over fabric. Patches for ripped clothing, make up pads, jazzing up an old pair of jeans, whatever you make we want to see it! Our favourites may even get featured on our page. So get crafty, challenge your sewing buddies and don't forget to tag us and use the hashtag #CCCScrapThatChallenge. Photo and make by @creativeblondegifts To get the creative juices flowing, here are some ideas of what you can do: Reusable sanitary pads Wax food wrap/sandwich bags Face/eye wipes Shoe laces Plant pots Patches for clothes Cuffs/collars on jackets Coffee cosy Keep your eyes peeled on our blog for some #CCCScrapThatChallenge tutorials. Written by Jess Unsworth for The Craft Cotton Co 2022.

Project by Gill Rich I thought these lovely metallic fabrics would make a very effective cushion cover and decided on a half square triangle design and one central solid block. To make the cushion, you will need the following:- ● One pack of fat quarters I chose Tropical Metallics from Craft Cotton Co ● Sewing thread ● Co-ordinating backing fabric ● Rotary Cutter and mat ● Quilting square patchwork ruler ● Pins Decide which fabrics you wish to use to make the half square triangle blocks and the solid block for the centre of the cushion. The unfinished blocks should measure 6.5” square. Firstly cut your central block 6.5” square and set aside. For each 6.5” block you will need to cut two squares from both fabrics measuring 3.5” (eg Fabric A and Fabric B). Place Fabric A an top of Fabric B with right sides together. Draw a line from one corner to the opposite corner and pin together on each side. Now you need to stitch ¼” on each side of the line and cut along your drawn line. Press flat with seams open. Repeat for the other two squares. You should now have four half square triangles. Repeat these two steps for Fabric C and Fabric D. Now to decide on your placement of these half square triangles in your block, it's up to you if you want to do a different design but I had two matching triangles on each opposite side and one of each colour on the bottom and top like this. Once you have completed all eight triangle blocks, place them out until you are happy with your design and then we can sew them together. Take the top three blocks and stitch together down each side using a ¼” seam allowance. Press flat with your seams open. Repeat for the second and third rows. Next stitch your three rows together in the same manner. Your cushion top is now complete. I did an envelope style back for the cushion. To do this you need to cut two pieces of your backing fabric 13” by 19”. On one long side of each piece, fold over a ½” and press then fold over another ½” and press again. Stitch close to the edge of the folded over edges. Repeat for the other side. With your cushion top facing up, place the two backing pieces rights sides down with your folded edges in the middle, they should overlap by about 4” in the middle. Stitch all the way around your cushion with a ¼” seam allowance. I finish my seams by overlocking the edges but if you don't have an overlocker, a zig zag stitch is fine. Cut your corners and turn your cushion right side out pushing out the corners as far as they will go. Give your cushion a good press and there you have a lovely addition to your cushion collection! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. If you wish, you can follow me on Instagram @designbygill66 or Facebook at Design by Gill. Made by Gill Rich for The Craft Cotton Co 2022.

Project by Sarah Holliman- SJ Stitchery You will need: Half a metre of fabric for each bunny ( finished size approx. 50cm x 28cm) Quarter of a metre of fabric for the bow Toy Stuffing Scissors/Pins/Thread/Needle Method 1. First, download a rabbit template from the internet. There are lots of free download templates available for you to choose from. 2. Enlarge the template to the size of your choice. I chose to enlarge my template about 400 percent, to make an extra large bunny. My enlarged image was approximately 50x28cm. 3. Print and cut out your template. 4. Take your 2 pieces of fabric, slightly larger than your template and place them right sides together, ensuring that the pattern direction is correct on both pieces. 5. Pin the template into place on the top piece of fabric. 6. Sew all around the template (as close to the edge as you can), leaving a gap for turning. I also like to double stitch my seams for extra strength. REMEMBER to back stitch on either side of the opening so that the seam does not come undone when you turn the piece inside out. 7. With scissors, trim around the sewn edges of the rabbit, leaving a small hem. 8. Turn the rabbit out the right way, making sure that all the small details are carefully poked out to keep the shape of the rabbit. 9. Stuff the rabbit firmly as it will need to hold its shape when seated. 10. Sew up the gap in the seam, your rabbit shape is complete. 11. To make the bow cut a long length of contrasting fabric about 2.5 inches wide and fold it in half. 12. Place right sides together, pin into place and sew a seam along one side . 13. Turn out the right way, sew up the gap and press with an iron. 14. Arrange the bow detail around the bunny’s neck and your Easter bunny is complete. HAPPY EASTER! To see more from Sarah follow her on Instagram @sjstitchery or check out her website sjstitchery.com. Made by Sarah Holliman for The Craft Cotton Co 2022.

Project by Lesley Connelly This Peter Rabbit themed fabric makes the perfect match for a hot air balloon adventure themed embroidery hoop decoration. This make would be perfect in a nursery and would make a great baby gift. Materials: Peter Rabbit fat quarter set by The Craft Cotton Company. Needle. Thread. Scissors. Paper. Pencil. Piece of felt to create a circle from to cover the back of the hoop. Embroidery hoop (10 inch – or smaller/bigger if you prefer). Embroidery threads in 2 shades of brown (one light and one dark). Compass/something circular to make circles with a 5cm and 7cm diameter. 1. Choose one of the fat quarter pieces to be your background fabric. 2. Place the background fabric in the embroidery hoop. 3. Using the light brown thread and long stitches for each side sew an outline for the basket, then using long stitches infill inside this outline. 4. Using the dark brown thread weave in and out across the basket to create a basket texture. 5. Using the dark brown thread sew 4 long lines (of different lengths) to form the balloon ropes. 6. Using a compass/something circular draw out two paper templates, one with a 5cm diameter and one with a 7cm diameter. 7. Take the remaining fat quarter pieces and using the paper templates cut out 9 large circles and 6 small circles. 8. Take one of the circles and fold in the edge by 0.5cm and sew all the way around, pull tight and sew to secure. Repeat with the remaining circles. 9. Sew the fabric circles onto the fabric backing to form the hot air balloon top. 10. To finish the back of the hoop, leaving a gap of 10cm from the edge of the embroidery hoop cut away the excess fabric. 11. Sew around the edge of the fabric and pull tight to close the gap at the back of the hoop. 12. Take the piece of felt and cut a circle big enough to cover the back of the hoop. Sew around to secure. To see more from Lesley follow her on Instagram @hookstitchsew or visit her website hookstitchsew.com. Made by Lesley Connelly for The Craft Cotton Co 2022.

Project by SJ Stitchery Make your own re-useable Easter Egg Decorations. A quick to make Easter sewing project. You will need One pack of fat quarters or small pieces of different fabrics Toy Stuffing Optional Raffia Wreath Ring for hanging decoration String/Ribbon for decoration Scissors/ Pins/Thread/Needles Note: Instructions are for making the fabric egg decorations – you can use them in many different ways, as hanging ornaments or to decorate your hanging wreath (the egg template is slightly different for this) Method 1. First you will need a template for the eggs. You could download a template or draw one similar to the one below. The egg is made up of six narrow oval shaped segments. 2. Pin the template to your fabric and cut out the piece. I used different fabric pieces for each segment. You will need to cut 6 segments for each egg. 3. With right sides facing , pin two of the fabric pieces together and sew down one side of the shape. 4. Continue to sew all segments of the egg in this way until all six pieces have been sewn together. Leave a gap in one side for turning. 5. Turn the egg inside out and stuff firmly. Sew up the gap in the side seam. 6. Make a small hole in the top and bottom seams of the egg and thread a length of string up and down the middle of the egg. Make a knot at the base of the egg and a knot at the top to make a hanging loop. You could also accessorise or decorate you egg. To keep mine rustic looking I have simply added a little strip of coordinating fabric as a ribbon tie around the middle of the egg. 7. You could arrange six of your fabric eggs in a cardboard egg box to make a perfect Easter gift. Instructions on how to make an Easter Door Wreath 1. Take a wreath ring of any size. 2. You could use the template for the fabric eggs as above or use the template as shown below, which is slightly flatter in shape. 3. Pin the template to the wrong side of the fabric and sew around the shape, leaving a gap for turning. 4. Turn the egg out the right way and stuff firmly. Sew up the gap. 5. Arrange the eggs around the wreath. I used a ribbon of fabric around the middle of the egg as a tie to secure the egg to the wreath. 6. Accessorise your wreath. You could use flowers or greenery. I have added a little hanging chick decoration into the middle of the wreath – it is just up to your imagination and your personal Easter theme. HAPPY EASTER! To see more from Sarah follow her on Instagram @sjstitchery or visit her website sjstitchery.com. Made by Sarah Jane for The Craft Cotton Co 2022.