Create Your Own

Handmade items can make a house a home. They can be pricey but with lots of how to guides and tutorials online there is no reason why you can’t create your own. Hand crafted home accessories create a casual or rustic air to the overall look and feel of a room.
Knitting and crocheting is a trendy hobby to get into, with lots of people becoming craftsy even celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Kate Middleton and Kristen Stewart. It’s also a relatively cheap hobby and one that you can enjoy from your garden, commuting to work or in your favourite café.
What are you waiting on, let’s get knitting!
If you’re new to knitting it can be tempting to go into your local crafts store and splurge on endless amounts of wool and an array needles. We suggest trying to hold back, as to do your first couple of projects you won’t need lots of supplies and it’s best to find out if you will enjoy it!
So, what do you need to get started?
- Yarn/wool
- Needles
- A pair of scissors
- A sewing needle
- A crochet hook
About.com has a great selection of easy knitting patterns for beginners.
What you could make
There are so many items you could knit it’s hard to know where to start, however we’ve highlighted some of our favourite home décor projects:
Knitted Pouf
A knitted pouf is great for either a lounge or nursery as it instantly creates a cosier atmosphere in the room. Visit Pickles for lots of ideas and tips on making your own pouf.
What you’ll need
- 9 or 10 balls wool
- Large knitting needles
- Tapestry needles
- A couple of old pillows and/or an old single duvet
Armchair caddies
With an armchair caddy you’ll never lose your TV remote again. It sits over the armchair of your seat or sofa and holds items such a TV remote, knitting needles and kindles. With an armchair caddie you’ll have all the items you need for a night in front of the TV at your fingertips.
Pillows
Brighten up any room in your home by making your own knit pillow! Here are some great tips on knitting pillows for beginners.
What you’ll need
- Wool in the colour of your choice
- Knitting needles
- Pillow form
- Crochet hook
Blanket
Many knitting websites and tutorials state that crocheting an afghan patterned blanket is possible in six hours. As a beginner it might take you longer but it’s an easy project to get you started. The warm, chunky yarn makes this the perfect winter accessory for anyone who wants to get cosy.
When you have been knitting or crocheting for a while it won’t need your full attention so you’ll be able to work on it while you catch up on your favourite television programmes.
Watch this great YouTube video for more inspiration on DIY projects.
All for Free Knitting have more ideas on what you can knit for your home.
Image by Wicker Paradise and licensed by Creative Commons