ST201902

Yo u w illneed:
Lots ofcolourful wool (it’s agreat
way to use up leftovers)
Pom pom makers in a varietyofsizes
(get a 4 - packfromhobbycraft.co.uky )
Scissors
Cushion cover in need ofa makeover
Hotgluegun withglue

1 Wrap thewoolaroundeachside
of thepompom maker
untilfull.Closeand thencut
down themiddle.
2 Use a length ofwool to secure

tightly aroundthemiddle, then use

the scissors to neaten theedges.

3 Repeat, untilyou’ve enoughpom

poms to cover the cushion. Stick

on theradio or a podcast asyou

work – it’s easy, but does take afair

bit oftime. You could mix up the

yarns to create a speckled effect.

4 Use yourhot glue gun to stick

pom pomsdirectlyto the cushion

cover. Youcouldalsostickthemto

each other tofill in any gaps.

5 Let glue cool, before displaying

your skills on yourfavourite chair.

MAKEAPOMPOMCUSHIONCOVER

MAG OF THE MONTH

• Pom Pom •

A quarterly British

magazine for the

contemporary crafter

that presents knitting

and crochet in a fresh,

beautiful way. Each

issue ofPom Pom

includes plenty of

designs from makers

to get the needles

going, as well as

recipes to provide

sustenance, and

articles on everything

from 18th-century

papercut artists to the

history of the button.

All making for an

inspiring read.

£12.50, picsandink.com

INDIE

LEST CARD COMPANIES LET YOU
FORGET... The 14th was declared
Valentine’s Day by Henry VIII, but
the day’s association with romance
began centuries earlier: 14 February
was known as the start of the
mating season for birds. Searching
for a verse to put into your card?
Appropriately, 14 is the number of
lines in a traditional sonnet.

HOME (^) HA
CKS
Single-use plastic water bottles have become
the norm, owing to the perception that bottled
water is cleaner than tap. While this might be
true in some areas of the world, the UK has
easy access to tap water of the same quality as
bottled water. Producing plastic water bottles
requires 17 million barrels of oil annually:
enough to fuel one million cars for a year.
Traditional water filters are often produced in
disposable plastic cartridges. An activated
charcoal stick is a simple and plastic free
alternative. It’s made from heating wood to an
extremely high temperature so it loses its
oxygen content and becomes carbonated.
That carbonation acts as a filter.
Find a properly sized carafe or water pitcher
for your water, place the charcoal stick inside,
and let it draw out the toxins for the time
specified by the manufacturer. A larger volume
of water typically needs more time.
Refresh the stick monthly by boiling in water
for five minutes and letting it dry before using
it again. They should last about four months.
ECO TWEAKS
PLASTIC FREE
WATER FILTERING
Add some cheer to your chair with this simple makeover

• Answer: Breath
  Adapted from Sustainable Home by
  Christine Liu (White Lion Publishing)