February is the month of love and it’s the perfect opportunity to show the people in your life just how much you care about them. Whether it’s a partner, friend, or family member, Valentines Day is for everyone and all types of love. There’s no need to spend lots of money either, Valentines is about reminding those close that you love them and this doesn’t need to be done through grand gestures or expensive gifts. In fact here at Gathered we think small, handmade gifts that are made with time and care mean much more than pricey ones from the shop. We’ve gathered a whole bunch of free Valentin ..read more

I am Sarah Jackman Read and I’m a freelance craft designer based on the Isle of Wight. I work for various UK craft companies and magazines and my varied job sees me working with lots of different products and mediums. I’ve created everything from haunted house papercraft cards to free party gift box templates for Gathered but now I’m turning my attention to Batik Art! This project was really great fun as it’s been many years since I’ve created any Batik Art. I’m going to teach you all about what Batik Art is and show you how you can create your own pieces using this beautiful medium. What is ..read more

Looking for a new medium to try? Watercolor pencils great fun to try and can be used to produce a variety of stunning effects. They combine the best qualities of watercolor paints and drawing pencils and are very handy if you want to create artwork on the go. Watercolor pencils are a great addition to your art supplies and can be used either by themselves or alongside other mediums. There are times when watercolor pencils are more convenient to use than other mediums. If you’re heading out to do some sketching and painting, you can leave your watercolor paints at home and bring these instead ..read more

Show your significant other simply how nutty you are about them with this cute ‘I’m nuts about you’ fun cross stitch card, perfect for Valentine’s Day. It will be sure to bring a smile to that special someone’s face and give them a good laugh. This small design is ideal for beginners, as it uses whole cross stitch only for the design itself then a small amount of backstitch for the lettering, you will be able to complete this project over a couple of evenings, making it ideal as a last-minute (yet thoughtful gift). Handmade always takes the crown when it comes to wooing your other half, we al ..read more

Homemade slime is an easy, inexpensive way to keep the kids entertained over the holidays. It’s tactile and messy, what’s not to love? There are lots of different ways how to make slime, but in this tutorial, we show you how to make slime without borax. So, how do you make slime? Borax is a naturally occurring mineral that, until 2010, was widely available in the UK as an ingredient in household cleaning products like detergent. As an alkaline substance, when added to laundry it helped to whiten your whites by converting some of the water molecules to hydrogen peroxide. Since 2010 however, yo ..read more

If you and your kids love the satisfying squeeze of slime, you may like to find out how to make fluffy slime! If you want the recipe for regular slime take a look at our how to make slime guide. To make the slime fluffy and puffy this recipe calls for shaving foam. The shaving foam creates a smoother, more fluffy texture and adds volume to the mixture (i.e. you get a larger batch of slime for the same amount of glue). The shaving foam will also make it feel less wet. Depending on whether or not you use scented shaving foam, you may also end up with scented slime! So keep that in mind if you’r ..read more

Learn how to make an origami duck with our easy-to-follow step-by-step photo tutorial! This easy origami model captures a duck as he’s splashing around in the pond, or, if you prefer, fold the wings down so that he’s swimming around peacefully, without a care in the world. This model will actually float on water, too! Like this origami duck? Check out some of our other origami projects here on Gathered, like this origami crane, origami swan, origami owl or origami butterfly. If you fancy boosting your stash, check out our pick of the best origami paper, or if you’re on the hunt for more ..read more

Is there anything cuter than a cat? Yep, a cat quilt pattern! The lovely Jo Carter originally designed this cat quilt for Love Patchwork & Quilting (check out their latest issue for more cute quilts) but now it’s here on Gathered just for you. You’ll love the level of detail you can achieve with Foundation Paper Piecing, especially with this cat quilt pattern. The technique allows you to stitch his sweet face colouring and green eyes making him look more realistic. Stitch this little kitty quilt for yourself or give it to the cat-lover in your life, you could even change the cats colourin ..read more

We all know that our pets are really superheroes, and these papers from Naomi Skinner really are the cat’s pyjamas or cape! Featuring bold colours, funky prints and a host of masked cuties, these designs have everything you need to say thank you in style. Pair with coordinating card in primary colours for an easy, no-fuss colour scheme, or add a dash of purple and green for extra pizazz. It’s easy to take to the skies with our flying friends – simply attach to strips of acetate to lift them off the page, while our clear approach to the classic reveal wheel allows you to swap outfits instan ..read more

If there’s one thing that’s even more enjoyable than stitching, it’s passing your love for the hobby on to someone new. Teaching cross stitch for kids is immensely satisfying, and they make excellent pupils! Lessons will provide a great opportunity to spend quality time with your child or grandchild, allowing you to bond over a shared pastime. Even better, stitching can help boost their hand-eye coordination, concentration and maths skills. So, if you know a young relative or a friend’s child who’s itching to catch the stitching bug, we’re here to help you give them the best possible start in ..read more