Tag Archives: make your own

Frost Loves Wool And The Gang

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crochet, make your own hat. wool and the gang crochet, make your own hat. wool and the gangIn today’s consumeristic throw away society what could be more cool than making your own hat- or bag- from scratch? Well Wool and The Gang are a great company making knitting cool. Why buy a hat from Primark when you can get a pattern and everything you need to crochet your own? Easy to do and oh-so fashionable. Frost loves Wool and the Gang and we suggest you get on board too.

WOOL AND THE GANG LAUNCH RAFFIA: A DESIRABLE NEW YARN AND ACCESSORIES COLLECTION PERFECT FOR YOUR CITY TO COAST SUMMER GETAWAYS

As the days get longer and it seems spring is in the air, it’s time to turn our minds to Summer! DIY fashion pioneers Wool and the Gang are proud to announce the launch of their brand new yarn and accessories range Ra-Ra Raffia -​ after all, we believe crochet is the perfect way to spend balmy holiday evenings.

The durable fibre has fast become the go-to summer material for brands including Celine, who want to bring a touch of the Riviera to their pieces. The trend looks set to continue for 2018 with the return of straw totes and woven baskets, for those who want to channel their inner Jane Birkin the Ra-Ra Raffia makes the perfect iconic basket bag.

The distinctive raffia fibre is light and airy, water-resistant and quick-drying – perfect for creating pieces to take on sand-filled, shady getaways (as well as light enough for those urban city adventures). From slouchy bucket bags and playful totes, to authentic hats and bohemian-inspired house accessories, these projects are the perfect way to transcend seasons and get yourself vacation-ready! The wide-brimmed floppy hat ​Worn This Way is the ultimate Summer statement piece – versatile and stylish, paired with the beginner-friendly ​Money Honey Clutch​ ​or ​Starstruck Bag​ for added texture and depth to your summer outfits.

The new release features 9 new crochet kits and 2 free patterns, available in 4 balmy, summer inspired hues; Ivory White, Cinnamon Dust, Midnight Blue and Desert Palm.

Step into Summer with Ra-Ra Raffia accessories – the ultimate summer projects for the start of the warmer months.

Yarn: ​Ra-Ra-Raffia
Shades: ​Ivory White, Cinnamon Dust, Midnight Blue, Desert Palm Price:​ £14.50 / ​ €​17.00 / $20.00
Yardage/Weight: ​273yd/250m and 100g
Suggested knitting needles: ​4.5mm

Washing Instructions: ​Hand wash

Kits: ​Money Honey Clutch, Starstruck Bag, Bad Romance Bag, Paper Gangsta Bag, Worn This Way Hat, Joanne Hat, Love Game Basket, Oh La La Plant Hanger, Poker Face Cup Holder.
Free Patterns: ​Speechless Phone Case, Perfect Illusion Placemat

Kit prices: ​Range from £15.00 / ​€​17.00 / $20.00 – £65.00 / ​ €​76.00 / $8.00

ABOUT WOOL AND THE GANG

Wool and the Gang, are committed to making knitting a thing of the future and it all starts with their community. From the type of wool to the design to the finish – when it comes to clothing and accessories that reflect personality, the ‘Gang’ know better than anyone what they want, so who better to make them? With responsibly sourced materials, tools and most importantly, easy to follow instructions, the kits come with everything needed to make knitters DIY dreams come true. Whether starting with something simple, or deciding to go for the Wool Monty, they’ve got you covered. Wool and the Gang has collaborated with Giles Deacon for his LFW show, Friends of the Earth, the British Fashion Council, Mini, Veuve Clicquot, Christopher Raeburn, Whistles, Soludos and & Other Stories to date. The Gang cares deeply about provenance and collaborates with the best producers to source their yarns.

https://www.woolandthegang.com

Victor’s Drinks Make Your Own Cider Review

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Making your own alcohol may sound like something they did during prohibition, or that one of your mates does but doesn’t do a very good job of. Not anymore. Making your own cider is coming to the masses. As featured on Dragon’s Den:  Victor’s Drinks Make Your Own Cider is a brilliant invention. It is easy, convenient and really gets a party started. We tested it and we loved it. Just add water and the yeast, then days later: you have cider! The cider is cloudy and mixed berry. Other flavours are available. It tastes great to be honest and we can highly recommend it. Christmas is coming and this would make a good present and is also a great way to entertain your guests. We like.

victorsdrinksmakeyourownciderreview

History 
Alex Dixon (28) and Ralph Broadbent (27) met at University and hosted many parties during their years studying. Their parties grew and so did the requirement for alcohol. Alex experimented with home brewing, to the delight of his friends who always loved it, although for Alex there was a lot of time, effort and money required to get there. In the following three years Ralph and Alex spent time coming up with a way of changing the way people viewed home brewing and in October 2013 launched the first batch of apple cider drinks kits which is an extremely simple way to make your own alcohol while also having a fantastic taste. Alongside Victor’s Drinks Ralph and Alex put on a number of music festivals across the UK including the award winning 15,000 strong Y-Not Festival in Derbyshire.

Why Victor’s Drinks?
The name Victor’s Drinks is derived from the word “Victory”, and is based around the personal accomplishment gained from creatingyour own drink. The box is designed like a trophy and #TasteVictory is used across their social media channels.

How Does It Work?
The product is based on bag in box technology, and comes ready filled with a specially formulated syrup which gives the drink its flavour. In order to create the drink the customer just removes the cap (which also acts as a valve), removes the plastic seal (which keeps the syrup fresh), adds the supplied sachet of yeast and fills with 18 pints of warm water before leaving at room temperature for 10 days, following which, the drink can be poured directly into a glass. Inside the box the sugar in the syrup and the yeast combine to create the alcohol. Once the drink is ready it can be drunk within 3 weeks.

The Product
The box should ideally be kept somewhere at room temperature and not moved for 10 days. You can keep the cider for up to 3 weeks and the longer you leave it the dryer the taste becomes. The ales are also ready after 10 days. The box features a push tap for easy pouring.

Locations
Victor’s Drinks is based in London Fields, close to Alex and Ralph’s current London home in Angel.
Alex was born in Poole and lived with his family in Wareham until moving to Manchester University at the age of 18. 
Ralph is from Biggin near Ashbourne and like Alex moved to Manchester after his A-levels.

Dragon’s Den 
Victor’s Drinks received an offer of investment as seen on August 3rd episode. After initial worries all but one of the Dragon’s opted “out” and they rejected a sole “offer” from Duncan Bannatyne however Alex and Ralph returned with a counter-offer and a deal was agreed for £40,000 for 25% share, which if after 3 years all profit targets are hit, will reduce to 15%. Following the programme (filmed in April) Ralph and Alex have been working hard on the brand are are excited about re-launching in the coming months.  
Watch the episode here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04d4nbc

Stockists
Victor’s Drinks is available on their own website as well as at Cuckooland.com, Victor’s Drinks Apple Cider 20 Pint Kit is available here, Menkind, Fenwicks, QD Stores, Victor’s Drinks Homebrew Cider Making Kit – 10 Pints Elderflower is available here, Hawkins Bazaar and a variety of independent gift shops and garden centres with a rep of £24.99

 

The Set Table: The Art of Small Gatherings

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the set table the art of small gatherings.

Some books are just beautiful and deserve to be endlessly browsed. The Set Table is such a book. It is a beautifully designed and full of endless domestic pleasures.

For those of us who are not domestic (me!) a guide on linen, cutlery and the art of small gatherings is a much needed and much appreciated thing. If you ever wanted to know how to buy or make linen this book tells you how. It also tells you how to get stains out and the different types of linen. Buying second hand crockery and types of crockery are also covered. Along with shapes and sizes. It also goes through different materials and tells you how to clean silver.

Hannah Shuckburgh is features editor of Conde Nast’s Easy Living magazine and you can tell. This is a classy book which will surely turn it’s readers into dinner party gods and goddesses. I loved the illustrations. The one on cutlery shapes will never have you confused about the difference between your bouillon and salt spoon again.

I also love the chapter on food. You can add lots to a meal with bread, water and sauces and this book really lets you know how.

An adorable, educational book. Brilliant illustrations and lots of useful information.

Simple and beautiful ideas for laying the table is the subject of The Set Table. From supper for two on a candlelit urban roof terrace to a picnic lunch for friends on the sitting-room carpet, the look is effortlessly artistic and uncomplicated, celebrating the intimate and unique experience of eating well. With ideas for every aspect of a well-set
table – from napkins to glassware, cutlery to lighting – Hannah Shuckburgh inspires you to make even the smallest of gatherings very special with modest resources.

Genius tips on how to unearth good crockery in junk shops; easy guides for simple but special things to make at home; ideas for styling supermarket flowers and recipes for delicious homemade condiments are accompanied by soulful photography by Charlotte Bland and illustrations by Lydia Starkey. The Set Table is about clearing away the clutter and complications of daily life creating a warm, welcoming setting for unforgettable meals with the people you love.

Hannah Shuckburgh is features editor of Conde Nast’s Easy Living magazine. She also has written for Vogue, The Times, The Independent and The Huffington Post.

The Set Table: The Art of Small Gatherings