Best Craft Ideas To Take On Holiday

It's that time of year when many of us are planning our great escape - whether it's a staycation or travelling further afield. Our holidays are usually an opportunity to get away from daily routine and a chance to feel rejuvenated. Whatever you’re looking for in a break away, a bit of down time is the perfect opportunity to get crafty. Crafting and sewing are great for mindfulness, which goes hand in hand with a holiday mindset. 

You might think that it would be a little cumbersome to try and pack crafting projects with limited space in your case. However, there are some small, lightweight projects that will squeeze very easily between your packing, ensuring you can keep on crafting whilst you’re away. Whether you want some small projects to do on your sun lounger or in case of a rainy day, we have some fab, easy to pack projects to take with you on holiday!

Patchwork Projects

Our charm pack patchwork squares are ideal to pop into your case. Patchwork sewing is a great way to relax and our pretty collection of machine cut squares make any project a joy to work on. There is a whole host of hand sewn patchwork designs you can make, from quilts or baby blankets, to cushion covers, aprons, pot holders and much more. Check out our 10 Different Uses For Patchwork Squares blog for even more ideas!

Each of our charm packs contain a carefully selected range of prints and patterns to ensure your finished piece looks beautiful. Our patchwork squares are available in two sizes and in a range of different styles. Perfect to pack in your case, with a colourful, premium quilting thread! 

Felt Dinosaurs

Felt is a great material to take on holiday with you, as it's lightweight and won’t crease in your case. There’s lots of different projects you can make with felt, but we love these mini felt dinosaurs. If you have some little ones in your life, why not make them some cute felt toys to decorate their room?

You can make a combination of felt dinosaurs, from the T-Rex to the Stegosaurus, using contrasting felt colours on each animal. Simply find an online pattern to follow, plan your felt colours with matching embroidery thread. Cut your felt pieces according to the pattern and then use a whip stitch to sew the dino pieces together. The final step can be done when you return home as all you need to do is stuff your adorable dinos to finish this fab, travel-friendly project!

Sashiko Embroidery

Our neat little Sashiko embroidery packs are ideal to slip into your bag. Our Sashiko range includes kits containing all the items you need for your project or embroidery templates, fabrics and threads so you can design and make your own unique pieces. Sashiko is a traditional Japanese folk style embroidery using a running stitch. It was first developed 400 years ago and has become very popular again in recent years. The designs are inspired by natural elements, such as waves and cherry blossom and repeat patterns are a common motif in this embroidery artform.

Fabric Tablet/iPad Envelope Clutch

Chances are you will be carrying an iPad or tablet with you on your trip. Handy for holiday reading and keeping up-to-date with online admin, you’ll want to ensure this piece of tech is protected. An envelope clutch is a great solution to carrying your tablet and your choice of fabrics can make it extra stylish. 

The clutch is simple to make using two squares of fabric, one for the outer and one for the lining, along with a piece of fusible interfacing attached to the back of the outer material. How about a denim or chambray fabric for the outer and a soft felt for the lining? Or mix two contrasting cotton poplins for a bespoke clutch with plenty of character! Three corners of the square fabric pieces are folded to meet in the middle of your bag and create the clutch shape. This forms two seams that just need to be hand sewn in place. Once the outer and lining materials are shaped and sewn together, the bag is turned the right way out. You can fasten the bag with a length ribbon, a loop of elastic held by a button or popping one of our magnetic buttons between the fabrics.

Pom Pom Garland

There are so many fab projects you can make with pom poms and these are a great craft to keep children occupied on a rainy day too! Pom poms can be used to decorate hair clips, fridge magnets, party hats, gift tags.. The list is endless! They’re also great for home decor such as a seasonal wreath or wall hanging. We think a pom pom garland is a colourful classic to add to a children’s room or living space and something the whole family could enjoy crafting together.

Choose a suitable size pom pom maker for your garland and pick your pom pom yarns. You might want to select tones of one colour like pinks and reds, or go super colourful with contrasting brights. Plan the length of your garland and as you make the pom poms start to space them along your imaginary garland to ensure you have the right number. Next carefully string the pom poms onto your garland using either yarn, string or twine, leaving a gap between each ball. Your pom pom garland will bring cheer to your home and remind you of your crafting holiday!

Fabric Sunglasses Case

A quick & easy project to ensure your sunglasses don't get scratched or lost in your bag! Select two cotton poplins and cut each fabric into two identical rectangles to accommodate your glasses. Cut two pieces of fusible interfacing, slightly shorter than your fabric pieces and fuse to the back of your outer material. Sew the outer and lining rectangles together and then turn them the right side out to have your finished sunglasses case. You can add a button to the front and loop over a piece of elastic if you want to close the case.

Fabric Twisted Headband

A headband can be so useful for children and adults alike - especially if you’re exercising or in a hotter climate to help you keep cool! A twisted fabric headband has a turban style fold in the centre so an extra chic accessory to your holiday wardrobe. It is made using just two wide strips of fabric measured to fit the circumference of your head. Each piece is folded length ways and sewn to create a tube. Once turned the right side out the pieces are shaped into C forms, mirroring each other, with one fabric looping over and then under the other piece to make the twisted fold. The two ends are then sewn together and you have your beautiful holiday-ready twisted headband in just a few simple steps!

Felt Coffee Cup Sleeve

Such a quick project to do and great to pop into your bag when you’re out & about. Make a pattern using an old take-out cup and cut a strip of felt to the right shape and size. Next sew both ends together using a decorative whip or blanket stitch technique. The stitched edge will sit neatly on the outside of your coffee cup, so a contrasting thread can add a pretty finish to your felt cup sleeve. Pop into your bag and you’re ready for your next takeout cup! If you’re on a roll, how about making more as presents for family and friends? 

Fabric Corner Bookmarks

This is a great project to use up scrap fabrics and looks great with contrasting prints. Cut 3 fabric squares pieces to sit neatly on the corner of a book page and two matching pieces of fusible interfacing. Cut one of the interfacing squares in half along the diagonal to make a triangle. Apply this to the back of your main fabric and fold your main fabric into a triangle. Next apply the remaining square of interfacing to the back of your second fabric and sew this piece onto the third fabric. Sew the fabric triangle and square together and you have the perfect little bookmark to hook onto the corner of your pages. This is a great project for younger makers and a fab gift idea too - so take a small bag of scraps and have fun mixing and matching fabrics to make these unique little bookmarks!

We hope these ideas have inspired you to keep crafting whilst you're on holiday. Check out our 10 Different Uses For Patchwork Squares for more mini project ideas. 

Don’t forget to share your holiday projects with us on our Instagram page too - we’ll try not to be jealous of your travel snaps! Here’s to a great summer of crafting!