Summer is just around the corner!
With the better weather comes a chance to enjoy the outdoors, and this year there’s lots to celebrate, from the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee to Wimbledon.
We’ve found 10 crafts to help you celebrate special days this summer. Whether you’re looking for sustainable ways to host a garden party, gentle activism ideas or simply want to enjoy knitting outside while the sun’s out, we’ve something for every crafter and occasion.
World Bee Day – 20th May
Bees are vital to the health of our planet, so much so that they’ve been recognised with their own day.
Did you know that one third of all our food production depends on bee pollination?
Sadly, this important species is endangered due to human industrialisation. A UN report states that 1 million species of bee face extinction.
Last year Nest celebrated World Bee Day with a honeybee themed workshop. This year we’re making more bee-themed kits and crafts!
If you’d like to help the bees and encourage biodiversity where you live, why not raise awareness by leaving crochet bees hanging from trees and lampposts?
Gentle craftivism is non-confrontational and gets people talking.
We think this fab fabric bee from Craw Craft Beasties is a great place to start.
You’ll need:
* Felt or thick fabric in black, yellow and cream
* Sewing thread in black, yellow and cream
* Sew-on sequins or leftover beads for the eyes
* Pink or red embroidery cotton
* Scrap fabric for stuffing
* Sewing kit – Pins, needles, scissors, pinking shears, fabric marker
You can find a template and instructions here.
We recommend getting crafty and using up leftover fabric for the stuffing and rummaging through your tins and boxes for spare thread and decorative sequins.
Leave your crochet bees around town in prominent spots to create a buzz!
Platinum Jubilee Weekend – 2nd – 5th June
Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1952, which means that she’s been queen of Great Britain for 70 years.
This June celebrations will take place across the country to mark the Platinum Jubilee.
Maybe you’re hosting a street party to celebrate? If so, you could try making a fetching cardboard crown from recycled materials.
This video from Turtle Soup Crafts shows you how to make the most majestic cereal box crowns. They look complicated but are simple to make and would make great table decorations at a garden or street party.
You’ll need:
1 Large cereal box
2 Ruler
3 Scissors
4 Pencil
5 Masking tape
6 PVA glue
7 We’ve substituted buying new moulds and clay for using remnant buttons and beads to decorate your crown. You could even paint old bottle caps and plastic lids!
8 Gold spray paint
Now you can royally go about your Jubilee celebrations (no one needs to know it’s a cardboard crown!)
Bike Week 6th – 12th June
Bike Week takes place this summer with the belief that “your health, your climate, your pocket and your community are all better by bike.”
Communities would be quieter, cleaner and tidier places to live if more people cycled to work. Why not encourage yourself (and colleagues) with a few crafty reminders dotted around the office?
Otherwise, they make a lovely gift for an eco-friendly cyclist who has a birthday this summer!
This simple tutorial from PQ Crafts shows you how to make a bike holder out of nothing but paper.
You will need:
1 Scrap paper in your favourite colours
2 Glue
3 A crochet or knitting needle to wrap paper around
4 Old jam jar or candle holder
5 Beads to decorate (maybe from a broken necklace or leftovers from a previous project)
Use your bike holder as a desk tidy to hold stationary, loose coins or the abundance of rubber bands that seem to accrue around the home.
World Oceans Day – 8th June
Another craftivism opportunity!
World Oceans Day highlights the harm being done to our oceans via plastic consumption and carbon emissions.
You can raise awareness within your community in a gentle way with craft activities. These cute paper plate jellyfish from Non-Toy Gifts can be hung in shop windows, from fenceposts and tree branches to get people talking.
You can make them in a variety of colours and expressions, and only need a few materials, which makes them a great craft activity to do with children, too.
You’ll need:
* Paper plates
* Tissue paper
* Scissors
* Glue
* Hole punch
* Leftover wool
* Sequins for eyes
* Black marker
Worldwide Knit In Public Day – 11th June
“Better living through stitching together” is the mantra of Worldwide Knit In Public Day.
Grab a picnic blanket and meet a group of fellow knitters outside with your latest project. Crafts (and spending time in nature) are proven to soothe anxiety. Plus, you need to enjoy the sunny days while they last in Scotland!
Creating can be a solitary activity. You might not know just how many of your neighbours knit until you host a ‘knit in’!
It’s a great opportunity to share your hobby, get some fresh air and get to know your community.
If wool sounds too hot for summer, try this knitted summer jumper for beginners by Hey Carrie.
Father’s Day – 19th June
How do you show appreciation for the father who has everything?
A homemade gift or card always feel special and is an opportunity to use up scrap paper and fabric.
Or you could go one step further and craft Dad a dapper bow tie from scrap fabric.
You’ll need:
* Scrap fabric
* Adjustable bow tie clips
* Matching thread
* Basic sewing tools
This handy tutorial will show you how to create the bow tie.
If you need scrap material visit our Nest’s Remnants Shop. We’re open Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 2pm.
Summer Solstice – 21st June
The summer solstice has been celebrated in Scotland since pagan times to give thanks for the sun’s energy, ensure a bountiful harvest and banish bad spirits!
Celebrate the longest day of the year with this beautiful woven sun – all made from 100% recycled materials. This craft is great for keeping children occupied (and away from screens) during the summer holidays.
Plus, this sun will stay with you long after the night’s start drawing in.
You’ll need:
* Cardboard pizza base
* Leftover ribbon and wool in warm, sunny colours
* scissors
Wimbledon – 27th -10th July
From the 27th of July Wimbledon will grace our screens again.
Whether you’re challenging your friends to a game of tennis this summer or watching Wimbledon on telly while enjoying strawberries and cream, we’ve got a fun Wimbledon inspired summer craft for you to try!
If your tennis racket has been gathering dust you can turn it into a unique garden ornament by decorating the wire with beads and threads.
This tutorial shows you how.
All decorations can be made using recycled glass or wooden beads, or pop into our Remnants Shop to browse material diverted from landfill.
Game, set, match!
Harry Potter’s Birthday – July 31st
A summer craft for kids and big kids alike!
If your child is a fan of Harry Potter they’ll feel like they got their letter from Hogwarts with this wizard DIY wand.
My Poppet teaches you how to make DIY wands with only a few materials. The great thing is, like most of the crafts on this list, you can customise the decoration with anything you have to hand.
You’ll need:
* chopsticks
* hot glue gun
* sandpaper
* paint
* paint brush
* shoe polish and soft cloth
* twine
* decorative beads
(Note: due to the hot glue it’s best if you make the wand first then help the children decorate it).
Whether you’re a Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff or Slytherin, this magical craft will make your summer.
Craft Factory has 14 Harry Potter inspired crafts if you need more ideas for a magical themed birthday party.
Garden Tea Party
Maybe this summer you simply want to enjoy more time in the garden.
If you plan to invite friends round for a BBQ or tea in the garden we’ve a quick, easy craft to spruce up your patio table.
Simply take two paper doilies and rescue a jam jar from the recycling bin, then use a piece of craft twine to fix the doilies to the jars. A posy of daffodils or tulips will add some colour.
If you’re really crafty and have scrap paper to use, you could make the doilies yourself.
We hope you enjoyed these summer craft ideas!
Please let us know if you made any of them.
If you bought materials from our Remnants Shop to try any of the above, we’d love to see your creations on social media. Tag us with #nestcicmakes!