This year we had the royal wedding, next year we have the Queen diamond jubilee and the Olympics coming soon. In addition to this the economic climate of the country has been poor, this has meant that Britain has seen a real nostalgic come back to war time fashion and hobbies with the make do and mend mentality back. Eco friendly trends have also added to this with the, reduce, reuse and recycle motto constantly reinforced in our minds.

Many people have returned to crafts and hobbies that had almost disappeared, you can make the most beautiful clothes, home ware and gifts for a reduced cost and there is a real pride in knowing you have created something yourself.

One of the easiest things to make is a travel wrap or scarf, because its design is rectangular and this is an easy shape to achieve. One of the most obvious ways to create a scarf is to knit one; it’s a great way to practice basic knitting stitches. There are so many other ways to create a travel wrap and each one gives you the opportunity to learn a new skill while making a simple item.

A similar approach would be to use wool but instead of knitting you could crochet the item either buy crocheting back and forth similar to a knitting style or a more interesting way would be to make lots of crocheted squares and then sew them together.

If you want a completely different look you could sew fabric together double sided so that when you are wearing the travel wrap it doesn’t matter which way round it is. You could also do this by cutting squares of fabric and sew them together to make patchwork first and then create a wrap in the same way.

For a more luxurious feel you could use fabric such as velvet, silk or satin, which would be great to wear for a special occasion.

Travel wraps are a great item to make because they can be so versatile, you can use them as a pachmina when you are going out or a wrap to keep you warm when you are outside in the evening at a barbeque or camping. They can be used as a scarf or even a wrap on the beach or pool side to cover your swimming costume. You can give them as gifts to friends and family for Christmas and birthdays. You can keep them in the car in case you need a blanket to sleep under while travelling.

If you have never tried a craft, a travel wrap is a great place to start, one you have tried a simple style you can develop into more complicated styles and designs. If you need help to get you started you can look online, buy or borrow books from your local library. If you have a look around you might even find a local craft group you could join.