Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

27th January 2017

Make dumplings for Chinese New Year, find super-cool embroidery patterns, discover Harry Potter's London places plus delicious food for free!

Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

27th January 2017

Kate Hodges

By Kate Hodges

27th January 2017

EVENT, RECIPES, MAKE Cock a Doodle Doo!
This weekend marks the beginning of the Chinese Year of the Rooster. There are celebrations across the UK, including in London, Liverpool, and Manchester. Alternatively, stay at home and hold a make-your-own dumpling party, and create lanterns, zodiac posters and fire-breathing dragons!

COOK Super Greens
There’s not a lot of wild food about in January, but now is a great time of year to forage for nettles. We’ve got a hearty soup recipe, as well as ideas for using nettles as a tonic (plus a great recipe for Nettle Spanakopita.

LEARN Ice Ice Babies
Take advantage of the brrrrr-some weather to try some fun freezing projects. We love the idea of this Lego man excavation puzzle, these ice hands are a little sinister, but really dramatic , while this ice-melting experiment is as beautiful as it is educational.

MAKE Stitch Up
Embroidery and stitching is a soothing, cosy activity for long winter evenings, and you don’t have to stick to sewing endless pictures of cottages or flowers. Sublime Stitching has super-cute, contemporary, cool patterns (we love their Mooomin and Day of the Dead designs). It’s run by the inspirational textile artist Jenny Hart. Younger creatives might be fired up by the idea of stitching their favourite video game character – there’s a good how-to here, and plenty of free, downloadable cross-stitch patterns on Pinterest.

EVENT Boots On
It’s Walk London’s Winter Wanders Weekend (try saying that through half-frozen lips!). There’s a huge series of free guided walks on offer across the capital. Pull on some cold-busting boots, wrap everyone up warm, and get out onto the streets. We like the sound of the Tour for Muggles, which takes in Harry Potter-related sights, the Walk that’s Also A Quiz, and the Street Art Walk, which explores east London’s most striking and famous graffiti. Walk London’s site has tons more ideas for city-based hikes.

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