Make a gnome

1. Download and print the templates from sewmag.co.uk. Using the templates, cut two of each head, body and bottom pieces from a selection of fabrics. Stitch the three sections together to make a pair of composite bodies. Snip four strips of contrast fabric, 2cm x 7cm, fold under a 3mm margin on the long edges and press. Lay onto the body pieces to make braces and topstitch. Cut two strips, 2cm x 15cm, press under 3mm on the long edges and topstitch around the waist to make a belt, covering the raw ends of the braces.

2. Snip two pairs of hands and arms, then stitch together at the wrist before sewing the pieces right sides together, leaving a small gap at the back of the upper arm. Trim the seams and clip the corners before turning out and firmly stuffing. Fold in the raw edges of the gap and slip-stitch closed. Cut two pairs of feet and legs, then sew together at the ankles before sewing the pieces together, leaving the entire underside of the foot unstitched. Fold in the seam allowance around the base of the foot and tack with a little glue. Clip corners and turn out. Lay the feet onto one body piece, with the tops of the leg overhanging the bottom edge slightly.

3. Place the other body piece right sides together with the first, sandwiching the legs and matching up the braces and belt. Sew all around, leaving a small gap in the top of the head for turning. Clip the curves around the neck area and turn out so the legs hang clear. Firmly stuff the body, fold in the edges of the gap and slip-stitch closed.

4. Cut four sole pieces and sew right sides together, all the way round. Use small scissors to snip a slit in one layer of each sole, turn right sides out and press. Fill the legs of the gnome with fibre filling before oversewing a sole to the hemmed edge of each, making sure the slitted side is facing in and adding more stuffing before completely closing the seam. Attach the arms to each side of the body, just below the shoulders formed by the braces using buttons as joints.

5. Snip two hat pieces and sew right sides together. Cut a strip of contrast fabric, 4cm x 26cm, fold in half right sides together and stitch into a ring. Turn out and fold in half right sides out around the ring. Sew the raw edges of the ring to the wrong side of the bottom of the hat, matching raw edges so it can be turned up to make a cuff. Sew a small running stitch up the front of the hat, gather gently and fasten off to tilt the tip forward. Lightly stuff the hat and slip over the head, hold in place with a few invisible stitches around the brim.

6. Cut two beard pieces and sew right sides together all the way round. Put a small slit in the centre of one layer and turn out through this. Add a little stuffing inside the beard before oversewing the slit on the back. Pin the beard to the face and fix with small oversew stitches along the top edge. Embroider a mouth through the layers of the beard with two strands of embroidery cotton. Add features by sewing small buttons to the face and body, create eyebrows using long stitches of white thread.

Sew a flowerpot key ring

1. Download and print the templates from sewmag.co.uk. Cut a pot shape from thin card, lightly glue to the wrong side of a piece of fabric and trim, leaving a 1cm border of fabric around the card. Fold in the fabric and glue. Do the same with the pot base shape. Roll the pot into a tube and slip-stitch along the side seam. Snip fabric, 3cm x 12cm, fold in half lengthways and sew down the long edge. Turn out to make a piece of piping. Press this well and fold in half to make a loop, then sew the ends together before gluing to the inside top edge of the pot, in line with the seam.

2.Cut an 8cm wide circle of green fabric and stitch to the top of the pot, gathering the edge, securing the loop at the same time, and ensuring the raw edges are hidden inside. Stuff the pot from the bottom with fibre filling before oversewing the fabric covered circle to the base. Place two green fabrics right sides together and draw seven leaf shapes onto the reverse of one. Place the fabrics onto lightweight wadding and sew along the drawn lines, leaving the bottom flat edge open. Cut out the shapes, turn out and fold in the raw edges before pressing. Topstitch down the centre of each leaf before sewing them in a ring around the top of the plant pot.

3. Cut three rosette pieces of fabric, fold in half right sides together lengthways and sew along the long edge. Turn out and press before tucking down the raw ends and gathering the folded edge with a small running stitch. Allow the gathers to curl into a rosette and secure with a few stitches. Place two colours of fabric, right sides together, and layer onto wadding as before. Trace around the petal shape, allowing five petals for each flower and sew on the line, leaving the bottom edge open. Cut out the shapes, turn out and press the raw edges in. Sew petals to the base of each rosette before fixing to the padded fabric at the top of the flower pot with mattress stitch.