Craft Focus - Jun/Jul (Issue 67)

In a recent poll, 86 per cent of our readers told us they would find it beneficial to know about new products as they come to the market. Tried & Tested puts the latest products through their paces so if you have something you’d like us to feature, get in contact with Andrea Ashfield at editor@craftfocus.com. Pixelhobby UK +44 (0)1278 429 804 pixelhobby.org.uk THE PRODUCT Aimed at younger crafters, Pixelhobby’s rocket kit includes a base plate, pixel squares in XL size, a plastic frame and a pattern sheet. The individual pixels need to be detached from their mouldings before starting (or as you go along), and they’re supplied in a variety of colours. Once ready, the squares push easily onto the baseplate, where they sit securely while the design is completed. The mosaic tiles are perfect for little hands, but tweezers could also be used to drop them into place. HOW TO USE IT Our volunteer, five-year-old Thomas, spent more than an hour putting this kit together. The pattern sheet can be fitted under the baseplate, which in turn is fixed within the frame, making it easy to see exactly where each pixel should go. The tiles fit neatly, and it wasn’t long before the picture began to emerge. Thomas was able to complete the majority of the work by himself, and enjoyed the challenge. “I love the flames coming out of the rocket and the stars in the sky,” he says. “The squares feel really nice when they go on and I like the red frame.” Unlike other, similar products which often require heat or water to fuse colour blocks together, Pixelhobby’s squares fit securely by themselves, which means a younger crafter can complete the project without supervision. It’s also possible to remove the pixels and do it all again, and there were plenty of tiles left over, so it doesn’t matter if a few are lost along the way. The company supplies a wide range of kits, frommini designs for smaller children right up to complex works of art well-suited to adults with a little more patience. With larger sets, multiple baseplates are used together to achieve the desired result. Pixelhobby UK distributes kits suitable for all ages. We asked our five-year-old volunteer to put the company’s rocket design through its paces REASONS TO STOCK • Kits available for both children and adults • No previous experience or special skills needed • A great gift idea • No mess ROCKET SCIENCE 100 craft focus