Are you ready for Christmas or Yule or whatever your faith calls the gift-giving season? Thanks to my dd’s diligence, all the children are taken care of. Now, I’m picking up items here and there for the adults. But I also like adding hand-made things to the mix. So no telling what I’m considering!
This year, I’ve polished up old skills (crochet), learned some new ones (jewelry-making techniques), so I’m having a hard time narrowing down the projects. I know I want to make bracelets and pendants. I’ve been searching for an amulet bag crochet pattern so that I can fill the bag with small tokens (stones, a carved animal totem, etc.)—nothing too weighty. And I want it to be wearable and attractive, so I may have to find some easy embroidery patterns. Maybe I’ll crochet a sari silk bracelet. Make a scarf or two (with embellishments, because scarves themselves have no bling, right?). I have to make up my mind now, because I’ll be making these things in my spare time.
Pinterest has become my personal mecca for gift ideas. I can remember stocking up on craft books and magazines, but now, I have boards on Pinterest filled with ideas. Now the problem is choosing from among them.
I’ve been thinking about the new things I want to learn next year and eyeing an inexpensive bead loom on Amazon… I’m like a little kid. Too easily distracted by the “pretties.” I better put it in the “Save for Later” basket and close out that screen before I become too tempted!
Are you making any of your gifts this year? Is there something you wish you had time to work on for a friend or loved one?
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I’ve been making jewelry for family I made ear rings and bracelets for stocking goodies and I have also been making a crochet quilt blanket. Its going to take awhile to get the size I want it at but I finally started it and have a good section of it started. I’m also doing a throw for my mother so I’ll be busy with that too. 🙂
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I always try to make hand made useful gifts for people close to me, but don’t always get the time. One year I knitted the fluffy scarves, one year I did bracelets (25 of them LOL) which were a big hit, that’s what started my love of making jewelry. As we get older we appreciate small but thoughtful things. A friend of mine is an awesome cook and we all look forward to her presents, home made sauce or jellies or some gourmet pastries.
I have so many ideas in the Save For Later folder…
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Well every year I make handmade quilts for the nieces and nephews. A couple a year going down the list from oldest to youngest. This year is for the latest addition to the family. He is 3 months old now but never matter he gets a full size quilt for Christmas. I use to cross stitch sleeping shirts for them all when they was younger and less of them. I wish I had more time to make the quilts for my siblings. I do have a smaller quilt i have to quilt out for one sister and its the size of a nice throw for those cold winter nights.
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When I had my home, I always made jams and jellies. My partner made baked goods. We always made baskets with the goodies in them.
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I’m not very crafty or talented so the only thing I make is my Banana Nut Bread. I bake it in small loaf pans, then wrap it up in red or green and give it to friends, family & people I just want to share with. I also bake some in large loaf pans and I give those to the really “special” people. Everyone seems to like it and it’s totally easy to make. And it makes ME feel like I did something other than just going out and spending money.
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I usually make my friends the annual “evil overlords’ desk calendar”, putting the fun into planning. It divides into quarters: munitions (shopping); conquerables (situations to get on top of); allies (friendships), and fun tips for taking over the world.
Seems to go down pretty well 🙂
Tig xx
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I love seeing all your projects. Eniko, you and I must be twins. Tig—I’d love to see that calendar!
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I’m making gooey butter cookies, brownie bites, Oreo and Mint Oreo cookie balls and sending out packages to family and friends
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My daughter plays volleyball, and I’ve been knitting at practices. I’ve made 12 scarves since vball started mid-September. Six are “varsity” scarves in the colour of her soon-to-be university, and a couple are gifts. I also have a number of friends turning 50 in 2015 (yep, me too) so I’m making lap size rag quilts. (I love making these, but like scarves, I can only use so many). And finally, I always have a cross-stitch on the go…it an Amish couple skating…this for me.
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I have all my gifts done and wrapped (and posted off in the case of one of them). I decided to give almost everyone at least one hand made gift (turned out to be crocheted for speed) and I just hope they all appreciate it.
If you are still on the look out for crocheted gift bags this might be the place to find a pattern: http://www.allfreecrochet.com/Crochet-Gift-Bags/Cute-Simple-Crochet-Gift-Bags
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I am LOL here. When do you have spare time? And no, I’m not making anything. My creativity doesn’t go in that direction. 🙂
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Hi Delilah
No, I just don’t have the time. I’d rather read books and purchase a gift that I know the receiver will enjoy.
I admire your creativity and desire to create personal gifts that you have mentioned.
G
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Absolutely there are things I wish I had time to work on! I promised my best friend and her mother last Christmas that I would crochet a hat for her and knit a scarf for her mother. The patterns and yarn are still sitting in a bag next to my sofa 🙁 Hopefully I’ll get them both done in the next couple weeks but I’m a singer and Christmas is the busiest time of year for me. Wish me luck Delilah!
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I would love to make a couple of afghans before Christmas, but I won’t have time to do them both, so I’ll work on them for birthdays or next Christmas instead. I’m in the middle of an afghan now and I have to finish one project before I’ll start another or I would have a million partially finished ones at home. I may make a few scarves before then as a little something extra or to use as wrapping for a gift card.