Girls Do It - (Mostly) Handmade Gift Ideas

Last year my high school daughter wanted to make her friends a present for Christmas.  The problem was her friends - should she limit her gift-giving to just her closest friends or give to every one in the wider circle?  Well, she went with the wider circle, which was at least 12 or so friends.  We needed to find an idea that was simple and not too expensive because even a $1 or $2 item adds up quickly when you multiply it by 12!  So we settled on charm bracelets.  She bought charms that came in multi-packs and then we tried various ribbons and thin cording to make knotted bracelets.  Overall, she was pleased.

This year, it is my goal to have a handmade Christmas.  I know that I always desire to have ALL my gifts handmade (is that a girl thing?), but I also know that this will not be possible.  So I need to think carefully, now, about what I want to make.  Even if I don't make it myself, I'm going to make full use of Etsy this year.

In addition, I want to help my kids make their gifts.  My 13 yo daughter, the crafty one, made all her gifts last year.  For me, she painted a tin with the four seasons and filled it with chocolates.  For her younger brother she made him a fur lined hand warmer (like the pro football players use - and he still plays with it!).  For her older brother, her annual batch of special family recipe fudge.

My ideas are kept all over the place.  We have binders filled with craft ideas, sewing projects, and knitting projects.  I have bookmarked various items that I think would make great handmade gifts and I also have files downloaded on my computer.   For me, the list maker, I have a hard time sorting gift ideas.  Should I sort them by the craft (sewing, knitting, etc.) by whom I think would like it, by who is capable of making it?  Someday I'll make multiple cross-referenced lists.  But on this list, which is derived mainly from items I have made and given as gifts, I'm going to try to sort the ideas by recipient.  I will try to include a link wherever possible.    I'll continue to update this list and post it on my side-bar.

I would love to hear some of your favorite handmade gifts!  I'm a little light on ideas for men.

So here goes....

Gifts for Women/Teens/Girls

• Tote bag
• Grab bags
  
• Capri sun bag

• apron
• headbands
• spirit scarves

• scarves of all types (the potato chip scarf has been a favorite)

Gifts for Teens/Tweens

• pillowcase
• Digital photo book gift certificate. (Not handmade)  This one is quite practical.  My daughters love to scrapbook and have received many scrapbook supplies over the years.  But a simple gift from Snapfish or one of the many other online photo publishing sites that is a "make your own photo book" is a wonderful gift for teens.
• bangle bracelet:  Take a hard bracelet, wrap with ribbon and thread charms through it
• scrabble tile necklace
• upcycled jean purses

Gifts for Boys

• T-shirt quilts using their favorite sports teams.  Back it with polar fleece to make it extra cozy. 

Gifts for Anyone

• Recipe book - we made one using www.blurb.com
• T-shirt quilt (great for grads and the sports enthusiast, too, to use as a stadium blanket.
• Acorn frame  

• Framed memory/scrap book page
• Painted wood letters
• Painted can filled with goodies (popcorn, candy)
• Custom note cards or collection of greeting cards for various occasions (great for Grandmas!)
• Bandana
• Fabric-wrapped bowl
  

Gifts for the Wine Lover

• Wine tote or wine bag
• Make your own label kit
• Wine cork bulletin board or trivet
• Wine glass candle
• Wine charms

Gifts for the Irish Lover

• Stepping stone with a shamrock in the middle
• Apron or headband made with shamrock fabric

Gifts for the Knitter

• Pattern Magnet.  I have a few for sale on my Etsy.  They are really easy to make and very useful.  I use mine all the time in reading patterns and charts.  Take 20.5" ribbon.  Cut two magnetic strips with glue - each 7.75" long.  Apply the ribbon to the magnets, keeping .5" of the ribbon to overlap the end of the magnet.  Secure both ends using a glue gun.    Make them in various lengths for various project needs.

• Small totes or draw-string bangs to carry small projects, like socks
• Hand-dyed yarn.  You can buy some undyed wool from Knitpicks and dye it with Kool Aid - a fun project I have done with my kids and knitting club.
• Needle organizer
• Stitch markers

Gifts for a Grandparent

• 3-D photo

Ornaments

• Cupcake
  

My Sewing Student Makes a Bag!

I have been teaching beginning sewing lessons in my home recently.  I have had several wonderful students.  This week's student shows great promise.  She came to me having already created items on her own.  The purpose of our lesson was to get acquainted with selecting a pattern and fabric, and completing a project by using a pattern, including layout, cutting, sewing and pressing.    She did a fantastic job!

My student selected is this tote pattern.  Simplicity also has some "Learn to Sew Patterns" here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

May your Thanksgiving be filled with food, family, friends and fiber!

My daughter, son and I made these adorable pumpkins using this tutorial.

I Won - and I Like Winning!

Yay!  I won my first blog giveaway.  Is it wrong that I like winning?  It's fun to "play", but it's more fun to "win." I admit, I like giving gifts, but I like receiving gifts, too!  Is that selfish?  I especially love surprises.  Well, here's my surprise winnings:

An adorable, super-sized, personalized market tote from Amy of The Preppy Pink Olive and Oliv'e Limited:

And a personalized mirror:

Thanks Amy!

Painted Tin

A painted tin, filled with goodies (popcorn, candies, small toys) makes a lovely gift.  This is what Annie created for me for Christmas last year.  She spent many hours painting the seasons on it and filled it with my favorite candy bars!

Are You Tired of My Fall Pictures?

Sigh, as I struggle under a mound of satin and bejeweled organza (pictures by the weekend) on this rainy and dreary day, my kids and I lament the ending of this beautiful fall we've had.  The brilliant sun, the long shadows, the days outside on the swing...all coming to a close.

I love looking out my front window at the lone tree whose fiery leaves will remain long after the first snow flies.

And here is a hut my kids are building out of the tall grasses that are like bamboo in the back.  Will they finish before the weight of the snow crushes it?

Cute Scarecrow!

I saw this scarecrow while stopped at a red light (I was a passenger!) and had to catch it - how creative!

Amy Butler Patchwork Handbag

I have owned Amy Butler's "In Stitches" for some time now and thought it would be fun to try a quilted box bag.

I selected the "Patchwork Handbag With Zipper Charm".  I thought it would be a good use of scraps and a fun first quilting project.  The project requires a number of pieces of main fabric, lining, backing fabric and batting.  The main pieces and lining could be cut from 1/2 yard or less of fabric.  I had the luxury of selecting color coordinated scraps from the scrap bin at Contemporary Cloth.  But you could use your stash or try  your luck with one of the scrap bags.

The pattern is written in a very descriptive style.  I stumbled during the quilting section because I did not understand that an entire piece was quilted and then cut in two for the two sides.  I had started by cutting out the dimensions listed in the book, things did not add up and I set the bag aside, convinced I would not finish it.  I later decided to simply make horizontal strips. It's not as visually interesting, but it was simpler for this first-time quilter.  (You'd never know that I completed three years of college-level math, including differential equations!)

The pattern calls for making a cardboard insert for the bottom of the bag.  I simply couldn't see how this would make the bag sturdy enough - at least for my taste.  So when making the lining, I attached Timtex, a fairly sturdy sew in stabilizer, that is great for bags and totes.  This added wonderful shape to the bag - so much so that I did not need to add the cardboard.  Even after adding my wallet and several other items the bag held its shape.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the bag.   I learned how to make a box-shaped bag.  And next time, I will be a bit more adventurous in my quilting!

I Finished Some Knitting!

I am so happy with these socks.  Not because they are a great work of art, but because they make the third pair of hand knit socks in my drawer!  I admire the sock knitters of the world who can crank out a pair a week.  I'm not capable of that but I so so so love my wool socks!  I feel like such a granny.  Even when we are going out on the town or getting dressed up for a wedding, I find myself wishing I could wear socks and not some awful pair of trouser socks or hose.  (I usually do opt for some kind of dressier sock rather than hose when I wear pants.)  Warm feet = warm body.

These socks are made from Red Heart "Heart & Sole" purchased from Herrschner's.

This photo's for Marie, who thought my first photo of this sock (posted on Ravelry) was taken overlooking my back yard.  I only wish my back yard was the Atlantic Ocean!  No, this is my back yard.  Pleasant enough, but truly my husband's domain.  (I'm a city girl.)

Here's one last photo of our quiet back yard.  Soon, you will see something amazing in all that empty space.  Stay tuned!

Painted Wooden Letters

Inspired by some fantastic Etsy artisans, Annie and I scooped up some .50 letters at Joann's a couple of weeks ago.  Annie went to town with acrylic paints and we have a defining theme for our craft room/office.

I think this would make a great gift for someone.  You could simply give a monogram letter or even give the letter and some paint as a DIY kit, as we did for  a recent 13 year old birthday party.

Practical Tip for the Day

1.  Learn how to spell:   p r a c t i c a l  (It took a friend to point out that we had misspelled it in our banner!  It was really a typo.)

2.  Use an empty tissue box for your car's garbage can.  It's stable, tissues and candy wrappers alike can be shoved down into it, you can have one for the front and one for the kids in back, and you can toss it when it's full!

A Simple Spirit Scarf

My daughter won a scarf at a carnival last year and whipped up these scarves with some scraps around the house:

They make a quick and easy gift.  For reference, this scarf is 6" x 76" and is only made out of two colors.  The original scarf Annie won had three colors and she feels it's a bit more sturdy.  The cheapest way to make this would be to buy 1/8 yard of fleece in three colors.  However, check the width of the fleece - most are about 58" wide.  Compare that to scarves you currently own and see if it would work for you.  If not, you would need to buy two yards (72") or 2 1/8 yards of three colors.  Lay the three strips on top of each other, sew one line down the middle and cut the fringe!

Thank You

What a surprise I encountered at work the other day.  My lovely boss and friend left me this book with a beautiful card - just as a surprise and a thank you!  In just ten short months she has learned my love of books and knitting and combined them in a lovely gift that I will treasure.  I am just beginning to read it, but will share my review after I've completed it.  Thank you Sondra!

Fall Fun

Someone remind me of these beautiful, crisp, fall days when we are in the midst of a wet, grey, cold and snowy March!

Look Who's Coming to Dinner

This little guy came right up to the front door of my suburban home!  My 10 year old son took this photo.  He came running into the house, screaming, while I was

on the phone.  I thought, "who broke an arm now????", but he said he saw a turkey so I handed him the camera.  When I joined them outside they had lost it.  So I went back in and a few minutes later my daughter came in screaming that the turkey was at the front door!  Luckily, my son had chased it around the perimeter of the house and then saw it jump up to our stoop.

I think he's looking to roast a human....