Handmade Holidays

[letsdothings]

[fuzzydice]

I've been thinking about Christmas presents since Christmas ended last year!

Roommate - red beret (anyone know of a good pattern? The one I had online randomly disappeared. The easier, the better)

Mom - knitted dishclothes

Sister - mix cd and something else

Dad - can't think of anything yet

Friend #1- "she's crafty!" shirts because we are the costume closet goddesses

Friend #2 - "Nietzsche approves" t-shirts for inside joke.
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You were right about the stars; each one is a setting sun.
-Wilco

[DrBuddha]

How excited am I that we can start talking about Christmas and gifts and crafting Christmas gifts?
Way too excited.
For the generic family gifts/last minute party host gifts, I will probably make lemoncello again this year- I stole the recipe from a Glitter thread last year but would happy to find it/re-post the recipe if anyone is interested. I had never done anything like it before but that went over great with everyone and was super easy.
My list is not yet compiled (watch for falling updates) but I already know I'll have a problem that I'll need the collective genius of Glitter for: What do you get the man who has everything, including a wonderful husband? He is partnered and lives in a home decorated far too beautifully to allow for decor gifts. Aside from a charitable donation, I have NO IDEA what to get my uncle. He is my favorite family member, and I want a present that will inspire the response of: "What a thoughtful and beautiful gift! Surely my niece is the greatest of all nieces".
Help?!
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The more things change...

[arabella]

bad.

I finished a hat today... for myself!

I REALLY need to get on the ball!

thanks for the sew mama sew link!

[Teahugger]

I finished two knit turtles for my nieces, and am knitting a hat for my cousin. Next up is a hat for my mom (though it might not actually be a holiday gift) and something else for my nieces...I started knitting glittery mittens for them, but the yarn made the mittens really stiff and weird. So I might frog what I have knit and turn it into hats or something (which would mean knitting with bigger needles, which might help the stiffness a little).

Oh yeah, I'm also supposed to sew a knitting needle roll for my sister, and I'm making some stuff for my Secret Snowflake as well... I will have a lot to do in November.

[crookedtree]

I've done nothing but make a list. I'm going to make something for my secret snowflake today, though!

I also need to do:
Scarf for uncle
Scarf for aunt
Dishcloths for grandma
Xmas stocking for niece
Thread snowflake ornaments for other uncle's girlfriend

I'm giving a lot of books this year, too (dad, brother, niece, sister-in-law).

Last year I made a cookbook of family recipes in memory of my Mom. It was a lot of work, but in a way it was easier because I just had a bunch of copies made + bound and gave everyone the same thing!
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"I tried watching downton abby. mistake. switched to ru paul's drag race." - Lacey Marie

[snoopy]

I finished:

blanket for Yoshi's best friend
hat for my cousin
fingerless mittens for three nieces
stitch markers for my mom

Still need to make:
knitted toy(s) for Yoshimi
holiday greeting cards
scarf for Glitter Scarf Drive (still going on this year, right?)
probably lots of other little gifts that I can't seem to recall at the moment.

There is the Vogue Knitting Karat dress that I'm dying to knit for myself for a party in January, but I don't know if I'll be able to make it in that amount of time with all the other holiday crafting/events going on. Plus I'm making myself a wrap for an upcoming wedding in early December.
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my unoriginal blog
photo blog

[arabella]

[mk.carroll]

My winter knit/crochet season officially kicked off earlier this week when I got a pleading phone call from a friend who moved to Portland OR earlier this year, and is currently discovering what cold + wet is. I did a quick crocheted beanie and popped it in the mail, and now I'm knitting a second beanie (so the first one can get washed occasionally), and a neckwarmer (really just a tube of 2x2 ribbing) because S is a bicycle rider and scarves get all flappy in a bad way.

I am planning to do a lot of hats and a couple of scarves (at least one for the Glitter Scarf Drive - best get cracking on that!). I'm hoping to get a lot of it done on my city bus commute, 'cause most of it is going to be boooooooring for me to do. Plain colors, plain patterns, bland bland bland...but I know that they will be worn, based on previous blaaaand beanie gifts. I'm going to try to write out and photograph the variations so that I can put up some posts on my blog on how to knit and crochet the basics I'll be making.

The Buy Handmade Pledge has me interested.
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ravelry: mkcarroll
pinterest: mk_carroll

[Gigi]

Due to both financial and time constraints, I am cutting way back on gift giving this year. I'm only giving gifts to my immediate family (which is essentially my parents), closest friends (three of 'em), the coworker whose name I drew for our gift exchange, and Newboy. I am going to inform everybody of my intention and ask that they please hold off on giving me presents. Everybody that receives presents will be receiving handmade (either by me or purchased off Etsy) gifts, and everyone else will be receiving a handmade card with a sincere message about why I love and appreciate them.

I feel so good about this decision. I'm always stressing about picking out presents, and what to do with all the useless stuff I accumulate from other people. I'm super happy that I'm going to be able to really focus on "the real meaning" of the holidays...as cliche as that sounds.

[TiffanyTJB]

I'm knitting all of the Mr's family's gifts. His mom is getting a hooded scarf, his sister is getting a hat and scarf, and his dad and stepfather are each getting hats.

I've already exhausted knitting winter stuff for my family, so they may get slippers and bought stuff.
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"You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should." Ehrmann

[Lol Stein]

I'm making good progress on my Secret Snowflake gifts, but I obviously can't spill the beans about them here! *wink*

I am also trying to embroider some felt DIY ornaments to give as little gifts around the office. But we'll see how many I get done. And if I can ever master french knots on felt. Because it doesn't seem likely, hehe.

Other than that, I'm sort of at a loss. I'll probably do handmade cards like usual. If I'm smart I'll start on them this weekend so I'm not up at the last minute finishing them.
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Happiness should not be tied to one outcome.

[copperboom]

I'm actually nearing the end of my holiday crafting! I decided to knit small gifts for everyone in my immediate family (including sibling-in-laws and my only nephew), altogether 8 projects. I only have 2.5 left to go! I started sometime in August.

I made scarves, hats, or gloves for most. I knit a beer bottle cozy in about 3 hours last night for one of my BILs, and plan to have an accompanying coffee cup cozy finished by the end of the weekend. Then it's only one more hat and a felted lunch bag left! I'll probably be done within 2 weeks. It would go faster if I had time to knit every day.

I might end up crafting something for Mr. Boom's family, but if I do it will be something that I can finish in an afternoon. My last crafting gift for them didn't go over as well as I'd hoped so I don't want to put a lot of effort into it.
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Too much cheesecake too soon.

[snoopy]

I'm having trouble thinking of a gift for my dad. I took the handmade pledge so it's gotta be something handmade, either by me or someone else. He's a simple guy, doesn't do any sports, doesn't read, doesn't travel, and wears tshirts/sweatshirts and jeans, no scarves or sweaters. He's a total handyman though (even if it takes him years to complete a project) and likes to make/do things himself. He has a bazillion tools and enjoys home construction projects, gardening, and fixing cars (he was an army mechanic back in the day when he was in the service).

Things that I've given him before:
paintings/art (most are in storage now since they are remodeling their house)
hand made cards (lots of them!)
a nice letter telling him how great he is
clothes
gift certs

Any suggestions?
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my unoriginal blog
photo blog

[arabella]