Holiday crafting 2009!

okac · Joined: 13 Jan 2006 Posts: 1439 Location: Oregon

I came looking for a thread almost exactly like this.

My mum and I were just talking about how we want a low-key low-budget christmas. We had already talked about some things we could do for other people (I'm going to be baking cookies and making cards and maybe a few other things) but we hadnt talked about what to do for eachother.

Well we just decided to have a home-made christmas!

This is going to be a challenge for both of us but we are totally excited!

I've thought of a couple things but am going to look through the thread for more ideas.

(are there any other home made christmas threads?)

I've never done this before and am just gleeful!
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gingerdolle · Joined: 23 Oct 2009 Posts: 2 Location: Vancouver Canada

Christmas feels like it's looming up unpleasently quickly - since I totally got laid off by my job being outsourced in August, we're having a barebones christmas here. Thankfully my family is pretty tiny, so I'm only having to come up with a few ideas.

Mr. Dolle - embroidered portrait of the two of us looking kick ass like Turks from FFVII based on one of his drawings

Mr. Dolle's mum - a pair of hand embroidered pillow cases (1/4 done!) and a shawl/scarf (1/2 done)

Sister + brother in law - Home made healthy granola bars + christmas goodies

Niece - hand knit kitten hat

I have no idea what I'm making Mr. Dolle's step father, or his brother... Mr. Dolle has too much family! :|

rachiepachie · Joined: 08 Apr 2004 Posts: 1657 Location: inglaterra

oooh! yes. i have just started christmas knitting (i know, late much? but i'm not doing lots)

also planning to do lots of homemade batch cooking type things...granola, cookies, fudge etc.

am going to read the rest of hte thread now for more ideas!!
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harmlesscottonsock · Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 95

wondRgirl · Joined: 13 Sep 2008 Posts: 216

Just making my list!
Goal is to make coworker gifts (3 ladies) from stash (thinking tote bags)
Thinking cap is on for the rest of the list.
Brothers are hard to buy for!
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Gigi · Joined: 02 Jan 2006 Posts: 2474

I handmade all my gifts last year. Crocheted gifts for everyone. Definitely not doing that again, both for time reasons (finals!), and because I just didn't feel like my efforts were appreciated at all. Which is fine, but you know, I'm not going to put in all that time if people don't end up using/wearing what I make.

So, my mom is getting an afghan, the boyfriend is getting a beanie/fingerless glove set (I'm so excited about this idea! He loves to work in his garden in the early morning, but he gets really cold. This will be perfect), and everybody else is getting some sort of edible. I really like jar mixes - I know we have some threads on here about those, will have to do a search!

As for holiday cards, I have high hopes, but I'm just not sure if it's going to happen.

midnightsky1686 · Joined: 06 Nov 2004 Posts: 1253

okac · Joined: 13 Jan 2006 Posts: 1439 Location: Oregon

I've started making paper beads (for the first time!) I'm going to make a necklace from them for my mom.

Also made some coasters, I'm going to pick up some modge podge and see about sealing the coasters (I havent decided if I like them yet)

I finished a coupon holder also.

I did finally make a list of ideas (went through this thread and the history to get a bunch of the ideas!)
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madgeylou · Joined: 13 Apr 2004 Posts: 3013 Location: picksberg

how's everyone doing?

i finished the clapotis for my grandma and it turned out beautifully. now i want one for me!! after christmas i will make it, if i can face that long-ass pattern again.

2 nights ago i started a pair of heavy socks for R's dad to wear under his waders/wellies when fishing. they are super cute! i'm using the diagonal rib pattern from knitting daily. haven't gotten to the heel flap yet but it doesn't look too bad -- i should have them done over the weekend. then i can move on to the shawl for R's mom. after that will be socks for R and maybe for one of my buddies and i will be all done!
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Crumb · Joined: 05 Apr 2007 Posts: 1916

I'm making good progress but DAMN am I sick of embroidering. I may not embroider or cross-stitch anything at all in 2010.
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erin_luv · Posted: Nov 18, 2009 8:14 pm Post subject:

I'm late to chime in here!

I've got the exterior of my Christmas cards done, but I'm working on the insides (which reminds me-- I just downloaded Photoshop to work with). I've also got the address labels typed to print out, but I don't think that counts as crafty :)

My mom is bringing my new/old sewing machine on the 28th, so I'm getting everything I can prepared for my sewing projects so I can whip them up quickly. I've got most of my gifts purchased/thrifted, but I'm sewing up some quick Pillowcase Tote Bags for my mom, some aunts, and my boyfriend's mom (who is OBSESSED with anything repurposed).

I might also make my dad a cd/iPod playlist, but again.. not a lot of real crafting going on there :)

Kelly. · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 2074 Location: New Zealand

I've mostly been doing my secret snowflake stuff (top secret!) and I must admit I've been pretty slack on the other fronts and am about to start panicing!

Luckily I only have a couple of people to make for - my parents I am getting a gift voucher (for a super fancy restaurant they have wanted to go to for years but won't spend the money themselves) and I'm trying to think of a fun way of presenting it, so it'll look like a regular gift until the open it. For my two girl friends I'm going to make pencil cases for school because they had been admiring the one I made myself and for my grandad I made a calendar from photos I have taken.

My sister is the one which (always) causes me the most grief...I was thinking of being lazy and just buying her a gluten free cookbook because she is GF and it will be appreciated (despite it's minimal effort).
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madgeylou · Joined: 13 Apr 2004 Posts: 3013 Location: picksberg

finally finished the socks! today i start on this for R's mom:

http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall04/PATTcozy.html

i got blue laceweight malabrigo -- it's gonna be gorgeous!
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PurpleDoor · Joined: 07 Apr 2004 Posts: 3391 Location: California

Well, my Christmas crafting has been waaaaaay downscaled, due to my life becoming ridiculously busy over the past few months. I was actually thinking there might be no Christmas crafting at all.

However! I am rallying. A few of the ladies in my knitting group have been churning out French Press Slippers and they are super cute, and (more importantly), super fast. I just started a pair and finished the bottoms in under an hour. I'm planning on making pairs for my mother and sister, and then I have some ideas to make them a little more "manly" looking and make a pair for my dad as well.

And I'm thinking photo albums of old family pictures for the two brothers...I've already done one for my sister so these should be pretty fast.

And then my nephew is totally not getting a sweater, but I'm thinking a nice knit hat in some soft yarn would go down well, no?

I figure if I can finish the hat and the sister slippers this coming week that should give me enough time to mail them with *some* chance of arriving for Christmas (although with international post, who knows, even when it is just to Canada), then the next week and a half will be a slipper+album craft-a-thon.

Oh, and I need to get my Christmas cards in the mail already!
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Kelly. · Joined: 12 Apr 2004 Posts: 2074 Location: New Zealand

Since my last update I had my knee op and am stuck at home, which has meant I'm more craft-focused (since I'm stuck at home) - although I have
been a bit of a cheat and have been buying other peoples crafts online!!!

For my parents I ended up getting them each a couple of magazine subs (cooking mags for mum, fishing for dad) but I wanted something to give them on the day, so I ended up buying a beautiful brooch from Felt (our version of etsy) to give her on the day, but I'm stuck with dad.

My sister is a Star Wars geek so I'm getting her a t shirt with R2D2 with 'This is how I roll' on it.

For my grandad we are making him a new dressing gown and I am embroidering the pocket.
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