A Handmade Christmas

We're on the downhill run now!

Things are a little tight in the Fielke household for Christms this year one way and another, and so I've decided that where possible I'm making everyone's gifts. (Pause here to laugh hysterically and tear my hair out in clumps.) This is a relatively easy task in terms of materials - after all I have a vast stash of fabric, a cupboard full of baking materials and a festish for ribbons and stationery. It's been fun figuring out how to make a budget Christmas just as beautiful as a lavish one!

First up I wanted to make some little gifts for some of my students, and for the wonderful ladies in the beautiful patchwork shops I work in regularly in Sydney. I tootled around the internet until I found these:

What are they? Does this help?

Cute huh? Can't you see those with a little summer dress? I found the tutorial here, along with a couple of other great Christmas gift ideas I'm going to try. I particularly love the balloon wax candles, and I've already made some labels for the jars and pots of things I'm baking and cooking using Wordle as they suggest. What fun!

The tutorial suggests using cut up knit or jersey for the bracelets, but lucky me already had about 6 cones of Hoooked Zpaghetti that I was given.

This fabulous yarn is made from offcuts from the fashion industry - making it re-purposed as well as fantastic! You will need at least two colours to make a set, I have two reds, an ecru, a pink and a purple so I can make different colour sets for different people. I think they look lovely all stacked together.

Next I thought about the littlies in our family - there are a few and I also have several god-daughters and friends kids to think about. Instead of getting them all one thing this year, I thought I would make them all up a little Santa-sack with their initials on.

Inside is chocolates, hair ribbons and nail polish and pretty stuff for the girls, and chocolates, little notepads and bouncy balls etc for the boys. I think they'll have fun unpacking the bags to see whats inside, it was much less expensive for me to fill the bags than buy them all something seperate, and plus it was fun thinking little things to go in each bag for each child!

You might notice my gift tags and wrapping paper - plain brown paper at $2 for 10 metres is a load cheaper than shiny gift wrap, and I think the tree looks lovely with all the presents wrapped in brown, with green and red ribbons and luggage tags for the gift tags. Again, very inexpensive and I made them Christmassy either with bit of fabric stuck on and decorated:

Or with these little paper shapes stuck on. $2 for 100 little Christmas trees! I either drew details in or let them be cute on their own:

Don't worry I'm not done yet - there are tons more gifts to make and some great tutorials too, so hang in there and I'll share in case you too want to make some pretty things for Christmas. In the mean time I have to finish quilting this:

On a severe deadline for Quilter's Companion for next year, hand quilted and four more borders to go! Phew...

Comments

[Sue]

All your presents look wonderful and the wrapping is marvellous. I'm sure all the kids will love their presents.....They are all things kids enjoy. I've just finished your Geese Around The World pattern and can't wait to start another dolly quilt from your book, as it was so much fun to sew. Thank you!

[kris]

It's tight here this year too and I have a similar sounding stash, so it's handmade all the way here. So I'm a bit busy, but having a lovely time. Look forward to seeing more of your ideas!

[amy]

Hang in there, girlie! Everything looks lovely. Particularly that quilt! :-)

[Laurie]

Looks really great - love that last picture especially! Are you still going to show the fabrics you bought at the fall QM sample spree? I am so curious!

[Shiree]

I love the brown wrapper Sarah, I have used it this year also!

[how to edit photos]

Great creativity.. I attract by that and now i am so excited for make it. It such a very easy for making.

[Gift Basket Ottawa]

Fantastic gift ideas...plus most of the gifts and wrapping are eco-friendly which is even better!

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Looks really nice ... its a beautiful idea for gift.. i like it..

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Thank you for sharing your articles, I hope you have an interesting and creative new year.

[Russia Holiday]

You had given nice information about handmade items which I had never seen before. Thanks for sharing such a nice information with people who are interested in handmade

[מיכלי פלסטיק]

This is a relatively simple endeavor with regards to elements after all I have a wide store of clothing. It's been fun identifying how to make a funds Xmas just as wonderful as a magnificent one. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[מדבקות]

I think they have fun unpacking the luggage to see what is within, it was much less costly for me to complete the luggage than buy them all something separate, and plus it was fun considering little elements to go in each bag for each child!

[raspberry ketone]

Here above all photos are really attractive to me. It is really great ideas for made a gift. I am so glad to see this amazing creativity.You done such awesome job.

[צנרת פלסטיק]

I believed about the little in my household there are a few and I also have several god-daughters and buddies children to think about.

[רשתון]

I think the shrub looks charming with all the provides covered in brownish, with natural and red channels and baggage labels for the present labels.

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Best handmade things. It's great and fantastic. I like too much about this post.

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