Unfortunately, this post is a light on pictures of my finished projects as I wrapped and delivered the gifts without photographing them (doh!). However I was pleased to be able to make at least *some* gifts this Christmas including quilted coasters for Phil and Jo from Joelle Hoverson’s book Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts although I must stress that these were by no means last-minute since they were the first things I made (and what should have been a fairly straight-forward task was made more challenging by my sewing machine favouring just one make of thread!). The ones in the picture above were ones I made a while ago for my mother-in-law.
A gift which was more last-minute and which I *just* managed to finish before getting struck by the dreaded Norovirus on Christmas Eve Eve was an all-day tote for my parents from Simple Sewing by Lotta Jansdotter. They are keen on walking so I made the bag to hold their walking paraphernalia (although Mum likes it so much I think she has snaffled it to use it for herself!).
I added two walking books to their collection and I made up a trail mix which I put in a big jar and two small fabric bags which I embroidered with their initials so they can take a bag of trail mix each when they go out on walks. For the tote itself, I used some Laura Ashley fabric in pale blue and creams which I have had knocking about for ages. It was a perfect heavy-weight and looks quite smart and neutral (and not too girlie so that Dad can use it too if he get it off Mum!).
Pic source: Wise Craft
Finally, I managed to work out how to make some crocheted jars for Liz. I used a cream yarn for all three although I think they looked a little plain so I added some buttons and ribbon to jazz them up a bit. I got the inspiration for these from Wise Craft (the picture above is from her new basement studio which makes me drool) who herself found them at Dottie Angel. I think I will make some more of these for my own craft storage but I might use different coloured yarn like Wise Craft did. I also used a triple-stitch (is this the right terminology? I am such a crochet novice) since this is the one I know but I would like to experiment using different stitches.
After I had finished, I was so jazzed to be finding time to make gifts that it was only when I was wrapping them that I started to experience some anxiety about the handmade gifts I was giving – would they be appreciated? Would the recipients be secretly disappointed? Just because I value things that are handmade, doesn’t mean that everyone feels that way. All my crafty friends would get it but I am not sure about other people. If I want to make more presents next year, I will need to make things for children since they are the bulk of who we buy for now. This presents a challenge: making something they are actually going to want. Making gifts takes a lot of time and effort and I don’t really want to do it if the item is just going to be discarded. I would love to know what non-crafty people *really* think about handmade gifts.
