Getting Ready for a Handmade Christmas

Phew! Time to take a breath from sewing (and all the Christmas preparations) so thought I’d let you know what I’ve been busy making for Christmas. Any of my family reading this? Please don’t, look away now or you’ll ruin the surprises!

Well, first of all I wanted to show you the advent calender that I stitched up for the kids. I’ve been meaning to make one for years now and finally got it done this year after fruitlessly trying to find decent ones in the shops, that didn’t cost too much. Now, I have all boys but my fabrics are all girly so please excuse the fact that this is very girly looking. Much to my surprise, the boys didn’t mind a bit that it’s mostly red and pink. They were really pleased with it and loved the fact that they were going to get a decent sweet each day rather than just a tiny disc of chocolate. I used up my offcuts of beautiful Tilda fabrics to make it and I bought some die cut felt numbers for the pockets, from a fellow crafter.

Handmade Advent Calender

I love to gift handmade items and always try to make as many things as I can, just unfortunate that I can’t stitch xbox games and such like, would save me a fortune! So, anyway, my mum had suggested I make a knitter’s hold-all kind of wrap for my Etsy shop & sewing patterns. She’s an avid knitter and so I grilled her on what essentials I should include for this design, knowing that this would be the ideal Christmas present for her. She keeps asking me if I’ve come up with anything yet for the knitter’s wrap, so I keep putting her off saying it’s in the pipeline, just been so busy. Well here it is, what do you think? I will be doing a sewing pattern for something similar to this in the New Year.

My big sister was admiring some fabric I’d used for one my handbags and mentioned that she’d love a cushion for her living-room, made from this, hint! hint! So to work, had to order some fabric from America as it’s been selling out here. I’m not surprised as it’s absolutely gorgeous, Wing Song designed by Laura Gunn.

My next project was a handbag for my little sister, I’m hoping she’ll like this one made from Amy Butler’s delightful Gypsy Caravan fabrics. I wanted to design something with a vintage look and I think these fabrics work great with this pretty bag. I have a sewing pattern for this one in my Etsy shop, if you’d be interested in making this one.

 I can never think what to get for my brother-in-law, apart from books which he always loves but I wanted to give something different this year. I wouldn’t normally think of making anything for the men in the family, but he’d recently got himself an iPad and I wondered for a while if I should try make him a cover for it, as I do a sewing pattern for iPad / tablet sleeves. The ones I normally make are quite feminine though, but I had some faux leather and suede, in brown, which I though might work a treat.

Well, I think that’s all my gift makes so far for this Christmas. I hope they are loved and enjoyed by my family. As for me, I’m so looking forward to seeing what my hubby has helped the little ones to make for my Christmas gifts. I am so proud that he helps the kids to make something for me, showing them how much fun you can have and how rewarding it is to make something handmade for someone special. The little 2 year old almost let the cat out of the bag with both his make and his big brother’s. He kept saying ‘mummy, I’ve made …….. for you, come see it!’ Luckily I haven’t heard what it is as I’ve been ready each time to cover my ears and go na, na, na, and then the other week, hubby said to big brother that they should finish making his gift for mummy and next thing, there’s the little one running toward me with something in his hands, ‘see what we’ve made!’ and big brother shouting, ‘no! don’t look mum!’ I didn’t peek, phew! We still don’t know how he knew where it had been hidden. What do you do with 2 year olds, they are useless at keeping secrets.

Well, I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas, happy holidays to all.

What have you handmade for your loved ones this year?