Madge asked if I'd show a photo of the baby quilt that Tricia's currently making by hand for her first grandchild. She worked on it while she was visiting with us and is happy for me to share it with you. I have to tell you that I am so pleased Daniel and Laura are having a baby and that Tricia will have a grandchild. It is such a fine and precious gift to be a grandmother or grandfather and Tricia has sat by graciously while Shane and Kerry had their babies, celebrating their births with the rest of us. Now it's her turn to look into her grand baby's face and see our family's history and its future.
It's all done by hand with the finest of stitching.
Having such a fine piece of hand made loveliness made me think of other beautiful handmade pieces and why we make these pieces. Usually they're made to beautify our own homes or as gifts for those we love. Now, more and more, people are giving handmade gifts at Christmas. I love that. It shows me the continued move away from everything commercial towards softer and more creative gifts. I've had a few comments about handmade Christmas gifts lately so I thought I would share these links with you. I've been looking around for gift ideas that I can start on soon so I invite you to look at these and maybe we can get started on our projects together so there is no pre-Christmas rush. I encourage you to go through the lists and work out what you have the skill, patience and time for. Make a list. Then try to do one gift a week, or two if they're really simple and easy. If you're a member of the forum, we'll make up a thread and post photos of what we're making.
- Here are some great ideas from Australia
- Many great links to Christmas projects
- Here is a Pinterest page full of suggestions and links
- More at Pinterest
- 25 handmade gifts for boys
- Handmade girls for girls
- Martha Stewart's handmade gifts
- Frugal and fast handmade gifts
If you have a wool, cotton or fabric stash, making these projects is a frugal way of making your gifts. They can be as simple and quick as a pin cushion or as beautiful and time consuming as Tricia's quilt, but there is a wide range in between too suitable for all skill levels. I love receiving hand made gifts. They're unique and I know that person has thought about me while they've made their gift.
There are two things that are always true in the lead up to Christmas: money will be tight and you'll have a lot of things to do preparing for the holidays. So think about making your gifts now. Just an hour or two a day, maybe after dinner, or on the bus going to work. Often these gifts are small enough to pick up and take with you. And if you'll have portable gift making sessions, make up a little kit in a bag that will keep everything together and clean. I'll check our collective progress in the coming months and hope you'll have some photos you can share with us. If you're not really a sewer or a knitter you can make up food or garden gifts with handmade cards. It is these small projects that help you increase your craft skill level. We were all beginners at one point and most of us improve by making small things one stitch at a time.
