Handmade

Have you seen on TV when a gift is unwrapped, the ribbon gracefully falls to the side?

Normally a ribbon tied around a gift is hard to undo. You can try to unknot it, slide it, or pull it off the side, stretching it as well as you can. Men usually reach for their pocketknives to get the job done.

Making a great-looking gift bow is actually pretty simple, even without using knots.

I made this little video to show you how.

Our family also wraps a lot of gifts using gift bags.  We reuse them every year, so some have been exchanged back and forth for years. Seeing an old familiar paper gift bag is almost a tradition in itself. (Don’t trust the tags, they could be from a prior year at our house!)

Photo by LollyKnit

I wish I could knit. Maybe I’ll learn how, because I’d love to whip up cute hats for someone to wear.

Laura from One of Three is hosting for Holidays by Hand today, sharing several knitting projects that others have made.

I’ve seen quick video tutorials that can teach you how to knit, purl, and cast on. They make it look easy, and for a minute I thought about getting out my yarn and trying it.

But then I remembered some of my crochet projects that hadn’t gone so well.

Behold, the Crochet of Christmas Past

December 1997: I taught myself how to crochet from a library book. I think it was titled something like “Easy Afghans to Make in a Weekend”. I don’t know how they come up with these names. There is no way those could be done in a weekend. It took me months to crochet all of the motifs. I didn’t realize how much time it would take to then stitch them together, and so I haven’t finished it yet. I still don’t have an afghan, I have 104 coasters.

December 2006: I made a baby hat. It turned out pretty cute, but Lane refused to wear it, ever. I thought, maybe… maybe she didn’t like hats.

But that obviously wasn’t the problem.

December 2007: I made a little crochet bird. The color was an unfortunate grey. Doug called it a lump of coal. I decluttered it.

In better crochet news, Molly posted a tutorial for how to crochet a metal leaf. (I also love her burlap bird.)

Leaf and pear from A Foothill Home Companion

In all the talk about handmade gifts, it’s pretty clear that most of the gifts are for women and children.

If you’re planning to make gifts for Christmas, I recommend you see the ideas at Almost Frugal for handmade gifts with ribbons, embroidery, and thread. (I love this embroidered scarf.)  

My idea this week is a gift that takes only a few minutes and is easy enough for kids to help you make: Ribbon Belts.

But let’s be honest. Men don’t want ribbon belts, or anything else ribboned, embroidered, or bedazzled. Men like gear: tools and electronics in particular.

Desiree asked,
“I am really wanting to do mostly homemade gifts this year. The girls on the list are easy but I am having a hard time with ideas for guys. I would love some ideas…”

I asked Doug to help me think of handmade gifts when “crafty” isn’t a man’s style. Here is what he came up with:

Food:

• manly food like good quality beef jerkey
• peanut brittle
• chocolate chip cookies
• and oh yes, pies

Handmade soap that won’t dry his skin in the winter.

Something to keep his feet warm around the house.

One of Doug’s favorite birthday gifts ever was a time we went to the grocery store together. No matter what he put in the shopping cart, all I was allowed to say was “Mmm, looks good!” and “That will be great!” His friends came with us for fun. I know that’s not necessarily a homemade gift, but at least it wasn’t clutter, and it was something I could do for him.

I forgot how fun it is to cut up magazines and glue with glue sticks.
 
My paper crafts project for the Holidays by Hand festival is a pop-up doll house scene for Lane. So much imagination goes into creating scenes. It’s fun to pick out pictures to include. Lane did not want to go to bed with all the paper and craft supplies everywhere.

What I love about this:

1. Making it with your child is as fun as the finished result.
2. It uses basic supplies (no special tools needed).
3. Did I mention pop-up?!

More pictures and my simple pop-up instructions are here: Craft a Pop-up Doll House Scene

Now let’s go see the wonderful things you’ve been making!

Notebooks & Gifts

Notebook by Simply Vintage Girl

Personalized Little Notebook – from Simply Vintage Girl

A Set of Botanical Prints – from A Soft Place to Land

Fabric-Covered Notebooks – from Planning With Kids

Dates to Remember Book – from Snapshots of Us

Accordion-Style Book of Days – from Life as Mom

Mini Scrapbook Albums – from Such a Time Scrapbooking

Print Art for Infants – from Frugal Front Porch

Greeting Cards

Hand-made Monogrammed Notecards – from Vintage Mommy

Holiday Cards, & Picture Block Ornament – from Kirstyn Knits

Especially for Kids

Make Your Own Wrapping Paper – from Almost Frugal

A Self-Portrait Technique for Kids – from My Many Colored Crayons

Kid-Friendly Paper Ornaments – from Domestic Cents

Stars & Ornaments

Stars by Lost Button Studio

3D Paper Stars — from Lost Button Studio

Mini Album Ornament – from Gifts by Hand

Finnish Star – from Craft Ideas

3D Paper Snowflake – from Perspicacious

For More Ideas

(A few more links I want to include.)
Envelope Books — from Martha

Handmade Story Books — from Glitter Goods

Storybook Puzzle Blocks — from Chasing Cheerios

Paper Mosaic — from Carly and the Clan

Origami Nesting Boxes — from Martha

Holidays by Hand has started this week at Simple Mom with a variety of handmade sewing projects.  

My project is the simplest drawstring bag possible, made a little more unique with a vintage monogram.  I can picture a few of these hanging as ornaments on the Christmas tree.  Maybe they’d be a good place to hide some chocolate or secret messages.

Instructions:  Embellish Your Sewing Project With a Vintage Monogram

Next week I’m hosting your holiday projects made with paper!  I love the ideas I’ve seen so far.  Send me your link by November 10 to have your project included in the festivities.