making presents

twink

my future dil does homemade pressies and i just love rooting about in the box to see what all there is, she gets a lot of pleasure hunting out bargains all year and i know her family all try to keep to five pounds each which i try to do too except for the dgs

COOLTRIKERCHICK

last year i knitted scarfs out of the funky wool, plus i done some pickled onions in red wine vinegar and small very hot chillis in it.. and decorated the jar with raffia so it looked very sabbly chic expensive...and they went down really well, this year i am doing home made food hamper on the same lines as the pickled onions last year... plus on the green section someone gave a brill idea for gardeners..... a nice teraccotta pot filled with bits.. so if you dry your own seeds you can make pretty packaging for them, plus make some home made hand creams etc....or even if you got to buy seeds now is the time as most places have them half price or less......so i will be putting some straw in there for deco... and putting some gloves....seeds....hand cream....hand made plant labels out of old lollipop sticks.. painted up.. and some cheap/reduced hand tools..... .as i have noticed there is allways garden themed things .for sale at christmas time..

just another thought if you got scraps of wood around why dont you make bird houses,,, when i was over in america a few years ago.. there was some brill ones over there... like outside toilet.....diff style houses.....cars etc....

ir if you are very crafty what about a lovely patch work quilt......you normally find patterns in books in the charity shops.. the books from the 70's.. if i ever see these books i allways buy them as they go so cheap. and you can adapt the patterns...to modernize them....
origami is also making a come back.....remember those plant pot holders ...
i allways used to bang my head on ours....

Queenie

thriftmonster wrote:

I started by introducing small HM gifts as part of their gifts and gradually over the years increased it. Maybe your sister didn't realise it was HM - that happened to me this year - I knitted my sister a scarf and it wasn't until her MIL asked who had knitted it that she realised it was HM and very appreciative then

Ah yes, it's wonderful when that happens

When my youngest grandchild was born, I made all the gifts to take to the hospital: Nappy Cake, Blanket Baby, Mother's Survival Kit, Daddy's Toolbox ... the nursing staff were :shocked: :shocked: :shocked: :shocked: asking my son where I'd bought them from because they were the most unusual gifts they'd ever seen on the ward :rotfl: He phoned to ask me so he could pass on the source and I was equally shocked that he hadn't realised I'd made them!! Yes, gifts certainly do take on a great meaning when they are made and given from the heart.

Hardup_Hester

I knitted scarves too last year, & sold some, which gave me cash for some little extras. I aslo give boxes & baskets that I fill with thing I pick up free or cheap throughout the year.
Hester

Queenie

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote:

....

just another thought if you got scraps of wood around why dont you make bird houses,,, when i was over in america a few years ago.. there was some brill ones over there... like outside toilet.....diff style houses.....cars etc.... ....

Ooooh wood!!!

Free Wood Craft Patterns from Country Corner

Queenie

And don't forget to check out your library for Craft books to garner ideas/patterns/plans - ours has a huge section!

You could begin a new tradition of making and giving hm christmas ornaments each year - one per family/person each year ... they will soon come to be anticipated each year and the memories that become entwined in those ornaments become priceless!

For little one's, you can borrow books on teddy/doll making with the patterns already in them (use your computer to photocopy the instructions/patterns if need be, it's allowed if it's for personal use/reference).

You gain skill with practise, so don't feel daunted.

No matter what you decide to make, be sure it's something you will enjoy putting together.

dorry_2

hi :wave:

last year i made a hm fluffy scarf for mil and she loved it, so i am planning on doing some more this year. i normally get wool from boyes, but i may look on ebay this year.

Queennie-- thanks for posting all the websites for crafty things, i am going to pop on there now and have a look. you always manage to inspire me xxx


i now feel the urge to start knitting, does anyone know where i would be able to buy wool on a sunday???

dorry_2

hardup hester,

l love your bit at the bottom about hot flushes, you have put a whole new slant on them for me LOL

Queenie

dorry wrote:

hi :wave:

last year i made a hm fluffy scarf for mil and she loved it, so i am planning on doing some more this year. i normally get wool from boyes, but i may look on ebay this year.

Queennie-- thanks for posting all the websites for crafty things, i am going to pop on there now and have a look. you always manage to inspire me xxx


i now feel the urge to start knitting, does anyone know where i would be able to buy wool on a sunday???

Do you have a Wyevale Garden Centre anywhere near to you? They have a craft section. I know our local Co-op stocks the odd few balls and they are open on a Sunday.
How about Woolworths? They should be open on a Summer Sunday? Time for a run out to a Boot Fair, perhaps?

Or, spend the day internet hunting patterns (have you signed up for Lion Brand newsletter for free patterns? ) planning what you'd like to make and for whom and then, work out your budget for wool/colours/type so you can then hunt out the best deal for the wool rather than impulse buy?

Good luck, dorry, and have lots of fun

BASIL

is there a really easy guide to knitting ?- i remember doing it when little and was truly awful... it would be nice to make some scarves for relatives little uns though....;)