Homemade Gifts

culpepper

My Auntie knitted Bra's for all the female family once (I think I was about 8 and I got one).
My kids had a snow white and a policeman that she had knitted (they loved them).
I think nearly all the gifts she gave were home-made and her house was full of crotchet and embroidery (happy memories).

rach

i've revived this thread rather than starting a new one (brownie points to me )
i'm planning to make as many presents as i can this year - both to save money, be more personal and be less commercial!!

this weekend whilst away i was lucky enough to do glass painting (i hadn;t done that for years!), glass engraving (awesome results - 2 opaque large brandy glasses with a funky star pattern on), jewellery making (i also used to do this but had forgotten - have a tin of stuff for it somewhere!!)

so, my plans so far are:

best friends bday - brandy class & scarf
friends wedding - set of painted wine glasses
other ideas, non-specific, are jewellery, other scarves and painted glasses and photo frames

anyone else make their own stuff? any ideas to share?!

MrsTinks

There are quite a few bits and bob on gift making over on the Christmas board too and loads are commentingon how pleasantly surprised they were at the reactions they got from people. I think next year I shall be a lot braver and make MORE My list of things to try and make will depend on whether I manage to get a shed and freezer or not tho as I WILL need the room for demijohns and the freezer to store fresher ingredients. At the moment I am stuck with a tiny 2 1/2 drawers under my fridge...

I would love to learn how to crochet but I struggle with knitting because of my wrists (inflamed tendons) so not sure I would manage well... I want to make more bath bombs (have the kit!) and maybe add bath salts to my repetoir this year

Thinking of borrowing a sewing machine at some point too so I can use som of my old materials and so on to make lavender bags for the wardrobes and so on

thriftlady_2

I did this a few years ago for my mil. I made her a different jam/preserve each month for a year.

It was a Christmas present so I started off with a jar of mincemeat.
Jan - marmalade
Feb - lemon curd
March - Rhubarb and ginger jam
April - ? can't remember
May - Gooseberry and elderflower jam
June - Blackcurrant jelly
July - Strawberry jam
Aug - Sweetcorn relish
Sept - crab apple jelly
Oct - blackberry jam
Nov- damson chutney

Best present I've ever made or given

When I was a student I bought all my family blank artist's notebooks and copied out poetry and prose in them. I also stuck postcards and other pictures in. I tried to choose things to suit each person. I didn't fill the entire book, just the first few pages. The idea was that they would be filled by the recipient. I know my grandmothers and aunt did this, I don't think my brother did though :rolleyes:

Bexstars

I am making up a gift basket for my sister, its her 16th birthday of the 25th of this month. She loves hot chocolate so im making her a hot chocolate hamper. I bought some cheap but pretty baskets last year and in the sales in superdrug I bought a little set for £3.00 that had a large mug, a little whisk and a tub of cappachino powder. I also bought a tub of chocolate lollys to put in the hamper from superdrug for 50p. Then I have bought 8 of those options singles in different flavours on offer in morrisons and will buy a little pack of marshmallows. Wrapped up in some pretty paper im certain that she will love it

cjalynch

I would think it depends very much on the recipient- last year we were very short of cash so I had a small hand towel in my cross-stitch bag and embroidered the edging in a mosaic pattern for mum's birthday. She wasn't at all sure what to think about the gift until she was told I had "made" it for her and was so pleased with it she won't use it but hangs it more as a decoration. Even though it was a small gift- and didn't cost anything compared to stuff I got her when I was young, rich and foolish!- it is probably the most valued thing she has received from me.

redballoon_2

i am thinking of making more christmas presents for this year as well and this thread has given me lots of ideas to try.

neices - handmade knitting hat, scarf and gloves
older neice - knitted jumper - looking for a pattern!
sister in law - homemade jewellery (have a stash of lovely beads to use!)
brother in law - ?

parents - mum - knitted jumper or shawl/pashmina/wrap
dad - ?

why is it that the blokes are harder to make for as well as hard to buy for?!?!?!

stilernin

redballoon wrote:

i am thinking of making more christmas presents for this year as well and this thread has given me lots of ideas to try.

neices - handmade knitting hat, scarf and gloves
older neice - knitted jumper - looking for a pattern!
sister in law - homemade jewellery (have a stash of lovely beads to use!)
brother in law - ?

parents - mum - knitted jumper or shawl/pashmina/wrap
dad - ?

why is it that the blokes are harder to make for as well as hard to buy for?!?!?!

Most blokes like biscuits which can often be made simply, or how about home made sweets? Find a small basket or a small box and cover in Chrissy paper to make an attractive gift.

natzini

I make all sorts of presents... sometimes it's just some cookies, sweets or something like a crumble, other times it's jewellery, photo frames and other things.

I am working on my sisetrs Easter present at the moment (she is type 1 diabetic so doesn't want chocolate), am making her a recipe folder so that she can put her fave clippings in it

eryn_kathleen

One really popular HM gift in the states is a 'gift in a jar'.

The most common is soup in a jar - usually bean or pasta soup (lentil soup or minestrone is perfect for this). You just layer up the dried ingredients - it works really nicely with dried veggies - and add spices or a crumbled up cube or two of Oxo and put it in a Kilner jar or a reused pasta sauce jar. Generally people make a little 'skirt' to go around the lid and tie instructions on with twine.

This will give you an idea, but there are thousands of variations:
http://www.allfreecrafts.com/giftinajar/soup-mixes.shtml

You can also do this with scone mix, HM pizza dough mix, cookie mixes, really just about anything. They're great for neighbours, students, grandparents - and they can be really inexpensive.