LOW COST homemade christmas gifts

Salome_2

Raggy Wreaths are easy to make and very effective, especially if you can source fabric in the colour scheme that the recipient likes. Old adult clothes that aren't suitable for recycling, clothes that children have grown out of & even items from charity shops can all be used, along with bits of ribbon, rafia, hairy string (my life would come to a halt without hairy string) & suchlike. You can also add a centre piece to finish it off - a wooden heart (from craft shops, the Range, etc) which you can customise, for example.
This year, I trended more towards American style wreaths, using deco mesh as the main fabric. They turned out beautifully. I soon realised that you could equally use net, or tutu material rather than mesh (which costs a fortune!) and you can also theme your wreath according to what's available. I sourced quite a lot of the add ons via Etsy, but found things like candy canes, gingerbread houses & so forth in supermarkets & shops locally, which can bring the price down. The two I've shown below were based on 12 " wreath bases from ebay (cost about £1.50 each) but filled out to over 17" with all the fabric. Looking online, these go for upwards of £40 on sites like Etsy, but you can make them for over half that if you're canny. Half the fun is sourcing the items to go on them, but I always keep an eye open in charity shops & car boot sales where you can pick up some real bargains for your stash!

Salome_2

Salome_2

After watching Kirstie Allsop's Christmas craft program, I decided to make my own frosted candle jars. I dipped into my collection of old Dowe Egberts coffee jars amd selected a couple of smaller ones, then nipped to B & Q and picked up some glass frosting spray (I think it was about £5/6) and a roll of adhesive plastic. (my nan used to use the patterned stuff on her window sills!) I cut a simple heart shape out of the plastic, stuck it onto the glass, sprayed the jar carefully with the frosting spray, pulled the heart shape off, (my husband was actually better at this than me!) finished the neck of the jar off with my faithful hairy string, mod podged in place to create a rustic finish, then popped a tea light in. Very simply & effective.

michelle09

DIY mulled cider! (Or mulled wine, if that's your thing). We made the mulled cider ourselves - £20 for the ingredients to make 40 pints. Once it's fermented, cook slowly with sugar, apple juice, cloves, ginger, a couple of orange slices and a cinnamon stick. Add a splash of brandy and then bottle.


This is something that needs organising in advance though - cider needs to ferment for at least two months.

7roland8

Gorgeous wreaths Salome, where do you get those lovely Jammie Dodgers?

Salome_2

Thanks 7roland8! I got the jammie dodgers from someone on etsy who makes faux biscuits & suchlike out of felt & fabric. I've also got a couple of fimo ones stashed away some where in my craft pile!

SAVINGMUM_2

michelle09 wrote: »

DIY mulled cider! (Or mulled wine, if that's your thing). We made the mulled cider ourselves - £20 for the ingredients to make 40 pints. Once it's fermented, cook slowly with sugar, apple juice, cloves, ginger, a couple of orange slices and a cinnamon stick. Add a splash of brandy and then bottle.


This is something that needs organising in advance though - cider needs to ferment for at least two months.

This sounds good, how did you make your own cider please?

Thanks

pinknfluffy28

Wow salome those wreaths are amazing!

I am afraid my homemade gifts have taken a back seat this year due to working all hours god sends for the first 8 months of 2016!

I am now back down to part time though, which although means a plummet to our income, and having to go back to all or mse ways to limit spending, does mean that I now have plenty of time to catch up and get the homemade gifts done!

So far I have a pinterest board of homemade food I plan on making to go in hampers for parents, inlaws etc. I am also well underway with the crochet gifts, we are all having homemade hat, scarf & glove sets this year x

Savvy_sewing

I hadn't given making gifts a thought this year, due to work as well. However after bailing out my son and his gf I now have my own huge debts to clear, and creating Christmas may have to feature once again this year. Strangely I just woke up thinking about gift bags and boxes etc. When I hadn't realise did even turned a thought to Christmas yet.
Time to go back to the beginning of the thread for inspiration.
A Pinterest board is a good idea.

MrsTinks

These are easy to make with fabric too - this was made from a wedding dress where parts had been used for a christening dress. I made 2 of these and a ball for a friend and her mum and MIL.

Bow was made out of the dress trim