LOW COST homemade christmas gifts

*Louise*

Great ideas everyone. I am looking for ideas for a craft stall in December.

Would anyone mind sharing how much they charge for their various items?

midnightraven3

you can make the cupcakes with socks as well
primarks fluffy socks make a lovely cupcake

CupcakeSquirrel

I LOVE those plaques! Perfect idea as a lot of my friends have bought their first houses this year. Hmm...

I've been knitting Christmas baubles. There have been a few patterns in Let's Knit magazine (Sept and Oct issues), and my lovely mum bought me the needles I needed. Wool I bought cheaply from Leeds market and cost about £3 for 200g. That's done me five baubles so far and still going so goodness knows how cheap they'll end up! Also used some free wool (also from the mag), but keeping those for me.

Have also been making wristlets - use just under 50g of Aran weight wool, so ideal if you have any bits left over. Although I must confess that my budget allowed me to buy some posh wool so working out at just under £5 a pair! http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/amandas-christmas-wristlets

Also planning a top for my BFF (£5 fabric Leeds market), pyjama bottoms for OH (about £8 fabric), Nigella's red chilli jam (from Nigella's Christmas - http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/chilli-jam-2692 Went down a storm in 2010 and been asked for more ever since!), and probably some Christmassy biscuits as well.

My mum is a crafty person so I'm hoping to make her a knit your own socks kit - pattern from ravelry, nice wool and needles.

I love this bit of Christmas! Will post pictures when I'm on the computer later.

cabunny

Like the chilli jam recipe - likes like even a beginner (me!!) could make it as long as let it reach high temp for 10 mins to set. do you know where I could get cheap jars and supplies to make pretty presents? thanks:j

springdreams

I bought the small plastic tubs from £land, filled them with mini marshmallows and added the tag

gingerandrubarb

midnightraven3 wrote: »

i made my flannel cupcakes using ice cream tubs, and topped with a bath pearl, they were V cheap, i couldnt get 2 flannels rolled and into the wrappers without them ripping



and i used a white flannel on my pint of socks, hubby wouldnt wear white socks i got the glass cheap in Debs january sale



the sweetie boxes went down a storm



wooden plaques were well received in my hampers last year, cheap but took a bit of planning



i am doing cupcake ones this gift tags, but they are "in production" my prototype

Hi,

I'm hoping to do plaques this year I was wondering what you used to do your writing and colouring on the plaques? I wasn't sure what was best out of pens (normal,sharpies, biro etc) or paints or something else? x

tattycath

midnightraven3 wrote: »

i made my flannel cupcakes using ice cream tubs, and topped with a bath pearl, they were V cheap, i couldnt get 2 flannels rolled and into the wrappers without them ripping



and i used a white flannel on my pint of socks, hubby wouldnt wear white socks i got the glass cheap in Debs january sale



the sweetie boxes went down a storm



wooden plaques were well received in my hampers last year, cheap but took a bit of planning



i am doing cupcake ones this gift tags, but they are "in production" my prototype

loving your makes-thanks for sharing

midnightraven3

i painted mine with matt emulsion, i already had it and thought it may work, its an "off white" english white i think it was
a light sand between 1 of the 2 coats

the writing is a sharpie, i like the double ended ones, only for that font
some letters, like the "t" when you put the little "balls" on the ends are a little too close to the letters either side? so i use the thin end for those

midnightraven3

i just realized (or idont know if anyone is interested )

the gingerbread men? they were tineeeeee wooden blanks
and i painted the body with a tester pot, then added details with paint pens & sharpie
i added little bows n things i had, but even a thin piece of scrap material cut and tied like a scarf looks nice

the string is gardeners string from poundland in the plaques
and butchers string on the cupcakes

building_with_lego

juniper_berry wrote: »

Hi All,

I have to give credit to Building with Lego for suggesting this book on another thread...There is a book called Dear Dad (or mum etc) from you to me. It has pages of questions that they fill in and give back to you. I've decided to copy this idea and make my own books for my mum, dad, grandparents and mil/fil. I find it amazing how little you can know about those closest to you and really want something I can treasure forever from them

Sorry forgot to say that you can make the book with a hard card backing or even put it into a little folder. But it's unlikely to cost alot other than your time thinking up all the questions you want to know.

Thank you . I'm excited to see how my Dad's got on with his (gave it for Father's Day last year and strongly suspect I'm getting it back for Xmas this year!) If anyone's new to the concept here is the full list of available books, although they're cheaper on Am@zon....