We began our family's season of Thanksgiving-Birthday-Christmas-Birthday-New Years-Birthday with a little chat. I gently informed my boys, now 11 and 13, that this year they would be responsible for the making or buying of Christmas and birthday gifts for each other, Mom, and Dad. The days of "Here, I got this Lego set for you to give your brother" are over. They've made beautiful
gifts for each other in the past and I wanted to encourage them to do so again. Be thoughtful. What would the recipient really want and enjoy? I offered my assistance (Dad helped them make my gifts) and any materials they wanted to use from my studio stash.
The Younger came up with the idea to make T-shirt throw pillows for his brother's new bedroom. Outgrown Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back tees were the perfect thing! He used my sewing machine to sew the bottom and sleeve hems closed, then stuffed it through the neck opening with fiberfill. I sewed the neck shut for him. They look great on the bed or with the beanbag chair in the reading corner.
The Older took on the challenge of the Cuddly Bantha project from the
Star Wars Craft Book. He did the machine sewing and the stuffing while I helped with the hand stitching. The instructions for this project were a little "light", but between his knowledge of Banthas and my knowledge of sewing, we got the job done. On Christmas morning, I'm not sure which son was happier, the giver or the receiver! Both were filled with joy when this cutie was unwrapped. What a great feeling.
The Older also made me this beautiful felt lined duct tape eyeglasses case for my newly needed (ahem) readers. Perfect!
The Younger designed and stitched this sweet little owl tissue case for my purse. Such character...I adore it.
A little handmade gift to myself is this hand stitched iPhone case that I'm still working on. The case is perforated and can be cross stitched any way your heart desires! My heart desired to make it up as I went along, with whatever floss I could find! Good thing I have those readers, the stitches are tiny!
One more handmade show and tell! My 11 year old niece was recently bitten by the sewing bug. Hooray! I decided to whip up a little sewing kit for her, including one of my classic cupcake pincushions, thread, pins, buttons, rickrack, felt, measuring tape, scissors and a needle book. I had gotten a cute little tin purse as a freebie at a quilt market event and it became the perfect container for it all. My husband customized it by painting it with some hammered finish paint.
My niece made me this sweet embroidered napkin for Christmas (from the
Cute Stuff book) and gave many other hand stitched goodies to other family members. It was very thoughtful and it made everyone so happy. Craftiness abounds. Best holiday ever!
Did you have a handmade holiday? I'd love to hear what you made or received.
I made aprons for my husband and two sons. Yesterday my sons cooked dinner for us (they're 14 and 10) wearing them, I felt so proud!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea and tradition to begin. I made many of my gifts this year and think that speak from my heart. I'm sure that your boys are learning this as well.
ReplyDeleteThat iphone case is way cool! I wish I could do that to my Droid phone. Actually now that I think about it I could probably do one for it I'd just have to glue it on.
ReplyDeleteAndrea,
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what I love more, that you made them aprons or that they cooked you dinner! Bravo!
Betz
Hi Tracy,
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your gifts were very happily received and loved!
Happy New Year!
Betz
Hi Betz - the homemade goodies are brill. My Christmas was almost all homemade, too, as you can see from my latest post. http://teddywaresandflutterbies.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/woyww-and-last-of-2012.html#comment-form
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. Chris xx
Hi Chris,
ReplyDeleteWow, you were busy! Thanks for sharing!
Betz
I love the stuffed t shirt idea.....it's a first for me.We have been doing homemade gifts in our family for about 15 years.The guys are not the most creative but the girls go all out. This year one of my daughters made her own cookbook for the family Glossy cover great photos ....and the personalized comments on the recipes should keep the family holing with laughter for generations
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice sewing kit! The IPhone case is great too.
ReplyDeleteHi Betty,
ReplyDeleteThanks! I hope the kit fuels her to sew some more!
Betz
Wow, you are really making progress on your iphone case since I saw it! I love the boys gifts to each other and especially the felt lined duct tape glasses holder! Your sewing kit is darling! Hope your niece loved it! Doing some brainstorming with Allison Merrick of Spacecraft Studio's about teaching some of your patterns and her carrying a few in her shop. Hope she gets in touch!
ReplyDeleteI love the gifts that were handmade by your boys! Such creativity!!! As a rule I only give handmade, even if it is not handmade by me,I shop at craft fairs and on Etsy...much more personal and unique. This year for the holidays I gave away 10 cowls I crocheted Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
ReplyDeleteSue, TEN cowls?! Wow, that's amazing!
ReplyDeleteThe handmade gifts from your boys are absolutely adorable! And what a great idea with the sewing kit for your niece! I didn't sew many gifts this year, I made pot holder mittens for my mother in law, handwarmers for my cousins two boys in batman and superman fabric and a laptop pouch for my husband.
ReplyDeleteLove the sewing kit, shared that on my blog too. :)
ReplyDelete