Happy New Year my friends, 2023 it is! Another year but first I’d like to share with you the last of the things I Handmade With Love last year to give as gifts for people!
I joked in my last post that I felt inspired to write because of the endless Unicorns I was colouring in. Well just to share now we’ve made it through the festive season just one of the many that we coloured in…
We had a lovely couple of weeks with a low key Christmas and not much planned. A few day trips and visits from family but just right for the time of year! Lots of films and snuggles under quilts!
Handmade With Love
One of my major loves is making handmade gifts and Christmas is a big gift season by far so where possible I try to make Handmade With Love.
I always like to say try because sometimes it’s not possible, so although I wrote a Guide to Less Waste at Christmas last year I can’t always stick to it… it’s pretty impossible to make a Lego Electric Train set, but we did pick it up second hand and split the cost between a couple of people!!
What you can make though is worth it for that unique handmade gift and I have several sewn ideas in The Joys of Giving Handmade…
This Christmas however I’ve tackled some new projects.
Scrappy Hexie Quilt
Back in 2019 I joined the 100 hexies in 100 days and I’ve been sat on these lovely basted hexagons for a while. I made it my mission to think of something to use them in.
I have never made a simple hexie flower quilt before with my hexagons so decided I would attempt making a small play quilt for my nieces. Here it is:
As all the hexagons had some kind of ISpy element on them I decided to sew the together into colour combinations and match them to patterned fabric. I then machine appliqued the flowers down.
A very scrappy effect don’t you think?
A Not So Tiny House Book
For my dear daughter I made A Not So Tiny House Book a larger version of the Tiny House Book Sewing pattern that is only exclusive to the Tiny House Book Club.
I had a lot of fun with the clam shell roof, in gorgeous Liberty Fabric too so it made a pleasure to work with.
She absolutely adores it and now has asked me to make lots of little dolls to go inside, I made a mistake only giving her the one inside!!
Teacher Gifts
I am up and down with the idea of giving Teachers gifts each year and I don’t give something every year. I do however think they are doing a massively important job looking after my children for me that I do think they need the acknowledgement they deserve.
This year it was their first year with their current teachers though and because I had something prepped already I decided to let the kids give something from us.
A pattern by Sotak Handmade called the Little Pyramid Pouch is the perfect tiny gift. I bought it a couple of years ago and haven’t made any since. So I made a few of these for the kids teachers.
It is the sort of pattern that has magic involved! Follow it word for word and take your time with it. You go from a square piece of fabric into a triangular pyramid within moments. As I said. It’s pure magic!!
Cracker Swap
Last but not least, I joined in a swap on Instagram right at the last minute to create a Cracker gift for a fellow sewing friend. The idea is to fill a kitchen roll tube with as many tiny goodies as you can. Things like thread, needles, buttons, ribbons, pens and plenty of sewing related bits and bobs as possible. Then of course wrap it with a fat quarter of fabric ready to post!
It is always a lot of fun to be the best at this! I tipped my sewing room upside down to be able to make this. You will have to check out what I posted on my partners post here.
There you have it, I didn’t make lots for Christmas this last year but what I did do was to make Handmade with Love! What have you made for Christmas I would love to hear from you.
Karen x
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