Homemade gift or two for Christmas 2012

I love making a homemade gift or two for my family. I’m a great believer that if you are going to make Christmas presents, you should enjoy it. I’ve certainly had fun with making the gifts this year. Each has a story.

First off was the patchwork cushion made for my sister. (Book bunny kindly shared her chair for the photo.) Back in the Autumn, avoiding wrapping paper, my sister wrapped presents for my children in fabric. I told her that she would be seeing the fabric again. She was surprised to see it so quickly. I was inspired by the mini squares here. It looks fiddley, but it is very quick. I finished the front in one evening.

The fabric, while perfect for wrapping the presents, wasn’t quite the right shape for the cushion, so I worked it into the blocks instead. The rest was just perfect as the opening at the back of the cushion. All I added was the blue fabric and the cushion pad. Oh, and my time, but that is a given. I’ll be doing more of this style of patchwork.

Next present was for my teenage nephew. I found Anti-tickle wool for a hat. It is a merino blend dk. The hat is knitted on two needles. Instructions found in a book given to me last year Knit Hats! It’s called a Watch Cap. Not sure why. Maybe its the lines coming out of the top. The one in the book, has a bobble, but I decided against adding it. Judging on the number of my children who were willing to model this hat for the photo, I will be making more. Only took a couple of hours to knit.

Next up scarves. When I found the instructions for the rustic potato chip scarf, I was slightly comforted by the comments that once you had made one, you’d want to make another. (Totally understand this sentiment as crisps are my down fall.) It’s true. Once you’ve knitted beyond the first three or four inches and the twists are starting, it is strangely addictive.

So much so that I made two scarves. One for my mother and the other for my sister. It’s the first time I’ve knitted short rows and also the first time I’ve knitted with Noro yarn.

Absolutely lovely to knit with and using variegated yarn keeps me wanting to knit just one more twirl. Seven lines repeated to make each twist. All knitted in garter stitch. What’s not to like. Each scarf took 100 gms and four evenings to knit.

And finally a gift for the children. After seeing all the knitting and sewing going on, AJ began to wonder if any homemade goodies were coming their way this year. Oh yes! I am so happy that they want me to make them things still. Long may it last. This year it was bean bags.

I wanted to make bean bags for the children for a while now, but the cost put me off. I priced up the fabric and decided that I saved little compared to buying a new bean bag. Then I  remembered the success I had with curtains from a charity shop. One trip to my favourite charity shop in Wells and I had enough fabric for all three bags. All for £10. Two double duvets and something that described as a bed runner.

Each bean bag turned out slightly differently due to the nature of the charity fabric. Once I had made them, I couldn’t help thinking they reminded me of dragons. The green scaled backs and purple tummies. I messed up on the circle measurements at the top and bottom. No time to redo, so I pleated them to fit the gap. It gives interesting bulges which just adds to the dragon theme. The children have had fun riding their dragon bean bags. Other times they curl up on the belly of a dragon and read quietly.

This time they were chatting about lego and spotting different shapes made by the flames in the wood burner.

Seems like a good dragon kind of pursuit.

That’s all the homemade gifts. Next up are the homemade goodies that I made after Christmas, but they can wait till next time.