Homemade Craft Gift Ideas

**perSue** · 11-03-2011, 01:16 PM

Okay, many of us I know want more ideas for the holidays of things we can do/make at home, with what we already have.
So I thought I'd ask you to share things you have done, want to do, plan on doing that cost nothing or next to nothing for the holidays.

I'm thinking of making some coasters w/recycled materials (for diff. people), as I have plenty of felt laying around & other things I can use.

A gift box (cardboard), that I've shaped into different shapes (hearts, snowman, cross) and cover (papier mache) with diff. types of paper (or use leftover wallpaper/border).

Take a record from the thrift shop and turn it into a mirror/picture frame.

I can sew, knit, crochet... but I can do so much more with a little extra time & energy (and tools!). I'd like you all to share some things you've made and maybe we can all get more ideas from one another.

Thanks

**perSue** · 11-03-2011, 02:22 PM

Other things I've made over the years:
Sewn: pillows, pillowcases, blankets, quilts, table runners/cloths, coasters, placemats, window covers, tea cozy, door draft blocker

knit/crochet: hats, scarves, slippers, pillow covers, blankets, towel toppers, wreaths

crafts: wreaths (w/cinnamon & twigs,leaves, pinecones/needles from nature), jewelry frame hanger, jewelry, fashion scarf hanger

**marjorie** · 11-03-2011, 04:54 PM

One hting I may do this year is buy votives cheap (ACMoore has them for %.50 now) and use a fabric adhesive spray to add lace. Thought it would be pretty, inexpensive and unique.

**McD** · 11-03-2011, 04:57 PM

I've made cowls and scarves for females in the family.

I made pumpkin pie crunch chex mix and cayenne pretzels for gifts for the males in the family.

I've also made photo coasters and sugar scrubs.

**Misha2you** · 11-03-2011, 07:12 PM

Last year a neighbor gave me boxes of usable plywood from his martial arts studio. I sanded them down, painted them and created personalized art on each one. They were wall art, kitchen plaques, garden plaques, anything I could think of really. They cost me maybe a couple dollars for the hooks n chain to hang them with, but everyone loved them!
I also did glass etching onto wine glasses, glass containers, made beautiful customized gifts with initials, etc. Was very easy to do with a cricut machine to cut out the sticker stencils.
This year I have done ceramic art for a 3rd of the people. I use coupons, and do tiles which are inexpensive, and create them into masterpieces!
I also found that Michaels had a tent sale, selling glass candle holders for $.50 each. I bought a dozen of these, some glass frost spray paint, clay, and chicken wire fencing and a few lil' embelishments like flowers. I made them into snowmen candle holders. I first spray painted the bowls. Shaped the clay into carrot noses and baked them. One small thing of clay made about 27 noses of different shapes. Then I hand painted the faces on the snowmen and hot glued the noses on. Then the tricky part is cutting the chickenwire fencing and shaping them into hats. I used a can of corn, gloves and wire cutters. It bends fairly easily, just takes a lot of patience and strength to form the hats. Then embellished with a crocheted scarf and some flowers on the side of the hat (so it's not a fire hazzard). And they became beautiful snowmen. Cost to make was maybe $2.50 each, and was able to make a dozen in one day. Fingers were sore from the hats, but other than that it went really well.
I also did iron on tote bags for different people. My favorite was for a lil' nephew. I found his picture on facebook and put it on an iron on, with his name and at the bottom I put Travel Toys. I'm going to fill it with small toys that he can bring with him in the car. Using a 50% off coupon for the iron on, and getting a set of 3 totebags, the cost per item was maybe $3 each.
Other than that, still looking for different ideas.
Hope this helps.

**Momto5RN** · 11-03-2011, 07:44 PM

used a light wt denim and rice to make square boo boo bags you can heat up and use for somach aches etc - made then the christmas i was pregnant with my 10 yo for my kids and my neices and nephews we still have ours .

tea cup pincushion

scarves - clothes for dolls

i have seen the bedside caddies made from cloth - i think they are great -

**homemaker66** · 11-03-2011, 08:00 PM

[QUOTE=McD;1575791]I've made cowls and scarves for females in the family.

Would like to get the pattern for the cowl and scarves if you have it still.

I have made homemade soap, crochet blanket (two more to make), Mirrors with sayings on them, signs out of wood with the kids last names for their homes.

**sunshine** · 11-03-2011, 10:03 PM

Making cabled knit necklaces for the women/girls on my list - making from leftover yarns. . .

Making various knitted dishcloths

Made jams/jellies from my fruit harvest this summer

Making denim circle quilts for my sons - using my dad's old shirts (he died several years ago, and my son's adored him)

**McD** · 11-03-2011, 10:10 PM

[quote=homemaker66;1575890]

Originally Posted by McD

I've made cowls and scarves for females in the family.

Would like to get the pattern for the cowl and scarves if you have it still.

I have made homemade soap, crochet blanket (two more to make), Mirrors with sayings on them, signs out of wood with the kids last names for their homes.

A lot of the patterns are on Ravelry. Are you a member of that site? It's free and has tons of pattern. They have a quick no purl keyhole scarf that is easy and adorable! If you join, check out the gaptastic cowl by heyjenrenee. It's easy and fast. I have tons of compliments when I wear mine.

**Syn D** · 11-04-2011, 12:25 AM

I usually made earrings for female gifts, this will be the first year in awhile that I didn't.

Our youngest moved to Cali last month, so I made her 3 catch all small wood boxes, painted and Mod-Podged pictures on each of them. She graduated from HS this year so one has some of her grad pix on it, one has pix of her nephew on it and one is a general one. Made oldest daughter a couple also.

Also made oldest a mini gumball style thing to use as she wishes. Made youngest one for her birthday and she had m&m's in it.

**McD** · 11-04-2011, 12:00 PM

Here's the gaptastic:

Ravelry: GAP-tastic Cowl pattern by Jen Geigley

And here's the no purl:

Ravelry: Quick No-Purl Keyhole Scarf pattern by Saralyn Harvey

I was on my iPad last night and it's sometimes tricky to post links.

**krbshappy71** · 11-04-2011, 12:28 PM

It snowed before I harvested the chocolate mint this year, so that's out. Whoops. We had plenty of warning of the storm, but I was focused on preparing for that, not harvesting mint. In the past, though, I made satchels with the mint.

One year I got a curio from Freecycle and fixed its leg. It still had the legs but the braces underneath two of them had broken so I learned how to use a miter to saw the angles correctly on a piece of board and make a new brace. Hand-sawed it all, which by the way is not fun, ha! My mom loved the curio. Total cost: free, found the board in my garage, borrowed the miter-angle-thingy.

This year I am learning how to sew pajama shorts with a matching throw pillow, my mom is helping me. I bought everything and am doing it myself but using her brain and sewing machine.

**perSue** · 11-08-2011, 11:21 AM

keep 'em coming plz.

**McD** · 11-08-2011, 01:16 PM

Ravelry: Calorimetry pattern by Kathryn Schoendorf

Going to make this for my brother's girlfriend.

**Hamada** · 11-08-2011, 01:32 PM

Picture frames are great. You can pick some up at the thrift store for cheap if you do not have some old pictures you no longer want.

I made a earring holder by putting a mesh screen behind a frame for a friend of mine. Also have one for myself. Just pick out a nice frame to use.

You can also make a nice tray with a large picture frame. Just add a handle on opposite ends. Would be a good gift for people who like to entertain.