DIY Homemade Christmas Gifts

There is absolutely nothing better, more thoughtful, more loved than a homemade gift…because they all come from the heart!

This year with the economy and our budget being so tight…were going “Homemade”! If we can’t make it, then we don’t give it! Fortunately for us, we don’t have little children running around the house to think of…just us big ‘ole adults. But kids are so very easy to make for. They love just about anything. And getting kids of all ages involved in the making of Christmas presents is a bonding AND learning experience for both children and parents.

This year I have a list of items I wanted to make:

Crocheted Potholders and Coasters

Homemade Vanilla

Drunken Cherries (You can read that post HERE)

Lavender Sugar Scrub

Rosemary Salt Scrub

Mason Sewing Jar

Tea Cup Bird feeder

Purse Organizer

That’s an unbelievably long list….we’ll see how many I can get done before Santa comes to collect them for delivery!

Here are a couple of DIY Gifts for you to make that I DID finish:

Easy Potholders

Easy, Quick, Perfect Potholders

What you’ll Need:

Crocheting hook: J or H (or whatever size you prefer)
Yarn, medium thickness

When making potholders, I use 1 or 2 strands of yarn to give the potholder more thickness, depending on what kind of yarn I choose. Sometimes I use 2 different colored yarns.

Instructions:

I make a chain of 25, chain 1 then turn, and sc in each stitch the full row.

Row 2 thru 25: I go back and forth like this, till I have a square. Once I have a square, at one end, I chain about 10 stitches for a loop, then cut and tie it off, tucking in the excess yarn.

If you make a potholder using the 2 same colors of yarn, then you can single crochet all around the outside edges in a contrasting color.

Slip Knot: How to make a slip Knot Tutorial is HERE

Chain: How to make a chain stitch Tutorial is HERE

Single Crochet: How to make a Single Crochet Stitch is HERE

Mason Jar Sewing Kit w/Pincushion

What a cute gift! All you need for a quick patch, darn or loose button!

We can do so many wonderful things with our Mason Jars….why not a Sewing Kit w/Pincushion too!

These are super easy and what a lovely gift idea this would be! You can change up the pincushion fabric and decorate it to suit the occasion: Birthdays, Weddings, Showers, Christmas…anything!

Supplies:

1 Mason Jar (any size) – with lid

Scrap piece of fabric OR even nice napkins work great!

Scrap piece of card stock/scrapbook paper

Glue gun (or strong craft glue)

Pencil

Scissors

Fiberfill OR cotton balls

Directions:

Trace a circle around the interior lid of the mason jar onto card stock or heavy duty paper.
Cut out the circle with your scissors.
On the wrong side of your fabric, freehand draw another circle (about 2 inches wider than your lid center.)
Using your scissors, cut out the circle. Here is your completed fabric circle.
Place your fabric (wrong-side up) over the exterior lid of the mason jar.
Center the circle over the lid exterior.
Place your fiberfill (or cotton balls) in the middle of the fabric circle.
Push the fiberfill into the fabric, pushing it through the lid exterior.
Take the lid interior and push it into the lid exterior.
Now hot glue your fabric down over the lid center to set it in place.
Now to cover up the fabric edges, take the card stock circle that you cut earlier and glue it into the center of the lid.