Thursday 7 January 2010

Thoughts on a Handmade Christmas

This Christmas, as with the previous ones in recent history, I handmade the majority of the gifts I gave. I really think that if you are a crafty peop, giving handmade things is much better than trawling the shops trying to find something, anything, to buy for a certain someone. Of course, my friends and family (i.e., The Recipients) may feel differently, but if they do, they have always been polite enough not to let on.

Some sections of society may view such gifts as handmade tat given by cheapskates; I won't disagree that the materials used in a handmade item are often cheaper monetarily than a shop bought gift. But the time and effort taken to make it more often than not is far greater than the mass-manufactured, shop bought alternative. Plus it's a different type of time that is spent. When I do head into town to go Christmas shopping, the sense of shoppers' desperation and frayed nerves, combined with commercial greed often makes me feel nauseous. I will concede that last-minute panic sewing (or other method of creating) of gifts is not the most relaxing experience, but most of the gift creation process is enjoyable. When I am making something for someone, I spend a lot of that time thinking about that person, which I believe does two important things, A) imbeds that gift with lots of good juju, and B) brings the whole point of gift-giving and Christmas back into focus: it's about appreciating the people you care about.


So, in that spirit I undertook my own Christmas gift makery. For obvious reasons I waited until after Christmas to display them in the public domain. Pictured above is a bag that I made using my favourite tried-and-tested shoulder dolly bag pattern, using some of the fabric remnants from this dress.



More remnants from recent creations went into making a range of hand-lined purses/make-up bags. They are a similar shape to versions I have made before, but these have darts at the corners to give them more capacity and a cute ruffle detail. I love how using a different fabric gives each one kind of different feel. I'll definitely be making these again, maybe in printed fabric.


Back in November, Sarai helpfully posted some gift crafting ideas on the Colette Patterns blog here. I was very inspired by this recycled scarf idea and remembered that I had stashed away the remnants from my first handmade jumper. It took about a million years to cut out all the circles in a variety of sizes, but stitching them together by randomly overlapping the pieces and using a red contrast zigzag stitch took all of a minute. If anyone has any advice on how to avoid the last-minute handmaking presents panic (aside from starting them in July), I'd love to hear them!

5 comments:

ShannonAshley said...

I have been lurking around your blog for quite some time having 'followed it' for roughly 2 weeks? month? not sure. Anyhow. I just wanted you to know that I freaking love your writing, crafts, and links you provide. Hmm. That last bit is not meant to be creepy sounding... oh well, sorry for that. :) Just a friendly admiration is all I am trying to accomplish! I have always made a goal of sewing my own bags and your blog has given me some inspiration! Have a super New Year!

Clare said...

How to avoid last minute-itis... it's hard because you really do need to have the ideas and put them into action well ahead of time. Personally, if I'm under time pressure, sewing squares and rectangles out of nice stashed fabric is my saving grace, so table cloths, napkins, cloth shopping bags, laundry bags, silk scarves, aprons... all of those can be done really quickly and neatly so they don't look too home-made. I like the idea of using remnants though and it's good to have a bank of ideas that aren't patchwork oriented. (nothing wrong with patchwork, but.. you know!) That circle scarf is really novel - I do like that, might have to try it out myself!

Clare said...

The other advice is only make things for people who really will appreciate both the effort and the item. Cutting down on numbers means you can make extra special things for those you really care for!

Drop Stitches Not Bombs said...

Ooh I envy the recipients of those purses, they are lovely! I also suffer from last minute-itis: I am willing a hat I've just knitted for my friend to dry before tomorrow morning when I have to give it to her. Equally, however, I don't enjoy the opposite extreme - making a gift waaay in advance - as I tend to forget either that I'd made anything at all, or the location of the secret present hide-away. I think my ideal would be to be finished a week or so before.

Annanoo said...

Hey, so you were my secret santa?! Love my red purse and circles scarf xxx

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