Sure, Black Friday (the biggest shopping day of the year) is just hours away. But more and more people seem to be interested in making Christmas gifts for their loved ones instead of purchasing them this year.
Handmade gifts can be less expensive than store-bought alternatives, and I think people feel more connected to the meaning behind Christmas when they slow down and create something, keeping their recipient in mind as they craft.
Does anyone else agree?
I had set a goal to make all my presents by hand this year, but the clock is ticking and I don't think it's going to happen. I'll make some, buy others secondhand (there's a dollhouse on Craigslist right now with my daughter's name all over it), and get the rest at the regular stores.
If you want it to be a handmade holiday, but you're not sure where to start, check out the blog Sew, Mama, Sew! Every day for the next several weeks, they're setting a daily gift theme (gifts for tech lovers, gifts for fitness fanatics, etc.) and providing links to free tutorials from around the Web. See the photo at the top of this post? That's a sewing and embroidery project in their "gifts for cooks" category that you can find on the blog Elsie Marley, one of my favorite stomping grounds.
Check out Sew, Mama, Sew's tutorial list from last yearlist from last year from even more inspiration. It's not too late to turn off your alarm clock and spend tomorrow behind the sewing machine instead of running around town chasing down the deals.
Photo credit: Elsie Marley
Artist and crafter Maggie Wolcott writes about craft events in and around Spokane, as well as her own adventures in creating and repurposing. Her DwellWellNW posts include project and decorating ideas, recipes, reviews of events, and interviews with local artists. Maggie spends her days as an English professor, and when she’s not grading papers, she can generally be found with a paintbrush or scissors in hand. She can be reached at mebullock@gmail.com.
