My List

Firstly, a big Helloooo! to all fellow crafters and Christmas aficionados, and secondly, a huge thank you to the lovely Tilly for dreaming this up and making it happen.

I'm Elisalex of Stitch me Softly... Fairly new to blogging but no stranger to creative DIY; I was wondering how I would go about keeping my Christmas crafting secret, while also wanting to share it on my blog... So I couldn't be more thrilled to be a part of this network, not only to share my ideas and preparations and absorb the collective inspiration, but also allowing me to unashamedly express my excitement about the coming 9 weeks of pre-Christmas festivities!  (Anyone else notice how non-crafters think it's crazy to be getting excited about C-day mid October?  What they don't realise is the time that goes into a handmade holiday...)


So, without further ado, my To Do:

Decor

• embroidery hoop tree ornaments (that will also double up as little gifts) along the lines of this:

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• crochet snowflakes, (endless patterns here) and this year I will starch them to keep their shape.
• a wreath.  I've never had a wreath, let alone made one, but having seen some beautiful not-so-traditional wreaths, I'm feeling compelled to get involved.

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• stockings.  I made a fairisle one last year for my son, and I can't deny I felt a little jealous on Christmas morning!  So this year I'll be making a couple more chunky cabled stockings like this:

source

Food

• Nigel Slater's Christmas Cake.  For anyone who doesn't like traditional Christmas cake - hit them with this. 

• Christmas Breakfast Buns from Xanthe Milton's Eat Me.  Beyond delicious.

The Christmas Present List is soon to come... Just need to wrap up some Autumnal projects before I completely immerse myself into all things Christmas!  Until the next time, over and out.

My Christmas crafting begins

Hi there,

I'm Kirsty and I blog over at The Leopard Anchor. Every year I say I'll make presents for every single person on my list and every year I fail through leaving it too late.

I have just started my Christmas crafting this week by revisiting a craft I haven't done since last winter, crochet.

My sister in law is going to get a pink, cream and grey striped scarf made using this pattern. I'm using a nice cheap chunky yarn & a 10mm hook, it . I've made this scarf before:

In fact, it was the first thing I ever crocheted (& only crochet project I've ever finished) and it's the best scarf I own, if I do say so myself. If I can come up with an appropriate colour combination then my other sister in law will also be receiving a scarf from the same pattern.

My dog likes to pose, can you tell?

I really recommend this pattern to beginner crocheters, it's really straight forward but looks really impressive!

hello and a snowflake

Hello everyone!  I'm Becca from Knit Happens.  Loving being part of Tilly's lovely Crafty Christmas Club again - so inspiring!  I'm super impressed with how organised everyone is too. 

In an uncharacteristic flurry (sorry!) of seasonal creativity, I had a bash at a Carolina Snowflake from this fab tutorial.  I used double sided sticky tape instead of glue, and was really pleased with how it turned out!  I think these would look equally gorgeous made with sheet music, naff vintagey books or perhaps French newspaper?

Happy crafting all!

Merry October, everyone!

I'm so excited to join this as it helps me see everyone's inspiring projects, AND gives me an outlet to talk about what I'm making different folks for Christmas. I keep wanting to type 'Halloween.' Christmas, christmas, christmas.

I am making a few things to decorate my new apartment, three major people's birthday gifts, and several Christmas gifts.

I actually took a cue from Giverslog and made a week-by-week plan to make sure I get everything done!

Birthdays:
- Boyfriend: old-timey Texas flag
- Dad: Cookie-of-the-month Membership (cookies by me!)
- Mom: Scrub top and scrapbook ephemera about her dog, Gus (main star of her scrapbook now that us kids have all moved out).

Christmas:
- bro: Scarf or hat or both
- sis: re-furbished backpack, simple top
- mom: personalized scrapbook for her to fill in about her & my dad
- dad: a drawing of him and me for his desk
- boyfriend: cross-stitched pillow with a quail and prickly pear on the front

Decor:
- SNOWFLAKES!!

Christmas Plans

Hello, I'm Vicki and I blog at Vicki Kate Makes.  This is my first year here at the Crafty Christmas Club and I've loved going back through last years posts - there's so much inspiration there!

These are my plans for this year:

Mum - a photo calendar
Dad - a photo desk calendar and some lebkuchen or biscotti or both!
Husband - waiting for inspiration to strike?!
Boy - Husband is making him a toylander.  Does that count as handmade - I think it does!  I may make him a cuddly dinosaur too from this pattern.
Jess - Makeup brush roll with some new brushes
Adam - I have no idea!  May well end up being bought and some baking thrown in.
Beccy - Cookie mix jar and a purse, maybe using this pattern with some little makeup bits in
John - Again, no idea.  Probably something to do with books or cheese.  So maybe a book voucher and some cheese straws?
Ian - Aarrghhh!  Why are blokes so hard to think of present for???  May well be really unimaginative and give him a voucher of some sort and some baked goodies.
Jo - Purse and something else.  Will have to ask Ian for suggestions!
Husband' Mum - What do you give your MIL?  She's not the most appreciative person so it may well end up being a bought present, or vouchers in a handmade card.  Or possibly a terranium as she likes her garden and plants.
Husband's Mum's Boyfriend -  Another man that I have no ideas for!
Husband's Dad - Photo Calendar
GG - Chocolates from Hotel Chocolat and a framed photo of Husband and Boy
Uncle Pete - Bottle of port

I'm also hosting Christmas Dinner this year.  So I'll be making cranberry sauce with port (nom nom), the christmas pudding in the next couple of weeks and a christmas cake, again in the next couple of weeks so it can mature and be fed!  We also make brandy sauce to do with the pud which often ends up with a LOT of brandy in it.  I have to admit my go to is Nigella's Christmas for a lot of the recipes so I'll have to go through the book and plan the menu.

I'd also like to make some bunting for Boy's new bedroom.  I'll also make the wreath for the door.  As for other decorations it depends on what inspiration strikes.

Now that I've written it all out, that's quite a lot!  Ah well, slow and steady...  There's still 71 days!

jonquils' list

  My list for this years' Yuletide is fairly short:  ornaments for the three grandchildren, two felt stockings for grandchildren #1 (coffee spill disaster last year) & #3, counted cross-stitch stocking front for grandchild #3 (once this is completed, i will add a few beads to all three stocking faces),  & chocolate truffles/ sea salt caramels. 
  I hope to post photos as soon as my daughter shows me how ;)

A new member and some inspiration

Good morning everyone,

I'm new to the Crafty Christmas Club, I'm Wendy and I blog over at The Crafter's Apprentice.  None of my in-the-flesh friends or family read my blog, or even know I've got one, but I wanted to join this blog to share the links I've found for great tutorials, and even some of my own.  I see everyone is posting their to-do lists, but I haven't made one yet so I'll post it when I have made it!  I have, however, been making Christmas presents and I thought you might want to see some of them - with links to FREE tutorials of course!


Pocket tissue cases from a tutorial on Bitty Bits and Pieces.  VERY quick and easy to whip up and they only use up scraps.



Fold up shopping bag from a tutorial on Crafty Ady's blog.  Look on the sidebar for the link to a pdf tutorial (free).  This one does take a little more patience and I would say skill, but I managed it with the minimum of skill!



Another quick and easy tutorial, this one for headbands over at KC Quilts.

This tutorial for glasses cases using a flex frame is really fast to whip up and they can be as simple or as embellished/pieced/appliqued/embroidered as you want.  It's another one from Crafty Ady and the link takes you right there.  I can't post a picture as they're showing up as those funny purple lines on my blog for some reason.


This is the Pheobe bag, it was great to sew up, I really enjoyed it.  The tutorial can be found on Artsy Crafty Babe.



Cute little baby bear hats for the babies on your gift list.  I also recently made a panda version.  These take half an hour to crochet.  The tutorial is on Alli Crafts blog.  She has patterns in a couple of sizes so you might have to check the tags on her sidebar to find the right size.

 
You've probably all seen this before - it's the Buttercup Bag by Made By Rae.  It uses tiny amounts of fabric and is fun to make.



How about some oven gloves for the cooks in your life?  This pattern from Sew4Home doesn't involve quilting or binding.

And finally, some tutorials from me that might be useful.



Lavender sachets make a great stocking filler and come in so many guises.  I posted a tutorial for these scrappy patchwork lavender hearts.

 

I also wrote a tutorial for counting bean bags for the little people in your life.

And finally...



How to make an appliqued notebook.  This one is a no-sew (apart from the cover applique of course!) version.

I will be back soon with my Christmas to-make list.