Christmas 2012 January 6, 2012 – Posted in: Crafts, Sewing
Sounds silly, right? I mean, it’s only January! Well, after talking to you guys on Facebook, I realized many of us are in the same procrastinate/leave your stuff for the last minute boat, and many of us spend the days leading up to Christmas in a total sewing panic. And honestly, I’m tired of it! I want to do a handmade Christmas every year, and every year I bail at the last minute. Well, NO MORE!
So I decided this year I was going to spend all year making my Christmas gifts so that when the holiday rolled around I’d have this stack of handmade goodness to choose from. 15 gifts sewn in December seems like an overwhelming number doesn’t it? How about 1 a month instead? That sounds totally reasonable!
Every month I’ll post one Christmas project (maybe more!) and a tutorial to go along with it. We’ll have a little linky party and keep each other accountable to knock out our holiday sewing list early. I thought the 25th would be an appropriate date! I’m going to blog about my projects, but if the gift is for someone specific, I’ll leave that detail out so they don’t know it’s theirs (the ladies in my family read my blog (hi girls!)). I’m also going to do some home decorating things, maybe my girls Christmas pj’s, stuff like that.
So join me, will you? Have a project ready to share by the 25th of this month and we’ll kick off our best handmade Christmas yet!
19 Comments
Trudie January 06, 2012 - 10:07
Sounds great! Looking forward to it and I will for sure join in!
Steph January 06, 2012 - 10:08
Silly question… do we have to have a tutorial ready of the projects we made or is a pic of the project all you need? I love this idea!! My husband said to me on the 27th that if I want to do homemade gifts for Christmas this year that I need to start now! I’ll see if he still thinks that after he sees all the projects I want to make!
Melissa January 06, 2012 - 10:23 – In reply to: Steph
Not a silly question! No, you don’t need a tutorial. You can use other tutorials from the net, store bought patterns, or your own creations, even if you don’t want to show how you did it. Just quote your source if you use someone else’s work so they not only get credit, but others can use it, too! Pictures are all I’m after! 🙂
Sandie January 06, 2012 - 11:21
I’m in. I need to start early to get mine done too.
karin marie smith January 06, 2012 - 11:39
Oh yaya! I’m so in! I was slacking this year because of giving birth to our 3rd daughter in Sept. So I did give homemade gifts but I wanted to do more esp for my girls! I like to do handmade gifts for birthdays too. So, this can deff help with nieces and nephew birthdays and my own girls birthdays and family. So I’m so in I need to get better about not doing things last min. And I so want to do your stocking tute and make our stockings. But going to the fabric store I have yet to do. Any tips on going to the fabric store with 3? Thank you for this!! 🙂
Steph January 06, 2012 - 11:43
Wonderful, Im SO in, then!!! Thanks so much for getting my butt in gear!
Miranda January 06, 2012 - 16:07
Wonderful!! I’ve been thinking the exact same thing. I always, always think I will get everything made and spend December enjoying making new ornaments or fun crafts with the kids. Instead I am doing some crazy sewing or crocheting marathons just to get finished. So glad you are doing this!!
Tania January 06, 2012 - 16:18
Ohhhhhhhh, I’m so In. I have been doing handmade Christmas gifts for the past 2 years now…. and I always get wiped out with so much to do, as I also land up doing Christmas Craft fairs and what usually happens is me running like a chicken without a head, my house duties get left behind, and I feel like I dont spend enough time with my little girl ( who is 2 years old). So a Gift each month….is a good idea 😉
I’m IN 😀
Roz January 06, 2012 - 18:49
I think it is a wonderful idea and look forward to seeing what you have in mind! I have already planned out some of my Christmas projects to make all year round this year – I love hand made Christmas projects!
Tracy January 07, 2012 - 12:16
I am with you. I let Christmas sneak up on me and I am still looking at unfinished gifts in Feb. I am in, I tell myself I will start earlier next year and every year it is the same thing. So I am all in.
And now with flat rate boxes I can even get them addressed and partially packed with card and just mark the ‘to be mailed’ date on the box. 95 percent of my gifts have to be mailed.
Glenda January 07, 2012 - 12:44
I LOVE this idea!!!!
Donna January 07, 2012 - 13:26
This is great! I try to do this each year, but sadly always fall behind. I’m going to be checking in, hoping to use your ideas, or at least hoping you will help motivate me!
Sally January 08, 2012 - 00:52
I’m in! I spend the week before Christmas freaking out and rushing to finish everything in time. Which I did, but barely. I definitely need to spread the gift-making out over a longer period of time this year.
April @ sewing novice January 08, 2012 - 21:03
I’m sort of doing something similar except I am now making a few of our Christmas decorations because before Christmas I was focused on making gifts for others. I had the fabric so I figured, why not make them in January? Great idea to do it all year though!
karie January 08, 2012 - 23:37
Because I also waited until the last minute (and didn’t get everything done that I wanted to), I decided in mid-December that I would do one “group” of gifts a month starting in January. My sister in laws are all getting pendants with their children’s birthstones so I’m doing those this month (since I just wrote all the bdays on my 2012 calendar). One month I’m cranking out some quilted potholders, totes, and some other “generic-ish” gifts for the last minute “we’re heading to so-and-so’s house for dinner tomorrow, I need to get something” scramble. My kids want pillow pets so those will get a month, also!
Rika January 11, 2012 - 08:13
I love your idea! Particularly since my mom and I came up with the idea that we will decorate the 2012 christmas tree with knit and crochet ornaments only. We might end up with a terribly cheesy tree, but the project sounds like so much fun! At least until I realised that knitting a tree-load of ornaments also means that I have to start right now or we won’t get it all done in time. So I would love to participate!!
Janey Millar January 12, 2012 - 08:36
I am so in! I managed two knitted gifts but made not a single thing I wanted for our house at Christmas so I have one advent calendar, three stockings, one tablecloth, bunting (and Halloween Bunting) and some awesome felt tree ornaments I found a tute for so this plan of yours is fab!
The 25th is right around the corner, best I stop blathering and get sewing!
Conni January 13, 2012 - 16:41
I recently have returned to sewing. I made some Christmas presents for just past. I am already thinking about next year. I came upon your blog looking for a cosmetic bag. I am going to try that this weekend while I am snowed in. I have never done a zipper so this should be a hoot. If I finish it ok. They may be part of my presents for next year. I am just finishing a bag. I will post my pic. Thanks so much for making me accountable to get things done.
Julie January 18, 2012 - 10:54
Hi! So, I had THIS brilliant idea this morning and thought “I’d better google it before I go through all the trouble to make a new blog and figure out how to host linky parties (all my gift receivers blog stalk me :)” SO, excited that you’ve done all the hard work! Now, I’d better start my January gift! I’m gonna plug this on my blog to encourage other crafters to join!