A Thrifty Christmas

Plans for a thrifty Christmas are coming along nicely.  The season of goodwill is now upon us and I am doing my bit by making handmade gifts for my family.  The trick is to make something handmade that doesn't look like something the dog threw up, or resembling something that is the outcome of the selotape fighting with the superglue!  And for that you do need a good dollop of time and a fair smattering of patience.

So far, I am two presents down out of 22.

Mother In Law's Scarf

This week I got my knitting needles out of hibernation and put them to good use, using up some leftover wool to make a soft scarf for my mother-in-law.  I wish my knitting skills were better, this is just a simple knit four, purl four design, but it does feel super soft, so I hope she likes it.  She is a big fan of natural colours, so the muted green should be up her street.

Set of Bangles for My Teenage Cousin

Next up I made a set of three really pretty bangles for my 13 year old cousin.  I used some strong, but thin, left-over wire I had in my tool box (I can't remember what I bought it for originally), and beads I had in my sewing box from a project from last Christmas.  I threaded on the beads to the wire.  Used wire clippers to twist and secure the ends.  Put superglue on the ends for extra safety.  I then put little bits of ribbon onto the fastenings to cover them up and to make sure my cousin doesn't get any scratches from the wire ends.  Notice the little bee charm on the bangle on the right-hand-side.  That is from the necklace I got free from White Stuff last weekend; I told you I would find a use for it!

Gift Wrapping Supplies

To add extra thriftiness to my Christmas, I have re-used last year's wrapping paper.  My relatives always think I am rather quirky when I gather up all the wrapping on Christmas day and neatly fold it up for next year!  I also re-use Christmas cards and cut them up into gift tags. 

To add the finishing touches to my wrapping, I keep all the ribbon I can find, including the little bits you get from clothing tags and so on.  This means that I have a really good collection of wrapping for free, and it is better for the environment than buying lots of new supplies.  Although, I have to admit that Number One Son has rebelled this year and bought his own wrapping paper for his gifts to others!

My First Completed Presents

But I hope you will agree that my first two gifts look good in all their recycled and handmade glory!  Now....only twenty more to go....