All the homemade Christmas people over here please, lets share our ideas :) - THIRD EDITION :)

[theancientmarinator]

Phew! For a minute I thought the thread wouldn't accept my message because I just wasn't making enough stuff for Christmas this week. And then I realised it was because we had reached 1000 posts. Thought I'd lost you all!

We were all listing what we need to finish still. I'll be back tomorrow with mine - if I do it now I will dissolve in tears but tomorrow I will have had a night's sleep and a stiff drink. Not necessarily in that order, although....

Hello!
Could any of you homemade crafty ladies answer a jammy question?

How many jam jars do you need for 2lb of blackberries?

Thank you!

Ps rather that you have the time for all these lovely ideas. My dc and dh seem intent on using up all my time!

Sybil you could adapt my crayon roll tutorial or make-up roll tutorial to suit your needs (just increase the length to fit your needles). I'd love to know if my tutorials seem straightforward too :)

When My DCs also intent on using up my time, but my youngest wakes at 4:45 for a feed, then promptly goes back to sleep for a couple of hours. I can't get back to sleep so I creep downstairs and get crafty! :o

Also sybil I would probably do a slightly deeper pocket than a simple fold in half one. If you let me know the length of the needles, I'll PM you the measurements I think you'll need. :)

Flubba I don't know how you do it all!

Adding mint choc bark to my list. Never seen it before it looks amazing and very simple (she says....)

Flubba - that's fantastically kind of you, thank you. I can't get in to my knitting needles at the moment though as they have been 'put away' by dh to make room for christmas decorations. i will look online and see if I can gauge an average size.

You're a star for helping though!

Right, a quick google suggests most standard knitting needles are between 35 and 40 cm. I guess 40cm would be easier to work out?

bugger, posted too soon that was meant to be!

Okay, will do a bit of scribbling and PM you. Any idea how many needles you'll want to put in it?

She currently owns zero needles (is 8) but has joined the school knitting club and is very keen. I was planning to buy her some needles to go in it when I had made it, so I suppose just a few pairs to begin with with room for growth.

Sorry, I am spectacularly unhelpful aren't I!

I have just come across this thread! was all chuffed with myself for making my own christmas decorations but having read everything you are all doing Im in shock. Im Going to start in January for al big christmas next year. I havent even made my cake or christmas pudding this year

Have PMd you sybil. Let me know if those measurements don't make sense.

Thank you Flubba, you have been incredibly helpful.

Hope it works!!

Back to my usual question...can anyone who has made mint choc bark answer perhaps? Wondering if it freezes or keeps well. Thank you!

Oops, I was chatting merrily away all through October on the old threads and the last month has just run away from me.

I've just come across my old 'to do' list so you lot must be holding some kind of magic mind-power over me, as it reminded me to check in here and find you're starting a new thread with lists ticked off!

Anyhow, I have discovered that rosehip gin works very well and turns a gorgeous light pink colour. I have bottled up one little bottle for a mate of mine. Tell me if you think this is naff, ok? I took loads of pictures of the place where I picked the rosehips when it was all frosty and pretty, and I am planning to print them down as labels with little recipes to go with them - will be doing blackberry vodka, cherry brandy, rosehip gin, and possibly also the lemon vodka (I'm still not sure about it).

I have made quince cheese sweets and rolled them in caster sugar out of Sarah Raven's book, and they're nice but pretty sweet, so I'm going to make a less sweet batch for my mum who prefers things not so sugary. If anyone has tips on how little sugar you can use and still get away with it, I'd love to know.

Btw, what do you think to these little bottles? They're not too tiny - would they be cute with a different spirit in each?

www.johnlewis.com/231281854/Product.aspx

I've also bought passionfruits to make passionfruit curd and that at cranberry/juniper jelly are about the last things on my list ... I've even nearly finished making my quilt for my DN!

Thanks so much for inspiring me ... I'm off to read the rest of the old thread now and doubtless pick up about 50 more ideas I'll be burning to try before the 25th!

Think that's a really lovely idea with the rosehip pics dragon and I love those little jars (a bit pricey?) and different spirits in each, especially if they're different colours with the stackable bits! Really lovely!

Yeah, the jars are a bit pricey!

TBH I can't really afford them but it's DH's birthday on the 1st of Jan (inconsiderate, eh?), and by then I will have actual money again so I am going a bit crazy planning what to buy! I think you're right 15 quid is a bit ridiculous though.

Thanks for feedback on the picture idea, too.

You were doing sales of things you'd made earlier, am I remembering right? How did it go?

Good memory! Yes, it went well thanks :) I sold a shedload really, and made a nice little profit as long as you don't factor in all the hours of work I put in but I really enjoyed it!

If you're giving them to your DH, at least you get to keep the jars again once he's guzzled the booze :) may be worth an investment

Have you tried Ikea for cheaper types?

Oh, that's brilliant! I remember thinking your stuff was lovely.

I haven't got an Ikea very near me, annoyingly - I know you can order online but it's nicer to see what you're getting, isn't it? I fancy the jars but I suspect that's my own personal thing - I love that greenish colour you get with recycled glass, but I can't imagine DH would care to the tune of 15 quid.

I may just be cheeky and peek through my mum's collection when we go to hers on Boxing Day - she has never in her life thrown anything away so she is bound to have a few pretty ones in there somewhere.

Btw, I realized I should have said when I first posted, but for anyone who was posting in October and has a long memory ... I am EllaDee (must remember not to namechange so much!)

Ahh yes! I remember you EllaDee :)

Check out my pirate flag ladies... :)

Hi
I'm sure it has been answered before but any idea how long the bacon jam will last. Want to make some for Christmas and wondered how soon I could do it without meaning that it didn't keep that long after the big day. Don't want to give it and tell the recipient they have to eat it that day!!

people that make cookie/biscuits/mince pies as gifts.. how many do you give to each person? I have a habit of going overboard - sent half a dozen cookies and a few pies to my Stepdad in hospital and thought that wasn't enough to put in a bag eep

I've done a 500ml jar of fudge which is a bit more than I'd do if I could have a slightly smaller container. I reckon half a dozen mince pies is perfect for one person and the same amount of cookies if nicely presented. :)