Christmas 2012 - homemade.

[CherryPie3]

I know it's still only January but homemade things can often take time to learn/make/prepare etc. Christmas 2011 cost my husband us over £2500 and I am NOT spending that amount of money again because to me it seriously loses the whole purpose and reason of Christmas. Hmmm, I'm a bit of a hypocrite actually as I'm not particularly religious yet still celebrate the holidays!

I'm new to 'homemade' and would appreciate any tips please, I have recently joined Pinterest and my head is brimming with ideas but I would like some 'tried & tested' examples if possible?
And maybe friends to countdown the months with?

Any help and advice greatly welcomed and appreciated :) xx

Our apple cider chutney went down really well, we'll be making it again.

DD picked the apples from my friends orchard which made it extra special.

You need a Christmas Box... make things throughout the year and pop them into there. I am going to make socks, mittens,hats and scarves throughout the year and put them in there. If you have children to buy for, make stuffed toys, either in fabric or knit them.

Next if you are going to make foodie products, start buying or setting aside your jars and boxes during the year when you see them on offer, it will also off-set the cost. If it helps, I did a series of Christmas makes tutorials on my blog last year, a new tutorial is added each Sunday and you are very welcome to use them. I have also started a foodie Friday last week... it begins with Lemon Curd which has been a popular gift. I will be adding recipes each week and in the run up to Christmas ie, from September, I will be including things to make as edible gifts.

I do hope that helps with your planning :)

I made a few bits & pieces last Christmas but this year I want to be super organised (and frugal!) and make lots!
LatteLady your blog is amazing, so many lovely ideas. I LOVE the cable hat & scarf.
I was thinking about getting started on some hats & mittens for the children. It's a good excuse to go looking for new patterns!

If you want to make jams and chutneys, the best time is summer (for strawberries & raspberries) and autumn (for blackberries, apples, onions). I picked masses of blackberries last year from Aug to Oct and didn't know what to do with them all, so made some apple & blackberry chutney (Louise Pascal recipe) and blackberry gin and vodka which both went down well as gifts. No-one was keen on the Christmas Pudding rum and vodkas that I made though, so will give that one a miss this year.

Marking my place ...

I've started my list and am thinking I might venture into edibles...

First make done!!!!

urgh, I keep meaning to finish knitting little snowflake pattern squares to act as pockets for a xmas calendar, but the thing will be huge! plus i cant sew well so itl look crap.

sigh

I love this thread!

I am going to make as much as possible through the year this year, I'll have a 2-3 week old baby by the time the big day comes around.

I'm not super crafty but always willing to have a go at decorations and foodie gifts.

Hya all, I'm glad I foind this thread, I've just started on scarves for my mum and two in-laws. I really want to give homemade foodie things a go as wellm

I'm doing crocheted handwarmers like thisand some cushions like loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Grin" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/grin-D7Eg_B6y.png">this.net/2012/05/28/2109/ this. Im just planning the messages now. Heartfelt without being crass. Tricky.

I'm in.
I usually do foodie things (mints, marzipans, tuffles etc) for teachers and my gp's who are very impressed with homemade things. Last year I did a beaded cuff for my mum and made dd1 little felt dollies for her stocking.

We started a tradition 2/3 years ago (during the terrible snow) that we would make our tree decorations out of newspaper (all I had!). I cover one or two in PVA so we can keep them and build up a little collection, but it's lovely to sit down on a cold windy night and get making :)
The tree looks really nice with lots of paper chains and snowflakes covering it, and the lights shining through...

Loving the blogs guys, great work on there :)

Marking place. Will have a peek at the blog posts.

I could have sworn I posted here yesterday, basically asking for less time-using HM pressies as time is against me this year. (Too many other pressures impacting). That seems to be gone though...

So if anyone has any ideas for things to start now that need to sit and mature rather than needing lots of hours of sewing/knitting/crafting - that would be GREAT!! Thanks.

I can't believe I'm posting on a Christmas thread in June (I have always been a not until December person but am trying to change my ways as I have gradually realised the error of them!)

I would like to make some crochet snowflakes for the Christmas tree. My late Granny used to make beautiful ones, but the question is how to make them stiff? Granny used to dip them in icing sugar and water mix IIRC, but is there a better way? Starch perhaps? Has anyone tried anything?

Spray starch works apparently. Or pva glue but I'd go w the starch.

try this tutorial from the wondrous attic 24.

Whoknows I use PVA on mini doilies and it works fine. Much cheaper than spray starch.
Biddy look online for any vodka's, they need lots of time to sit :) and always get a good reception. Also jams and chutneys should last if sealed properly and look nice in a basket with some homemade breads or crackers made closer to the time and frozen.

Thanks Stitch and Untidy, good old PVA, a million and one uses!

Biddy - I made a load of chilli jelly last Christmas, it was cheap, easy and I opened a new jar of it last week, it still tastes good 6 months down the line. This was the recipe realfood.tesco.com/recipes/chilli-jelly.html. I used 1/2 the quantity but only about 110ml Certo and it made 4 or 5 small jars medium hot. Even with a bit less Certo it was very thick though, I might cut it back a bit further next time.

There were lots of foody ideas on This Thread last year.

How do you make felt dollies Formerlytitleduntidy

similar to these yellowflowers
Dd loves them, maybe even more than all her hundreds of barbies :o

Love them!!!!!

They are lovely. Do you just buy the felt?

Yes, we had felt from Tesco as part of a craft set that was never used so I just used that. It's not nice felt or anything, just what I had, but they are still lovely. I'll see if I can put up a picture of one or two. Think it is only about a pound for 20 sheets if you wanted to practice before getting the good stuff :)

I'm thinking of a Christmas quilt too or is that a bit OTT?!