Christmas crafts to start now

[Mummysh0rtlegs]

Are there any christmas crafts I could / should get going on now? I am feeling in the spirit with less than six months to go!

I've just been browsing crochet wreaths. I want to do autumn and christmas ones for my own house, but also one each for my parents' study doors. I did a Paddy's Day ones and it only took a couple of days but looked very effective.

ooh, a crochet wreath would definitely take me six months :)

I'll have a google

attic24.typepad.com/weblog/2012/12/christmas-wreath-ta-dah.html

This might be a winner as I can make the bits slowly :)

Hah at bauble off. You tell 'em!

Not this month but Sept will be damson gin-making time.

I've starred pondering the cake.

I think I need to learn to crochet so I can make Christmas things.

I made that one last year for the Woolly Hugs craft sale. If you search on FB or the Woolly Hugs website there should be a picture It was great to make. PM me as I've got a few of the jingle bells left over and I'll send them to you.

I bought the polystyrene ring from Dunelm in about October but I bet if you search on eBay you'll be able to get one now.

HobbyCraft has all their card making stuff out already, so if you make your own cards you could start them now.

OOh hobbycraft, I need a wander around there. My kids have had d&v for ten days, I am so cooped up I am fantasisng about wandering around shops with my toddler!

I've been ponder my cake also. I'm going to have a good clear out of my baking cupboard first though.

Going through some Christmas magazines I came across a homemade advent calendar, so I'm currently collecting empty toilet rolls. Then I'll have to think of small bits to fill it with.

A quilt?

I got a Christmas crafts book from the library over the weekend. I might copy some of the templates for gift labels and felt decorations. I'll make a start on the cards. I also want to tidy up the children's craft cupboard and set apart anything Christmassy, maybe make a cloth bag to store it all. Feeling all happy at the thought!

DD is now an eager Christmas recruit, much to DH's dismay

I know it is twee but I knew I'd find "My People" here. A trip to the library might be nice with the children on friday, I forget I can get craft books there and photocopy bits at home.

I have to have the baking audit too. Drive DH batty.

Are you looking for crafts to have as decorations/useful things around the house, or as presents?

I have been known to take a couple of Ziploc bags of things like beads, ribbon bits and felt with me on holidays, as I sometimes make little felt stockings as tree decorations and can have fun with decorating those (before you sew the 2 sides together) on hols.

Sewing - I have plans some one of these years to make a table runner and some placemats for our table, with a nice festive design to them. Kind of appliqee (sp?) a poinsettia or holly leaves/berries to a nice background, or something like that.

I occasionally pick up my cross-stitch, I found a few nice festive small patterns a few years back (I didn't save them generally, I printed them and they're safe at home sorry) that are small - maybe 2-3" size - and I am slowly doing a few as other tree decorations. But the actual patterns could be used on larger items - maybe a piece sewn onto a tablemat or teatowel etc? www.jessica-tromp.nl/embroiderycrossstitchfreepatternschristmaschildrencross-stitchgraphs.htm Found 1 website in my links - lots of the older links no longer work sorry.

Both the cross-stitch and felt stockings can also be used as gifts.

Cosy festive beanie hats for the family? And a scarf to make a set? for a knitter.

Another knitting thing, as gifts, is cotton face cloths. They are small enough to be nice holiday projects, but there are a few websites with patterns for the centre - I know I found things like a coffee cup with "Java" written, every letter of the alphabet, a dog, a sun, a flower etc on knitting websites www.thespruce.com/washcloth-knitting-patterns-2115979 might get you started (again my old links are broken - but it was a lot of US websites).

This blog has interesting tutorials for homemade gifts for DCs - a postal play set, felt food, doll's clothes etc - she hasn't posted in a while but I was following her exploits back when I had time to craft (and had my own plans that fell by the wayside).

It's also a great time to do things like early Christmas Cake, summer fruits infusions (in alcohol!), or drying herbs from the garden etc. Or drying flowers for using in arrangements too.

Could you make an advent calendar? I make the Bucilla felt advent kits and they are beautiful, but time consuming!

They also have stocking and ornament kits etc.

I've done an advent calendar before, but it isn't very good.

I am off to investigate kits and early christmas cakes and cross stitch and sewing stuff for the children :)

Happy diversion from my DS1 and his 11 days of d&v (he has got to 48 hours and back to school once in that time).

I have done some ivy cuttings to take root then they'll get potted up to grow.
In October-ish they'll get planted up with some snowdrops .
Then they'll go in the front garden with a candle-in-a-jar .

I have some ornamental keys ( £5 from Home Bargains) that I'll spray gold and hang from Christmas ribbons . No idea what I'll do with them yet, maybe hang from doorhandles?

I've bought the extra couple of bits I need to make the wreaths I'm giving as presents (not christmassy ones), so I'm going to start one of those tonight. I'm also making lists, which is a project in itself : ) This is our first proper christmas in our house (we moved in on the 21st of December last year), so I'm going to go all out to make up for the shambles of last year! And we have holly, ivy by the tonne, chinese lanterns and other interesting things growing in the garden that I can use to decorate with, so I need to think that through; I've never used fresh greenery before.

So is this the poncetastic precursor?

Hehe, poncetastic precursor, I don't think my poncing is going to be that level. I love the poncetastic thread :) I have scheduled in mincemeat making and christmas card making into my summer holiday children's bucket list :) `

You have reminded me that I am going to look for and book a wreath making evening this year. I need to budget my money for that.

I attempted to ponce one year and failed miserably.

I have such great dreams of poncetastic fabulousness.

And then I remember my real life which is just manic enough. And that I am trying to reduce my stress levels - not further increase them.

An evening doing flower arranging would be lovely. Christmas is a Monday this year - I wonder if I suggested a night to the ladies on the street the previous Wednesday might work?! (We are a sociable lot on our street!).

Probably will never happen though - we'll all have work nights, last minute wrapping for school teachers, urgent shopping slots and collections, and plans for making the pudding (not at alllll last minute, noooooo) or cookies for the class party or some such....

Mummy have a look at your local council events - ours run a wreath making workshop in the middle of December and it's £3.00 each!

I love the idea of the poncetastic thread, but can't even keep up with reading it, never mind making stuff...

I'm still trying to finish my crocheted wreath from last year...

Firefly, I have a roughly 10% completed felt advent calendar stashed away in the attic from DD's first Christmas. She just turned seven I might finish it for the grandchildren...

Lol, NotA, that does make me feel a little bit better!

We have chopped down trees in the garden and I am drying out some branches to make wood slice Christmas ornaments. Pintrest has loads of them, I plan to use up some blackboard paint and have them as place names for the Christmas table and then people can take them home for the tree.

oooh Mummy I am making that wreath at the moment, I love the stripes so wont make as many embelishments on it. I have tried the picot point but my holly leaves are awful! Might head to the craft board for some help.
I am also about a quarter of the way of making some crochet coasters too, doing sets of 4 for lots of friends.

I am making a list of materials that I need to order for christmas.

I make and sell craft items. OH has booked two weeks annual leave in September to help me build up my stock. This will be my third christmas selling stuff and I know it will be crazy. I am a little scared.