This year for Christmas, my husband and I have taken on the
somewhat harder then it sounds task of hand making gifts for the majority of the family. Between our parents, siblings, grandparents, etc. Almost everyone is getting at least one thing that was made by us. Generally speaking, these gifts are not a whole lot less in cost to us then what we would've spent in a store (although we have been able to stretch our dollar further in the sense of getting much higher quality products for our dollar then we would've picking it up off the shelf,) and if you factor in the time we've spent working on them, they've probably cost us quite a bit more then gifts we've gifted in the past - but it's been worth it and we feel that they will be a big hit!
Of course a few family/friends will be receiving
wine glasses or
ornaments from my etsy shop however we've actually used this Christmas gift idea as an opportunity to come up with new items that could also be added to the shop. One example of this would be the
wooden balancing wine holder we've created. Crafted by my husband John, painted by me, and later sprayed with a finishing coat by John, this fun item made of Birch wood is available in my shop for $19.99 and is able to balance a full bottle of wine on your table. This item makes for a great display and/or conversation starter! Keep an eye out this week as more variations (different wood styles, different paint, etc.) will be made available as they are currently receiving their finishing touches today! Also remember as with everything, the wine balance can be custom painted to your liking at no additional charge - simply message me before ordering!
We've also created some wooden plaque letter boards of which I will post pictures later (they're still in the making...hopefully to be finished this week as well) but they are looking absolutely beautiful, are made of high quality wood as well, and will most definitely be added to the shop upon completion.
Another item we have come up with of which you can either order
here, (or for sports/licensed material order
here) or follow the steps below to create yourself, is a no-sew fleece blanket. Available in a variety of sizes (baby, twin, full/queen, king) with one side solid and the other a theme of your choice (ranging anywhere from licensed fabric to go with your favorite sports team, to kid-friendly fabric, plaid, etc. - you name it, we will work with you to get the blanket how you like it!) The blanket is extremely warm and comfy, and would make a great gift for practically anyone! If you'd like me to make a blanket for you, I'll be more then happy to! Simply click
here, and select the size/fabric you'd like (remember licensed fabric is slightly more expensive) and I will ship it directly to you! Don't see a fabric option you're crazy about? No problem at all! Message me and I will help you find something closer to what you're looking for!
If however, you'd like to create the blanket yourself, you can follow these 7 simple steps...
DIY No Sew Fleece Blanket
What you will Need:
Instructions:
1. Decide the size blanket you'd like to make, and pick out the fleece fabric you'd like. You will need 2 pieces of fabric.
I recommend a pattern/printed side with a coordinating solid color side (cost effective as well as the solid is generally a little cheaper then the print) or if you'd like you could do both sides the same fabric:
- For a baby/toddler size blanket you will need 1yd of each fabric
- For a twin size blanket you will need 1.5 yards of each fabric
- For a full/queen size blanket you will need 2 yards of each fabric (personally this is the size I prefer it works great on a couch, draped across a bed, etc.)
- For a king size blanket you will need 3 yards of each fabric
Things to keep in mind:
- Unless for a child under 4, or you're specifically wanting a small blanket, I suggest getting at least the 1.5 yards of fabric. Remember you can always cut it back some later if you want to, but the slits you cut in the side will take from the size of the blanket, so 1yd can quickly end up rather small.)
- I recommend using Anti Pill fleece . It will typically run about $1.00 extra per yard however it is a higher quality and will help the blanket to stay looking better longer.
2. Lay out the two pieces of fabric one on top of the other on a flat surface, I recommend using a bed if possible as it is a large flat surface that will help save your back not having to be hunched over.
3. Once you've lined up the two pieces so the edges all match, cut out a square of each corner
(size varies depending on the size your making: for baby/toddler size or twin size cut out at 3" square on each corner, for full/queen or king size cut out a 4" square on each side)
4. Cut slits (about 1" width, they don't have to be exact) down one side of the blanket; you want the slits to go in as far as the corner squares you cut. Make sure you're cutting both pieces of fabric at the same time so your slits will line up perfectly.
For example: On a full/queen size blanket you will cut 1" strips that are about 4" long.
5. Tie the end slits (one from the top fabric, one from the bottom) together in a knot, then tie every other pair of strips together.
6. Repeat steps 4-5 for the remaining sides
7. Once all sides have been cut and had every other slit tied together, go back over the blanket and tie the remaining ties. If you see the fabric pulling significantly in any areas now is the time you can correct this by pulling the ties tighter/looser in different areas.
Be sure to post pictures of any blankets you make along with any tips you find!
twin size car map blanket - made for our 4 year old son :)
Full/Queen size Redskins blanket (opposite side is solid black)
