Handmade Holidays

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is planning and making special gifts for my loved ones. It gives me so much joy to create something special that will be used and treasured. Of course I inevitably find myself overwhelmed and rushed but seeing the recipients face makes it completely worth it. Here are a few of my favorite handmade gifts for my family.

I've been longing to make a Maggie Rabbit for A for a while. I bought the kit months ago but finally committed to complete it for Christmas. It was certainly a test of my hand-sewing skills but the final product is so cute. A wool rabbit with a little Liberty peasant dress and wool knit caplet. Though the first thing A did when she got around to playing with her was strip her down. I might need to make another outfit for her to change into.

Speaking of another outfit, I decided it was time to add another item to A's waldorf doll's wardrobe. I had some lovely Anna Maria Horner fabric set aside to make A another Lazy Days skirt so I took the left over fabric and made a matching skirt for "Big Girl". I made them both a second matching outfit but it needs some tweaking before I post it here.

I knew I wanted to make F his own mama-made quilt but I was going back and forth on a design. Finally I found this beautiful organic fabric from Charley Harper for Birch Fabrics. Since A's horses quilt is still so popular, I chose a similar design. It's backed with a super soft vintage sheet so the whole quilt is just perfect for a cuddle. F might be too young to love it now so I will give it love until he's ready to claim it.

I wanted to make something special for my husband this year. I taught myself to cable knit this month and a found a soft Rowan yarn that seemed like something he would wear. I did my best to knit it up in secret and finally finished 2 days before Christmas. To my disappointment it was much to small. I didn't use a pattern for this hat so I guess I calculated the size wrong. I told him I will whip up another hat as soon as he tells me what yarn he'd like. In the meantime A or I could get some use from the mistake hat.

The final handmade gift wasn't actually made by me. I envisioned it and told J what I wanted and he created it. He chose some beautiful sapele wood and made it to fit A's ferby pencil crayons and her Stockmar block crayons. It's beautiful and I adore seeing her art table orderly. How glad I am to have a talented woodworking husband.