Hand Made Gift

I would go with a standard quilt or blanket for people. Unless you know them really well and they'd wear it. I feel bad because my MIL used to make my daughter clothes all the time (when she was younger, now she is 8). The dresses were sometimes AMAZING, and sometimes looked like potato sacks. She doesn't know my kids too well at all. So if you KNOW them, go for it!! I'd love a handmade scarf or something too :).

I LOVE quilts . If someone made me one I would be so happy. You could ask what they would like and give them examples of what you can make. Great idea:)

I love quilts. If you could make me one, too, I promise I will love it! :))
I know not EVERYone feels that way, but anyone who has ever even ATTEMPTED to make a quilt would.
Just be careful in your materials/pattern choices. You don't want something too girly or frilly for someone whose home doesn't reflect that style. I'm more of a forest color palette, and like jeweled looking things, not frills and lace.
Queen sized, please. Or throw sized for the sofa. :)))

Hi A.-

I knit, crochet, sew..etc...and typically hand make gifts...and they are always well received.

Be careful though...after years of handmaking gifts...many in my family have come to expect it!! lol

Last year I made all the kids scarves and hats in their college or HS colours...I have now been asked by them to make some to give 'their' friends as gifts...

SO...be careful they are not 'too' popular!!

Best luck!
michele/cat

No, it is not tacky. Home handmade gifts are special and people are amazed and surprised that "you did it yourself for me?" As one poster stated they like it so much they don't want to use it and the purpose of the gift was for it to be used.

So go ahead and make them. Just keep in mind what their surroundings are like and their color schemes.

Now I have to get back to a sewing project that cost me two hours in figuring out how to thread a serger. Long story.

Have a good holiday season and play some Christmas music in the background. I should say seasonal music.

Ho Ho Ho and all that!

The other S.

I'm doing the same thing. Homemade Coasters, Personalizing Oven mits, and making rice heating pads.

I can see how some materialistic selfish people would think its tacky. Hopefully you aren't related or friends w/people like that though.

I love your idea and I wish some people in my life would do things like that. I'm all for handmade homemade gifts...in fact, that was my requirement for my last bday, that I receive no storebought cards but rather handmade card and nothing else. I wanted to see if the most important people in my life could really put some thought and time into do something for me, esp my hsuband. I don't think that was too demanding?

The first year I moved to Texas I made coasters out of felt that looked like little Texas flags. It probably cost me less than $1 for a set of 8 coasters and were very easy to send to my friends & family in 8 other states and overseas. I consider that my best year of present giving to this day!

i wish i knew how to sew!

i have a friend who makes pajama bottoms as gifts every year. it's a really simple pattern... with a drawstring on top. she picks out fabric that reflects whatever her nieces or nephews are into that year.. could be star wars, camo, ponies, puppies, whatever. for the adults she either goes traditional or funky. just depends. they love getting them!

I like the idea of non-clothes items. Clothes are so personal, not everyone has the same taste, fit, etc. So I say go for it.

If you love to quilt, do you know about Soldiers' Angels? There is a group that sends blankets and quilts to deployed and wounded soldiers.
http://soldiersangels.org/blankets-of-hope.html

I think homemade gifts are the best. Every year I always make earrings and bracelets for the girls in my family. If I could sew, I would go all out! Good for you!

I think it might depend if you've ever seen these family members with something like what you are going to make them. For example, if you were going to make and give a lovely gift of a sweater for your Aunt, have you ever seen her wear something like that? My best friend made me a scarf. It's pretty, nice color...but it's still in my closet. I've never worn it. People will be kind and say they love it but then never use it or wear it and while it's the gesture of making something beautiful that counts, most people, I believe, would not find it useful. I think your idea is wonderful and I think you should try it IF it's something you feel truly led to do but don't ever question why you never see them use it/wear it/display it.

Handmade gifts definitely are not tacky. Just make sure you "know your audience" (this holds true for store bought gifts too). For instance, a homemade apron for someone who hates to cook/bake isn't a great gift. But an apron for a baker would be awesome. Quilts/blankets that incorporate colors or the decorative style someone uses would definitely be a good idea. I'm not a particularly crafty person, but last year I made earrings for my mom and aunts. They all loved them. It took me a long time to figure out the right colors and styles for each of them. One aunt was surprised to learn that I had made them! I think homemade can be great and definitely in the spirit of giving. Have fun sewing!

First, my hat's off to you for being so talented!! I wish I could sew more than I do but I just don't have the knack! Second, I receive hand-made gifts periodically and I think they're wonderful and very thoughtful!

I have a "quillo" that was made many years ago; love it! And my sister made me a beautiful apron a couple years ago - although, sometimes I think it's too pretty to use and get dirty (lol), I still love it! The effort she put into it was unbelievable!! I've also received (and love) decorative pillows.

But to answer your question - NO, it's not tacky! I would just make sure the recipients are the type that would enjoy that type of gift. Some people really do prefer the gift cards, etc., and would not fully appreciate the effort put into hand-made gifts! Yes, I'm speaking from experience.

Good luck!!

It matters on the recipient. If it was my daughter, it would be loved and cared for. My son could ca less if I hand make a blanket for him or if I buy one and will not even use it. My mother will be scared to use the blanket as it was made by me and hence should be kept in a cedar chest and never seen or used. My mil knits too so she would have a blanket like that handing onn her couch or arm chair all winter long, have it dry cleaned when needed and store it every summer in a cedar chest.

My Mom is well known for making afgans and baby blankets. No one has ever been unhappy with one of these. People LOVE them. My sibs and I still ask her to make them so we can give them to people. It was one of the first gifts I ever gave my (then) soon to be MIL.

Go for it... not tacky AT ALL.

We make handmade gifts every year. I haven't decided what for this year yet. My son has his own sewing machine and knows how to sew so it's always been a tradition. (Plus...he learned how to sew!)

We have hot chocolate and holiday music and we really enjoy it.

People have always loved our gifts.

Best wishes.

I would treasure a homemade quilt, blanket, or dog bed. Fashions change so fast, I wouldn't want anyone to make me clothing. Then, I would feel obligated to wear it and taste can be so subjective.

I love homemade gifts!!!

I'd love a non-store-bought gift. The more unique and 'from the heart' the gift, the better IMO. For me, I'd love a scarf or cute hand-bag. For my son, a cape with matching mask or pretend belt would be awesome (my son is totally into superheros at age 3.5. He also wants a cape for his stuffed animal). I like quilts, but I have TOO many blankets. And I wish that I was asked to pick out colors for those really nice quilts that are expected to be laid on the beds. I mean, they need to match the decor or I at least need to LIKE the colors.

I am not a seamstress, but have a sewing machine that my MIL is enouraging me to try. Two things I've made for the kids that were pretty cool: 1 was a 'back seat organizer' I hang from the front seat to hold my son's toys and snacks and books within his reach in the backseat. Very cute, but it took me a while. I found it at a fabric store. It was a package I bought with the tissue paper and and instructions inside. 2. I also made some 'crayon rolls'. Search on the internet for lots of different pictures and instructions. Very cute and very handy for mom to keep in her purse for lunches or whenever she needs to keep the kids busy. FOr someone who loves to sew, you could probably make a few each day. Take note - the background fabric (inside the roll) will get crayon on it, so I recommend a darker color. PM me if you want me to email you pictures, or post them on my profile for a day when you're online. I have both the crayon roll and the organizer. I also made a long 'colored pencil' roll for my neice.

Added: TB brought up a good point. My mom made me a scarf too. I only wear it b/c she gave it to me. I like that it's soft. I like the length, the width, that it was made by her. I like that it's purple too, but it's too bright of a purple. I'm sure Mom was thinking "jess likes purple" but I'd have liked it moreif she'd done a a earthy tone deep purple and gray kind of color blend. Plus, we're in Texas so I only use it for about one month. Mom made my SIL one and my neice spilled one day saying "I think Mom gave it to Goodwill." OOPS!

I sew all the time and have given many hand made gifts over the years. From quilts to crose stitch, dishtowels to book covers and more. I usually know what a person would like before I give, and Im sure you will too. Couch throw quilts are great if you know their color and decorating style. Last year I gave my sister a set of 12 dishtowels with the 12 Days Of Christmas prints. I had found a fabric printed with the 12Days items and cut each one out and applicaed them onto the towels. I even wrapped them separately so she had to open them 1 at a time for 12 days. It was great! She loved them and is going to get them out and use them starting the 12 days leading up to Christmas again. Aprons always seem to go over well, and "mommy and me" matching ones are a huge hit. I think its great you are using your talent to make gifts. Its a very satisfying feeling.

We gave up trying to buy gifts for the adults in our families years ago. The nieces and nephews all get gift cards, but we make food baskets for everyone else every year. I think if we ever stopped doing these now, there would be riots! Here's a list of some of the things we've included over the years:

candied orange peels
cowboy cookies
lemon squares
bread
cheese spreads
biscuits
jam
nutella cupcakes
popcorn balls
fancy rice crispy treats
mini quiches
mini fruit pies

We throw in a bottle of wine or Raspberry Lambic or whatever, too. And the best part is that the kids all help! The grandparents also get something homemade from the kids, an ornament or a framed picture, for instance. I think this year we are going to add Amish-canned piccalilli and chow chow, too. Both of our mothers LOVE those.

And we all love getting handmade stuff, too.