Condo Blues: Sew Easy Homemade Gifts for Girls and Guys

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Sew Easy Homemade Gifts for Girls and Guys

It turns out that I’m sewing a lot of gifts for Christmas this year. It started innocently enough when I made myself a Buttercup Purse last summer.  I got compliments and requests for Buttercup Bags as gifts.

Many of the girls are getting Buttercup purses. OK actually several of them already got Buttercup bags for their birthday already. I played with the size and details of the original pattern a bit.

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My favorite is the green paisley. It started life a tablecloth that I like but didn’t quite work in my kitchen.

This is a quick little pattern and I was able to whip up of a few of these purses in an afternoon. Pretty purses and a nice stash buster project to boot. All of the buttons with the exception of the skull and crossbones buttons came from Grandma’s buttonbox.



Then Mr. H said he wanted to make and give homemade gifts this year. Of course, as The World’s Most Fabulous Aunt (trademark pending) I had to comply.

Last Christmas my mom made everyone on my side of the family fleece pajama pants. Mine are the pink skull and cross bone pants (naturally) shown here. Since Husband and I practically live in these things until spring, and I found licensed team fabric for sale, I decided to make some for the guys on my gift list. If I couldn’t find or order team fabric/fleece, I went with a fun printed cotton fabric/fleece depending upon where the person lived (hot Southern state or cold Northern state.)

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Not all of the fabric is pictured because I don’t want to spoil any Christmas surprises.

I particularly like the retro horror movie fabric at the top of the fabric pile. I bought if from ReproDepot Fabrics. Even though they are sports fans, I'm using it to make matching father – son pajama pants for Mr. G and his Dad. Apparently Mr. G now considers himself a horror movie expert and told EVERYONE in his preschool that he watches Freddie Kruger with his Dad. Translation: Mr. G visited the Halloween store with his Dad (apparently a few more times than his mother realized) and asked about a Freddie Kruger mask. Brother in Law described Freddie as “a scary guy who lives in the dream world.” Ergo, Mr. G considers himself an expert even though he’s seen nothing scarier than a Scooby Doo movie (if that.)

I used Simplicity pattern #3935 for the lounge pants which has both kid and adult sizes in the same pattern. I made the cotton pants with drawstring waist (for easier fit) and the fleece pants with elastic waists. Stick with an elastic waist if you’re sewing with fleece. Trying to do a drawstring waist with fleece makes too bunchy around the waist. Feh.

I was happy to find organic cotton and fleece fabric made from recycled plastic bottles for sale on line. Unfortunately it was either a baby/girly print or a solid color; neither was suitable for my guys so I ordered some licensed team fabric from them instead. I’m hoping that once there is a little more demand for greener fabrics that there will be a little more variety in the prints/selection.

Since I like to keep things even by way of nieces and nephew gifts, and I ended up sewing at least one small gift for almost every person on our gift list. I have 26 people and two dogs on my list.

I am one tired Christmas elf.

What gifts are you making for Christmas this year?

12/28/09 Update: Now that Christmas is over I can spill the beans on what I made as Christmas gifts this year.

8 Buttercup purses
11 pairs of pajama pants
3 microwave heating pads
22 braided fleece dog chew toys (from all of the fabic scraps and a few old towels)
6 bean bags and 2 cornhole game boards
1 personalized dog towel
3 lavender sachets (from lavender I dried from my garden)
2 jars of dried chive from my garden (as stocking stuffers)

Fortunately everyone liked their gifts. Even Mr J1 who is 13 and is going through a stage of acting like a 13 year old boy. He, his Dad, and Mr. J2 called their matching fleece sleep pants "Wahoo pants" because I made them with fabric featuring the Cleveland Indians mascot, Chief Wahoo.

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8 comments :

Erika Jean said...

I made aprons for the little kids I watch!

I love your PJ pant idea, I may have to use that for next year!!

rae-ann said...

What beautiful gifts! i remember a while back you asking guys to make suggestions for what they would like as home made gifts - did anything inspiring come of that? What sorts of things, apart from the PJ pants did you decide on?

My Dad had a hamper, but I didn't really find anything inspiring to make for Mr G - I think women and girls are so much easier to make things for!

Rae x Mrs Green @myzerowaste.com

mudnessa said...

I made some lavender eye pillows and some cloth bookmarks with charms sewn onto the top. The eye pillows were all made from scrap cloth I found in my mom's closet, some of it I recognized from halloween costumes she made us as kids. The bookmarks are made from an old pair of jeans of my husbands. I will be writing a blog with pictures of them but not until after they are all given out. Also making cookies for everyone, yummy!

Kristin - The Goat said...

I made my Christmas cards and as of right now, I've mailed out 125 of them! Those are my gifts for this year.

Maybe it's just me, but the link to your buttercup purse didn't work.

I love that you made so many gifts. You are the coolest! :) Even cooler that you included 2 dogs on that list!

RecycleCindy said...

Your handmade purses are really cute and what a wonderful gift to receive. I love getting handmade items for presents and wish more people would make me things. Me, I'm working on a few last minute crocheted dishcloths for my neighbor and then I'm done with my holiday crafting. Best wishes and Merry Christmas!
Cindy

Almost Mrs Average said...

You are sooooo clever....or whould i say sew clever (LOL). My presents this year have comprised origami images made from folded banknotes or dried oranged slices wrapped up in Organza. Very simple ideas that have didn't take long - but I've yet to make the boys' fabric monsters for their Christmas Stockings. That'll be a Chrismas Eve activity :-)

P.S. I like the pink purse best, but that's because it's my favourite colour. :-)

sbinzel said...

I made little cloth 'holders' (bags without handles, on the small side) for my 3 sisters and one teacher. Another teacher (who teaches spanish) got a folder from the local mayan works cooperative...and the other teachers and assistants at montessori got tins with home made cookies. Made my husband a 9' x 9' quilt for our bed. whew!

valentine unique gifts said...

I agree that you have good understanding gift ideas for her or him.I know girls love the Buttercup purses but she got already these gift. A decorative bottles may another choice for her.

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