Susannah's Heirloom

A Handmade Holiday

For many reasons, both sartorial and practical, not to mention pleasant and economical, I've decided to make all my holiday gifts this year. I've a household full of crafts supplies, fabric, things in storage boxes I've not opened in a decade. It's time to do something fun with all of it.

Apparently it's the in-thing to do nowadays as well... so much the better. Here's to a handmade holiday!

http://blackeiffel.blogspot.com/2012/11/a-hip-handmade-holiday.html

Gift and decorating ideas:

Baubles

Candy

Gift bags - easy to make with drawstring ribbon laces!

Upcycling out of bits of cloth cut from colorful clothing 

A Lady's Glove

Silk gloves have always bewitched me. Tiny mitts with Irish crochet roses also tend to grasp my attention. Recently I've begun collecting patterns for making gloves, as I intend to attempt a pair in the not-too-distant future. Winter is such a comfortable time for crafting things, the more intricate the better. Time passes so quickly when thus engaged, and soon you are rewarded with something beautiful to wear, to share, or give as a welcome gift.

Antique Pattern Library has some wonderful reproductions and scans of old patterns. I've linked to their crochet pages here. 

 
Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's 

Jennifer Love-Hewitt on set

Crochet gloves in Irish lace are my especial fancy these days. Hook Crochet offers several styles, handmade from traditional sources. Dakota Prairie Treasures offers this pattern at Bonanza. Elegant long fingerless gloves at Ravelry make me want to pick up my hooks & thread right away!