Holiday craft hacks
How to give D.I.Y. gifts without doing much yourself
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Handmade craft items make one-of-a-kind holiday gifts, but who’s got the time to knit a Cosby sweater at this stage in the game? Don’t fret: Decider has gathered a few holiday craft shortcuts for the time-pressed yet creatively inclined.
Crash a Stitch-n-Bitch.
Madison hosts a number of social groups for knitters, known as Stitch-n-Bitch gatherings, which are great sources of project ideas and one-on-one help when your turtleneck sweater turns out looking like a fingerless glove. One group meets Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Escape Java Joint, while another recently launched group meets Tuesday evenings at Harmony Bar.
“People of all skill levels come to Stitch-n-Bitch, so it’s a really great place get help with a project you’re struggling with,” says Leanna Trunzo, leader of the Escape group. Local yarn stores such as Lakeside Fibers and The Sow’s Ear also offer knitting classes for beginners and are usually willing to help knitters troubleshoot, according to Trunzo and fellow Stitch-n-Bitch leader Mackenzie Dunn.
Get a knit kit.
Ewetopia, a fiber shop in Viroqua, offers free hat patterns on its website, while The Sow’s Ear offers kits with all the materials and instructions needed to make a simple stocking and several other projects, according to Dunn and Trunzo. Meanwhile, resources such as ravelry.com, craftster.org, and knittinghelp.com catalog ideas for quick craft projects, patterns for hats and mittens, and instructional videos on knitting, crocheting, and other techniques.
Peruse Etsy.com.
A humongous online marketplace of craft makers and buyers, Etsy features all sorts of handmade gifts as well as holiday-specific items such as ornaments and stockings. Plus, it’s easy to keep your dollars in Madison artists’ pockets by using the “Shop Local” feature, which points browsers to pages like this:
Space Oddities, a Madison-based Etsy shop operated by Andrea Thorson, repurposes old books and comics as buttons and pins. Thorson recommends the “Rad Dad” and “Mom’s The Bomb” buttons for carriers of messenger bags, as well as the “I’m Totally Into” bag, which lets your gift-getter make a statement about his or her obsession-of-the-minute, whether it’s robots, My Little Ponies, or iPhones. htNEVELE, run by self-described “demented wool hoarder” and Madison resident Ronda Statz, sells homemade hats and scarves, as well as less conventional wares like hand-knitted iPod cozies, felted bowls, and wool cocktail coasters.
In addition, several craftmakers beyond the state line sell holiday-specific items, many of which can be custom-ordered. Rikrak hand-crafts mod-looking holiday stockings out of Ecospun felt that’s made entirely from recycled plastic bottles; Alliebeans sells snowflake-decorated Christmas pouches that function as business card holders, pencil holders, and packaging for smaller gifts such as candy and jewelry; Bambinoamore offers a Vintage Santa Fashionista Apron for those with ’50s housewife fantasies; FullFrogMoon peddles a Barack Obama Christmas ornament that features the president-elect dressed up as a cartoon angel; and Magicyam creates disturbing stocking stuffers for the miscreants on your list: smiling lumps of plush coal.
Pass the buck.
Not up for making a gift? Show your gift-getters how to make their own damn mittens with a how-to book. The Big-Ass Book Of Crafts, by Mark Montano of the TLC show While You Were Out, has tons of creative ideas, from lamp and chandelier designs to instructions for crafting soap, stationery, and picture frames, while The Craftster Guide To Nifty, Thrifty, And Kitschy Crafts by Leah Kramer is tailored to the tastes of many thrift-store rummagers. Super Crafty: Over 75 Amazing How-To Projects by Susan Beal provides pictures, patterns, and instructions for newbies and craft experts alike.
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