A Little Christmas Gift Making

November 19, 2012

‘Twas a month (or so) before Christmas
And I was racking my brain
What gifts will I be giving?
Holiday Shopping is such a pain!

I love Christmas, and I love giving gifts, but it seems like every year I get stumped as to what to get for certain members of my family, especially my in-laws! So this year, I have decided to take a different approach and MAKE gifts for all of my hard-to-buy-for relatives.

Ordinarily, this would seem like a pretty lofty goal, as I am generally unskilled in all things crafty. Fortunately for me, the Parkville Branch was there to help.

Not only do we have an incredible selection of do it yourself books (jewelry making, crochet, knitting, quilting, etc.), but now we even have a handy display to make finding the right crafting book even easier, complete with examples of amazing crafts made by some of our employees (to inspire me just in case I lose my motivation).

So far, I have completed five bracelets and four necklaces suitable for gifting. Next up, I am going to tackle earrings as well as some crochet projects, to be determined. Based upon my current skill level, it would appear that everyone will be receiving slightly wonky scarves. I did check out some more advanced books, so there is a chance—albeit a small one—that my nieces may receive a hat or even a purse if I can master the instructions.

The moral of this story is that if the impending holiday shopping season seems daunting to you, my advice is to try your hand at homemade gifts. There’s no time like the present to start, and you may be very surprised at your abilities! Even if they don’t turn out perfectly, it’s the thought that counts right?

~Marissa P.
Parkville Branch