Hand made gifts

Its my friends birthday next week and I wanted to make her something special so I made these lavender bags for her clothing. I am really pleased with the end result and I do like the purple and green fabric.  I love handmade gifts, it shows that the giver has gone to a lot of effort to make something unique, just for you. 

Once upon-a-time it was completely normal to make gifts for friends and family.  Only the rich could afford to buy and give gifts, no one else had money to waste. Women would spent their evenings sewing, knitting, embroidering, crocheting to make all sorts of wonderful things to give to others. Each piece was made with love and care. Often the items were practical such as clothing, but they also make pretty doilies, tablecloths and quilts that were then passed down the family.  Men made items out of wood - toys for the children and pretty jewellery boxes for their wives.  Even after a busy day, they still found the time to handcraft gifts for  others.

Those familiar with Laura Ingalls Wilder will remember Ma making gifts for the children and how excited they were to receive them. Children in those days were not spoilt with gifts on a regular basis, so they loved it when given gifts that their mother or father had made as it really was a very special treat. 

If  you gave a modern child a handmade item, most would be very disappointed. They want the latest electronic gadget that cost a small fortune and parents are more than willing to cater for their requests. They simply wouldn't appreciate something handcrafted.   These days it is a rarity to receive a handmade gift - women no longer have the time or the skills to make gifts for others. And even more sad, their lack of skill means they are unable to teach their daughters how to make homemade items for others.

One doesn't need to be a great sewer (I am certainly not), just find something that is simple and easy and matches your skill level. If sewing or knitting isn't your forte, perhaps make a batch of biscuits,  brownies, some lemon butter, a loaf of artisan bread, pasta sauce, jam, cupcakes, even one of those cookie mixes in a jar, candles, bath scrubs . . . the list is endless and it is so much cheaper than buying all the time.  Pinterest is over flowing with gift ideas that are cheap and easy to make.

Its worth, when you are next in the dollar store to look out for possible gift ideas, ribbon, jars, boxes, stickers . . . that way you will have a stash of bits and pieces that will make gift making so much easier.

Lets get back to making things with our hands, using our talents to craft something special for someone else.  Lets encourage our children to make gifts and discourage them from wanting the latest toy in the store. We spend a small fortune on toys that don't last and often require batteries - lets get back to basics!!

A few ideas I found on Pinterest

She seeks wool and flax, and works willingly with her hands. 

Proverbs 31:13

*****