Graffiti xstitch.com

So Christmas is upon us and it can be stressful but making items with small designs for the home or family and friends can easy that stress. Most people who cross stitch know that it is a stress buster so what better way than to make something practical at the same time.

I am sure all you creative people know what to make but below are some of the items I have made for family.

1 Calenders

These are made from mount board with an aperture whether it be round, square, oval or oblong. Decide on a design that is appropriate for the family which will fit into the aperture when the project is completed. Purchase a calendar block for the year and attach it to the mount board. Such an easy item to make and inexpensive which will give the receiver pleasure all year and beyond. Once the year is over they can frame the item or purchase another calendar block.

2 Christmas Cards

These are so simple to make and so many Christmas designs to choose from you never know which ones to stitch first. The designs can be chosen for the persons interest for example my nephew is receiving a golfing Christmas penguin because his hobby is golf.

3 Tree Decorations

Give someone something different as an add on present a tree decoration they will never forget you. There are so many different ways of making these. Using perforated paper is my personal favourite although you need designs which use whole cross stitches only and have fairly straight edges. This is so you are able to cut around the design leaving one square at the edge.

4 Gift Tags

These are really simple to make out of a piece of card. Use a small motif that will fit the size of your tag and using double sided tape attach the fabric to the card. This just adds a personal touch to your gift and ideal if you are short of time.

All these items can be stitched with leftover fabric and threads which is a very cost effective way of making gifts.

So when you are indulging yourself by stitching there is no need to feel guilty because the end product is to give to someone.

Jean Leeming is a keen cross stitch enthusiast. She writes articles on all aspects of Cross Stitch and also runs a website: Needlework Magic where she sells a wide range of Cross Stitch Kits which are very competitively priced.