Better than streaming another True Crime doc or doing one more puzzle, ticking someone off your Christmas list with a festive craft seems like the best way to spend a long winter’s night in.
Whether or not we get time for *any* Christmas shopping days this year, homemade gifts might just be the way to go.
Not only are they extremely thoughtful (award for best friend/daughter/colleague), we’ve actually got the time to commit to crafting in 2020.
And since there are a few more things we need in our lives this year, such as facemasks, bath bombs (#selfcare) and cross-stitch wall hangings (‘cos, interiors), we can suddenly delight our friends and family with our own take on 2020’s best gift ideas.
Or, if you’re used to gifting the best in fashion but can’t make it out to Zara or H&M to choose something, why not try DIY scrunchies or hair bows? Even an oversized collar (easily one of 2020’s WFH style staples) could be a cute craft for the style-conscious recipient on your list.
Instagram Candles
You’ll need:
Colourful taper candles, two tall jugs of water (one warm, one cold).
What to do:
Submerge the candles in a jug of warm water (not hot) for 15 minutes until they are bendy. Create a boho-style design by shaping the wax any way you want, making sure not to flatten it. If you’re not happy, simply pop it back in the warm water and start again, but once you are, submerge it in cold to set!
Giant hair bow
You’ll need:
Metal barrette clip, fabric length (20cm x 100cm), super glue.
What to do:
Super-simple and easy to recreate at home, this craft works best with opaque fabric that’s light enough to be secured by a single clip, like linen or light velvet. First double up the shortest side of the fabric and create a giant bow. Once you’re happy that both sides of the bow and the ribbons below are even, secure it with a stitch through the middle and glue it securely to a barrette.
Embroidered Facemasks
You’ll need:
A fabric facemask, colourful embroidery thread.
What to do:
A super-easy personalised gift if you can get your hands on a brand new plain fabric facemask. Create adorable designs like polka dots, leaves and florals like Canadian crafter Natalie, who designed these beautiful facemasks herself. She shows you how to create a facemask from scratch but depending on your craft level, you could use one that you already have and sew on applique flowers.
Cross-Stitch Wall Hanging
You’ll need:
A cross-stitch kit.
What to do:
Cross-stitch is the lockdown 1.0 hobby that could just be the perfect answer to Christmas in lockdown 2.0. Something that you can do in front of the telly and still just about focus on after a few Friday wines. Just like craft fan Caitlin M, create cheeky designs that your friends will want around the house to make them smile this Christmas.
Christmas decoration
You’ll need:
An unloved tree hanging, acrylic paint, gold vinyl.
What to do:
If you can’t get to the craft shop to buy a clear acrylic tree hanging like pro crafter, Lizzy, use one of the unloved baubles or flat decorations from your most ancient Christmas collection. It’s easy to cover the design using a couple of layers of acrylic paint, then apply a gold vinyl ordered from Etsy or use a fine paint brush to create your own scripture, like Melissa Kinnamon Clark.
Decorated Chocolate
You’ll need:
White and dark chocolate, dehydrated fruit or edible flowers.
What to do:
Because we’ve all become total pros at baking in 2020, gifting a sweet treat from the kitchen seems like a total no-brainer. Chocolate bark is so easy to make by simply melting down a large bar of dark or white chocolate and then the beauty comes with decorating it with dehydrated fruits or, even better, edible flowers. Simply refreeze again after.
Bath Bombs
You’ll need:
Baking soda, epsom salts, cornstarch, citric acid, witch hazel, coconut oil, essential oils, dried flowers, set of moulds
What to do:
A tougher difficulty level, but so rewarding. First, line your moulds with oil and your dried flowers. Combine your dry ingredients in one bowl, whisk your wet ingredients, then combine the two bowls and pour them into the moulds. To create a sphere or ‘bomb’ press two moulds together and heat them with a hair dryer. Visit SlicedGinger.com for the full method.
DIY Scrunchies
You’ll need:
Satin fabric, a sewing machine, 6mm flat elastic.
What to do:
For an oversized scrunchie, cut to 20cmx90cm of fabric. First, create a fabric tube by folding your fabric in half widthways and sewing along the seams to join the two sides together – when you fold it back the right way, the sewn seam will be concealed. Then feed your elastic through the tube and sew the elastic closed into a band. Hand-stitch the final raw seam of the satin to complete your scrunchie!
Oversized Fashion Collar
You’ll need:
Fabric, scissors, ribbon and a sewing machine.
What to do:
Making things super easy, DIY extraordinaire Janelle from Rosery Apparel has created a downloadable template for your oversized collar pieces, which just need cutting out of your chosen fabric. She also shows you *exactly* how to cut and create the perfect DIY fashion collar on her YouTube channel.
Incense Holders
You’ll need:
Polymer clay, shaping knife, paint and finishing gloss.
What to do:
For a seriously cute interior idea, create clay incense holders. Simply roll out your clay into thick disks, create whatever design you like, then bake according to the instructions on your polymer clay. We love the boobs holder with nipple holes to hold the incense stick, as made by Steph-Beth. When they’re out of the oven, paint them but be sure to keep the holes open, ready for the sticks.
