Handmade Holidays!

Handknit Holidays by Melanie Falick

The holidays are always an exciting time of year, with the brisk post-Thanksgiving air inspiring us to begin decorating (and stocking up on peppermint treats) in anticipation of the upcoming December festivities. And what better way to prepare than by taking out a box of shiny baubles and crafting holiday odds and ends!

AlterKnits Felt by Leigh Radford

Handmade holiday crafts are arguably the best crafts—as an adult, how many opportunities do you have to dress up your belongings with glitter and excessive metallic finishes?

Weekend Handmade by Kelly Wilkinson

But most importantly, handmade holidays are also as much about the act of creating as the finished product. There's nothing more fun than spending an afternoon making garlands with friends, and there's no better feeling than knowing that a loved one is thinking of you each time they pull on their nubby hand-knit mittens.  

Knitting Nature by Norah Gaughan

So to spread the handmade holiday love, over the course of the next month we will be sharing books and project ideas to get you in the spirit--from gift guides to décor projects, right down to ways to glitz up your favorite festive outfits!

In the meantime be sure to follow us on Twitter (#handmadeholiday) and Pinterest for regular doses of handmade holiday inspiration!

Tiny Felt Creatures: The Perfect DIY Stocking Stuffer

I’ll admit it, I’m a sucker for tiny versions of things. Little cups, mini pies, small embellishments—you name it, I have to have it. Needless to say, the palm-sized felt animal kits from Last-Minute Fabric Gifts author Cynthia Treen are right up my alley. How sweet are these little guys?

I don't have a lot of experience hand-stitching, but these little creatures looked too tempting not to try. Everything you need to craft (save scissors) comes wrapped up in a neat little box, perfect for taking on the go or gifting to a crafty pal. All you have to do is put on a good movie, cut the pre-sized fabric inside, and sew the pieces together following the step-by-step instructions provided.

And voila! In one evening I was able to whip up the kangaroo above (complete with removable baby kangaroo, as if it all wasn’t cute enough). Perfect for beginner or advanced sewists, Cynthia's kits are comprised of locally-sourced and recycled materials, reducing the carbon footprint. With the holidays around the corner, you’re just a quick last-minute fabric project away from a perfect stocking stuffer!

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Make It Better: A Craftalong for Sandy Relief

Although all of us here at STC Craft are grateful to have survived last week's hurricane relatively unscathed, we know firsthand that many Sandy victims in New York City and surrounding areas are still living without electricity, heat, or even proper shelter.

Two New York-based craft bloggers—Brett Bara from Manhattan Craft Room and Natalie Soud from A Dose of the Delightful—also took notice and created Make It Better: A Craftalong for Sandy Relief. The goal? Rally crafters to make warm hats, scarves, blankets, mittens, socks, and sweaters to deliver to those who are desperately in need of warm items to get them through the next few weeks.

If you’re anything like us, you know that crafting feels especially rewarding when done for others, so get out your supplies and read on to learn how you can help.

MAKE IT. Simply knit, crochet, or sew a warm garment or blanket–-items most needed are hats, socks, gloves/mittens, scarves, sweaters, and blankets (take a look at our free projects Pinterest board for ideas). If you’d like, you should  also feel free to donate other new or gently-used warm garments. We are hearing reports that general clothing is no longer needed, so please restrict your donations to warm winter items only.

SEND IT. Send your finished item to: Natalie Soud, 310 West Broadway, New York, NY 10013. They want to start distributing warm goods within a week or less, so stitch something quick and send it off! Volunteers will deliver the items to various points in and around New York City.

CRAFTALONG. Share what you’ve made and help spread the word! Blog, Tweet, Facebook, Instagram, and Pin that you’re participating in the Sandy Craftalong as soon as you can so that we can get as many hands stitching as possible. Then, when you finish your project, share what you’ve made by posting it on your own blog and on their Facebook page. Also remember to use the tags  #makeitbetter and #sandycraftalong.

We hope you'll join in!

Fiber & Fun at the Sheep & Wool Festival

Last weekend, the STC Craft team made our annual trek up to Rhinebeck for the NYS Sheep & Wool Festival. For those not familiar with the event, Sheep & Wool is a beloved fall ritual that combines country fair with fiber heaven. Perhaps Clara Parkes summed it up best when she called it "a knitterly version of a homecoming weekend."

This year, we were excited to have authors Norah Gaughan, Bruce Weinstein, and Daniel Yuhas signing books at our booth.

As you can imagine, we were a bit overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of yarn & yarn-related goodies.

We also found ourselves enchanted by animals. (The llama parade was particularly unforgettable.)

After we stuffed ourselves with kettle corn, apple crisp and a million other kinds of fair food, we packed up our booth and headed back to the city. For all of you who came to Rhinebeck, we hope you had a great time and safe travels home, too! And for those who couldn't make it, perhaps we'll see you next year? (It really is worth the pilgrimage.)

Wee Wonderfuls at Land of Nod

Though my days of toting around favorite playthings are behind me, an adorable, hand-crafted doll never fails to bring a smile to my face. And nothing tugs at the heartstrings of children (and adults) like the sweet, braided yarn hair-dos or floppy elephant ears of STC Craft author Hillary Lang’s Wee Wonderfuls dolls.

Now, with her exclusive line at online children's retailer The Land of Nod, even the least crafty among us can own one of her whimsical creations! Available on their website or from their winter catalog (dropping in homes this week), six different designs can be yours for the taking.

Of course, if making one by hand is more your cup of tea, make sure to pick up a copy of Wee Wonderfuls today.