Rachel of A Southern Fairytale, Kelly of According to Kelly, and I have brought together more than three dozen talented bloggers to inspire you with sewing, baking, and crafting projects for the holidays. Our goal is to spark fresh ideas and make it easy to plan, create, and give thoughtful handmade gifts this season.
Beginning this Monday, each blog will spotlight a different contributor and a new project idea. I will showcase sewn gift tutorials and patterns ideal for handmade presents, Kelly will present a range of crafty gift ideas suitable for all skill levels, and Rachel will share edible gift recipes and tips for beautifully packaged treats. By sharing a steady stream of diverse projects—from quick, practical gifts to more elaborate handmade treasures—we hope to help you build a collection of holiday-worthy options and reduce the last-minute rush that often accompanies the season.
We’ve intentionally gathered a mix of projects so you can choose ideas that match your time, budget, and skill level. Whether you want to sew a customized item, assemble a thoughtful craft, or bake something delicious to share, you’ll find step-by-step tutorials, photos, and helpful tricks that make the process straightforward. Expect patterns, supply lists, printable tags, and styling pointers that will help your handmade gifts look polished and personal.
We also want this to be a community effort. Please join us by uploading photos of your finished handmade gifts to our Flickr group so everyone can browse real-life examples and get inspired. For the next several Mondays, we invite you to link your own handmade gift tutorials and ideas here on Made By You Mondays. Sharing your work not only spreads inspiration but also creates a friendly place to exchange tips, ask questions, and celebrate each other’s creativity.
To help spread the word and build a lively conversation around handmade holiday giving, please tweet with the hashtag #handmadeholiday. Using the hashtag will make it easy for others to discover your projects, find tutorials, and connect with fellow makers. We’ll be watching the hashtag and featuring favorites as we go, so your posts may be highlighted for a wider audience.
If you’re looking for a starting point, don’t forget the searchable Handmade Gift Guide already available at Skip to my Lou—it’s a great resource for curated ideas and seasonal inspiration. For those who like to plan ahead, there’s also a free printable Holiday Handmade Gift Planner you can download and use to track projects, supplies, and deadlines.
We hope you’ll join in the fun and take part in this collaborative effort to make the holidays more meaningful through handmade gifts. Whether you contribute a sewn item, a crafty creation, or a batch of homemade treats, your handmade gifts will carry extra warmth and personality that store-bought presents can’t match. Start with one project, share your progress, and enjoy connecting with other makers along the way.
Thank you for being part of this creative community. We’re excited to see the ideas you make, the tutorials you share, and the ways you personalize the season with handmade gifts. Let’s make this holiday season memorable, less stressful, and full of beautiful, handcrafted surprises.