As the night’s turn colder and the nights dra…zzzzzzzz. Oops, we appear to have just nodded off there. You know the drill. It’s winter, we stay in more, yada yada yada. And now let’s segue into the content…
Those cosy evenings at home and lazy winter weekends spent hibernating don’t necessarily have to be devoted to Netflix binges, hearty stews, pumpkin spice lattes and reeling off cliches. Just because the weather’s turned a little gloomy doesn’t mean you can’t be productive; here are the best crafts for a winter weekend, IDEAL for making your indoor days colourful.
CUSTOMISE YOUR CLOTHES
If you want to get something tangible out of your winter craft endeavours rather than just keep your hands busy, then why not spend some time cheering up some of your old clothes and give them a new lease of life?
Frilly, lacy and Broderie anglaise style collars are big news for winter and are a great way to breathe new life into old tops. Create and sew a collar directly onto an old jumper or T-shirt, or make a detachable collar that you can wear with lots of different tops. All it takes is a sewing kit and some initiative.
Christmas jumpers are a festive season must-have, but they do all tend to look the same, not to mention that they are bad for our environment. As the Independent reports, “Environmental charity Hubbub examined 108 jumpers from 11 online and high street retailers and found that 95 per cent were made either entirely or partly from plastic”.
So, why not create your own truly unique Christmas jumper with embroidery, using tasteful alpine trees and a flicker of glitter? What’s more, embroidery is a hugely relaxing and productive way to spend the coming months inside.
Here at IDEAL, we’re huge fans of pearl-embellished cardigans and jumpers for winter, too. It simply takes an old blouse, T-shirt, knit or long sleeve top and a few pearls or buttons to create a statement top this winter. Don’t just stop at pearlifying your jumpers; update your denim jackets with pearl studs or add pearls to collars and cuffs…there are so many ways to incorporate elegant pearl details into your everyday looks. Your only limitation is your imagination.
CRAFT YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS CARDS, DECORATIONS & WREATHS
Winter weekends are the perfect time to whip out the glitter and get to work on a whole range of handmade Christmas decorations.
Firstly, consider creating your own Christmas cards – much more thoughtful than going to the pound shop last minute only to find that only a bad selection of cards remain, and much more kind to the environment, too.
Go further and make your own wreath this year out of Christmas baubles for a unique festive display. All you need is baubles of different sizes and colours, tinsel, a wire coat hanger, a wire cutter and a glue gun. Fun for all ages, painting your own baubles is the ideal Christmas activity. Make sure those baubles are shatterproof (any colour or size will do), and buy some paint, a paintbrush, glitter and glue. You can even buy packs of ‘paint your own bauble kits’ to make things even easier. Now, it’s time to get creative.
If you have children, then the winter period is the ideal time to roll up those sleeves, get out the Pritt Stick and string, and give it the ol’ Blue Peter treatment. There are plenty of Christmas crafts for kids to keep them entertained. Salt dough decorations are a great idea; these can be hung on the tree or given as Christmas presents and look really beautiful when they’re painted and varnished.
Check out our article on 6 IDEAL crafts and activities to do with your children this Christmas for more inspiration.
MAKE YOUR OWN CANDLES
We all like to make our homes look cosy in winter. Moreover, smell plays a huge role in bringing the comfort of the season into your domestic space. Enter the scented candle; an autumn and winter mainstay if ever there was one.
Indeed, there’s nothing quite like the glowing flicker of a candle giving off a gentle scent to warm up the ambience of your home on those dark winter nights. However, those expensive Jo Malone candles soon start adding up. Instead, why not make your own candles? Channel the energy of winter here and get creative by making your own signature scent.
With the right know-how, it’s easy to melt down some wax, add some essential oils, and luxuriate in your seasonal creations until the year’s out. There are some great Youtube videos on candle making to help you get started.
MAKE YOUR OWN CHUTNEYS & JAMS
We know what you’re thinking; that bubbling pan on the stovetop, preserving the season’s fruits and vegetables for the more barren months…it’s such a cliche. But chutneys truly are delicious things to have, not only in your own cupboard but also to give away as gifts. Check out this great Christmas recipe for apple and cranberry chutney for some inspiration.
If chutney isn’t your thing, you could create your own signature craft gin. Check out the BBC’s guide on doing just that here. And when you’re done, why not send us over a bottle as a Christmas gift?