The holiday season is the time I look forward to the most throughout the year. It’s certainly a time of hustle and bustle—people trying to decorate their houses with twinkling red and green lights, mall-goers searching for unique gifts for their loved ones and people starting to bake plates upon plates of Christmas cookies way in advance to enjoy all December long.
But it’s also a time when people tend to slow down a lot. We spend more time around family, we allow ourselves to stay indoors underneath cozy blankets and we begin to reflect on our past year. For this reason, Christmastime lends itself wonderfully to crafting projects. When you don’t feel like braving the cold outdoors, you can make yourself a warm cup of hot chocolate (don’t forget the marshmallows), open one of these Christmas crafting books, and allow your creative self to run as wild as a reindeer.
Want to crochet a bunch of Christmas plushies for your home? Or, if that’s not your cup of hot cocoa, then maybe you’d like to gift a handmade wreath to your parents instead?
Whatever the case, you’ll be able to unwind and celebrate this special season with these seven Christmas crafting books for beginners and experienced crafters alike.
100 Little Christmas Gifts to Make
Crafting during Christmas time is such a cozy way to unwind from all the holiday chaos. Instead of fighting your way through crowds of people at the mall to gift shop this season, opt for a handmade present instead. This book will give you 100 adorable, festive projects you can gift to your family and friends, including ideas for sewing, crocheting and even sculpting for both experienced and beginner crafters.
Whether you want to gift Mom a knitted winter beanie to keep her warm during the chilly winter nights or offer Dad a festive wreath to show off to the neighbors, this book will become a holiday tradition that’ll have you crafting for many Christmases to come!
Amigurumi Christmas
If you can’t get enough of adorable Japanese amigurumi-style knitting, then this book is for you! You’ll find 20 projects that will teach you the proper technique to make kawaii Christmas knitted dolls or baubles. Decorate your house with tiny figurines of Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, polar bears, penguins and gingerbread men, or hang as many knitted ornaments on your Christmas tree for a cozy, handmade décor style. Trust me, when Santa climbs down your chimney, he’ll be very impressed with your festive crafts.
Sew Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
This is paper piecing made easy! Christmas crafters will be able to create eight surprisingly simple projects with 16 paper-pieced blocks with clear instructions that will keep you feeling merry and bright and not Scrooge-like.
Since, let’s be honest, especially if you’re a novice, sometimes crafting projects can cause more headaches than holiday cheer, but with Mary Hertel’s time-saving methods and illustrated instructions, you’ll be making tree skirts, potholders, placemats and stockings with ease.
Stitched Gifts
Jessica Marquez, the founder of the blog and shop Miniature Rhino, brings readers stunning embroidery project ideas for any occasion—weddings, baby showers and of course, Christmas!
Those who enjoy a shabby chic décor style will love these elegant vintage-looking keepsakes. Once you’re finished creating your festive holiday signage, Jessica Marquez also offers tips on how to stain embroidery hoops and frame your completed masterpiece.
Zero Waste Gift Wrap
Do you love Christmas but don’t love the waste that the holiday usually generates? Zero Waste Gift Wrap provides a solution by introducing readers to multiple ways to wrap gifts while keeping the environment in mind. One suggestion is the Japanese art of furoshiki, a technique used to wrap and transport goods using fabric. Find an old scarf or pieces of fabric that were otherwise going to be thrown away, and instead use them to creatively wrap your Christmas presents.
This sustainable method will reduce waste while making your gifts look more unique and personalized for your loved ones. You’ll learn how to reuse other unwanted items and create your own fabric with patchwork and dyeing techniques. You’ll get as many compliments on the content of your thoughtful gifts as you will on your skillful wrapping.
Craft Your Own Cosy Scandi Christmas
Centered around the Danish and Norwegian concept of “hygge,” which encourages people to enjoy the simpler, quieter pleasures of life, this book is filled with ideas on how anyone can bring a sense of Scandinavian comfort into their homes.
There are traditional Danish craft ideas that include a wild winter birch wreath and quicker projects like a five-minute sock gnome or a Christmas tree bath scrub. And if you get hungry while crafting, Becci Coombes has also included her favorite Danish holiday comfort food recipes you can whip up. Then, finally, after eating your delicious holiday treats, she suggests playing some traditional games that’ll involve the whole family!
How to Make Christmas Wreaths & Garlands
Just in case Santa skips the chimney this year and opts for the front door instead, pick up this book to decorate your door with fun Christmas wreaths adorned with snowmen, reindeer, candy canes and doves. Mandy Shaw will walk you through how to make 11 unique garlands, wreaths and Christmas cones whose styles can be mixed and matched for distinct variations based on your particular preferences.
Share the Christmas cheer and make one for your parents, make one for your neighbors and don’t forget to make one for yourself this holiday season!
Featured photo: micheile henderson / Unsplash
