Thursday, September 18, 2014

Create Handmade Gifts for All--Blog Hop and Giveaway

Hi there! I'm super happy to share my friend Candy's new e-book, Create Handmade Gifts for All, with you all today. Candy blogs at Candied Fabrics, where she shares her amazing creations showcasing her beautiful hand dyed fabrics and free-motion sketch stitching and quilting. Candy also creates patterns and online dyeing courses, and keeps busy teaching university biology and selling her wares at art fairs as well. Candy is an inspiration (a hard working one!) and I really love her unique design and color sense.

Handmade Gifts Cover

The e-book contains patterns for 18 different gifts--bags and accessories, home decor, and holiday ornaments/decor--just in time to start thinking about handmade holiday gifts if you are a thinking-ahead type of person. One of my favorite projects in this collection is the convertible tote bag:

Convertible-tote-group-01
The bag can be used as pictured here, or the strap can be adjusted and the top flap folded up, to give you more room in the bag if you need it.

And now for the giveaways! Please leave one comment per person, telling me about your favorite handmade gift to give or receive. I have comment moderation enabled so your comment won't show up until after I approve it.

One commenter will win a copy of last year's Quilting Arts Gifts magazine.
QAGifts-13
And one other commenter will be entered to win the Grand Prize, the messenger bag that is featured on the cover of the e-book. Comments will be open until 9/24 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific time, and I'll draw the winners and post them that evening.
Check out all the other stops on the blog hop for more chances to win. Good luck!

54 comments:

Lisa England said...

I love the little birds on the bags!

Betsy said...

When I make homemade gifts I make things that serve a purpose like placemats, runners, napkins, etc. I love to receive the same, gifts that serve a purpose

Stephanie said...

I do love bags, but I also love mini quilts. I have done a few swaps and I love decorating the house with them! I love your bag so cute!!!

patty a. said...

I give away a lot of pillow cases as well as quilts.

Beth said...

My favorite gift to give or receive would be a quilt!

Anonymous said...

I have not been quilting a long time, but my favorite thing that I have given away would have to be the quilt that I made for my best friend's little girl Merritt for her 2nd birthday. It was a pink and purple bear quilt. When they pulled it out of the gift bag she squealed and grabbed it. To this day I do not think she will sleep without it. :) -Brittany

Jess Burns said...

Ooh, I get to be first!

I think that Christmas ornaments are my most common go-to handmade gift. Small and cute and fast. :)

jhunsberger (at) gmail (d0t) c0m

Rina Mason said...

My favorite gift to give is a quilt and a matching pair of pillowcases.

barbara woods said...

so far pot holders and bags

quiltzyx said...

I've been making a few pin cushions lately to give away. The latest one was a crocheted bowl with a pincushion top.

Anita said...

My favorite handmade gift to give is quilts. I've never received one but I'm sure if I did it would be a favorite gift too.

Tamie said...

My favorite handmade items are minis although if someone wants to make me something handmade, I'm not picky!

Laura Tree said...

My favorite gift to give OR receive is anything handmade. There's a piece of the soul in each project. As Louise Bogan put it, “...in a time lacking in truth and certainty and filled with anguish and despair, no woman should be shamefaced in attempting to give back to the world, through her work, a portion of its lost heart.” Thanks for asking! -- Laura

Amy's Crafty Shenanigans said...

I love making my fanily handmade gifts - especially since I haver to post them a long way away. Tea towels and hot pads are my go-to presents!

Jinger said...

I am proud to say that I just gave away my very first completed quilt project! (I pieced, quilted and did the binding myself) I was absolutely thrilled, so I think I'm going to keep making lap quilts to give away :)

helen j said...

Love, love, love those bags.

Michele Matucheski said...

Candy is a great teacher, too! I love that messenger bag, too. It looks like a do-able pattern!

Anonymous said...

I do Christmas ornaments for my grand kids and they love it..thank you for the giveaway...marta...martamanole@yahoo.com.

OhioLori said...

I love making Handmade gifts for Christmas & all...for Friends & Family. My favorite gift I got, was last Sept, I was in middle of 33 days of Radiation,,,and my Daughter in NC came up..and had made me a Large Throw! Said was so I could feel "Daughter Hugs" even tho she had to be so far away...I still wrap in the quilt, just to feel her love & hugs....is a Treasure to this Momma's Heart for sure! :)

Anonymous said...

My favorite items to give away are place mats. They provide a nice small space to practice piecing and free-motion quilting. It would be so fun to make some in Candy's style. Thanks for the chance to win.

vdods1@gmail.com

GranChris said...

Anything someone makes is good by me. A friend always makes little ornaments. I love them.

Ellee said...

Oooh! The convertible totebag! I want one -- no, at least three! -- soparkaveataoldotcom

JB said...

My favorite gifts to make are journal covers and handbags. I have made many over the years, some more sucesssful then others

Anonymous said...

My favorite gift is the quilt I am making for my FIL this Christmas.

sophie said...

I don't have a go-to handmade project for gifting. I enjoy figuring out exactly what I can make to surprise and delight the receiver.

Gill said...

I love to make tote bags as gifts!

Michele T said...

I love making placemats for family and friends... but for very special occasions, I make lap quilts!! Like right now I am hand quilting one for my SIL who turns 60 next month!!

Lynda said...

I like to giveaway my scarves. Love this giveaway!

Catskill Quilter said...

I absolutely love gifts of a table runner or placemats!

Gina said...

I love receiving handmade stitched cards and enjoy making most anything. Lots of ideas in Candy's book!

Dielle said...

I think that was the book I almost bought last week. Super cute bag! I love to make bags for me and others.

Jody Herbert said...

I love the bird bags in the book - they are just beautiful!

Lizzie said...

Handmade gifts have the special something to them. As a mother of 2 boys its hard to make clothes but quilts have been loved and adored and I was chuffed when my eldest son asked me to make him his own giant bag for school.

Anonymous said...

Zippered pouches are always a great gift and are quick and easy to make.

Walter said...

I love useful gifts to make or to receive, Placemats, tote bags, organizers... pjrquilter@msn.com

terrieannie said...

I made the cutest "bapron" for a friend's baby and it's now my favorite gift for new mom's!

Lydia said...

Don't know what I'll make this year, Candy's ebook could seriously help there, but I am very touched when I receive something that someone has made for me, investing their time and effort.

Anonymous said...

All home made gifts are wonderful. I've receiced a bag, a couple of pieces of jewellery, several embroidered pieces. Loved them all. you can reach me at realyuseful -at- optusnet -dot- com -dot- au. Cheers, Spicynut

GarmA said...

I have a very simple purse pattern I make that everyone loves. The first one I made 5 years ago and the recipient still uses it. It so simple to make yet I think that the fact that it allows me to show off some cool fabrics is why it's so liked.

Anonymous said...

Your blog is terrific Vicki! I can't believe you can remember 100 things you've made! :) Thanks for sharing the great quilt alongs and tutes! And thanks for the chance to win this Quilting Arts Gifts magazine! Wow...lots of great ideas! I like making quilts and stuffies best. I make lots of stuffed critters, each with it's own personality. if i win, i am at mind dot less at comcast dot net

Barb in Mi said...

I love giving quilts for gifts, mainly wall hanging size. Thank you!

pippirose said...

My favourite gift to send is a personalized ornament.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Jodi - usairdoll said...

Looks like an awesome book full of pretty things. I love to give either tablerunners or zippered pouches. Both items can be made fairly quickly and it's so easy to customize your gift with fabrics.

Thank you and Candy for a super giveaway and a chance to win.

usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com

Cloud 9 said...

I like to make table toppers and zipper pouches for gifts. Love the bad - super awesome!

sarah in brooklyn said...

I would love to make more holiday gifts this year

Sewgirl said...

I really like to make quilts to give. Most of the time the recipient is just thrilled!

Paige said...

I love those little birds, they would look great on a zipper pouches for gifts.

Bonnie said...

I recently gave a pillow case, a bag and a ruffle apron to my sister and her daughter. I'm inspired to get started on some Christmas gift ideas.

Sylvia said...

I love giving quilts! Thanks for the chance to win!

Anonymous said...

I love to make Christmas ornaments for everyone in my family - usually a Santa or a snowman.
wlinda (at) yahoo (dot) com

Marlyn said...

I like making bags, in fact I need a new one for Fall.

Pamela said...

My favorite handmade gift to both give and receive is a quilt - anything from a mug rug to a full size quilt. Thanks for the chance to win! I love this beautiful bag!

Rosie said...

The best gifts I ever gave, IMO, were throws made using similar colors to a comforter my grandmother had made. I had the wool recarded and made into 3 small duvets. I gave one to my parents, my sister, and--myself.