Great Expectations!

Christmas Gifts Handmade By Katie

Soooooo… Christmas is officially over and though I didn’t accomplish everything that I had hoped to in the handmade gift department, I did accomplish a lot and I’m pretty happy with how it all turned out.

I’m not gonna lie, I stressed myself out completely trying to finish everything at the 11th hour and breathed a huge sigh of relief when it was all over and done with! But hey, what’s Christmas without a little self induced, set my expectations way too high, kind of stress?! Despite the mad rush to get everything on my list done, I had a lot of fun with these gifts. I loved the creativity of making everything by hand and was incredibly proud of each finished project, flaws and all!

I wasn’t able to do five different crates as I had hoped (again the high expectation thing can be a bit of an issue for me!), but I did do the ones I was most excited about. The tea lovers crate, the mixologist crate, and the chocolate lovers crate. The rest of the crate ideas I can save for birthday gifts, hostess gifts, or even just an I’m thinking of you gift!

My next post will include all the recipes, patterns and shortcuts I used to create my gift crates, so if any of you are feeling inspired you can get cooking and crafting!

Cuffed Hand Warmers

Hand Knitted Cuffed Hand Warmers

Hand knitted cuffed hand warmers for my sister that I included in her tea lovers crate. You can find the pattern from Purl Soho.

Flavored Simple Syrups

Flavored Simple Syrups

I included these flavored simple syrups in the mixologist crate. A splash of one of these in a glass of champagne is pretty amazing! I used Avery labels and design tools to create a custom label for from a photo Josh took on our ranch!

Tea Lovers Crate

Tea Lovers Crate

The tea lovers crate varied from recipient to recipient but this one was for my Godmother Debbie and included a monogrammed mug, monogrammed tea towels, jam, a chai spice scented candle, a set of the cuffed hand warmers and two different tea blends. For the jam labels I used the beautiful designs created by Jam Labelizer.

Hostess Crate

Hostress Crate

My mother and sister got tea crates as well as this hostess crate, which included three jams and a set of hand sewn fringed dinner napkins. I embroidered my mother’s napkins with a monogram for Badlands Ranch.

Hand & Neck Warmers

Handwarmer and Neck Warmer

I did a third set of hand warmers for my mother and included a matching neck warmer that the lovely ladies at Purl Soho helped me create a pattern for.

Knitted Hats

Knitted Hats

These adorable hats are a great quick knit and so soft even my three year old won’t take it off! I did one for my niece Madison, my daughters Naleigh and Adalaide and my father Paul. The pattern is from… you guessed it, Purl Soho!

Monogrammed Dish Towels

I included a set of four monogrammed dish towels in my sister’s, mother’s, godmother’s and aunt’s tea crates. I got the fabric and pattern from Purl Soho! and then kinda just did my own thing! This is my sister’s set, Miss Margaret Leigh!

Monogrammed Dish Towels
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8 Comments

  • Vicki B

    These are simply incredible! My daughter has horses and you know how the wind can whip up your sleeves even with gloves when you have to go out in the cold mornings? And the back of your neck can still feel chilled even with a thick coat? She loves to knit so I’m heading over to send a link to your blog. She got married and moved her horses and daughter way up north. Now we cook and bake out of the same books even though we haven’t a clue what we’re doing long distance over the internet but homemade things are a little bit of the heart, you know?!

    April 7, 2016 at 2:41 am Reply
  • Mary Kay

    I love that you are a maker! Gifts from the heart, made with love, are so meaningful. ❤️

    April 7, 2016 at 1:51 pm Reply
  • Sharon Peters

    Amazing talent! Homemade gifts are the best! Thank you for all the ideas!!

    April 12, 2016 at 1:40 am Reply
  • Stephanie

    Oh my goodness I can not handle all of the handmade awesomeness!!! I always try to include handmade items at Christmas too and fully understand all of the eleventh-hour stress (I’m a bit of an expert at it). Anyways, I just loved all of your ideas you showed, and I’m certainly going to have to do the Tea Lovers Crate. Everything just looks amazing.

    April 15, 2016 at 3:10 pm Reply
  • sam

    Beautiful, thoughtful gifts. I love the crate ideas (and may borrow for ‘end of the school year, now go relax’ teacher gifts). The gauntlets are a fun design – like a dainty fingerless gloves peeking out from a big snuggly sweater!

    April 25, 2016 at 6:21 am Reply
  • Sharlyn

    Hi Katherine, where do you buy such big spindles of wool from? I’d love to make huge blanket??
    Thanks

    July 28, 2016 at 9:45 am Reply
  • Amie

    Oooh… I’m really curious about the flavored simple syrups. I have a cousin that I can never figure out what to get. She loves having girls’ night ins. Where do you get your jars and bottles?

    October 23, 2016 at 1:57 am Reply
  • Tatyana P.

    Dear Katherine,
    I was fascinated to see the dandelion blanket und looked for it immediately online by purl Soho. The knitting needles are so much expansive that I try to ask you if you could borrow me yours for one two months. I want to try to knit such a blanket. I’ll surely send them you back.
    Best Regards from Germany and thank you for so many inspirations
    Tatyana

    October 25, 2016 at 9:15 am Reply
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