One thing that may help me this year is that I learned how to sew. Previously, I was pretty much relying on knitting (and a little wood burning) for all my homemade gifts. While I'm not exactly a fast (or particularly competent) sewer, I can usually finish a project in a few hours, versus several days--or weeks--for a knitted item.
NOTE: If you are related to me and would like to be surprised by your Christmas gift, I urge you to not click on any of the links in this post. I will be vague in the text, but I am including links in case other people are looking for good handmade gift ideas. Anyway, you've been warned.
Last weekend, I sewed a couple of these. I highly recommend this project for beginner sewers looking for something cute and practical to make for their loved ones. I managed to make two in an afternoon, and I think they turned out pretty nicely. Who doesn't like a cozy plaid flannel, after all?
I also made some good progress on these. So far, I've found the pattern pretty easy for an intermediate knitter like me. And they're knitting up fairly quickly, so I think I'll actually be able to finish them soon if I can get up the energy to knit on weeknights. That would be good, because I've got a few other projects I'd like to knit for various family members.
That's what I've got going on so far. I'm also hoping to make something like this for a few friends. And I've got some nice fabric that would make excellent dishcloths, so if I can just manage to sew in a straight line, I think I could make some snazzy dishcloth sets for a few other people.
In addition to the knitting and sewing, I also hope to can something to give away this holiday season. I checked out a few recipes, and hopefully I can find some time in the next few weekends to fire up the water bath. Now that I've learned how to pickle things, I feel like I should use my skills to make some tasty, tangy gifts. Nothing says Christmas like homemade pickles, right?
It's actually possible that my all-homemade holiday goal will happen. I'll let you know if I make it, although I might end up caving and buying some things at a craft fair. That's almost as good as making it myself, I think.
Great ideas! I posted my own "recipe" for hot rice bags a couple weeks ago. A little different from the one you link to--both are lovely.
http://thetanglednest.com/2009/11/simple-winter-sewing-project-hot-rice-bags/