An Economical Time to be Creative

The crochet-edged fleece blanket for my nephew.

I love to give homemade gifts for Christmas.  I devote the last part of the year to being creative.  I don’t know if you can schedule creativity, but necessity breeds invention. 

The first thing I do is really think about the person.  What do they need?  What do they like?  The last thing I worry about is what I know how to do.  This might seem backwards to some people, but I do not want to limit myself.  I can always learn a new skill. 

Once I decide on a gift, then I purchase or find all the required elements.  Then I begin researching different methods for making the gift.  Knowing that my twenty-one month old nephew will most likely not be reading this article, I am going to use his gift as an example. 

I made him a fleece blanket.  I found the cutest cowboy print fleece at JoAnns.  I purchased a yard and a half of the material.  I have tied two pieces of fleece together many times to make baby blankets, but I wanted to do something different for my nephew. 

I began researching different kinds of fringe on fleece blankets.  For those who don’t know, fleece creates many no-sew projects because the edges do not unravel or fray.  You can simply cut fringe and your blanket is complete.

While I am researching creative ideas, I almost always end up on YouTube.  There are both professionally-made and amatuer videos to watch on seemingly every topic.  One video caught my eye.  It was a crochet-edged fleece blanket.  Do I know how to crochet?  No, but no worries.  I can learn.

I watched the video and I was convinced that this is how I wanted to make the blanket.  I began working on the blanket yesterday evening.  Before I went to bed, the crochet-edging was complete.  All I have to do now is embroider my nephew’s name on the blanket.

Not only do I have an awesome, hand-made gift to give my nephew, but I spent just under $10.00 on it.  I also have learned an invaluable skill- how to crochet.  So really it is also a gift I gave myself.

This is an economical time to be creative.  With Christmas twenty-three days away, you have time to channel your creativity into homemade gifts for your family and friends.  Armed with a YouTube education and a will, I have no doubt that you will surprise the recipients of your gifts, but yourself as well.  Get those creative juices flowing!