Thursday's Crafting: Homemade (or semi-homemade) Christmas Gifts: Scarves and Heating Pads

It's December! So I'm sure that so many of you are chomping at the bit to finish your Christmas shopping, OR, if you are like me and my family, gearing up to make a slew of gifts. If you remember (I know it was a month ago, so in case you don't remember, here's the link), I mentioned before a few gifts that we have made in Christmas pasts. It makes my heart happy to see people actually using the things I have made. Two that I'm going to focus on today are the scarves and heating pads. Both were SUPER easy, and SUPER fun. I hope this helps!

Scarves

Things You Need: 

• Fleece (at least 6 feet x 14 inches)
• Felt sheets (for embellishments) 
• Thread (the match the fleece and/or felt)
• Safety scissors

Instructions: 

1. If necessary, cut the fleece to make sure it is 6 feet long and 14 inches wide. 
2. Fold the fleece in half and sew along the long side. Turn inside out. 
3. With scissors, cut 3-inch slits about 1/2 inch apart on both ends of the scarf. 
4. Sew a straight line across the top of the slits (Steps 3 and 4 will make tassels on the ends of the scarf).
5. If you'd like, tie the ends of each slit (closest to the scarf) to make a little knot.
6. At this point, the scarf is technically done. You can sew a fancy edge (like a zig-zag pattern) around the edges. The rest is just to make it fancy. 
7. Cut out shapes to embellish the scarf out of the felt. Hand sew or use a sewing machine to sew them on. Be creative! For example, if it's for a teacher, sew on apples. For a Gamecock fan, cut out a the USC emblem or "Cocky" and attach to the scarf. The scarf looks great by itself, though, so you don't have to do this step. 

Heating Pads

Things You Need: 

• Thick cotton material (around 20 inches x 12 inches) 
• 4-8 cups of rice (the amount depends on how thick you want the bag)
• scented oils (I like cinnamon or lavender) 
• Thread to match the material
• Mixing bowl
• Funnel 
• Card stock and ribbon to write and attach instructions for the user

Instructions: 

1. Fold the material in half with right sides touching each other. This should make a 10 x 6 square. 
2. Sew 2 and 1/2 edges closed. (There will already be one side that is closed, obviously, but the 1/2 will be on the last side. 
3. Turn inside out. 
4. In a mixing bowl, mix rice with 2-3 drops of scented oils. 
5. Put the funnel in the opening of the bag and pour the rice into the bag. Play around with how much you want. 
6. Fold the sides of the opening in and sew shut. A great way to do this is to carefully sew all around the edges of the bag. This makes it look decorative and reinforces the edges. 
7. On a card, type or write: "Heat in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes." You can add more if you want, but this is the only part that is necessary. 

So that's it. I tried to find pictures of what I've done in the past, but couldn't find them. If I do, I'll add later. 

Happy crafting, everyone! Remember the reason for this holiday is not about getting  things. It's about developing relationships with others and glorifying the Lord. It is not necessary to make it about presents. Passing on that type of thinking to my children is really a great joy! I hope you find joy this season! :)