Every year Sheila from Sewchet organises a Stitching Secret Santa, there’s a sewing one and a knitting/crochet one, I did the sewing one last year and it was great fun, both putting together a nice little stitching present, and also on Christmas Day when you have one to open!
This year I’m way behind on Christmas, like I’ve only just bought my Christmas cards!! I’m usually really organised but in the autumn we had a pretty stressful time as my mum became increasingly frail and forgetful, needing lots of support and help. She’s now made the brave decision that she needs to go into a residential home, but of course all the good ones are full, so we’ve got extra help whilst we wait for a place…but I’m still way behind with Christmas and if I’m honest, not really into the Christmas mood yet, which isn’t me as I usually love Christmas.
Having got Grassington out of the way, I decided I needed to start putting together my Secret Santa present, my recipient and I follow each other, so hopefully I’ve picked things she likes…
I made a covered sketchbook, I like making these and I find notebooks so useful in my sewing room. I used a double ribbon with some beads threaded on as a fastener.
She does a lot of dressmaking, so I wrapped a pretty length of cotton fabric which is hopefully enough to make a summer top, together with a fat quarter with bees on, just because it’s pretty! I added a double pincushion, as a sewer can never have too many pincushions…
I then sorted lots of little presents…
On Otley market there’s a great stall that just sells buttons, I always fall for the little sewing machine buttons and the ‘handmade’ ones. I added a bird charm from my stash and a little pot of beads. Lengths of ribbon and lace nicely tucked under the ribbon holding the fabric neat. I love flower pins, I use them all the time with dressmaking, they’re longer, finer and if you drop them they are easy to spot!!
A Christmas heart I made for Grassington was the final touch 🙂
After wrapping up all these goodies I felt much more Christmassy…just got to go and get the tree now and make my Christmas cake 🙂
thecraftycreek 
Your secret santa lady is going to be so happy with her lovely gifts. It’s hard when your Mum decides she wants to move into a home. Mum had already been in her local one for some respite care and just wanted to go back to the same one, and we were lucky that a place became avaiable soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Cathy, Mum’s on the waiting list for 2 and is visiting one for the day 3 times a week, she enjoys it whilst she’s there, just finds it a long day!
LikeLike
Wow! What a lucky recipient. I sorted out my secret present yesterday (yarny version), but it will have to wait a little while to be posted as I’m not risking the slushy and icy driving conditions to go to the post office this morning.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thankyou, I’ll hopefully get it in the post on Wednesday 🙂
LikeLike
What a lucky recipient! You’ve done a wonderful job of putting this all together.
Good luck with your Mum. It must be a terribly stressful time, but hopefully you can all enjoy Christmas together.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Catherine, she’s coming to me on Christmas Day 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such a well thought out parcel of goodies, you’ve obviously gone to a lot of trouble to tailor it to your partner. Sorry that mum has to go to a home, but at least it was her decision. Hope a place becomes available in the near future so you can all get used to the new ‘normal’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, hopefully they will like their present! Mum did make it much easier for us by making the decision herself.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My word, you really have got into the spirit of Christmas. And everywhere I’m reading on blogs in Europe that there’s snow and ice. Bet you don’t know whether to hope it’ll last till Christmas, or hope it’ll melt so getting around is safer…
LikeLiked by 1 person
We seemto have missed the worst of the snow, but having slipped on black ice last week and ached for 4 days, I’m hoping it warms up a bit soon!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a lovely gift! The recipient will love it, I’m sure!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Kate, I hope so!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lovely gift, Margaret, I’m sure you secret Santa will enjoy it. I have decorated the house but it doesn’t feel very Christmassy yet, maybe because the weather has been so warm…low 60’s again this weekend!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Kathy, I would find it strange having Christmas in a warm place, at some point I’ll be going to Australia for Christmas, and that will be really weird 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree. DH and I were in the Caribbean once for Christmas and it was just weird!
LikeLike
Lovely handmade and hand selected gifts! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, I enjoyed putting it together
LikeLiked by 1 person
a lovely bundle of crafting goodies ^^
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Claire, I hope she’ll like it
LikeLike
That time of waiting, once the decision is made to move into an assisted living situation, is very difficult. We just went through it earlier this year–my mom was ready, eager even, to move . . . and we had to wait and wait. I hope your wait isn’t tooooooo long! It’s good you had this fun project to distract you for a bit–your recipient will be thrilled!
LikeLike
Pingback: Christmas Eve Eve | thecraftycreek
Such a lovely gift, very thoughtfully put together! I’m new to all of this and quite clumsy so am going to look out for some of those flower head pins!
LikeLike