Make It Monday Week 4: More Dishcloths, Lots of Sorting, Finished Gifts and More

How did you go last week?

The weather here has been doing its own thing — blazing hot one day, almost cold the next. I’m taking it day by day, and so far we haven’t had two hot days in a row, which makes it much easier to keep pottering along without feeling wiped out.

When I stopped and actually counted how many things I’d crossed off my handmade Christmas gift list, I was genuinely surprised. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like much progress — until you see it written down in black and white.
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Nine Crochet Dishcloths Done ✔️
This week I managed to crochet nine dishcloths — some as pairs, some as singles. I can already picture how they’ll be used as part of kitchen gift sets, bundled with towels or tucked into food hampers later in the year.
Dishcloths are one of those quiet achievers of handmade Christmas:

• quick to make
• practical (everyone uses them)
• perfect for stash-busting cotton yarn
• easy to mix and match into gift sets

They’re also a lovely “sitting project” — ideal for warm evenings when you don’t want anything too complicated on your lap.

Kitchen Towels Finished (and Gifts Crossed Off!)
Only two kitchen towels were finished this week, but I’m counting them as a big win.
One has a gorgeous chicken print, finished with a red trim that really makes it pop. The other has purple trim — and I’ll admit, purple isn’t my favourite colour — but it works beautifully here. It picks up the tiny hint of purple in the pattern and brings it right forward. I know exactly who this towel is for, and I know she’ll love it.

Another gift crossed off the list ✔️
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That feeling never gets old.
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Jam Jars Prepped (and a New Skill Tried)
I also spent time prepping jars for jam making and had a go at the etching process. I’m really pleased with how they turned out — simple, clean, and perfect for gifting.
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These jars will be ideal for:

• jams
• relishes
• pickles
• sauces

And because they’re already done, February’s food-making plans will feel much easier when the produce starts rolling in.
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Yarn Sorting: Long Overdue, Deeply Satisfying
One of the biggest (and most overdue) jobs this week was sorting the yarn boxes.
I sat on the floor, tipped out one box at a time, and made piles of like-with-like yarns. It didn’t take long to see:

• what I’m short on
• what I have plenty of
• and what I may never need to buy again 😉

​Everything is now neatly put away, boxes are labelled, and my work space feels calmer already. This kind of sorting isn’t glamorous, but it saves so much time and money later in the year.
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Wrapping as I Go (Future Me Will Be Very Happy)
One habit I’ve started this year — and I highly recommend it — is wrapping and labelling gifts as soon as they’re finished.
Come November, I know I’ll be:

• relieved it’s already done
• thrilled I used marked-down Boxing Day sale wrapping paper
• very proud of my handmade gift tags

It’s one less thing to think about when the year starts to speed up.

A Tiny Gift Budget Trick That Adds Up
Another small thing I’ve started doing is putting $5 a fortnight into the gift budget to cover postage costs in December.
That money will be used for:

• stamps for Christmas cards
• postage for parcels

It’s not much, but spread over the year it removes a sneaky December expense. If you post parcels or send Christmas cards, this is well worth planning for now.

Wrapping Up January (and Looking Ahead to February)
We’re almost at the end of January — the month where the focus was:

• starting (or revisiting) your gift list
• setting up your handmade Christmas plan
• getting things written down so they’re out of your head

Having everything written down helps you focus on what you’re making now, instead of worrying about what comes next.
If you haven’t written your list yet, or it’s still floating around in your head, this week is a great time to get it done. February is only days away, and I’ve earmarked it for all things produce:

• jam making
• relish making
• pickles
• sauces
• and turning them into beautiful gifts for the foodies in our lives

Slow, steady, and planned — that’s how we make handmade Christmas calm and stress-free.
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Come and share what you’ve been making, sorting, or planning this week in the Make It Monday Week 4 forum thread or in the comments below.

Whether you finished one small thing or tackled a big job, every step counts 💗