This week was mostly a planning week for me — and honestly, that’s one of my favourite parts of the Handmade Christmas Challenge.

I did give in to a little temptation during the Boxing Day sales and bought some beautiful fabrics at $4 a metre, marked down from $30. I was thrilled. That’s cheaper than op-shop sheets or doona covers, and the quality is gorgeous.

The big difference this year? Every piece had to have a purpose.

A few very pretty bolts were put back on the shelf because I simply couldn’t think of what I’d make with them. And you know what? That felt really good. Now the stack of fabric at home is fully allocated — no guilt, no “one day I’ll use that.” My goal this year is to mostly use what I already have, without buying anything else.

Over the weekend I cut out some canning mats, matching pot holders, and a few kitchen towel toppers. To mix things up a bit, I downloaded some free patterns and templates from AccuQuilt. If I decide they’re keepers, I’ll transfer them onto plastic so they last longer and are quicker to trace and cut in future.

I also downloaded a free pattern from Spotlight to make fabric Christmas ornaments. They’ll be perfect for using up scraps as I go through the year — because my plan is simple: no scraps left by December.

What Have I Been Making?
I’ve already started two bottles of vanilla extract. If you’re planning on making vanilla (or other flavoured extracts), start now. It may feel early, but they need time to mature. Most extracts need at least six weeks, but the longer they sit, the better they are. Starting now doesn’t cost a cent extra — and it’s another gift crossed off the list early.

During the Boxing Day sales I also picked up five iron-on transfers marked down to $2 each (from $7.99). This year, I’ve set myself two rules for anything new that comes into the house:
• Have a plan for it
• Use it immediately, so it doesn’t disappear into the “I’ll do that later” pile
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So on Sunday afternoon, I washed and ironed five little cotton bags I’d picked up for $1 each on clearance, and spent half an hour ironing the transfers onto them. I love how they turned out. They’ll be part of my gift wrap this Christmas — practical, reusable, and pretty.

​I also restocked my work basket with tea towels and yarn so I can easily pick up some knitting or crocheting while I relax. On top of the pile are the Christmas tea towels Hannah picked up, and I’ve been quietly working on those whenever I have a few spare minutes.

Made pineapple, corn & black bean salsa for fajitas on Wednesday and it was so delicious. My recipe makes a huge 3 litre bowl full, so there was plenty leftover (and it is even better the next day) for lunch on Thursday when it was so hot. I opened a packet of corn chips, spooned salsa into little rice bowls and let everyone help themselves. It was nice to have something chilled on such a hot day (at lunchtime it was 36C).

I had a good laugh when Sareena said there was no way she was starting this early. But I love getting things done ahead of time. Starting early means I can take my time, enjoy the process, and avoid that frantic rush at the end of the year.

Slow, steady, and handmade — that’s exactly how I want this Christmas to feel.

What have you been making this week?

A handmade Christmas doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because of one simple thing: a plan.

If you’ve ever reached December full of good intentions—half-finished projects, fabric pulled out, recipes bookmarked—you already know this to be true. Without a plan, time slips away, enthusiasm fades, and suddenly it’s Christmas Eve and the shops are calling your name.
Handmade Christmas 2026 is about changing that story.

By starting in January, you give yourself the greatest gift of all: time. Time to make things slowly and enjoyably. Time to use what you already have. Time to spread the work across the year instead of cramming it into the final frantic weeks before Christmas.

And most importantly, time to finish.

A plan turns a handmade Christmas from a hopeful idea into a calm, achievable reality. It answers the questions that cause stress later on:
Who am I making for?
What am I making?
What supplies do I need?
When does it need to be finished?

Once those decisions are made on paper, everything else becomes easier.

The Handmade Christmas plan isn’t about crafting every spare moment or filling your house with half-made projects. It’s about intentional making. Choosing gifts that are useful or consumable. Gifts that will be enjoyed, appreciated, and then—when they’re used up—won’t clutter cupboards or need dusting or storing.

Think pantry gifts that disappear happily. Kitchen textiles that get used every week. Small handmade items that quietly become part of someone’s everyday life.

The plan also lets you work with the year, not against it. Bigger, more complex projects are started early when motivation is high and time is plentiful. Simpler, quicker projects are saved for later months. Edible gifts with long shelf lives are made first; fresh items are left closer to Christmas. Nothing is rushed. Nothing is last-minute.

Another powerful part of planning is visibility. When your gift list is written down—who it’s for, when it’s needed, when it will be wrapped—you can see progress as it happens. Each finished gift gets wrapped, labelled, and put aside. Each crossed-off item builds momentum and confidence.

And yes, the plan makes it easier to stick to a budget. Listing supplies for each gift quickly shows what you already have and what you genuinely need. It keeps spending intentional and prevents those “quick craft shop trips” that quietly blow the budget.

Handmade Christmas 2026 isn’t about perfection. It’s about purpose. About choosing to give thoughtfully, make calmly, and enjoy the process just as much as the result.

If you’ve ever wanted a handmade Christmas—but thought you didn’t have the time—this is your reminder: you do. You just need a plan.

Start now. One list. One decision. One gift at a time.

By the time December arrives, you won’t be rushing. You’ll be ready—and enjoying Christmas exactly the way it was meant to be.

Welcome to Make It Monday 2026 — your weekly place to pause, create, and share what you’re making as you work your way through a calm, organised, Handmade Christmas.
Make It Monday is all about getting ahead gently. It’s not about perfection, pressure, or producing a mountain of gifts overnight. It’s about choosing to start early, planning thoughtfully, and enjoying the process of making meaningful presents for the people on your list.

Every Monday throughout 2026, Make It Monday is your invitation to:

• Share what you’ve been making (or planning to make) for Christmas
• Celebrate small wins — one gift, one step, one idea at a time
• Get inspired by what others in the community are creating
• Stay motivated without the end-of-year rush

Whether you’re sewing, knitting, crocheting, baking, preserving, crafting, painting, woodworking, or creating in any other way, Make It Monday is for you. Handmade Christmas looks different in every home — and that’s exactly what makes this space so special.

Starting early means choices. It means time to change your mind, try new ideas, use what you already have, and spread the cost and effort across the year. Instead of scrambling in November, you can enjoy December knowing your gifts are ready — wrapped in love, intention, and time.

Make It Monday is also about planning with purpose. Making gifts for everyone on your list doesn’t have to be overwhelming when you break it down into small, manageable steps. One project this week. Another next month. Before you know it, Christmas is sorted — calmly and creatively.

So each Monday, pop in and tell us:

• What are you making this week?
• What have you finished?
• What’s on your Handmade Christmas list?

Big projects, small projects, half-finished ideas, and quiet planning weeks are all welcome here.

Let’s make 2026 the year we enjoy a Handmade Christmas — without the rush, without the stress, and with plenty of joy along the way. 

Who doesn’t love receiving a handmade gift, made especially for them?

And honestly—who doesn’t love giving one?

I adore homemade gifts, especially those that are useful or consumable. They’re enjoyed while they last, and when they’ve been eaten, drunk, or used up—there’s nothing left to clutter cupboards, nothing to dust or store, nothing to feel guilty about later. Truly the perfect gift.

So… have you taken up the challenge to have a handmade Christmas?

​A little history (and why this works)
The very first Cheapskates Club Handmade Christmas Challenge kicked off back in July 2013, and it was a huge success. Gifts were lovingly made, thoughtfully given, and Christmas that year felt calmer, more meaningful, and far less expensive.

Two years ago, I decided to go all in with a completely handmade Christmas. Not only was it a success—it was a whole year of enjoyable crafting. Best of all? Everything came from my stash, so it cost nothing. (You can read more about that experience here → URL placeholder.)

With Christmas only 12 short months away, now is exactly the right time to begin again.

If you’re going to make the gifts you give this year, you must start now. Those months fly by. Blink, and suddenly it’s December. Blink again, and it’s Christmas Eve—and you’re standing in the shops, desperately searching for anything to put under the tree.

If you want to be finished by 1 December 2026, relaxed and smugly organised, then January is where it starts.

Handmade Christmas 2026 is officially starting! 🎄
After the success of the last first two Handmade Christmas challenges (2023 and 2024), I was asked to keep it going—and of course, we are.

Yes, we. Because together we can have a beautiful, meaningful, handmade Christmas in 2026. Starting early ensures:
• gifts get finished
• budgets stay intact
• stash gets used up
• stress stays low
But none of that happens without a plan.

Without a plan, we’re just crafting and hoping things magically turn into Christmas gifts. Hope is not a strategy. A plan is.

Tools & Resources (save these!)
• 2026 Handmade Christmas Chat
• Christmas Gifts You Can Make
• ​Fantastic Edible Christmas Gifts
• ​Gorgeous Gift Hamper Ideas
• Handmade Christmas Gift Planner
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The Handmade Gift Plan (so far!)
This is my working list—chosen carefully so everything can be made using supplies I already have. Remember, 2026 is also a Use It Up year.

Sewn, stitched & practical gifts
Aprons • Bag Clips • Button Jars • Edith Bags • Bowl Cosies • Canning Mats • Gloverlies • Daisy Dishcloths • Handy Kitchen Towels • Calico Towel Toppers • Needle Cases • Packet Tissue Covers • Playing Card Holders • Pot Holders • Scrunchie Bags • Shoulder Protectors • Bible Bag • Prayer Journal • Tea Cup Pin Cushions • Napkin Holders • Cutlery Rolls • Tea Cosies • Cross-stitched Hand Towels • Food Covers (6 sets) • Etched Jam Jars • Etched Glass Sets • Lingerie Bags • Shoe Bags • Shoulder Covers • Covered Coat Hangers • Knitted Dishcloths • Scosies • Food Covers • Playing Card Holders• Seed Boxes • Duchess Sets • Scrunchie Bags • Pan Protectors • Bunting

Paper, craft & personal
Personalised stationery sets • Card Packs • Monogrammed Travel Cups • Memory Books • Christmas Albums• Bunting

Bath & body
Soaps & Soap Sacks • Shower Pouffs • Embellished handtowels • Sets of Face Scrubbies • Trimmed Face Washers

Edible & consumable gifts
Vanilla Extract • Prepared Mustard • Tomato Relish
Herb Vinegar • Strawberry Vinegar • Flavoured Coffee Beans
Orange Marmalade • Raspberry Jam • Ginger Beer Syrup • Choc Orange Slices • Chocolate spoons • Chocolate Coffee Beans • Iced Coffee Syrup • Zucchini Pickles • Mini Fruit Cakes • Shortbread • Spice sets

The Printable Planner (your secret weapon)
I’ve created a printable planner based on what’s worked beautifully for me over the last three years—and I’m happy to share it. I've already filled mine out and stuck it in my gift book.
• Prints on A4, landscape because it gives me more room to write - the more information the better when it comes to gift giving.  ​
• Space for who, what, supplies, budget, event, due date
• Big enough to write everything (because details matter!)