Big projects to start now in time for Christmas!

As knitters, crocheters, stitchers and sewers, there is nothing we love more than making handmade gifts for special occasions - but at Christmas, the volume of those gifts increases, so we need to plan and get started early. We've sorted out the Christmas projects that are going to take you the longest - the blankets and afghans, the cushions and pillows, tree skirts and Christmas jumpers, to give you a headstart on the making!

Yarns and materials

Making gifts is not always a cheaper alternative to buying presents, but we don't do it for the cost saving, we do it because we love it! To make your crafting cost effective, we've got a few handy hints and tips for you to follow that will help you balance out the cost of handmade gifts:

• Use your stash where you can! If you have a yarn/thread/fabric stash, it makes sense to use it if you can. We know that's not always possible when you're making a big project, but when you start smaller gifts, make the most of what you have.
• Buy smart! We always have money saving deals at LoveCrafts and value packs of your favourite yarns - take a look at color packs, discounted yarn and substitute yarns for more reasonable ranges.
• Choose your projects wisely! Will the recipient of your gift truly appreciate the time and trouble you are taking to make them a handmade treat? Is the cost of an afghan going to be wasted on someone who won't actually use it? That sounds like a harsh judgement, but sometimes we need to balance the cost of our making against whether or not it will be used and valued. If you want to make something for someone who perhaps might not love something as big as a afghan or pillow, perhaps make them a decoration for the tree and pair it up with some candy instead!

When you embark on an afghan for Christmas, you're investing a lot of time and money. Choose your yarn wisely - you may find that you can substitute something less expensive, or a range with a longer yardage - there are so many yarns to choose from, it makes sense to look.

To substitute a yarn, first consider the fiber - acrylics will be more reasonable and will wash and wear well, and choosing a yarn that blends wool and acrylic is a great choice for warmth. Choose a similar fiber to the one that your pattern recommends. Next, check the total yardage of the yarn - if a pattern calls for 10 balls of a yarn that contains 200m per ball, you need a total of 2000m of yarn, so whatever you choose as a substitute, make sure you buy 2000m of that substitute yarn. Don't forget to make the most of value packs!

Deck the halls with boughs of holly... and make a tree skirt for your tree! It's a fun project you can get out year after year, and match to your decor!

Pillows make gorgeous gifts! It's great fun to bring them out year after year to decorate your home, and create instantly Christmassy feeling!

With the weather beginning to turn, stitching at home, watching the rain patter down the windows is a very enticing thought! Here are some of our favorite stitching projects for the festive season.

Knitting or crocheting a Christmas or 'ugly' sweater is great fun, and a big undertaking, but we've got some great patterns for you to explore, and some great yarns to use.

If you're a quilter, there are plenty of projects - not least a gorgeous Christmas quilt to curl up with watching those gorgeous festive movies - so now is the time to dig into your fabric stash and find any scraps in there that might work with perhaps just an extra few fat quarters of festive fabric. You might want to make this a super simple first quilt, or maybe log cabin quilt? We've got lots of gorgeous Christmas fabrics to explore!