Gifts made with Felt

I just answered someone's question on Yahoo Answers about what could be made with felt for Christmas gifts. I thought I'd share the answer with you. I'll put other craft gift ideas up as we get closer to the holidays as well.

You can make lots of things from colored felt squares. The easiest and lightest would be a Christmas ornament. We have an ornament on our tree my son made out of felt. It's a yellow mitten with a white cuff and a sticker on it. Snowflakes out of white felt can be fun.

One of the best things we made was a stocking shape out of red felt. Then we filled it with about a pound of rice. The stocking can be put in the microwave for 1 minute. It makes a great hand warmer. My kids take them on the bus on cold school mornings. They can also be put in the freezer (I put them in a sandwich bag first) and used for bumps and bruises like an ice pack that doesn't melt and won't hurt skin like ice can.

You could make a felt board if you're giving gifts to a young-ish child or an adult who teaches young children or Sunday School. Just send 1 piece of felt left whole (you can attach it to a piece of chip board (cardboard like from a cereal box) and have your kids color and cut out characters and props made from felt or made from paper with a circle of felt on the back.

Puppets, small purses, and broach type pins can be easily made from felt depending on who the gift is for. Hair clips and headbands can be augmented with felt. Sachets of stronger scents or cedar can be made. Drink coasters can be made and glued on a piece of chip board or paper to give them stability. They won't be the best coasters, but it can be done. Napkin rings can be made if you put a piece of chip board or something inside a felt sleeve and sew it shut.

You could make covers for 3 ring binders. You don't have to give them the binders, you just need one to measure with. Just put a pocket in each side to slip over the cover.

Those are all ideas that can be done with felt and paper, chip board, rice, thread, needles, glue, pins, hair clips, or headbands (all pretty cheap items you may even have laying around the house). There are many other things you could make with other supplies, but not knowing your budget or what you have at home, I'd rather not make an exhaustive list of every possibility. There are many websites offering ideas of crafts to make with felt. Look around, I'm sure you'll get some good ideas.