| If pennies are tight this year, you may be thinking | | | | gone into them. |
| about making your own Christmas gifts this year. | | | | Firstly, you need to think about who the cushion is |
| That is what I'm doing and these three gifts | | | | for. Think about interests of your friends and |
| make pleasant presents for most of your friends | | | | family. If you're a creative person, you could |
| and family. You can alter them depending on what | | | | consider sewing a simple images onto the cushion. |
| your particular friends and family are interested in | | | | If you're not so great with things like that then it's |
| making them delightfully personal to all. The two | | | | easier to make a cushion with a simple but nice |
| homemade gifts I will be making can be given to | | | | pattern on it. |
| women and men alike and are cheap to make. | | | | What You Will Need: |
| Christmas Jam- Strawberry and Cranberry | | | | Cushion filler- you can pick these up in places like |
| Sparkle (3 pints) | | | | Ikea where it's something extremely cheap like 1 |
| Christmas jam is one of my favourite presents | | | | or 2 pounds for a cushion. |
| to make- It's so simple but with a bit of | | | | Fabric- go to markets for fabric- there's often a |
| personalisation, you can create a lovely gift that | | | | large selection and it's great value. The cushion I |
| people know you have put a lot of effort into. | | | | am making only has three types of fabric. |
| Ingredients: | | | | Thread- match the colour to your design |
| 10oz of slightly thawed frozen strawberries | | | | Needle! |
| 3 cups of Cranberries | | | | Sewing machine- handy but not essential |
| 1 Orange, peeled and quartered (save the peel) | | | | How to Make- a heart design: |
| 1/2 tsp of cinnamon | | | | Get your cushion filler and measure it (or read the |
| 1/2 tsp of ground cloves | | | | label if it's from Ikea) |
| 4 cups of sugar | | | | Measure out the same size on your base fabric |
| 1/2 cup of water | | | | leaving a 1.5cm gap around the top edge and |
| 3oz of liquid fruit pectin | | | | extra 2cm at the sides. |
| 3 tsp of red edible glitter | | | | Turn the fabric onto it's dull side and sew the |
| Old jam jars | | | | sides together leaving the extra 2cm free at the |
| Festive ribbon | | | | end. Fold the cover inside out and you will see |
| How to Make: | | | | nothing but a neat line. |
| After washing your old jars, place them in the | | | | Measure out a design on your second fabric and |
| oven for twenty minutes to kill off all germs. This | | | | cut slightly larger so you can fold and sew the |
| will sterilize the jar and prevent the jam from | | | | edges neatly. For my cushion, I am using a simple |
| going moudly once sealed. | | | | heart design. |
| Mix together the cranberries and orange in a food | | | | Draw around your first shape onto some more |
| processor until chopped up nicely. Add the | | | | fabric with a 2cm border around the edge. This |
| strawberries, cinnamon, cloves and edible glitter | | | | will be placed behind your first shape in the middle |
| until it is all chopped finely. | | | | of the cushion. I think it's best to use fabrics in |
| In a thick based saucepan, add fruit to sugar and | | | | contrasting patterns as it creates an interesting |
| water and stir constantly over a low heat for two | | | | modern affect. Fold the edges of the second |
| or three minutes. Increase the heat to high and | | | | shape over and sew to make another neat line. |
| bring to the boil. Stir in the liquid pectin and bring | | | | Position the larger shape in the middle of the |
| to a rolling boil. | | | | cushion cover and sew onto in a contrasting |
| Take off the heat and remove any foam that | | | | thread colour. |
| has formed. Pour into the sterilized jars and wait | | | | Position the smaller heart into the middle of the |
| to cool. | | | | first one and sew. |
| As a final personal touch, I like to tie a festive | | | | Place the cushion inside the cover and use the |
| bow around the neck of the jam jar. You could | | | | remaining 2cm to fold towards the opening. Sew |
| even make a personal name tag. | | | | and you're finished! |
| Christmas Cushions | | | | These gifts are great for both women and men |
| Christmas cushions are great gifts. They are low | | | | and show personalisation. If you start now, you |
| cost and so much personalisation can go into | | | | can have everything ready for the big day next |
| them. Again, it's apparent how much effort has | | | | month! |