Seven DIY gifts you can make in a weekend

Under Green News

Do-it-yourself gifts sometimes get a bad rap. Think about how many macaroni necklaces and Popsicle-stick frames you made for your parents as a child.

But DIY gifts can be the most thoughtful and personal of presents. They can also be quick and inexpensive. Sure, Popsicle sticks are cheap, but you may want to give something you can be proud of now that you’re all grown up.

Here are some of my favorite grown-up DIY gifts, and I promise no 5-year-old will be showing up with any of these on Christmas.

Photo: Photo illustration / George Marks / Hulton Archive/ Getty Images

DIY candles in as little as 15 minutes

Candles make a classic holiday gift, and they are easy to personalize with colors, decorations, and scents. It’s easy to make these glowing gifts. Take some cues from the slow-cooker queen Stephanie O’Dea who uses old candles and of course, a Crock-Pot, or try beekeeper and crafter Heather Mezzacappa method. She uses beeswax of course in her roll-up candles.

Time commitment: If you’re in a rush, the rolled-up beeswax candle is the way to go, setting you back less then 15 mins to make. The crock-pot candles must “cook” in the cooler for 2 hours and cool for another 4.

DIY soap in under 3 hours

Is there anything you can’t make in your slow cooker? In addition to tons of tasty edible recipes, Stephanie O’Dea’s slow-cooker recipe book, Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking, includes instructions for making glycerin soap.

You’ll need your slow cooker, glycerin blocks, stirrers, soap molds, and coloring. Here’s the full slow cooker glycerin soap recipe. Make a few extra bars to have on hand for emergency gifts.

Time commitment: The process will take you 2-3 hours from start to finish. Don’t forget to let the soaps cool before removing them from the mold.

DIY dinner, dessert, and more … in as little as 30 minutes

When you give a delicious food gift, you’re giving so much more than something to eat.

Frozen meals
Give a frozen meal to busy parents and give the gift of a family dinner during the hectic holiday season. Try lasagna, enchiladas, or TDG’s escarole and white bean soup. Consider doubling the recipe and freezing a dinner for yourself too!

Sauces and tapenades
Another option … Give peace of mind to the frazzled hostess: Offer to bring over sauces and tapenades to serve at the holidays. Last year, food blogger Laura Sampedro gave jars of homemade olive tapenade, garlicky white bean dip, and red pepper pesto as Christmas gifts.

She suggests putting a sticker on the bottom of each jar with a best-eaten-by date (two weeks in the case of these sauces and tapenades).

To-be-baked treats
Baking can be the perfect way to spend the holiday break with kids. Jar all the dry ingredients needed to make whole wheat oatmeal cookies or another favorite treat. Remember to pack all ingredients tightly into a jar and note what ingredients they’ll need to supply themselves such as eggs, milk, or vanilla.

Go one step further and make the cookie dough yourself, so all the receiver has to do is slice and bake. Try sugar or icebox cookies and include cookie cutters or sprinkles for added fun.

Time commitment: Dinner or the tapenades will take you an hour or so. The ingredients will take you a few mins to grab from your cupboard or purchase at the store, and the frozen dough will take you about 30 minutes.

DIY paper in an hour

When written on handmade paper, even the silliest of letters seem deep and meaningful. This year, make your own paper to give as stationery or to write heartfelt notes to your family and friends.

The bonus? That paper can be made out of your junk mail. Adina Levin walks you through the process in this video.

Time commitment: Once you get the hang of it, a few pieces of paper can be done in an hour. While you wait for your paper to dry, practice your penmanship for those heartfelt notes.

DIY book in under 3 hours

You can go a million different ways with bookbinding. For anything from a simple pamphlet to a bound journal, you’ll need a few basic materials: an awl, a pair of scissors, filler paper, a razor blade or craft knife, string, glue, and paper and/or cardstock for the book cover.

I found a few videos that will walk you through the process. A tip for unsteady hands: I have a hard time cutting even straight lines in all of my filler papers, so I try to use paper that can be ripped (thin watercolor paper, for example). A little unevenness is acceptable: I like the homemade feel it gives.

Once the book is made, you can get really creative. Try gluing wine labels on the book cover to create a tasting notebook for a vino-loving friend, or print out family recipes for a personal cookbook for your relatives.

Time commitment: You can easily make one book in less than an hour. If you decide to bind your book with glue, leave time for the glue to set.

This video shows bookbinding basics…

Get your glue on…

DIY knits in under 4 hours

Knitting and crocheting gifts is a DIY tradition. Even if you haven’t picked up a needle since elementary school, you can certainly master a potholder (which would go perfectly with a homemade dinner).

If you’re feeling like taking on a bit more of a challenge, try fingerless gloves. According to Do It Yourself contributor Sarah Goldschadt, these gloves are, “much easier than regular gloves as making all the fingers seems tricky.” And, they are perfect for the habitual texter, BlackBerry addict, and iPhone enthusiast in your life.

Goldschadt found a great pattern on Crochet Me, and whipped up a new winter look for herself (she’s modeling them at right) in a matter of hours.

Time commitment: The potholder will set you back an hour, and according to Goldschadt the gloves will take “around four hours for both (once you mastered the first one, the second one is a breeze!).”

DIY draft snake in as little as 1 hour

Give a simple gift that will help your friends and family stay warm and save money. When placed along the bottom of windows and doors, a draft snake can help cut the chill in the air and could save significant cash on home energy bills.

At its most basic, a draft snake is simply a piece of fabric sewn into a tube and filled with stuffing. But there is so much more personality you can put into this simple craft project. Try buttons, unique fabrics, or the classic snake “tongue.”

Time commitment: You’ll need time to source the right materials for your snake but only an hour or so to create him.