Sustainable Christmas - wrapping

This year I wanted to avoid buying wrapping paper. Most stuff is terrible quality this time of year, anyway. It's hard to keep it from tearing, getting covered in sticky tape, and all wrinkled.

Small things I just wrapped in brown paper and jute string with a little bit of red ribbon.

However for larger family gifts I've got another tactic - fabric wrapping.

I found some really pretty Christmas tea towels at Spotlight. Now, this is wapping you can re-use an unlimited number of times - immediately!

Make mittens from leftover felted wool

I blogged earlier about how to felt wool jumpers to make pull up nappy covers.
You'll probably have lots of little bits left over, but never throw out! You can make heaps of other stuff with this lovely felt.
I know it's getting hot now, but don't you have friends in the Northern hemisphere whose children you're dying to make something for at Christmas? You can make really cute little mittens, so easily. As long as you can do blanket stitch (see here)


First, cut around the shape of a child's hand (or an adult's, if you have big enough pieces of felt). Sew them on the right sides with blanket stitch and they'll look really cute. I made two pairs in about half an hour. I'm planning to make some larger ones, using the jumper's wrist bands as the mittens' wrists.