Simple Handmade Gifts for Father's Day
From photo albums to desk sets, we've got just the right Father's Day gift for Dad.
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Instead of giving Dad one tie, give him six different ones stitched together as a pillow. Remove the ties' interfacing, and trim each tie to 20 inches in length. Trim the width of the ties (the final product will be 19-inches across), leaving a 1/2-inch seam allowance on both sides.
Sew the ties together to create a 19-inch pillow top. (We alternated the narrow and wide ends of the ties to create a square.) Cut a 19-inch square from wool or felt for the back. With right sides facing, sew the tie square and back together with a 1/2-inch seam allowance, leaving a 6-inch opening. Turn right side out. Insert pillow form and whip stitch the opening closed.
Give Dad a place of his own to store his beloved belongings. Shoeboxes or other lidded varieties will work for these fabric-covered boxes. Clip the fabric to fit in the corners and glue. Wrap the lid, too.
Head outdoors to get the materials for this easy and natural crafts project. Pick up twigs, pine cones, and seedpods. Cut the twigs to cover the width of an unfinished frame and attach with hot glue, as shown. Fill the frame with Dad's favorite picture.
To create this simple no-sew gift you need fusible webbing, fabric, and a plain apron. Trace letters of the phrase of your choice in reverse on the paper side of fusible webbing. Iron the letters onto fabric and cut out. Remove the paper backing on the letters, iron them to the apron, and give to Dad!
For the bookworm, a handmade fabric bookmark marks the spot. Cut two pieces of fabric and one piece of fusible webbing. Iron fabric to webbing, remove paper, and repeat process with second fabric cutout. Trim edges and corners with pinking shears.
This reading light is a real catch for the fisherman. Select a colorful variety of fishing bobbers and sinkers from your local sporting goods store. Using heavyweight thread, sew them to a paper lampshade.
Surprise Dad with a homemade breakfast in bed this Father's Day. This fresh and flavorful dish is easy to make and everyone can pitch in. Serve it with Dad's favorite juice and a sweet, handmade card.
Jazz up Dad's favorite boxer shorts by monogramming them. Purchase iron-on letter patches at fabrics stores. Place the letters D-A-D on the lower corner of the shorts and iron.
Show Dad how much you appreciate him with this sweet, handmade card. To create the pattern, stamp stars on scraps of cardstock, punch out circles around the stars, and attach to a tie-shape cutout with colorful brads.
Give Dad a home for his drinks and snacks by making these simple coasters. Select contrasting patterns and colors of felt and cotton. Cut 4-1/2 inch circles from both kinds of fabric. Place a cotton round on top of a piece of felt. Sew a running stitch with embroidery thread about 1/2-inch from the edge of the coaster.
Give Dad a central location for corralling his essentials, such as his phone, MP3 player, wallet, and keys. Decoupage patterned paper to the sides and inside bottoms of two papier-mache boxes and lids. Embellish with nameplates. Type labels to fit inside the nameplates (or use letter stickers) and attach to boxes.Glue the boxes and lids together, as shown, using crafts glue.
Capture a special moment in time with a photo clock. Remove the numbers and hands from a clock face, size and print a photo, attach it with double-stick tape, and replace the hands. Or mount the photo on a flat surface, drill a hole in the center, and attach a clock kit (available at crafts stores).
Surprise Dad with a twist on the classic Father's Day gift: the necktie. Adhere three monogrammed ties to a photo album covered with soft wool for a new take on the tired necktie gift.
Personalize a valet or memento box for Dad. Start with a wooden box with a photo-frame lid. Cut a metal sheet to fit inside the frame and attach it with crafts glue made for metal. Following the directions that came with the box, insert the decorative scrapbook paper (which has been trimmed to fit) into the frame opening. Arrange magnetic letters in a monogram on the lid.
Add color to Dad's desk with an embellished picture frame. Grab paint chips in coordinating colors from your local hardware store. Cut off any text or white borders from the samples, leaving only the colored parts. Use a picture frame that comes with a photo mat, and arrange the paint samples to fit on the mat. Adhere the paint chips to the mat using crafts glue. Choose your photo, place it behind the mat, and insert into the frame.
Monogram a photo album just for Dad and fill it with his favorite memories. Open a photo album and measure across the front and back covers, adding 6 inches (for the cover flaps) to this measurement. Measure the height of the album and add an inch to the measurement (for seam allowances). Cut a piece of felt based on these measurements. Sew around the edges, folding over 3 inches on the short sides for front and back flaps. Trim the edges all around with pinking shears.
Use a stencil to cut a monogram from felt, and stitch it to the front cover. Slip the felt cover over the album and fill the pages with Dad's best moments.
Make an ordinary photo album extra special with the power of ribbon. Use a box of coordinating scrapbooking ribbon to embellish a plain album. Have the kids determine where to place it on the album. Use glue or tape to adhere the ends to the inner covers of the album.
This memo board matches the desk accessories (previous slide) and also is a one-stop station to post notes, hang keys, and display pictures of Dad's favorite kids.
Monogram a plain pillowcase for a gift of custom comfort. Machine-embroider a monogram on the pillowcase, or use iron-on letters. Machine-stitch ribbon along the hemmed edge of the pillowcase for added embellishment.
If your Dad prefers paper maps to a GPS, this is the gift for him. This slim fabric folder is designed to corral maps in an organized fashion, making it perfect for summer road trips.
Hit a homerun with Dad this Father's Day with a baseball-theme pillow. The easy-to-applique design can be finished in just a few hours (or less than 9 innings.)
Get Dad ready for tailgating with a cozy patchwork blanket. Squares of flannel are stitched together and sewn to a piece of fleece for an easy-to-make blanket.
This Father's Day, bundle tickets to a game, show, or concert in a themed package. These baseball game tickets are wrapped in a hot dog tray filled with peanuts.
Help Dad keep his desk supplies neat with this eco-friendly organizer made from recycled chip canisters. Wrap clean, empty canisters with adhesive shelf paper. Apply a strip of contact cement or silicone-type adhesive down one side of a container, and adhere it horizontally to another. Continue stacking and joining the containers until the desired size is achieved.
Make Dad the star of the season with more creative crafts.
