Anyone thinking about the holidays already? I’m sure that all of us are wondering about how they will turn out this year, for sure it will be different...but let’s try to find ways to stay positive, it will get better! The season of giving gifts is around the corner and I’m sure there are many handmade gifts you’re going to make for others. But what about your own wish list? Many times your friends and family want to give you a gift related to sewing but it’s really complicated for them to know what you’d like to get. And that’s exactly why I’ve made a little gift guide including my favorite ideas! You could just pass on this post to the people who might need it ;).
As I know that there are people from all over the world who are reading this blog I’m not adding specific shop links (unless the product is available directly from a shop/brand!). You can just look up the product on Google and find a local/online store that fits your location. If possible, always try to spend your money in small businesses, they are the ones that need your support the most right now! As a small business owner myself I’m forever thankful for every customer who decides to shop my products :).
I actually have two other posts about gifts in the blog archives too, so you can see more ideas in this first post and this second post!
sewing tools for every maker
First up, some of the essentials I truly love! All of these ideas work well for any person who loves sewing regardless of their experience.
Fiskars scissors. This Finnish brand makes really nice quality scissors that you should definitely have in your sewing kit, they are so good! The universal size works for everything and there are many options design wise (I just saw these Moomin designs, and they are the cutest!). Scissor sharpener by Fiskars is a really cool tool too, I use it a lot!
Clover pins and chaco liner. The flower head pins by Clover are made for patchwork but you can of course use them for any sewing project. They are super sharp and look cute too! The chalk roller is my personal favorite marking tool. This fabric marker is refillable and works super well both on woven and knit fabrics.
Merchant & Mills notions. This brand has the prettiest sewing notions and a large variety you can choose from. The packaging is very nice too and they make a really pretty present
Olfa rotary cutters, quilt rulers and cutting mats. Olfa is my go to brand for all things related to rotary cutting. I love my ergonomic 45 mm blade rotary cutter and I use it for everything. The 15x60 cm quilting ruler is super useful not just for quilting but for measuring anything. I’ve used many different rulers but this one is by far the best one yet! And to cut with a rotary cutter you also need a cutting mat. Olfa mats are strong but they are not too thick and they heal super well so they will look new even after a lot of use. I use the one that measures 90x60 cm, this size works just fine but if you have more space you can of course get a bigger one!
Sewing lingerie
For lingerie lovers there’s this little list of things to give as a gift. Either you’ve never tried out sewing your own lingerie or if you’re already in the handmade lingerie making game, these ideas work really well!
Bramaking kits and patterns from Studio Costura Shop. I’m going to be a bit selfish now and list my shop first, haha, but I really think that a kit would be such a nice present. I’ve actually just made specific gift cards that you can get which means that the person who receives the gift card can choose their favorite kit from the shop and it will be shipped directly to their home. Choose between kits to make bras, bralettes and panties! Giving a sewing pattern as a gift is also a great idea and again you have an option to buy a gift card as a present.
Duck bill scissors are a nice tool for lingerie makers to have in their sewing kit. They work really well for trimming fabric underneath the elastic and they look super cute!
Gutermann Bulky Lock thread for the serger. This fluffy thread makes your serger seams really soft and you can use it for all of your projects and especially for lingerie. You need two cones for the anchors of the serger.
Some other nice things to have…
Labels by Kylie and the Machine have the coolest designs and the quality is really good, they are super soft! It’s the perfect detail for your handmade projects! See the list of shops that sell the labels here (we also have them in the academy if you’re in Madrid!).
Sewing pins by Crafty Pinup are so cute, let everyone know that you’re a proud maker :)
Wool batting is definitely something luxurious for people who like warmth! It can be used both for quilts and for jackets. (You can get it in Seoane Textil if you’re in Spain).
Prym snap fasteners give a cool touch to your handmade projects. You can get these in many different styles for a variety of projects.
Books
Books are always a good idea! Here are some of my favorites:
Vogue Sewing: a very detailed sewing reference book that suits well into any sewing library.
Patternmaking for Fashion Design: an in-depth reference book about drafting patterns, perfect for someone who wants to take a step forward (you can read my review of this book in this post).
Simple Geometric Quilting: a beautiful modern quilting book that is full of beautiful projects, perfect for someone who wants to learn the basics of quilting.
Punch Needle and Visible Mending: both of these books by talented Bookhou look really nice and her designs as always are super beautiful!
Modern Rug Hooking: Rose Pearlman is another artist whose designs are very beautiful and this book looks just amazing.
Classes
An opportunity to learn new skills is probably the best gift possible and there are many options to choose from. If you have a local sewing shop close by you could buy a course as a gift (if you’re here in Madrid we have gift cards available at the academy for all the sewing classes and lingerie courses). And even if you don’t have a local place to go to classes you can always choose an online class and learn wherever and whenever you want. Skillshare for example has a variety of courses in a large variety of topics.
I hope you’ve found this list inspiring...not only for these holidays but also for any occasion when you need a gift for someone who sews or for yourself :)
