Shawl Every Day 2021 - Day 23 - Holiday Gift Guide: Sewists and Quilters
Sewists and quilters have no lack of notions and goodies that they use and need.
I would generally avoid purchasing fabric for them because they likely already have plenty or might be particular about what they buy, but if there’s a particular bundle or specialty fabric you think they might like, go ahead.
Cowl pattern is a simple farmer’s rib/seeded rib stitch in the round. Cast on 160 stitches with DK weight and work 60 rows of:
Row 1: (k3, p1) around
Row 2: p1, (k1, p3) until 3 stitches are left, k1, p2.
The colors represent my and my sisters’ birthstone colors and I made coordinating cowls for each of them where their birthstone color is in the middle. Inspired by the Family Tree Cowl by Dana Rae Makes.
Consumables
People who sew go through a lot of supplies. While they’re not glamorous gifts, these items will always be appreciated.
Rotary Cutter Blades - Quilters especially go through rotary cutter blades pretty frequently and we often forget to change them as often as we should. 45mm is the most common size and any brand will be fine.
Sewing Machine Needles - There are a bunch of different sizes out there, but “Universal” would be a safe bet. Other common needles are ball point/stretch for knit fabrics and heavy duty/jeans for thicker fabrics. Splurging on professional grade chrome needles or super thin Microtex needles would be a nice upgrade that a sewist may not think to purchase for themselves.
Tape Measures - The pull-out soft tape measures warp and stretch over time. Accuracy is key, so keeping new ones on hand is useful
Wonder Clips - No matter how many we have, we always need more
Tool Upgrades
There are a lot of tools that sewists use on a regular basis that are just “okay.” An upgrade to some commonly used tools makes using the tool much more enjoyable and luxurious. Plus I think of the person every time I use the tool!
Seam Ripper - I upgraded to this seam ripper in the last year and it was sooo worth it. It feels great in your hand and stores so much nicer than the lame plastic ones.
Iris Super Fine Pins - Sewists and quilters use a lot of pins, but these super fine pins are worth the upgrade. They don’t leave big holes in fabric and they don’t bend easily. Plus the container is fun to use. :)
Magnetic Pin Tray - Everyone knows about pin cushions, but the real champ is a magnetic pin holder. You can get a basic one at Harbor Freight, but there are lots of beautiful ones on Etsy.
Pattern Weights - A lot of sewists start out with washers from the hardware store, but a wonderful gift would be something beautiful that will bring joy when used.
Fun Notions
There are tons of fun notions that a sewist or quilter might not consider buying for themselves, but would be a great addition to their kit.
Hera Marker - This tool doesn’t mark in the traditional ink sort of way - it forms a crease in your fabric that is easily ironed out if you need to adjust it. Makes a great stocking stuffer!
Serger Seam Hooks - These thin hooks make it super easy to finish off your seams on a serger. This gift is great for people who sew a lot of garments.
Magnetic Seam Guide - Accurate seams are the key to quilting and garment sewing and this tool makes it so much easier.
Machine Quilting Gloves - This gloves will give your quilter extra grip while quilting. This is a definite upgrade.
