Thursday, December 19, 2013

Presents for people who sew

If you're like me and you still haven't finished your Christmas shopping, here are some ideas!

For some of these, it might be too late because they involve shipping, but I also tried to include some last minute ideas. Otherwise, you can always re-visit this post when a birthday or a special occasion is coming up.


 Online classes:
This is the most foolproof type of gift there is, in my opinion. Everybody wants to learn and get better, right?
My absolute favorites are Craftsy classes, of course. The offer is immense and the quality is great, so you're sure to find something for every skill level.
"Sewing Studio" and "Sew Ready: Garment Basics" are perfect for absolute beginners, while a more experienced seamstress might appreciate a class to improve the fit of her creations.

My personal choice, as a slightly more advanced seamstress, are two new "Patternmaking Basis" classes ("The Bodice Sloper" and "The Skirt Sloper"), because I really want to learn more about drafting. My birthday is coming up at the beginning of January... JUST SAYING.

Creativebug also offers sewing classes, but whereas with Craftsy you can see a class you purchased as many times as you want, with Creativebug you purchase a limited time subscriptions (3 months, 6 months, 1 year). You can learn more about gifting one here.

BurdaStyle Videos also offers online classes and works similarly to Creativebug. You can find more details on subscriptions here. I am extremely curious to try this new platform. Did you guys take a look at it already?

 Fabric:
Fabric also makes a great gift. I mean, can you ever too much beautiful fabric?
I always recommend to purchase fabric locally, because there's nothing like seeing the weight, the drape, the colors and the quality in person.

Then again, if you decide to shop online, you have plenty of choice!You can always browse eBay and Etsy for vintage fabric, which makes a unique gift.

One piece of advice I would give, though, is to shop from a destination close to you or to the person the present is intended for. You really don't want to spend a fortune on shipping nor wait a lifetime for what you purchased, right?

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For example, being in Italy, my personal choice (which will probably be my Christmas gift to myself) goes to the new Atelier Brunette fabrics, which I'll purchase via Supercut. These prints have my name written all over it!

 Patterns:
I'm a pattern addict and I'm always curious to try what's new on the market, but patterns can make a great gift for anyone.
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I would obviously recommend to go with indie designers, and if you're not sure what to get, you can always purchase a gift card. Deer and Doe, Bluegingerdoll, Christine Haynes and more have this option.

 Sewing accessories:
This option requires you to not only know well the person you're giving the gift to, but also to have an idea of their sewing equipment or lack thereof.
The choice nowadays is immense, but here are a few gadgets that I think most seamstresses would appreciate:
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- an expanding sewing gauge for buttonholes: this is perfect for all the people who hate buttonholes! I took advantage of the voucher I won with the Mae blouse sew along and purchased this for myself from A Fashionable Stitch. I can't wait for it to arrive!

- marking tools: for someone who uses Burda patterns (or other patterns that don't have an included seam allowance), some tracing paper and a Clover double tracing wheel make a great gift. I couldn't live without mine.

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- labels: I love these "Fait avec amour" sew-in labels from Gift for Crafters! It's one of those hidden details that add a special touch to handmade creations. Or you can go another way and personalize them with the name (or the logo) of person you're giving them to.


Now I'm curious: what sewing related gifts are you giving this Christmas? What would you like to receive?



4 comments:

  1. OMG those Atelier Brunette fabrics from Fifi Mandirac are adorable! I've added their shop to my list of spots to hit in the spring when I'm in Paris. Those I'm not sure I can wait that long, and as my birthday is in early January too, perhaps some of that fabric will be a gift to myself for turning another year older :)

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  2. Lovely suggestions! I've asked for the huge new Draping book. Should keep me quiet for a while!

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  3. That button hole tool is such a great idea! Thank you for sharing, and a very merry Christmas to you :)

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  4. Labels! I love labels. Great inspiration for gift-giving.

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