Our Holiday Gift Guide for Makers

Hi there, Amy here. On instagram we asked you what your absolute must-have sewing books, tools and fun extras for your sewing practice and boy oh boy, did you let us know!  We put together a lot of your suggestions as well as a few of our own favourite gifts for the sewist, or maker in your life. And if that person is you... please feel free to forward this Santa.

BOOKS!

There were so many great books that have come out this year! Here are some must-haves.

1. The Palmer/Pletsch Complete Guide to Fitting is a beautifully updated version of Fit For Real People and includes EVERYTHING you need to know about how to sew for your body.
2. Spark your embroidery mojo with a seasonal guide to motifs and designs with a Year of Embroidery.
3. Interested in sewing your own activewear? Ask for Melissa Fehr's Sew Your Own Activewear.
4. Breaking the Pattern is one of our favorite sewing book this year! Heather ordered it last week and we have all been drooling over the gorgeous designs.
5. Spend the winter creatively fixing all your rips and tears with Mending Matters.
6. Also filled with cute patterns is Tilly's latest book for knits, Stretch!
7. A beautiful memoir by a fascinating and influential fashion photographer (and basically the inventor of "street style") Bill Cunningham's Fashion Climbing.
8. My personal mentor/icon/STARLET Iris Apfel wrote a book, Accidental Icon and I cannot wait to read it over the holidays while wearing ALL my jewelry and stuffing my face.

TOOLS!

There are gifts for every budget in this lineup, from stocking stuffers to furniture. Here we go!

1. That Purple Thang. As Heather put it: "A weird tool that does a bunch of handy things." Ok!
2. I want these. They make binding or bias tape and I really don't love making those things.
3. Shine a light on whatever you're working on with this LED light.
4. Unicorn scissors. Need I say more?
5. I squealed a little when I saw this ironing board. Not only is it super practical and space saving but SO CUTE. And while definitely not a stocking stuffer, pretty reasonable for furniture!
6. If you want to get organized for 2019 all you need is the pegboard and this set of hooks/baskets etc! And yellow? Obviously.
7. These are definitely a splurge but I DARE YOU TO FIND PRETTIER PATTERN WEIGHTS.
8. They make all kinds of sizes but these are great for hand sewing, EPP, or any lace/applique work. I'm a sucker for pretty packaging.

BEGINNER ESSENTIALS

Maybe you are trying to get someone into sewing or maybe you yourself are that beginner! These are what we would consider true essentials to any sewing space, and we picked only the pretty things. A little package of these basics would be welcome under any tree!

1. This Singer Tape measure is a classic for a reason.
2. Trimming threads is a little more fun with these babies.
3. The ultimate magnetic pin cushion.
4. Professional tailor's chalk. Accept no substitutes!
5. The sharpest snips in the game.
6. Probably the tool that gets the biggest workout in our studio, a perfect ruler.
7. Mind those bobbins. In style.

ACCESSORIES!

None of these are exactly essentials; if you need it, is it even a gift?? Tell the world what you do in your free time with these little sewjo nuggets.

1. A lot of you suggested this maker! There were a lot of cute pins so go check out the whole shop!
2. While we obviously finish EVERYTHING we ever start over here, we can relate to the sentiment on this merit badge.
3. Now this is a club I want to join.
4. This is amazing and perfect for your sewing studio.
5. Our Maker & Sewist necklaces are the best gift ever, but we're a bit biased.
6. Live or die by the seam ripper.
7. Sippin' bevvies and humble bragging,  this mug checks all the boxes.

Are you ready to start shopping!? Without putting on pants? It's truly a magical time to be alive. Happy Holidays y'all!