Gifts for Crafty People

If you’re someone who loves to craft, you know the feeling of receiving the same old gifts every year. With Valentine’s Day coming up, I thought it would be helpful to compile a list of ideas to use for gifts for crafty people. After all, they deserve something that reflects their passion and interests, don’t they? Here are some great gift ideas for those who love to crochet, knit, sew, and engage in other crafts. First, let’s take a brief look at where to shop.

What kind of gifts do creative people like? And where to find them.

Anything handmade makes a great gifts. However, it’s important to avoid giving someone the same gift that they make themselves. For instance, if you see someone who crochets blankets all day, don’t assume that they would love to receive a crocheted blanket as a gift. They might prefer getting the yarn instead, so that they can make it themselves and add their own personal touch to it. Instead, try getting them something unique like handmade candles, artisan soap, or something from the woodworking stall. These are the gifts that will be truly appreciated by those who understand the love and commitment that goes into every handmade item. If you’re wondering where to find nice handmade gifts that crafters will appreciate, the best place to start is the local farmers market. When that isn’t an option, there are plenty of websites like Etsy that offer handmade goods.

However, many crafters feel most seen and heard when they get a gift they can directly use themselves in their own craft. It can be tough to decide what to get for someone who is passionate about a specific craft. You want to show them that you care about their interests, but might not know much about the craft yourself. Luckily, there are some safe gift options that can convey that message effectively. These gifts show that you’ve taken the time to consider their hobby, passion or special interest.

Pocket Money Gifts for Crafty People

If you’re on the hunt for affordable gifts on a modest budget, try buttons. Buttons come in all shapes, sizes, and materials, and they can add a unique touch to almost any handmade item. While plastic or acrylic buttons may not be the best quality, and damaging to the environment, there are lots of other options. You can find beautiful ones made from wood, metal, fabric, or other natural materials. These can be found in local craft stores or specialty button shops, or even find personalized handmade buttons from online marketplaces.

In addition to buttons, stitch markers are another great gift idea to consider. When purchasing stitch markers, it’s crucial to determine which type will suit the needs of a knitter or crocheter. Don’t hesitate to ask the seller for assistance in selecting the right kind. Some only work on knitting needles, others are best for crochet. These markers come in various sizes and styles, from practical and straightforward ones in bulk to small, ornamental pieces that resemble jewlery.

Fat quarters make for a wonderful gift. Best for those who like sewing or quilting, but most knitters and crocheters will find a use for a set of pretty fabric squares. Essentially, fat quarters are small squares of fabric, measuring 1/4 of a meter or 25 centimeters squared. They’re perfect for creating bag linings or decorations, and can be used to make a variety of beautiful items. Your craft-loving recipient will surely appreciate a lovely set of fat quarters as a thoughtful and charming present.

My personal wishlist from pocket money gifts for crafters:

Something I want: pretty buttons

Something I need: stitch markers

Something to read: Nothing in this price range, sadly

Crafty Gifts that show you care

Hooks and Needles

There are plenty of great gifts for crafters in the main price range bracket. This includes yarn, needles, crochet hooks, stitch gauges, and more. Keep in mind that crafters can have personal preferences, so it’s important to ask the intended recipient before choosing a gift. I love my Tulip Etimo crochet hooks, and my Chicagoo red lace circular knitting needles most, but someone else might like a very different feel or material. So this isn’t a gift to get in secret. Tell your crafty friend, and get them to help pick out the right ones.

Yarn! The super squishy stuff at the centre of what we do!

As a crafter, few things bring as much joy as a bundle of soft, colorful yarn. However, just like with hooks and needles, it’s important to choose the right type of yarn for the recipient. For example, a dedicated wool user may not appreciate a gift of acrylic, while a vegan crafter may not be able to use wool. You can find out more about the types of yarn, and what they are made from here. To ensure a successful gift, ask about their preferred colours and fibers and choose accordingly. And don’t worry, even if you stick to their general preferences, any crafter would be thrilled to receive a squishy package of yarnie goodness. So this one you can surprise them with, as long as you have asked a few general questions in advance.

Pretty Baskets

Safer still is a nice basket. There’s almost no chance that you can go wrong and buy the ‘wrong fibre type’ here. Every crafter needs with baskets and boxes to store their crafting materials. With a variety of shapes and sizes available, you can easily find a pretty wicker basket or any type of container that suits their needs. Storage solutions are always a winner, whether it’s for yarn, fabric, or other supplies.

Magazine Subscriptions

Magazines bring a well-curated, quality-assured, beautiful selection of patterns for knitting or crochet to the crafter’s door. It might be one of the best gifts you could ever get within the price range. For the knitter, you could look at something like Laine, or for the crocheter there is Moorit. There are all kinds of ones on the shelves of supermarkets that you can also get subscriptions to that come out monthly rather than quarterly, such as Simply Crochet, Crochet Now and Knit Now. (Watch out for a beautiful Childs pullover pattern coming out in an issue of Knit Now very soon. Designed by me!)

These magazines have all kinds of advantages. The patterns in them have all been tech-edited and tested. They’re not going to be as flawed as many of the ones that you simply find by poking around the Internet, so they’ll be good patterns. Each issue will always be full of lots of inspiration so that they can be a well-thought-out gift.

Books

Crafting books are great resources for anyone who loves to create. However, not all books are created equal. While some are just collections of patterns, others offer so much more. An exceptional crafting book not only provides patterns but also valuable discussions, techniques, and stories. Fortunately, there are plenty of these types of books available, and Amazon is a great place to start your search. Additionally, your local craft shop or bookstore should have a wide variety of crafting books that will surely delight any crafter.

My personal wishlist:

Something I want: Yarn, yarn yarn, (must be pure wool!) yarn!

Something I need: Baskets and storage

Something to Read: Vogue Knitting, The Ultimate Knitting Book (Its been on my wish list for a while)

Wow factor gifts for crafty people

Have a bit more to spend? that’s great news! If you’re looking for gift ideas for a crafter with a larger budget, consider investing in machines. Crafters will appreciate the opportunity to explore new crafts outside of their usual ones. There are various types of machines to choose from, including knitting and sewing machines. Basic sewing machines, digital sewing machines, overlockers and long arm quilting machines will all stir the heart of any crafter.

Additionally, specialized crafting equipment like spinning wheels, carding drums, and weaving looms could be a fantastic gift option.

A space for craftwork

One essential thing that every crafter yearns for is a dedicated space to indulge in their craft. Whether it’s a room or just a corner in a room, having a designated area can be hard to come by. Regardless of your budget, creating the perfect craft room with the right type of storage can mean a lot to the crafter in your life. Whether you purchase furniture and decor items or create DIY shelves and tables, this gesture will not go unnoticed and can even make up for any little errors in life. Maybe this is how your DIY creativity can meet their crafty creativity?

My personal wish-list:

Something I want: a spinning wheel. (What would I do with it? No clue. But who doesn’t want their own spinning wheel?)

Something I need: a revamped craft room with ample storage

Something to read: ALL the books about how to get started spinning – how else could I figure out how to use the new spinning wheel?

Gifts for the crafty small business person

When a crafter runs a small business, it opens up a whole lot of new needs. And skills that must be mastered that they didn’t even know existed before opening the Etsy shop.

Photography Equipment

One of the first ways this affects a small business is the need to take photographs to showcase their artwork. Whether it’s creating photos of written patterns or taking pictures of finished products, good photographs are essential. This requires two things: good photography equipment and photography know-how. Additionally, generating images online requires good IT equipment. I recently invested in an iPad, Apple, and Mac to meet these needs. While it’s costly, I have no regrets. (Except every time I see my bank account. Then I’m crying. But it was needed)

Any crafter running a business needs to invest in good camera equipment, know-how, courses, books, and anything else that helps them get the best out of their camera and supporting IT equipment.

Display Equipment

Another thing the small businesses crafter needs is display equipment to showcase their products. As a clothing maker, I think of tailor’s dummies and hat forms as great options to display my creations. They allow me to showcase cardigans, shawls, hats, mittens, and more, while capturing high-quality photos. Additionally, photography backdrops can make a significant difference in the overall look of the photos. Investing in lightboxes can also help ensure that product photos are well-lit and of professional quality. However, these items can be expensive and challenging to acquire, especially when trying to equip a business with lots of different needs simultaneously. Nonetheless, such items can make for great gifts and are much appreciated by small business owners.

Art and Drawing supplies

Knitters and crochet designers often find themselves in need of drawing equipment to showcase their designs and submit ideas to publishers and yarn companies. Starting off, many are surprised by the amount of drawing involved in the crafting process. Unfortunately, many people shy away from this because they believe they can’t draw. Overcoming this hurdle is crucial, and finding the right drawing tools can make all the difference. 

When it comes to drawing equipment, watercolor pencils are a recommended starting point. However, for those who are serious about their craft, Copic markers soon come in to their own. But they are eyewateringly expensive. You’ll need plenty of good paper to complement them. If you’re looking to impress a knitting or crochet designer, a well-chosen set of Copic markers such as those that include hair colours, skin colours or denim shades will undoubtedly be appreciated.

Courses

Starting and running a business can be a daunting task. And you spend your time looking for courses to fill in the many skill gaps you will discover along the way. Unfortunately, in the capitalist hellscape we live in, the world of business courses is flooded with click funnels that promise valuable training but end up being nothing more than scams. Finding reliable and affordable courses can be a challenge. There are two courses I have used recently recently that I highly recommend.

The first one is called ‘Pattern Launch Masterclass‘ by Lynn of Knit, Crochet, Create. It is ideal for anyone who writes knitting or crochet patterns. It’s affordable and offers high-quality training that helps newer designers figure out the complexities of actually selling their designs. their businesses. The second course I’m currently taking is Pinterest 101 by Jenny of the Female Entrepreneur School. This one is focused more on marketing through Pinterest. Both are affordable and not your usual click-funnel scams.

My personal wish-list

Something I want: Copic Markers. Many, many copic markers. Especially in a range of skin colours, so my drawings can reflect real people of every sort, and not just white people wearing glowing fake tan, the way they do now.

Something I need: Copic Markers. More, more, copic markers

Something to read: books on how to use my Copic markers, because sadly, I can’t draw

Cant find the right crafty Gift?

Only joking! A puppy is for life, not just for Valentines day.

(but it’s still true that no craft room is complete without a resident yarn stealer)