If You Can Bake, Cook, or Brew, You Can Make...

Food is a great gift if you know your recipient's dietary restrictions. Whether it's a little treat or a full meal, food is a great way to show people that they're appreciated and cared for.

Sweets and small food gifts are great for holidays, birthdays, and saying thanks, congratulations, or welcome. Cookies, candy, brownies, fudge, jam, seasonings and rubs, infused vinegar or oils, vanilla extract, syrups (either for dessert toppings or in drinks), homemade beverages and beverage mixes, bread and pastries; even food grown in your garden. It's always nice to have a little treat.

Providing a home-cooked meal is a great way to help out busy people, like new parents or people who have just moved or who are busy planning events. Not having to worry about what to make for dinner can help people cope with difficult times like drawn-out medical issues or relax and enjoy happy occasions.

You might able to make something extra-special to eat. Old family recipes are great for this: my mom's side of the family always loves getting my great-great-aunt's secret recipe cookies, and my dad's side appreciates the nostalgia of getting a loaf of the bread my great-great-grandmother made for Sunday dinners. If you know someone's favorite food, see if it can be used in a new sort of recipe or given another kind of twist. My sister-in-law likes rhubarb, so rhubarb cake and strawberry rhubarb pie are obvious choices, but rhubarb syrup that can be poured over pancakes or ice cream is a more fun gift to give. Use fun cookie cutters and colored icing to make a delicious bouquet of flowers or special molds to make shaped candies or cupcakes. You can find themed recipes, like a batch of Italian Wedding Soup for an anniversary present.

Regardless of what kind of food you're giving, make it easier on your recipient by giving it in a container that you don't need back. This can be as simple as wrapping a lasagna in heavy foil or as intricate as packing everything in a picnic basket, utensils included. As with any food gift, take into consideration allergies and intolerances, religious and health restrictions, and how long the food will be refrigerated.

If You are an Artist, You Can Make...

Being able to create art is a wonderful talent, and a great way to make personalized and customized gifts. There are myriad possibilities.

HOME DECOR

Provided you know your recipient's tastes well enough, a piece of framed artwork is a lovely addition to a home. It's also a fun way to celebrate major milestones, like new babies or weddings. One of my mom's friends works drawing houses for a real estate company; when my older brother got married she drew professional pictures of his and his wife's childhood homes. One of my aunts is a professional photographer, and she's put together some inspiring pictures of family members, landscapes, and even one series of plants--may sound odd, but they're beautiful. 

If you're unsure quite what would be best, you could also offer your services to paint a family portrait or something similar. Explain you'd love to make something, but you want to be sure it fits with your recipient's aesthetic. Be prepared for some people to decline (politely, I hope).

Lots of people like inspirational quotes and images; if you have talent in graphic design, calligraphy, or wood-working this could be a good avenue for you. I have a few friends who make gorgeous home decor like this. 

If your talent leans more toward three dimensional pieces, decorative bowls, vases, candle holders, frames, paperweights, coasters, or other such items work well. Small boxes or bowls to hold things like keys, jewelry, and coins are useful and easy to store. If your items are more utilitarian, make sure your recipient knows that, for example, the plate can safely hold food without leeching anything into food, and how to care for it (handwashing vs dishwasher, proper kinds of soap). Little trinkets like prisms, whose primary purpose is to be beautiful, are also good ideas.

OUTDOOR ITEMS

A family moving to a new house might appreciate a handmade address sign, stepping stones, decorated planting pots, wind chimes, bird feeder, or garden sculpture. Of course, be sure your recipient knows the pieces are safe for the outdoor weather, and take a moment to think about the climate and any pets who might try to chew on something.

OTHER IDEAS

You might be able to craft toys or even board games for children, or make a piece reflecting the child's favorite animal or hobby. You might even be able to illustrate a short book. For babies, perhaps a piece to help parents mark milestones like the first time a baby sits up, smiles, crawls, etc.

I have a few family members who make stationery. Whether made with rubber stamps, graphic design programs, found items like pressed flowers, individual drawings and paintings, homemade paper, other card cut into collage pieces, or anything in between, they're useful and beautiful.

If You Can Do Woodturning or Other Woodworking, You Can Make...

Woodturned objects have a beautiful, polished finish that for stunning gifts. If you have the tools and skills to craft gifts from wood, you can make some truly amazing keepsakes.

HOME DECOR

The dinner table is a good place to start. You can go as big as serving dishes or as small as egg cups, branch out to salt shakers and utensils, or create candle holders or a decorative bowl or a cutting board shaped to reflect a particular interest of your recipient.

Other decor for around the house include picture frames, interesting wall hangings, sconces, potpourri holders, bookshelves, and jewelry or other organizations boxes. A skilled wood crafted with enough time and material could even make a toy chest, footlocker, wardrobe, desk, or rocking chair. Some items can be repurposed; I know a woman who gets old,worn furniture like cabinets, pulls them apart, cleans the pieces up, and uses them to build something new, like a dresser or a headboard.

HOBBY HELP

It's great fun to use your own hobby to further another's. An online friend of mine shows some such items in her blog post here. You can make drop spindles for people who spin yarn, pens for writers, yarn bowls for knitters and crocheters, easels for artists, or cups or pegboards to hold tools for a variety of crafters. Having been the recipient of such a gift, I can attest that it makes doing my own hobby extra special to use something a friend created.

I received this pen as a gift shortly after one of my children was born.
Every entry in the baby book has been written with it.

TOYS

Wooden trains are the obvious choice here, but don't feel you have to stick with them if you want to try other ideas. My great-grandfather built my aunt a dollhouse about four decades ago, and once my aunt grew up, my cousins and I have taken turns playing with it ourselves or having it for our own kids. Currently, it has some handmade wooden furniture in it as well.

He put in the wallpaper and clear plastic in the windows, too. 

Wood also lends itself to other small toys, like pretend food, small dolls and action figures, sets of animals (a Noah's Ark theme would work especially well), puzzles, board games (a wooden chess set is beautiful),  and blocks. Painted or unpainted, they can add a lot to a child's pretend play.

Another relative, my grandfather's cousin, made this Nativity puzzle: it has Jesus, Mary, Joseph,
three wise men, a shepherd, a camel, a donkey, an ox, and two sheep.

HOLIDAY

A handmade menorah or kinara is a prime candidate for a family heirloom (of course, make sure your recipient doesn't already have a sentimental one to use). Bowls carved with appropriate themes are great for any feast or harvest celebration. If the holiday has specific games or activities, maybe there's a wooden item to make, like a dreidel for Hanukkah. Christmas ornaments open a wide range of ideas, a few of which can be seen on the blog I linked to before, in this post.

Of course, not all holidays are gift-giving occasions. But if you know your recipient loves Halloween, for example, a bowl in the shape of a pumpkin or jack-o-lantern for passing out trick-or-treat candy could work well.

If You Can Bead, You Can Make...

Working with beads is a great way to make beautiful things. They can be sparkly accents on handmade or storebought objects, or the beads themselves can be made into a gift. Craft stores carry a wide selection of beads, and of course there are stores specifically for beads as well. My favorite online source is ArtBeads.

Beads give this knitted necklace an elegant twist
(project and photo by Ravelry user Speattle, pattern here)

This purse is fully lined, giving it more durability and ensuring nothing will slip out the holes between the knitted stitches or the spaces between the beads.
(project and photo by Ravelry user Speattle, pattern here)

Jewelry, ornaments, and decorations are the easiest gifts to make with your beading skills. You have to think carefully before making a toy or heavily-used item out of beads; the beads might break, fall off, or get in the way of a "more practical" item's use. But a gift doesn't have to have a use beyond being beautiful for it to be appreciated.

My dad taught me how to make these bells. This YouTube tutorial is similar, although we use twelve 8mm faceted beads for the beginning circle and she uses the 3x6mm oat beads (the third type of bead is 4mm pearl beads; I've found all at JoAnn and other craft stores, and online on Etsy and eBay). A written pattern very close to how we do it is here.

Left and right are jewelry pieces my sister-in-law made for me to wear in my wedding (left; I commissioned her) and hers (right; I was a bridesmaid). Middle is a set my best friend made me for Christmas.

Not strictly beading, but similar--a coworker of my husband's makes dreamcatchers uses feathers she finds at their workplace, owl, crow, and northern flicker in this instance. This is hanging in our kitchen.

A selection of Christmas ornaments I've been given by various friends with beaded accents

You don't need to be a beading master to enjoy it. Kids can get in on the fun, too.

My cousin made this for me when were teens. My kids play with it now.

There's a certain charm to these creations of my two- and four-year-olds.

Beads as accents or the entirety of baskets, keychains, clothing, curtains, accessories, jewelry, wall hangings, frames--they can add a touch of beauty, elegance, fun, or whatever you want. With so many kinds of beads and charms, your imagination is the limit.

If You Can Knit or Crochet, You Can Make...

Knowledge of needle arts is useful for gift-giving. There are a variety of things, large or small, easy or difficult, that make great gifts. Of course, keep your recipient in mind: not everyone appreciates handmade items, and even if they do, they might not like the specific item you've chosen--no matter how beautiful, an intricate Christmas ornament isn't appropriate for someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas. So long as you know your recipient doesn't have a strong preference for store-bought items and you have the right category of gift in mind, and that you have enough time to complete the project, you're set. Patterns are all over the place online and at bookstores, yarn stores, and libraries. For example...

BLANKETS

There are patterns for all sizes of blankets, and lots of fun designs as well. Baby blankets, toddler-sized lap robes, afghans all the way to king size, teeny sizes for pets or dolls--it just depends how much yarn and time you want to use! 

How do you pick a pattern? The search engine on Ravelry (a wonderful website) is a fantastic resource--you can input yarn weight, needle sizes, yarn amount, and select whether you want your results to show free or paid patterns and patterns for knitting or crochet. Think of the size you want, and how complicated you want the pattern to be, and go from there. Some patterns make pictures--this one makes a Diplodocus:

Picture by Ravelry user amgoth2000, Diplodocus Blanket, pattern here

This one makes a roadway for toy cars:

Picture by Ravelry user HappyBerry, pattern Road Play Mat, found here

Once you have your pattern selected and you have appropriate yarn (that is, the correct weight, yardage, and appropriate fiber content--machine-washable is best for babies), it's time to figure out colors. Maybe a favorite sports team--and there are also patterns for many of the logos--wedding colors, colors from a pop culture item (maybe a big blanket striped in the colors of the famous scarf from Doctor Who), the recipient's favorite colors... Keep in mind that complicated patterns, such as ones with lots of cables, work best with few or one color. Too many colors can make the pattern hard to see. My personal preference is to knit (because I'm terrible at crochet) fairly simple patterns with two strands of yarn at once. I use patterns meant for bulky weight yarn, and hold two colors of worsted weight as if they were one, which gives me a nice blend of colors.

Picture by Ravelry user SiffKnit, pattern Susan's Zig Zag or Chevron Blanket, pattern here

Picture by Ravelry user SiffKnit, pattern Susan's Random Remnants Blanket, pattern here

CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

Hats, cowls, scarves, mittens, socks, shawls, even jewelry--there are patterns for everything. One thing I love to do is put my recipient's name into the Ravelry search engine, and find an accessory with the name. Joel's Scarf, Paul's Hat, Jane Necklace, and so on. And you can just as easily find patterns for clothing like this: Oriental Lily Dress, Scott Sweater, Katie Blouse, and so many more. There are also patterns geared toward times of the year that can be fitting, like the May Baby Sweater for a baby born in May.

Picture by Ravelry user Speattle, pattern May Baby Sweater, found here

Of course, you can pick any pattern you want, but I find it especially fun if there's a subtle or not-so-subtle nod to the recipient.

HOUSEHOLD ITEMS

Especially nice for a housewarming or hostess gift, these range from potholders to dishcloths to pillows to coasters to drapes to rugs to bookmarks to tea cozies to felted bowl to placemats and more. Most of them are small and work up quickly. The small ones are especially nice complements to other gifts.

Picture by Ravelry user Siffknit, pattern Bottle Cozy, found here

SEASONAL DECORATIONS

There are patterns for every holiday and season. You can make a dreidel bowl to hold latkes or other food:

Picture by Lindsey Stephens, pattern Dreidel Bowl, found here

Or Christmas ornaments:

Picture by Ravelry user SiffKnit, pattern Candy Cane Christmas Ornament, found here

Or seasonal dishcloths:

Picure by Ravelry user SiffKnit, pattern Dishcloth Calendar, found here

Or any number of decorative objects or items with seasonal themes.

TOYS

A bit of stuffing and you can make so many different toys. Crochet lends itself to shaping toys better than knitting, but are plenty of options available for both.

Picture by Ravelry user SiffKnit, pattern Tiny Stuffed Bear, found here

AND MORE

There are patterns for things you'd never think of. Just try typing your recipient's interests or hobbies into Ravelry's search engine. Designers are astonishingly creative. The one that surprised me the most was a guitar slide cozy, which I made for a guitarist in the colors of his favorite sports team (complete with a clear guitar slide):

Picture by Ravelry user SiffKnit, pattern Guitar Slide Cushion, pattern here

Picture by Ravelry user SiffKnit, pattern Academy Award/Oscar Statuette, pattern here

Edit added October 2020: People have reported accessibility problems with the new Ravelry design, including migraines and seizures. Many of these patterns can be found on other sources like Etsy or personal designer websites.

Do you have other ideas you'd like me to cover? Let me know in the comments.

If You Can Sew, You Can Make...

What I love about sewing is how quickly small projects can go once you're set up. Of course, quilts and clothing take longer, but simpler projects like purses and wallets and even toys can be done in an evening. A good pattern is essential--I've tried some free ones that an experienced person could probably make work, but in general, the money you pay for sewing patterns is worth it. One exception is tutorials; those have step-by-step instructions to guide you along.

PERSONAL ACCESSORIES AND CLOTHING

When my kids get invited to birthday parties, my go-to present is a purse or wallet with an ice cream gift card slipped inside (after all, it's "bad luck" to give them empty). My favorite purse pattern is Runaround Bag by Lazy Girl and my favorite wallet tutorial is by Allisa Jacobs. There are many other patterns around of course, but these are both straightforward and great ways to use up scraps left over from other projects.

Purse, wallet, and gift card for a girl who invited all three of my kids to her party: one thing from each child (two are old enough to help sew, and they did).

These purses, a thank for some staff members at a medical office my family used for years before moving to another area, were all made with left over pieces of fabric, batting, and ribbon--and since I already had the zippers, the only cost was the coffee gift cards to go inside.

And of course you could also sew hair accessories, scarves, hats, gloves, boot toppers, and anything you set your mind to. Some items need to be more fitted than others, especially for clothes. Dresses are a bit more forgiving for those just venturing into sewing garments: if it's a bit long, no one will mind; if it's a little short, add leggings and it becomes a tunic. Similarly, baby clothing: err on the side of too big, then the baby can just grow into it. As with any gift, before you go to the effort of tackling a project, make sure you're picking appropriate material, the right size, and a pattern you know the recipient will like.

If you plan ahead, you can enter the gifts you make in fairs. Then you might win a few dollars and get to tell the recipient that the item won a ribbon. This pattern is the Swing Dress from Sew Hip magazine, issues 9 and 36.

KITCHEN ITEMS

The kitchen is a great place for sewn gifts. Potholders, pie carriers, trivets, placemats, tablecloths--most projects are small enough to be made quickly, and they're easy to coordinate to a person's tastes. 

A woman whose children I used to watch asked me to pick up some pot holders one day. The store didn't have any, but I had plenty of fabric in her favorite color as well as InsuleBrite and cotton batting. I made one and she immediately commissioned two more. Simple strip-quilting and zig-zagging the edges: took half an hour.

These were all made with the same method; Christmas presents for my cousins and aunts and uncles. I was able to finish them all assembly-line style over the course of a few days.

This heart-shaped pot hold takes a bit more time, but is more charming.

This fits around a pie tin, making it easier to carry the dessert and keep it warm. I reverse-engineered from a similar piece; I'll eventually put up a tutorial on it.

Keep in mind your recipient's decor and favorite colors, sports teams, animals, and other things to make picking the fabric easier. If you're looking for a really specific pattern, it might be easier to find what you're looking for online. If you're not sure, browsing in person is a good way to find something that looks just right for your recipient.

TOYS

My favorite toy designer is Funky Friend Factory. Her patterns are so detailed and so easy to follow. There are certainly other great designers and companies out there, but I highly recommend looking to her website for stuffed animals. To see if you like her style, sign up for her newsletter to get a free teddy bear pattern. You'll probably want to get more.

The only hard part of sewing this lamb was cleaning up the bits of fuzz from the fleecy fabric. The next time I used this kind, I sat outside to cut the pieces.

Soft toys don't need to be animals specifically; these blocks have jingle bells deep in the PolyFil, making for a fun, colorful, not-too-loud toy.

Books are another great sewn gift. You can buy pre-printed fabric with panels to cut out to make into a book. Just be careful to line up the pages correctly! Babies will have fun chewing on the pages without ruining the book. 

Older children might like dress-up clothes,especially around Halloween. Again, pre-printed fabrics exist, or you can find patterns, or make your own. Dress-up clothes work well for dolls and other toys too; many children enjoy dressing up their toys.

Mermaid and shark tale blankets are popular, and not too complicated. You can even find fabric that looks like scales.

Toy apron to go with a toy kitchen. There are also patterns for toy foods, which look good enough to eat.

If you're feeling really ambitious, look at books like Little One Yard Wonders. It has a sewing pattern for an entire play house! It also has some smaller projects like play mats, lunch bags, clothing, and a ton of other great items.

Another toy-related idea: storing the toys! Baskets, bags, car organizers, sleeves that hold some crayons and a sketch pad--parents will be especially appreciative things to help their kids clean up.

Just a yard of fabric with at tube to to hold a few feet of elastic, and she has easy access to her toys without them being strewn all over her room.

Three guesses what kind of toy this scaled-up Runaround Bag holds, and the first two don't count.

HOME DECOR AND OTHER SMALL ITEMS

Throw pillows, pillowcases, table runners, organizers, wall hangings--I love little projects. One I've recently been into is A Simple Pencil Case, which I've been adapting into toiletry bags. 

Just slightly longer than the tutorial shows, but the same technique. The pattern's great for using charm squares or other small scraps of fabric. 

Much nicer to find little things when traveling, and prettier and sturdier than a plastic bag, and easier to clean than a lot of commercially-produced toiletry bags.

It's especially great when you can incorporate nostalgia into gifts. For example, my nieces and nephew are getting these for Christmas: throw pillows in their favorite colors because their great-grandmother gave me her craft supplies, and she'd happened crocheted swatches in their favorite colors. 

Tutorial can be found here

Pillowcases for standard pillows are pretty easy to make, too. I like the burrito method myself, but there are others that make more sense for other people. 

This was for the anesthesiologist who placed the epidural when I was in labor, for his next slow call night (the knit scarf was for the L&D nurse).

And think outside the box, too. Got some long narrow fabric, or several squares? Get some flax seed or uncooked rice, and you can make a hot and cold pack.

Or one of each, because if you have lots of red and lots of blue, it just makes sense.

QUILTS

Handmade quilts are keepsakes. But they're also time-consuming: before committing to a quilt, be sure you have the time and motivation to finish. Also consider if your recipient would actually like a quilt. Going to all that effort only to have it rebuffed is hard. If you're new to quilting, consider starting with a simple baby quilt: small, and straight lines.

I helped a nine-year-old make this when her former nanny, who is from France, was expecting her first child. The nine-year-old had taken a sewing class and knew how to use a machine. The quilt wasn't perfect, but it looked really nice and her former nanny loved it.

When you're confident in your skills, quilts are great fun. As with other sewing categories, there are countless patterns to choose from.