Sewing Tutorial: Charming Trivet

 Have a pack of charm squares and need a project? Here's a way to use six of them to make a little trivet to protect tabletops from hot serving pans.

Three charm squares per side

SUPPLIES

6 charm squares
Batting
Insul-brite
Cutting tools: ruler, rotary cutter, cutting board, and iron

For this trivet, I have two sets of three matching squares

DIRECTIONS

Cut four of the charm squares in half diagonally, making eight right triangles.

One side will have the US flag in the center with the stars on the edge,
and the other the reverse

Now cut the triangles to fit against the uncut charm square: center the right angle on your cutting mat and trim so that the hypotenuse (opposite the right angle) is five inches long. You'll be cutting about an inch off the smaller angles of the triangles.

Does that make sense? Like in the picture.

And cut half an inch off the hypotenuse. Repeat these steps for all eight triangles.

Three inches tall, five inches long at the widest part

    
Now sew four triangles to each side of the two remaining charm squares, right sides together.

I have my needle in the default position, and the fabric lined up with the foot.

Iron both sides flat.

And of course, square up the sides if needed.

Layer the two pieces with the batting and Insul-brite: both pieces of fabric right sides together, then batting, then Insul-brite.

Or Insul-brite then batting; doesn't matter

Stitch around the edges, leaving room for turning. Flip right side out, iron, then top stitch.

Stitch along the seams too; it holds the layers together better and looks nice.

Trim any loose threads, give it another press, and you're all set!

Gifts for Anniversaries

 Anniversaries are a great way to mark partners' commitments to each other. While the people celebrating the anniversary usually know each other well enough to find the right way to mark to occasion, it can be useful or fun to look to lists of "traditional gifts" for the different anniversaries, and brainstorm from there. As with any event when people exchange gifts with each other, the critical part is that all parties agree on the type and level of commemoration: whether everyone agrees to an exorbitant and opulent celebration, a small and intimate private function, or no acknowledgement at all--it's all good.

There are non-traditional ideas too. For example, items made in the year you were married (or when your relationship started) like wine or coins minted that year: give a penny for your first anniversary, a nickel for your fifth, and so on. Take a trip to a place that was special early in your relationship, or somewhere you've always wanted to go. Enjoy a recreation of the first meal you shared together. Set aside time to look through mementos of the time you've spent together. You can throw a party to celebrate with people important to you, or have an intimate evening alone. A vow renewal can be a lavish event or a few minutes set aside after a standard religious ceremony--I've attended both, the latter only because I happened to go to church that day, and both versions are touching. You can (several months in advance) request anniversary greetings from heads of state in some countries--check the relevant office's website for information on how to request a letter of congratulations.

First: Paper (traditional) or clocks (modern)
Books, letters, origami or other paper crafts, printed tickets to an event, stationery, magazine subscription
Promise of time--commit to spending time doing something with your partner

Second: Cotton or china
Anything sewn or otherwise handmade out of cotton; clothing, bedding, etc
Fancy meal on fine china dishes--either at home or a restaurant

Third: Leather or crystal/glass
Jewelry, clothing, accessories, shoes, etc made of leather
Personalized glassware, wine-tasting trip

Fourth: Fruit or flowers; or appliances
Plant a garden or fruit tree together, enjoy local produce at a farmer's market or locavore store, make a meal of local foods
Shop together for needed replacements, find useful accessories for current appliances, use current appliances for something you both enjoy (e.g.; cooking a nice meal)

Fifth: Wood or silverware
Buy or make a sculpture or home décor, take a trip to forest or museum that features wooden art, play a game with wooden pieces like Jenga, build something together
Enjoy a fancy meal with the "good" silver

Sixth: Candy or iron; wood
Candy bouquets, homemade candy, gourmet sweets; iron décor or garden art, tools
Buy or make a sculpture or home décor, take a trip to forest or museum that features wooden art, play a game with wooden pieces like Jenga, build something together

Seventh: Wool or copper; desk sets
Storebought or handmade wool clothing or accessories, wool craft supplies, a trip to the countryside or a farm (or if you already live on one, do you want a new sheep?); copper décor, cooking supplies, garden art, or tools
Monogrammed stationery, fancy pen or even an inkwell with a feather pen, computer accessories or upgrades

Eighth: Pottery or bronze; linen or lace
Storebought or handmade pottery for the kitchen, garden, or for décor; bronze tools or art
Table linens with monograms or other personalized touches, new clothing or accessories, décor

Ninth: Willow or pottery; leather
Storebought or handmade pottery for the kitchen, garden, or for décor; pooden furniture, walk through a forest or arboretum, woven basket filled with...anything! 
Jewelry, clothing, accessories, shoes, etc made of leather

Tenth: Tin or aluminum; diamond jewelry
Tins of gourmet food, homemade food wrapped in foil, trip to places where tin or aluminum souvenirs are made, equipment or tools made of tin or aluminum (lower-priced bicycles are often made of aluminum; perhaps a biking trip), metal container to hold...anything!
The obvious like rings, earrings, bracelets, and necklaces--or art or décor

Eleventh: Steel or fashion jewelry
Stainless steel kitchen supplies or tools, artwork, car accessories or a car trip
Jewelry for a night out, jewelry fashioned into artwork or décor

Twelfth: Silk or linen; pearls
Silk undergarments/lingerie, silk bedding, silk outergarments like ties or shawls, personalized linens
Jewelry, art, or décor with pearl or mother-of-pearl inlay; oysters, trip to a beach

Thirteenth: Lace, textiles
Lace lingerie or other clothing, lace-trimmed décor, "laced-up" shoes for a walk, anything wrapped in lacey doilies, lace-looking treats like delicate cookies
Monogrammed or otherwise personalized home décor, new clothing or other fabric-based home needs, shopping trip, fabric for crafts

Fourteenth: Ivory, gold jewelry 
Of course, it's best to avoid actual ivory as it should stay on the animals it comes from--but perhaps a trip to wildlife refuge or zoo or museum where the animals are found (ivory comes not only from elephants, but other animals including walruses, narwhals, and elk, plus extinct animals like mammoths and mastodons), or a trip to a concert hall, or to a museum that has ancient artwork is in order.
Aside from the usual jewelry like rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and watches, gold can be made into artwork and décor.

Fifteenth: Crystal, watches
Jewelry, décor, vases, stemware, a meal at a fancy restaurant, artwork
Any time-keeping instrument, or a gift of time

Sixteenth: Coffee or tea (both traditional and modern)
Matching mugs, date to a coffee/tea shop, fancy brew, coffee/tea making machines or accessories, treats that go with the drinks (or other drinks like hot chocolate if coffee and tea aren't your...cup of tea)

Seventeenth: Wine and spirits (both traditional and modern)
Date to a nice bar, wine-tasting, tour of a brewery or winery, bottle of high-end alcohol (or other drinks like sparkling cider if alcohol isn't wanted or appropriate), picnic lunch with a toast

Eighteenth: Appliances (both traditional and modern)
Shop together for needed replacements, find useful accessories for current appliances, use current appliances for something you both enjoy (e.g.; cooking a nice meal)

Nineteenth: Jade (both traditional and modern)
Meal at any of the numerous restaurants with "jade" in the name, jade jewelry or art, jade-colored clothing or other items, bonsai jade tree, trip to a place where jade is a popular souvenir item

Twentieth: China, platinum
New dishes (especially if after two decades, yours need replacing), personalized dishes, figurines or other décor made of china
Art, jewelry, or décor made of platinum; music from a "platinum" record

Twenty-first: fire, as a theme (both traditional and modern)
Candle-lit dinner, date around a fire pit or at an open-flame grill, barbecue tools or foods, trip to see fire-related things like volcanos

Twenty-second: water, as a theme (both traditional and modern)
Visit to an aquarium or natural body of water like a lake or ocean, kayaking or canoe trip, drinkware, cruise, fountain for a garden or the home, swimming adventure like scuba diving or snorkeling, trip to a wishing well or fountain

Twenty-third: air, as a theme (both traditional and modern)
Balloons, trip on an airplane or hot air balloon, sky-diving or parachuting trip, something breath-taking or a way to indicate "you take my breath away"

Twenty-fourth: stone, as a theme (both traditional and modern)
Pizza or other food cooked on a baking stone, hot stone massage, rock climbing or similar adventure, go out for drinks "on the rocks," visit to a place with stone sculptures, precious stones made into décor or jewelry, stone artwork, a way to indicate "you're my rock," anything given in a stone box

Twenty-fifth: silver (both traditional and modern)
Anything wrapped in silver-colored paper, silver art or jewelry, silver décor or dinnerware

Twenty-sixth: art (both traditional and modern)
Handmade or storebought artwork, trip to an art museum, art classes to take together

Twenty-seventh: music (both traditional and modern)
Playlist of favorite or meaningful music, date to a concert or orchestra, new music equipment (either or listening or making your own), music lessons, a song you composed yourself

Twenty-eighth: linens (both traditional and modern)
New dining linens, new bed linens, a meal out at a fine restaurant, textiles for crafting, handmade linen items

Twenty-ninth: tools  (both traditional and modern)
Tools for any hobby or pastime: crafting, woodworking, cooking, et. al.; working on a project together, using your creativity and talent to create a gift

Thirtieth: pearl or diamond
Décor, art, jewelry, or home goods with pearl or mother-of-pearl; oysters, trip to a beach
Décor, art, jewelry, or home goods with diamond; diamond-tipped tools, trip to a museum with diamonds like the Smithsonian with the Hope Diamond

Thirty-first: travel/tourism (both traditional and modern)
Any trip near or far, items for traveling like new luggage or a travel toiletry set

Thirty-second: bronze (both traditional and modern)
Bronze artwork or décor, bronze jewelry, bronze home goods, bronze-colored clothing or accessories, anything wrapped in bronze paper, history lecture about the bronze age

Thirty-third: iron (both traditional and modern)
Iron décor or home goods, cast iron cookware, hobby items made of iron like golf clubs, a meal together high in iron, history lecture about the iron age

Thirty-fourth: food (both traditional and modern)
Any meal together, whether home or away, elaborate or simple; anything to make food

Thirty-fifth: coral or jade
Trip to a beach (bonus points if it has coral), a seafood meal, anything coral-colored or wrapped in coral-colored paper
A meal at any of the numerous restaurants with "jade" in the name, jade jewelry or décor, anything jade-colored or wrapped in jade-colored paper

Thirty-sixth: antiques (both traditional and modern)
Any vintage piece, décor reflecting important parts of the past, a trip to a place known for antique souvenirs, anything that fits in the theme of "old fashioned" including old fashioned doughnuts or the drink old fashioned

Thirty-seventh: books (both traditional and modern)
Autographed and/or first edition of a favorite book, e-reader, audio book to listen to while on a trip, a story you've written yourself

Thirty-eighth: luck, as a theme (both traditional and modern)
Shamrock or lucky penny or other symbol of luck, trip to a casino (as with any gambling trip, agree on an amount of money you're comfortable losing and take only that in cash to avoid temptation)

Thirty-ninth: laughter, as a theme (both traditional and modern)
Watch a comedy together, go see a comedian live, tell jokes together, reminisce over happy memories--and get ideas for making more

Fortieth: ruby (both traditional and modern)
Ruby jewelry or artwork or décor, a meal of red-themed foods like red wine and ruby grapefruits, a bouquet of red flowers

Forty-first: office or desk décor (both traditional and modern)
Personalized picture frames or pen holders, computer equipment, stationery

Forty-second: clocks or watches (both traditional and modern)
Personalized/engraved watch, artful wall clock, setting time aside for each other

Forty-third: entertainment, as a theme (both traditional and modern)
Take in a movie or a live show, have an entertainment date at home with popcorn and snacks

Forty-fourth: electronics (both traditional and modern)
Replace worn-out electronics or buy the ones you've always wanted, upgrade your electrical outlets or do other needed electrical work, "fun" electronics like digital photo frames or entertainment-themed devices

Forty-fifth: sapphire (both traditional and modern)
Artwork, décor, home goods, or jewelry with sapphire; blues or rhythm-and-blues concert, anything blue-colored or wrapped in blue-colored paper

Forty-sixth: games (both traditional and modern)
Any game to play together, attending a sporting event, a personalized treasure hunt, a murder mystery dinner theater or escape room date

Forty-seventh: garden or plants (both traditional and modern)
Walk through a garden or park, National Parks pass, gardening supplies, houseplants or garden plants or seeds, a bouquet of flowers utilizing flower messages (e.g.; red chrysanthemums symbolize "I love you")

Forty-eighth: home improvement, as a theme (both traditional and modern)
Depending on your budget and needs, anything from a new piece of home décor to a remodel--or just spruce up your house with a solid cleaning, either together or from a cleaning service

Forty-ninth: copper (both traditional and modern)
Home goods, tools, décor, jewelry, or artwork made with copper; anything copper-colored or wrapped in copper-colored paper

Fiftieth: gold (both traditional and modern)
Artwork or jewelry made with gold, gold-colored flowers, anything gold-colored or wrapped with gold-colored paper, anything that represents elegance and longevity

Fifty-first: photos or cameras (both traditional and modern)
Scrapbook or collage of treasured memories, professional portraits, a trip together (with a camera) to create memories

Fifty-second: bath or spa, as a theme (both traditional and modern)
Anything for a relaxing bath (alone or together) like fancy soap or a good book, spa day, new towels or other bath needs, heated towel rack

Fifty-third: plastic (both traditional and modern)
Just about any item can be made of plastic--including plastic gift cards to a nice restaurant

Fifty-fourth: glass (both traditional and modern)
Home décor, serving pieces, or artwork made of glass

Fifty-fifth: emerald (both traditional and modern)
Jewelry or artwork or décor made with emerald, trip to the Emerald City or Emerald Isle or similarly-named places, watching the Wizard of Oz, green tea, anything green-colored (including money) or wrapped in green paper

Fifty-sixth: day, as a theme (both traditional and modern)
Spending a day together, a movie date watching movies with the word "day" in the titles, remember the wonderful days you've had together--and make plans for more good memories

Fifty-seventh: night, as a theme (both traditional and modern)
Spending a night together, a movie date watching movies with the word "night" in the titles, a night out, star-gazing, anything for making sleep better

Fifty-eighth: faith and hope, as a theme (both traditional and modern)
If you're religious anything related to your faith will work, anything uplifting, trips to places that inspire faith and hope

Fifty-ninth: charity/love, as a theme (both traditional and modern)
Charitable acts you can enjoy together, donations that memorialize your commitment to each other like a donation of a park bench with your names on it

Sixtieth: diamond (both traditional and modern)
Artwork, jewelry, or décor with diamonds     

Goody Bags, Party Favors, and Other Gifts for Multiple People

Some events call for multiples of gifts, whether as a thank you for coming or as part of the event itself. In general, consumables are a good idea, although if it's food you do need to be considerate of allergies and other dietary restrictions. If you're aiming for more of a keepsake, small is best. You'll need to take into consideration your budget, your audience, and your time.

CONSUMABLES

I have literally dozens of aunts, uncles, and cousins, and I see many of them during the holidays. Buying them all individual gifts would bankrupt me, and making the same by hand would take all year (not to mention the cost of supplies). Instead, I bake three or four varieties of cookies, double or triple batches of each. Each family gets a bag of cookies from me without my needing to take out a loan or spend more than part of a few days baking. Some of them give bags of their own homemade cookies, breads, candies, or jams. Other people I know make vanilla extract (this takes a few months; plan ahead), brownies, fudge, snack mixes, home-brewed beer or other alcohol, small cakes, applesauce, nut butters, spaghetti sauce, spice mixes, home-roasted coffee beans, and even honey from their beehives. You can also put together dry ingredients for baked goods. And of course, there are myriad store bought food treats, often ones made locally.

You do have to be mindful of dietary restrictions. For example, one of my cousins is allergic to peanuts, so I don't add peanuts to any cookies and I don't make peanut butter cookies (for her, other nuts are fine so I can still use almond extract or other nuts). If you don't know the recipients well, in the case of an office party for example, food might not be best. You also need to be sure whatever you give will be okay without refrigeration for at least a few hours. One way around potential food restrictions for a crowd is something like a candy bar. When my brother got married, the wedding favors were organza bags we could fill with our choice of a variety of his and my sister-in-law's favorite candies. At a different wedding, the candy bar was every kind of blue candy the bride and groom could find, as the wedding colors were navy and sky blue. Both times the treats were great for the plane ride home.

Some events give away plants and seeds. While not quite consumable, these are fun for those who have the space to grow them. They're also easy to tailor to the occasion: pots painted in seasonal colors, some of the same flowers as in the wedding bouquets, plants that represent the occasion, that sort of thing.

Other consumables include candles, soap, lotion, sugar scrubs, lip balm, and stationery. As with food gifts, any of these can be store bought or handmade, and you need to be aware of allergies. They don't need to be fancy either, especially if your recipients are more practical. Some years my grandparents have given us simple toiletries like shampoo and shaving cream (with some cash, being grandparents) and it always gets used.

GIFT CARDS

If you have the budget, gift cards in $5-10 denominations are good. The standard is coffee shops, but you don't need to limit yourselves to that. Bakeries, specialty grocery stores, online music services, ice cream stores--as long as your recipients can actually get something for $5 or $10, it can work. One Christmas, a cousin of mine passed out Redbox gift cards with packets of microwave popcorn. 

If you know your recipients would appreciate donations given in their names, you can also pass out notes acknowledging such. One wedding I attended recently had notecards at each table setting stating that in lieu of wedding favors the bride and groom, who had both lost their mothers to cancer, had made a donation to the American Cancer Society. Especially with as extravagant as the wedding and reception was, I thought the donation was far more touching than wedding favor to take home.

KEEPSAKES AND TOKENS

There are a variety of choices for small gifts, some better than others. The issue with gifts meant to be kept is that it's impossible to cater to everyone's tastes. With consumables, people who get something they don't like don't feel as obligated to keep it.

Christmas ornaments are an obvious choice for Christmas parties, and most people aren't too selective about what goes on their trees. Other decorative or household items can be more versatile, like prisms or sun catchers, paper weights, drink coasters, fridge magnets, pins, kitchen accessories, and knick-knacks. Some of these can be handmade, like knit washcloths, sewn hot pads, etched glass coasters, and so on.

If the event is for a specific activity, it's easier to pick out an appropriate favor. For example, a sewing club party could pass out sewing notions; a garden club might give away plant starts. 

For kids' birthday parties, the usual fare seems to be a bag of small plastic toys. I'm not a fan of those myself, as my kids have too many of those already. Goody bags we've found easier to enjoy include more useful items like pencils or other school supplies, a single larger toy, treats like a few cookies or some candy from a piñata, or things that get used up like bubbles and stickers. But don't feel limited to those; feel free to be creative. My brother's birthday is Halloween, so every year his party guests would trick-or-treat. Our parents figured the kids didn't need more candy, especially since they also got birthday cake...so the party favors were toothbrushes and floss! 

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.

Throwing a Wedding Shower

Not everyone marks weddings with showers, but if someone close to you (it's generally frowned upon to throw your own shower) is engaged and you feel like celebrating, here are some pointers:

TIMELINE

Generally, showers I’ve hosted go like this:

First hour:
Guests arrive
Socializing/snacking
Maybe a game to break the ice and/or introductions if people don’t know each other (If there are a lot of people who don’t know each other, get the “formal” part of the party started by having guests introduce themselves by how they know the bride. "I’m Sally, I’ve known Jane since high school." "I’m Mary, Jane’s aunt.")

Second hour:
Open presents
Maybe another game
More socializing and snacking as people gradually leave

WHO TO INVITE

Showers are traditionally events for women, although co-ed showers exist, and the guests of honor may well not include women at all. For the stereotypical female-only shower, think about inviting mothers, grandmothers, sisters/-in-law, aunts and cousins, and friends. If men are also invited, extend the list appropriately: fathers, grandfathers, etc. (Of course, not everyone has a good relationship with their families; you should exclude people who are abusive)

Ask the guest of honor for a list, and suggest these to start. I say that because I asked a friend for an invite list for her bridal shower and we both forgot to invite her fiance’s mother! As to whether you should invite men as well; check with you guest of honor. Only invite people who have been invited to the wedding, with some exception for destination weddings, as fewer people can make it.

Send out the invitations about a month in advance, after clearing the date with the guest of honor. Make sure to send one to your guest of honor as well--imagine the bride-to-be not knowing when or where to show up! Of course, you will want to be keeping her in the dark for a surprise shower, but think carefully before doing that. A surprise shower means that she won't be able to remind to invite her godmother or tell you that her aunt is allergic to chocolate; she won't be prepared for being the center of attention, she might have other plans, and she won't be dressed for the occasion. If she's really hoping for a shower and never hears any plans for one, she might feel forgotten before she realizes the surprise. Some people love surprise parties, but unless you're sure, don't risk it.

GAMES 

Have two to three games IF the bride wants them. If you play games, have prizes for the winner. Remember, neither the guest of honor nor the host can win, although they can play. Easy prizes include soap, lotion, $5 coffee gift cards, fancy candles, a set of blank note cards (for writing letters or for taking notes), a set of small rubber stamps, that sort of thing. Don't forget to account for ties.

The best games don't interrupt the flow of the party. Gift bingo is good, or you can have a timer go off every three minutes or so during gift opening (the giver of the gift being opened “wins”), especially if there are a lot of gifts. Or give everyone a safety pin and set a rule like “no crossing your hands” or “no elbows on the table” and anyone who catches another guest “breaking” a rule gets that person’s safety pin; the guest with the most after X time wins.

I’ve also done a game with extreme close-up pictures of wedding-related things, like a diamond seen through an electron scanning microscope; guests are to guess what the pictures are of (word bank optional). 

Another game is setting out common kitchen items on a tray, like salad tongs, a spatula, a dishcloth and letting the group observe it for a few minutes. Then hide it and whoever can write down the most items wins.

You can also fill a toasting flute with small candies and whoever guesses the amount closest wins (and wins the candy--have a bag ready if you don't want to part with the flute).

FAVORS

Showers typically have little favors. Consumables are best (lotions, soap, candies, candles). I’ve knitted up dishcloths in wedding colors; those go over well. Flower seeds or seedlings are good too, especially if they're of flowers that will be at the wedding. If the wedding is near Christmas and the attendees celebrate it, you can get one-inch diameter ornaments at places like Michaels and paint them in the wedding colors.

FOOD 

What sort of food? Go for brunch if it’s around 11:00 (fruit, donuts, quiches; that sort of thing) or light snacks for an afternoon party (cheese and cracker platter, cut vegetables, etc). If you don’t plan it for a meal time, you won’t have to serve a full meal.

Serve dessert while the guest of honor is opening presents. Have someone keep a list of who gives what. You can get or make thank you notes or postcards, stamped and addressed (don’t have the other guests address the envelopes themselves, it will be Talked About), so that all guest of honor has to do is write “Thanks for the X; we'll think of you when we use it!”

Gifts for: a Wedding

Of course, your best bet for a wedding gift is something from the registry. I know some people feel registries are impersonal, tacky, or even selfish, but they're very useful. A wedding invitation isn't a demand for a gift, or even an appearance (rare boorish cases aside). People getting married want to celebrate, and people excited for them tend to want to give gifts. Registries are great for ensuring you buy what the couple can use and enjoy, and to avoid duplicate gifts. But some couples don't use registries, and sometimes you might want to add a personal touch

STOREBOUGHT

If nothing on the registry stands out to you, a gift card to the store is a good idea. Most places that offer registries also have a completion discount, providing the newly-weds a discount on any unpurchased items after the wedding. Cash is good for this too. One of my uncles, having already given us use of his and my aunt's beach-front house for a honeymoon weekend, handed me a stack of bills at the reception, for "gas money"--almost three times what the fuel actually cost. We were very grateful.

In general, gift cards can be useful. Not just to housewares stores either; grocery stores, home improvement stores, restaurants, or for places or events you know the couple likes. 

If you know what the couple likes to do, or where they're going on their honeymoon, you can buy something to facilitate that. Foreign currency for a trip abroad, money for exotic vaccines before overseas travel, a collage picture frame or photo album, tickets to an event, passes for an attraction like a museum, zoo, or sports event--something to help them enjoy their time together.

For couples who are setting up their first home together, housewares are certainly appreciated. If there's no registry to guide you, buying things intended to match, like plates, is tricky. But individual serving platters or bowls or seasonal hand towels or other "one at a time" items could work. For one of my cousins, I found a set of drinking glasses with the logo of her and her husband's favorite sports team: they would like it, and it wouldn't matter if they didn't match their place settings because they were more of a novelty items. Include a gift receipt just in case.

You can also make up a gift basket to stock up a pantry (flour, sugar, etc), bathroom (soap, lotion, shampoo), first aid kit, cleaning supplies; or something more fun like a date night.

HANDMADE

In general, I prefer to make small things as accents to registry items. When I was invited to a wedding last summer, I bought some towels from the registry, green and brown, and knit washcloths to compliment them.

Similarly, my mom often knits seven dishcloths, one for each day of the week, and puts them inside a baking dish bought from the registry. Or adds potholders, embroidered towels, and other kitchen goodies.

There are a lot of things you can add to wedding gifts. Think of what you can make that can be used in a home: picture frames, kitchen utensils, throw pillows, decor, etc. Maybe even a handmade card.

The groom loves dinosaurs. I drew the scales by writing their initials over and over.

And decorated these toys to be a bride and groom.

When someone close to me is getting married, I do a bit more, usually to the tune of a knit blanket in the wedding colors. We got one from a family member embroidered with our wedding date, and still have it over a decade later, so I like to give blankets too. One friend in particular had been through rough patch and things finally started looking up for her. I felt like spoiling her a bit, so I made a blanket in the wedding colors, plus dishcloths, pillowcases embroidered with the wedding date, and bought two registry items in the wedding colors.

They use the decorative box to hold sentimental things.

The point of a wedding gift is to show the couple that you're excited for them and want them to have a happy life together. Keep that in mind, and you'll find the inspiration you need.

Sewing Tutorial: Pie Carrier

A woman I worked for handed me an item like this that her grandmother had made years before, wondering if I could reverse-engineer it. I took it home, pondered it for a few days, and figured out how to make my own.

A pretty and convenient way to carry your desserts.
Works well for a plate of cookies, too!

SUPPLIES

Two half-yards of fabric, one for the outside and one for the inside (one yard total)
About four yards of bias binding
Batting
Ribbon or other item for ties

I use a set of dollar store shoelaces; the aglets mean I don't need to worry about fraying.
I found the pie fabric on the Spoonflower website in J. M. Clemenson's shop.

DIRECTIONS

Once the fabric is washed and ironed, cut a circle with a diameter one to two inches larger than your pie pan. You'll need three circles: the outside fabric, the inside fabric, and the batting.

This serving plate of mine is just big enough to be a guide

I layer all the fabrics together as I cut them so I don't need to repeat the steps three times:
batting inside the inside and outside fabric, both right sides out.

Next, cut the crescents that go on the top of the pie. I find the easiest way to do this is to cut another set of circles then use a smaller plate (salad plate, in this instance) as my guide to make the crescents about three inches thick, and cut it in half to make the two crescents. Again, you'll need one inside fabric, one outside fabric, and one batting.

Or cut the semi-circle first, then use the plate as your guide to make the crescents.
Use the little semi-circle as part of a heart-shaped oven mitt.

Cut the two straps. They should be about an inch longer than the diameter of your original circle and two to three inches wide. Now you have all the pieces: the circle, two crescents, and two straps; each one a set of one outside fabric and one inside fabric, both right sides out, with batting between them.

These crescents overlap a bit, so I need to trim them.

There we go.

Layers

Now you will sew the long edges of the straps and the inside edges of the crescents. Use a narrow seam allowance, and trim the edges as necessary.

Could have gone a little narrower, but that's nothing my Ginghers won't take care of.

Next, sew on the bias binding. I am lazy and bought bias tape; double-fold is best for all these layers. When you add it to the crescents, do the short, straight edge first. Sew your ties in when you add the bias binding to the inner curved edge. 

Make sure it's long enough to be tied into a bow; five or so inches will do it.

Sewn securely to the crescent.

Inner edges done!

Now layer the pieces, pin them in place, and sew the outer edges of the circle. As before, use a narrow seam allowance and trim the edges.

Watch out for the ties, and be sure to catch all the layers.

All you have to do now is sew the bias binding on the outer edge of the circle. And bake a dessert to go inside it.