For 2022, I’ve decided to collect for you some ideas that you can share with your loved ones when they’re wondering what to get for you. For the easy email, download the pdf found below. It has very brief descriptions with each idea. There are affiliate links both here and in the pdf whereby I will receive a slight commission. Some links are just helpful and aren’t necessary affiliate. There is a wide variety of price points.
Now, let’s get on with the expanded version of the guide!
BEST GIFT IDEAS FOR THE MAKER
Pattern or yarn subscriptions
A subscription to Crochet Foundry magazine would be a great gift to your maker loved one. Each issue is 5-7 fabulous patterns. All garments are sized to 9 different sizes. All the patterns are now tech edited by me. They’re always so much fun, I wish I could make them all. But it isn’t all garments, either. There are fabulous accessories in each collection.
Annie’s Kit Clubs covers a wide range of crafting hobbies. There are knitting clubs, crochet clubs, but also cross stitch, paper crafts, jewelry, fabric crafts, and other general crafting categories. Quite literally, there is a club for every type of crafter in your circle. Within the yarn clubs there are varieties from afghans to socks to smaller projects.
Recycled yarn!!! Is your maker friend eco-conscious? Darn Good Yarn is the place to shop! No only can you get amazing sari silk clothing from discarded silk, but you can get YARN spun from discarded fibers swept from the floors of sari factories. Darn Good Yarn’s primary commitment is to providing jobs to women who otherwise would not have a job in India. You can shop for your favorite colors or sign up your friend for the monthly yarn club!! It’s the CHEAPEST club!
Tools: More than just yarn & hooks
We Crochet is a fabulous source of tools, yarn, and patterns. As for tools, it’s more than just hooks. Think about ball winders, swifts, yarn bowls, blocking mats and PINS, plus stitch markers. Don’t get me started on stitch markers and how the gnomes keep stealing them when I sleep. You will be able to find an abundance of items for your crafting gift recipient at We Crochet (it’s the crochet side of Knit Picks).
A neck light was suggested to me by one of my followers. Personally, she uses hers in the nursery when she’s crafting by the crib and the baby is going to sleep. So, the lights are down but she can still see her work! How brilliant?? A neck light will also be helpful for anyone with failing light or anyone working with dark yarn!
This light is just one example on Amazon.
BEST GIFT IDEAS FOR THE DESIGNER
Stitch Books
Finding a great crochet book is as easy as hitting up your local discount book store or library. Yes, there are options online, but you can probably find a book anywhere. Your crochet designer loved one will always appreciate a great stitch description book. Stitch description books will show you hundreds of stitch patterns. These pattern ideas might spark the creativity of your designer-friend into coming up with the next viral pattern.
Personally, I trust pattern books by Robyn Chachula, Edie Eckman, & Melissa Leapman. There will be other options and I’m sure many of them are great! I know for a fact that these authors are well written.
This Crochet Stitches Encyclopedia by Robyn Chachula is a great book. It covers simple, lace, Tunisian, colorwork and motifs. I really love my copy of Edie Eckman’s motif book. I have referenced this book several times while tech editing so I really do love the way Edie writes. It is very clear to understand and has really creative ideas. Melissa Leapman’s Indispensable stitches is a great book to just peruse. She has a wide variety of pattern ideas within each category.
Tech Edit Time
Kelly Lonergan at Hazenna Inspired has taken my How to Become a Tech Editor course. She’s offering 50% off your first hour of tech edit time! Yes, it’s OK to use another tech editor!!! Community over competition!
My own membership plans are fully explained HERE. I’m always impressed by the patterns of my clients, but this past year (2022) my membership clients have been exceptionally productive!!! Two of them have had over 40 patterns edited!
Sketching Tools
Think about art tools. Graph paper, sketch pad, pencils, pens, colored pencils.
Get creative, maybe fashion plates to help design clothing ideas?
Photography Tools
I’m not a photography expert (probably why I don’t publish more patterns). But I do know how important photography is to publishing patterns. While a whole camera might be cost prohibitive, there are other tools that can help. Think about lighting, props, stands, reflectors, flat lay backgrounds, etc.
BEST GIFT IDEAS FOR THE TECH EDITOR
Program Fees
By this, I mean the annual fees that are paid for computer programs or other systems that we use regularly in our job. Sometimes your tech editor is paying for a graphics system, or maybe just their own website fees. Providing a gift card or other gift with the intention of it to pay for an online fee would be a great gift.
Massage Gift Card
Locate a spa near your favorite tech editor friend and purchase a gift card for your tech editor! Your TE spends all his or her time at the computer working on patterns. There can be lots of aches and pains that would be alleviated by a massage. Here’s a “Spa Finder” website.
Furniture
Speaking of time at the desk, how about getting your tech editor some new ergonomic products. Whether it’s a new desk chair, a keyboard or mouse, there are lots of ideas for making time at the desk more comfortable.
E-Courses
Your Tech Editor friend probably has a list of courses that he or she would like to take to improve his or her abilities. My own course, How to Become a Tech Editor, is available. There are others to help with graphic design, business management, digital product development, etc.
I followed Eden Fried at Rebel Boss University for coaching and guidance to develop my ebooks. You can sign up for her webinar here. This link will go to here Rebel Boss University.
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More Courses
Hortense Martens of Knitting with Chopsticks has a couple of great courses that could be for the maker or the designer. One is called Conquer Charts and Graphs, the other is Proficient in Patterns. Both courses are 50% off using code BLACKFRIDAY22 through Nov 29, 2022.
More Yarn
Furls Crochet not only has the best ergonomic hooks on the market, but they also have a wide color palette of yarn available. You can find the Wander Acrylic and also Furls Whims Merino blends. Furls has their own Black Friday sales happening right now.
More Patterns
Rachel at Desert Blossom Crafts issued a fun little ornament book last year. It’s still available and fully tech edited by your’s truly. These patterns are fun and quick and will be a great addition to your trees, homes and gifts.
Frankie Kate (a designer I’ve edited for I Like Crochet Magazine) has a new collection available. Hey, Girl…Crochet Pattern Collection
Frankie’s patterns are beautiful and creative. Her Black Friday sale runs from Nov 24 6PM EST through Nov 28 midnight EST. You can get the full collection for $14.99 which is 60% off regular price.
More Fun
Jessica Herr of Herr Stitches has a fun little Etsy shop. You can purchase her yarn bowls, patterns and YARN all in one place!
Last but absolutely NOT least is a fun little book for the times when your friend or loved one is not stitching. We all need to give our hands a break, but maybe not our brains. Debbie Deitke took one of my classes at the CGOA meeting this year. She has published 3 fun little word game books that are totally craft themed. I purchased this word search book and it’s really great! Every other page has fun pictures in the margin to color. It’s been super fun to bring this to the kids’ wrestling practice. I do a word search and my little 4-year-old friend (sibling of other wrestlers) gets to color. Check out her other books, too.
THANK YOU
That’s it! Thank you so much for scrolling through this gift guide. I hope you’ve been able to come up with some new ideas for your loved ones. If you were sent this link, it means someone is trying to HELP you! 🙂 Remember, if your loved one gifts YOU with a handmade gift, please say more than just “thanks” and throw it on the pile of presents. Your loved one took a lot of time and effort and many hundreds of stitches to make your item. It will really mean a lot if you ask about the details of the piece. Maybe “What yarn did you use? What kind of stitches are these? Is it your pattern or another’s?”
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