Are you someone that loves to make their own gifts? Or are you more like me and hesitate to gift the things that you make?

I particularly struggle to gift handmade suprises. I feel much more comfortable getting some buy-in from the recipient before I decide to make and gift something. Especially if it is a wearable item. If it is a blanket then I am much more comfortable making and gifting it, especially if I know of their favourite colour or colours, because everyone needs a blanket!

To help both you and me out, I’ve decided to put together a list of things to consider when deciding on a project for an individual or an occassion. If the sentiment is right, then that will matter most. The gift doesn’t need to be perfectly made, but it helps if you’ve thought of the recipient when you’ve put all of your time and effort into making something, no matter how small.

First thing I think we should consider is our colour choices. Do they have a favourite colour? or colour palette? For example, I love pink, but it needs to be a dusty pink for me to love it most, not bright. I love warm neutral colours. What colour or colours do you see them wear the most? If you’re making something for their house, have you considered the decor of the room where they will use it? Do they have a colour theme? or decor style? Think of the gifts you’ve received over the years and which ones made the biggest impact – whether they were handmade or bought. How much did the colour matter?

Second thing to think of is how much time you have before you need to gift it. Will you have time to get it made? If you wanting to make a blanket you can adjust the size to suit your timeframe, but if you’re not wanting to compromise then I encourage you to plan well in advance! And there is no shame in giving small gifts either. If someone is going to use it over and over then I would rather make them something small in less time knowing they will use it, than spend weeks or months making something that they won’t.

The third and final thing that I would consider is what to make. Do they have an interest that we could cater to? Is there something that they wear often that we can make. Maybe they love beanies or scarves and have only ever had store bought ones. If they’re readers we could make a bookmark or book bag. If they have a water bottle we could make them a bottle carrier. Can anyone ever have enough bags?! Almost everyone has a bed or a couch, which means they could use a cushion. We all need to wash ourselves or our house or dishes which means everyone has a use for a washcloth or dishcloth. Drink tea or coffee? A coaster is an overlooked gift to give. Do they have a wall they can hang things on? You can make a bunting or wall-hanging.

The only limit you have is your imagination really! Is there anything else you think is important to consider? i truly think that if we focus on those three things then we can make anything…

The projects that I design every single month for my Hooked on Crochet Club members provide more than a learning opportunity. They also perfect to turn into gifts. If you made one project every month you could be set for Christmas gifting without even trying! You can test it out with my Kickstart level that gives you access to a small washcloth / bookmark sized project every single month. And they come with full written patterns and video tutorials for left and right handed people. And the patterns include instructions with how you can adjust them so if there is something you like as an idea you can add your own flair to it!

Seona x