Hi everyone, it's that giving season again!
I hope you are enjoying our holiday gift blog series! It's been really fun to see what others are recommending and to come up with a list myself. I love giving gifts, both fully made gifts and gifts that are the foundation for further creativity. My list is a combination of things I would be thrilled to receive and things that I plan to give (or have already given!) to loved ones this season!
First on my list are books! Sewtionary by Tasis Germaine of Sewaholic is a brand new book that has been very popular at the shop and online. As the title implies, it's a dictionary-style guide with clearly written and well-illustrated directions to construction and finishing techniques. It's a wonderful resource for the beginning or advanced sewist. I am much more of an apparel sewist, but Unconventional & Unexpected: American Quilts 1950-2000 by Roderick Kiracofe is inspirational book even if you aren't a quilter. The quilts this book focuses on are not the classic patterns we usually see in quilt history books. They are one-of-a-kind quilts that were created with the materials on hand. The artists who created the quilts in this book did not make 14 trips to the fabric store to find just the right shade of purple! They used what they had, and that gives each quilt a unique voice and inspires me as a maker.
I have to include Selvedge Magazine on my book list as each issue of Selvedge is really more like a book than a magazine. It is filled with photo layouts, interviews and articles about artists who are doing groundbreaking work in the textile arts. It's a wonderful gift for fabric or pattern designers, interior designers, fine artists and anyone interested in aesthetics. It's my go-to hostess gift!
Next up, fabric and patterns. Our naturally dyed, organic cotton Khadi is one of my favorite fabrics. Taking into account that giving fabric is a little like giving a piece of visual art (always chancy!), I really think you can't miss with this one. It's perfect for garments, home accents (pillows, napkins, wrapping cloths) or quilting. I would suggest a variety of 1/2 yard cuts as a gift for a quilter, or one cut of 2-3 yards for a garment maker. Since we're heading into winter, you might be looking for something a little warmer! Fall and winter is a great time to be sewing with wool fabric. We have some lovely wool apparel fabric in the store right now, so appropriate for a winter gift either sewn up into something or right off the bolt! The washable Pendleton shirt weight plaids are great for light jackets and skirts, as well a shirts. Finally, our Uptown Top pattern is my personal favorite of our patterns (so far!) due to its comfort and versatility. You can sew it up out of a woven or check out some alternative ideas here and here!
Last but not least, we come to sewing notions. All the Merchant and Mills notions and tools are great. Two of my personal favorites are the Entomology Pins and the Wide Bow Scissors. I love sewing tools that are both aesthetically pleasing and good at the job they are intended for. These pins make me happy whenever I use them! They are long and slender, so they are great for delicate apparel fabrics and are very precise. Like the pins, the scissors are highly functional and delightful to use. They are the perfect pair of snips to keep right by your machine or in your hand sewing kit. As a bonus all the Merchant and Mills tools and notions come in beautiful packaging, they just need a little ribbon and they are ready to be slipped under the tree or into a stocking!
Another great stocking stuffer is our organic cotton thread. It comes in black and white and is just right for the sewist who is 100% committed to sewing 100% organic! The final item on my list is our Sashiko Sewing Kit, which contains all the supplies needed to start practicing this Japanese art of functional embroidery. This is a nice gift for someone who is just getting into hand sewing and mending. It's also a great way to start kids out on sewing!
Here's a recap-
Tasa's Top 10 Sewing Gifts:
1. Sewtionary by Tasis Germaine of Sewaholic
2. Unconventional & Unexpected: American Quilts 1950-2000 by Roderick Kiracofe
3. Selvedge Magazine
4. Verb's Khadi fabric (enter coupon code: topsewinggifts)
5. Wool fabric
6. Verb's Uptown Top (enter coupon code: topsewinggifts1)
7. Merchant and Mills Entomology Pins
8. Merchant and Mills Wide Bow Scissors
9. Organic cotton thread
10. Verb's Sashiko Sewing Kit: Sashiko needles, sashiko thread, linen fat quarter
Today only, all of the above listed gifts are 15% off.
To purchase these gifts, and receive the discount either stop by the shop today (open 11-6pm), call (510-595-verb), or email (info@averbforkeepingwarm). We are happy to ship!
Happy holidays and happy sewing!
Tasa