More than ever, recent events have shown how important it is to shop small, local and with purpose, and as we are lucky enough to be connected to so many wonderful small businesses, we wanted to be able to share some Christmas gifting ideas from a few of our favourites.
We'll be publishing several guides, all aimed at different people you might need to buy for - and this was probably one of our favourites to compile - gifts aimed at the crafters in your life!
Read on for some inspiration for those who enjoy knitting, crochet, calligraphy, paper craft, journalling, sewing, and general craftiness!
Instagram: @ art_star_london
Jo is a graphic designer who creates eco-friendly paper craft kits, in some beautiful print options. The kits are a perfect mindfulness activity and the end result would make a lovely decoration for Christmas, or all year round.
They also sell 'Hack Packs', which are a bigger pack of materials, made up of leftover paper from the printing industry. These contain 12 pre-cut sheets in different colours, which can be made up into these gorgeous stars, or used in other projects. For every Hack Pack sold, Jo donates one to a kid's art club!
Instagram: @sewyarnilicious
Sew Yarnilicious make gorgeous bags and accessories for knitters and crocheters. Each bag is handmade by pre-order or to order, and they offer a wide range of prints and designs - there's something for any taste.
Instagram: @dyeandknitbykate
Kate hand-dyes a range of yarn types, in stunning colour blends. The yarn is the perfect weight for socks and we've enjoyed knitting it up so much, as the resulting colour effect really varies depending on what you are knitting up and what stitch you use! She also has a wide range of colours available, whether you like neutral naturals, sugary pastels, deep galaxy shades, or seasonal colour ways.
Instagram: @higgsandhiggs
You may have heard of Higgs & Higgs if you love sewing, and we are lucky enough that this business is local to us, so we get to support this small business frequently for personal projects. We love their new bundles and think these would be a great gift for someone who is just starting to sew, or for someone who would appreciate some coordinates to add to their stash.
Instagram: @wallacelettering
Helen is an illustrator and calligrapher, who runs workshops on brush lettering and modern calligraphy. She also sells calligraphy kits for you to practice at home. A place on one of her workshops or her kits would be the perfect gift for someone who wants to take their journalling or paper-crafting to the next level.
Instagram: @knitted_by_lw
Lucy not only makes gorgeous chunky knit home accessories, but she also runs frequent 'arm-knitting' workshops (these can be booked as gifts!), and offers kits for you to make things at home. Her workshops are suitable even for beginners, so they would be the perfect gift for someone crafty who wants to try something a little different, and the result is a luxurious arm knit chunky blanket.
Instagram: @britishstampmaker
British Stamp Maker sell handmade eco-rubber stamps, with a variety of different motif/text options, and they even offer a custom design service! The handle/back of the stamp is made from reclaimed wood and they come in a little stamped bag, which would make a cute gift. We think this alphabet set would be perfect for someone who enjoys journalling, scrapbooking or snail mail, and the mini stamps with the option of a logo or a phrase like 'Handmade with love' would be perfect for someone who enjoys sewing and wants to add a professional and personal touch to garments they make.
Instagram: @pomstitchtassel
Emma creates bright and fun pom-pom kits, party packs and other pom-pom related crafts. We especially love how these could be made with some help from the kids, and that the pom pom maker included could be used again and again in the future once you have the hang of it! The 12 days of Christmas Kit would be perfect to gift to a family as an activity, or even to put in an advent calendar or Christmas Eve box.
We hope you've gathered a few ideas from this guide, and that you enjoy looking through what these small businesses have to offer, as much as we did!
- Charis & Michelle