Guess what’s just around the corner!  Yes, Christmas is fast approaching.

This is the perfect time to begin ordering and assembling those gift ideas for loved ones, family and friends, well before the Christmas rush sets in.

So welcome to this very special festive episode of a Christmas Gift Guide for Embroiderers and Textile Artists.

This episode is about inspiration, beauty and the simple joy of giving, and that includes choosing gifts with care.

Whether you’re searching for that perfect gift for the creative maker in your life, or perhaps you’re an artist who needs to drop a few helpful hints to lead others in the right direction, this episode should help.

I’ll explore thoughtful gifts to delight stitchers from traditional hand embroiderers, through to creative machine embroiderers and experimental textile artists.

So gather yourself into a comfy chair, pour a fragrant cup of tea and let’s unwrap a world of colour, texture and creativity this Christmas.

This guide is designed to appeal to creative makers, art enthusiasts, traditional stitchers and those who are shopping for them.

Pretty soon, your Christmas tree will be up, and time will disappear as the big day looms, so this is the perfect time to begin Christmas shopping.

Let’s get in the mood to celebrate creativity this festive season through craftsmanship and the joy of giving.  Think sparkle, glitter, shine and gleam.  We’re looking for vivacity, zest, spirit and pizzazz in our gift-giving items this festive season.

Remember, embroidery and the textile arts are a tactile, expressive and highly personal working arena, so carefully chosen tools and materials make for meaningful gifts.  These can be budget-friendly or luxurious, practical or inspirational.

The most important factor is to be thoughtful and considerate in your gift selection.

The perfect gift for any embroidery or textile artist should celebrate their love for what they do.

I’m going to begin with essential tools and equipment meant to upgrade the work area or studio, beginning with high-quality needles and tools such as:

• Specialty embroidery needles such as Sashiko, Crewel, Beading or Gold-plated
• Needle organisers or magnetic needle minders
• Precision scissors – look for Gingher, Sajou or Bohin
• Specialty scissors, such as Pinking Shears or Duckbill scissors, for applique
• Frequently used machine needles, such as Superior, Titanium-coated (I order mine 10 boxes at a time through my friend Julie Woods of Julie’s Superior Threads)
• Thread conditioners, thimbles and ergonomic needle threaders, stilettos or seam rippers (the best thimble I ever bought was one made from rubber – do an Amazon search)

These are great gift ideas that are useful and long-lasting, so let’s move on to lighting and comfort.

• Adjustable daylight lights or magnifying lights
• Portable, rechargeable lights – a must for anyone who frequently attends workshops
• Ergonomic chairs
• Backrest pillows

I’m all for anything that makes my stitching life easier and more comfortable, so these are great ideas.  Let’s move on to hoops, frames and support tools.

• Hardwicke Manor wooden hoops – these are German-made heirloom quality hoops made from Beech wood.  They’re finely sanded and finished with a solid brass adjusting screw
• A slate frame or scroll frame for large projects
• Hoop stands – desk-top adjustable hoop or floor stands
• A simple weight to hold a sewing hoop firmly onto a desktop

Some of these may be a little more expensive, but this is Christmas.

Next come the items that inspire our creativity – threads, fabrics and materials, and I’ll begin with specialty threads.

• Silk, metallic and hand-dyed threads such as Au Ver à Soire, Wonderfil or House of Embroidery (I recently ordered some gold metallic thread through Wonderfil and stunning hand-dyed stranded cottons through Cottage Garden Threads)
• Thread collections curated by colour or theme
• Subscription boxes for monthly thread deliveries

That’s a yes, yes and yes from me, but let’s not forget those essential ground fabrics:

• Linen, silk organza, Indian brocade, evenweave cottons (I buy directly from Indian Etsy sellers for stunning Varanasi brocade)
• Fabric samplers in different textures and weights
• Ethical or artisanal fabrics – those that are handwoven or dyed with natural dyes

They all sound dreamy to me. Let’s move on to mixed media:

• Beads, sequins and specialty embellishments (I order through Katie’s Treasures, Colour Streams and recently through Etsy seller Angelina Jascenko for stunning multi-faceted and coloured diamantes)
• Metallic leaf, fabric paints or soluble stabilisers
• Natural dyes or eco-printing kits
• Don’t forget things like coloured markers, aquarelle pencils and new paint sets – always welcome in my world

This is my happy place – this is where everything begins to come together, but if you or someone you know is just starting to stitch, what about embroidery kits:

• Kits offered by contemporary artists
• Historical or traditional style kits for crewelwork, goldwork or stumpwork
• Custom or limited-edition designer kits

Not only do these teach, but they also support a network of small-business embroiderers.  That’s a win-win for me.  Then there are workshops and classes:

• Gift certificates for online or in-person embroidery workshops
• Courses in new techniques such as digitised embroidery, natural dyeing, visible mending, and sashiko
• Memberships to textile art associations, magazines or online learning platforms

These are all great gift ideas.  Now comes one of my passions, books:

• Inspiring illustrated embroidery guides, and don’t forget second-hand or pre-loved books
• Books on textile history, design inspiration or artist profiles
• Journals or sketchbooks for design work

Yes to all of the above for me.  But wait.  There’s more.  Storage and organisation are important for our workspace, so let’s look at ideas for beautiful and functional items:

• Thread racks, wheeled trolleys, storage boxes with labels – the prettier the better
• Handmade tool rolls or project boxes – matchy, matchy for me
• Pegboards or magnetic boards for tools, if you have the space

Then comes the presentation and display:

• Shadow boxes or floating frames for finished work
• Art stands, embroidery mounts or textile-friendly frames
• Custom-made labels or tags – so elegant

Now we come to those luxury and indulgent gifts for special occasions or the serious practitioner:

• Handmade sewing boxes or vintage workboxes – these can be quite expensive, but so worth it
• Limited edition scissors or tool sets
• High-end sewing machines or digital embroidery units
• Gift vouchers to artisan textile suppliers, textile galleries or fabric stores
• Original textile art from admired artists – shop local and buy Australian-made

While all of these sound amazing, I know some artists are eco-conscious makers, so here are some sustainable and thoughtful options:

• Organic threads and natural fabrics
• Recycled materials, tools or kits
• Op-shop finds of beads or pre-loved sewing kits and tools
• Recycled fabrics (I have used an Etsy seller for reused silk saree offcuts and was very happy with what I received)

What about some fun and affordable stocking fillers?

• Mini thread packs and specialty pins
• Embroidery-themed mugs, notebooks or ornaments
• Stitch samplers or small kit-of-the-month subscriptions
• Gift cards to online embroidery stores

Don’t worry, I’m almost finished.  What about a gift from one maker to another?

• Handmade needlebooks or pincushions
• Embroidered Christmas ornaments or decorations
• Handmade project journals
• Personalised thread cards or labelled boxes

The main objective here is to give a gift that brings happiness and creativity.  Choose something that reflects the recipient’s individuality and that sparks their imagination.

We need to celebrate creativity, community and craftsmanship in the textile arts, so let’s do that this Christmas.

I hope there’s something here to inspire you and that will make someone’s heart light up this season.  These gifts don’t have to be big or expensive, so long as they’re meaningful to someone who creates with their hands and their imagination.

Fill this festive season with artistry that reminds you of connection, creativity and joy – all centred around the use of a simple needle and thread – one of the oldest tools known to man.