Gifts for QuiltersUNDER CONSTRUCTION NOT DONE YET Hand Made | Under $10 | Under $20 | Under $30 | Under $50 | Big Ticket Items | Gift Certificates Everything on this list is something I already have or would love to get and most are conveniently linked to a place where you can purchase it. Many of these gift ideas are under $10, which, given the current economic conditions, may fit well into lots of budgets. You’ll notice that there are quite a few items you can make yourself and many that you can buy on Etsy. Etsy is a great online market that features all hand-made items. What could be better than returning to hand-crafted gifts for the folks we love? I also consulted with a large group of quilters online to create this list. One important theme that emerged after talking to lots of other quilters is that this: all of us would love the gift of time to indulge ourselves in a quilting experience. So maybe you don’t need to read this list at all to find a gift for the quilter in your life. You could give them the gift of two days a month of time to quilt with child-care, cooking, dog-sitting or whatever is needed provided by you! 
Finger Thimble Use this quick easy tutorial from Don't look now! to make a finger thimble. I made this up in just a few minutes and I use it all the time when I'm doing hand sewing such as binding a quilt or applique. You can make a bunch of them for gifts and use scraps you already have, which makes this a nice "green" gift. 
Thread HolderThis adorable little thread holder is fun and easy to make with this great tutorial from The Stitching Room. I keep mine sitting on my side table next to the couch where I do handwork in the evenings. My husband likes it too because now there are no more little piles of threads all over the house.
I made myself a needle case out of felted wool and carry with my handwork every where. I keep it stocked with needles and pins in a variety of sizes, along with a needle threader (my 40-something year old eyes can't thread needles like they used to). I also made one as a gift for my sister and sent it to her complete with needles and a needle threader. She really liked it. Here is one made by Nini Makes using her
fun tutorial.
Here are free instructions by Stacy Shlyer to make a sewing caddy that any quilter who does hand work would enjoy. Coffee Cozy You know that little cardboards that wrap around your coffee cup at Starbucks? You can be very green and make a reusable one to give to your favorite quilter. Why not make one for yourself too? Here is an easy to follow photo tutorial. Make a Jelly Roll Food themed fabric bundles are all the theme in quilt shops these days. You can make your own quilt fabric sweets from your stash, like this Jelly Roll. Make a Gizmo …… to keep matching bobbin and thread together. This is another cool green project. Here are instructions. Needle Threader I always need more needle threaders, especially now that my eyes are getting a little, ahem, older. Pin and Needle Picker Upper I so need one of these! Sewing Machine Earrings Your quilter will be the star of the show at her bee when she shows up wearing these earrings. An Inspiration Journal Show your support by encourage your quilter to keep an inspiration journal. You can see photos of my inspiration journal here. A Pretty Jar Full of Buttons You could also make a jar like this yourself if you have the time and the button stash. Vintage Dictionary Word Scrabble Charm Necklace This is a really darling handmade necklace featuring a scrabble tile and a thimble. Quilt-themed Magnet or Eye Glass Cloth I can picture a quilty magnet or an eye glasses cloth as great stocking stuffers. Pincushion Ring Here is a hand made ring that is also a pincushion which would be perfect for a quilter who does a lot of delicate hand appliqué work. Quilt Patis This is an ingenious way to make the very traditional Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt with resuable (="green") plastic templates. If your quilter loves a project she can take anywhere, Quilt Patis would be a great gift. Here is a photo of the star quilt that I'm making using Quilt Patis:
Mouse Pincushion and Thread Keeper This little patchwork mouse would be a sweet and useful sewing companion. Wire Quilt Frames How about a wire hanger for small wall quilts or wire table top quilt stand Table Side Sewing Caddy Help the quilter in your life keep track of her scissors and all those little threads that she trims at the machine with this handmade sewing caddy. Quilted felt pendants I think these little felt quilt block pendants are the bomb! Mosaic quilt pendant This beautiful pendant was recently featured in Quilter’s Home magazine. Bobbin bracelet This unique bracelet incorporates metal bobbins as charms. Pincushion pendant I love this antique-looking pendant that doubles as a tiny pincushion. Batting Ask your quilting friend what is their favorite batting and then surprise him with a roll of it for a gift. A Subscription to a Quilting Magazine There are many magazines to choose from and you may want to make sure the person you are giving this gift to doesn’t already have a subscription. You can read reviews of different magazines here. A Quilting Book Most quilting pattern books are under $30 and again, there are many to choose from. You may want to ask the quilter you have in mind for a wish list, or give a gift certificate to buy a quilting book. You can also read reviews of some of my favorite quilting books here. Square No. 2, or, The Amazing Shrinking Quilter's Pendant This is a colorful pendant that has a bright, quilty look to it. Sterling Silver Hand Stamped Quilt Necklace Here is a simply designed, quilt pendant for the person you know who eats, drinks and sleeps quilting. A Walking Foot Consult the intended recipient to see if they have a walking foot for their sewing machine. If not, write down exactly what kind of machine they have and go to your LQS to find out where you could purchase a walking foot for that particular machine. New Rotary Cutter Blades We quilters burn through these little pieces of metal quickly, so we can always use more. Just make sure you get the correct size and brand for his or her rotary cutter. Frosted Donut Appliqué Threads Truly, this is the best $35 I have spent in a long time. I now have at my fingertips a\every color of thread I could possibly need for my applique work, arranged in a beautiful ring of bobbins. This sweetie goes every where I go! This is one of the best gifts you could get for a quilter who loves appliqué. Pink Tools and Tool Box This idea came to me from my online quilting friends. What quilting gal wouldn’t want her own set of tools for all the little handy tasks required of a quilter? Quilt block earrings Here is a pair of handmade quilt block earrings. These are more expensive gifts and I can’t necessarily link you to them, but if you can give any of these to your favorite quilter – wow! Guetermann Thread Album Give a complete set of high quality quilting thread in every color imaginable. Trip to a Quilt Show or a Quilting Cruise There are several large and top notch quilt shows around the US and around the world. A trip to anyone of these would make an amazing gift. And did you know there are quilting cruises? Talk about the best gift in the world! A Long Arm Quilting Frame and Machine These are rather large contraptions that can make quilting large pieces much easier. Before you buy one of these, consult with the recipient to make sure he/she has room for it and to make sure you get the one they want. Wood Hand Quilting Frame This is really nice gift for someone who quilts by hand. There are some brands that fold up when not in use and could work well for someone with limited space in their house. A Quilting Studio This might be the ultimate quilting gift – a designed space in the house with good lighting, all the equipment needed, and storage for fabrics and tools. This could be a do-it-yourself project or done by a professional designer. If none of the ideas above seem perfect for the quilter in your life, then how about a gift certificate so she can pick out exactly what she wants? The quilter you are giving to can probably tell you his or her favorite local quilt shop and that is always a great choice, but in case you are too shy to ask, below are some of my favorite places. I think any quilter would love a gift certificate to one of these stores: Store that stock green quilting fabrics (link to my reviews page)
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