Welcome to the first ever Sewyeah Christmas Gift Guide - After years of designing these for the various womens magazines I have worked on I now really realise just how much work goes into them!
Whilst most magazines usually have sections such as, For Him, For Her, For The Kids, I seem to have focussed mainly on things For Me, and therefore I’m hoping you too. If anyone asks you what you want for Christmas I’m hoping there are some ideas here so just leave your laptop or computer open on this blog for any passers by. Of course it's fully acceptable for you to just Treat Yo'self and all your crafty friends too. As much as possible I have tried to support either small female led businesses or those with a sustainable angle. Quite often they are both. Which is freaking amazing.
Whilst I had to choose one thing from each of these shops and online businesses to picture. here, it goes without saying I love pretty much everything they stock. Please click the links (in pink) and I'm sure you will find something you'll treasure or that will bring you joy. If you do purchase something and have the opportunity please tell them you found them through this guide. As this is my first gift guide foray - I am aware that most of these places are UK based. Sorry to all my overseas readers, but many will ship abroad (especially if you get in early). Ready? Let's Go!
MY GIFT GUIDE- MY RULES!
Let's get my Christmas offerings out the way first shall we?
Here are a few pieces I have created, sourced or designed in the last few months that I hope you like! All prices include UK P&P.
SEWYEAH! GIFT CARD With a year's worth of embroidery and craft downloads on the site already and more to come in 2022, a gift card is the idea way to treat either your or your friends future selves! Available in £10 - £100
VINTAGE NEEDLE THREADER & SEAM RIPPER I love the packaging on these tools so much that I found it hard to open one! When I did, I found that the extra long handle made using the unpicker a dream. There's only 15 of these so be quick! £7.50
DALA HORSE OR MATRYOSKA NESTING DOLL DECORATION KIT This kit comes in a cute metal tin and includes 100% wool felt, DMC embroidery threads, needles, a glass vial of beads, sequins and bells plus step by step instructions and templates to make an adorable Dala horse or Matryoshka doll decoration. Perfect for a gift for yourself, a friend or a secret Santa. Limited edition of 20 £17
SEWYEAH! SOCIAL CLUB PIN
Show your allegiance the Sewyeah Social Club club with this gold (not actual gold) and enamel pin badge. £7.50
STATIONERY - ISH
OH SQUIRREL Who: Katie works from a small studio in North London. She is forever experimenting with new ideas and limited edition runs, so if you like something snap it up as it mightn't be around for long! Great For: Her iconic handwriting adorns beautiful velvet hoops, ribbons, stationery items and much more. I Love: Inspirational quote velvet hoops from £22
MARGO IN MARGATE Who: Colourful Artist who paints every day and wants to bring joy into our lives! Great For: Bold, bright original artworks and prints I Love: I Love you original artwork £210 prints from £20
MAGGIE MAGOO Who: Carole is based in West Yorkshire and creates striking nature inspired patterns and designs. Great For: Her hand drawn designs decorate everything from embroidery patterns to fabric, wall art and notebooks. I Love: Be Kind, Be Brave riso prints from £16
METICULOUS INK Who: Athena is one of those people who just makes you smile (check out her instagram stories). She owns a small shop and two vintage printing presses in Bath and makes many many beautiful things there. Great For: Calligraphy supplies and workshops, bespoke printed stationery, being a really joyful person on instagram! I Love: Gold printed pencils - choose your own slogans £25
HABERDASHERY - ISH
MIESJE CHAFER
Who: I am a big fan of surface pattern designer, screen printer and embroiderer Miesje.
Great For: Bold graphic printed accessories and homewears and amazing paper garlands.
I Love: Extra Large Needlecase £22
CLOTH & CANDY
Who: Lovely Fuz has an obsession with modern, graphic printed fabrics and set up her shop so she could share this obsession with us!
Great For: Patterned crafting, quilting and dressmaking fabrics. Also bright trims and kids craft.
I Love: The various dressmaking labels by Kylie and the Machine are the perfect finishing touch for your handmade creations. From £5.70
PETERSHAMS MILLINERY SUPPLIES
Who: Michelle and Fiona travel the globe finding unique hat making supplies and vintage marvels.
Great For: All things Hat making! Though I’ve never really attempted hat making (something for 2022?) This store also has an amazing selection of vintage sequins and trims. There’s tiny 1950’s hearts and unusual 1950’s shaped sequins, but being vintage - once they’re gone, they’re gone!
I Love: These sequin alphabet letters, they would look lovely embellishing heirloom stockings or as extra special present toppers, 95p each.
CLOUD CRAFT (affiliate link)
Who: Cloud Craft was founded in 2012 by Nicole to provide a modern stitching experience, which she does brilliantly.
Great For: 100% wool felt in all the colours of the rainbow. lso beautiful tools, notions, kits and extra bits that you’re not sure what you’ll do with, but you want them anyway.
I Love: the scallop edged scissors of course.
HOMEWARES - ISH
BAM CLOTHING Who: An ethical online store for sustainability and comfort. What’s not to love? Bamboo makes a super soft natural fiber that is kinder to the environment than the cotton industry. Its also great for allergy prone skin. Pretty much everyone in my family wears Bam clothing now. Great For: Soft and cuddly jumpers and lounge wear, practical active wear and the most comfortable socks ever. I Love: Stripped socks £12 RE-FOUND OBJECTS Who: A independent department store in Corbridge, Northumberland who love the unique, quirky, colourful and if its fairtrade or recycled then they love it even more. Great For: Colourful homewears and unusual decorations. I Love: Recycled Plastic shopping baskets £12 THE SWAGMANS DAUGHTER Who: Leonore - In her own words, A woman who was put on this earth to rummage in boxes. She travels the world finding boxes in old warehouses and then shares the contents of said boxes on her website. D.R.E.A.M J.O.B Great for: Vintage stocking fillers, cracker contents, haberdashery and general swag. I love: All of it! From £2 WYATT & JACK Who: Based on the Isle of Wight. Wyatt & Jack turn salvaged lilos, bouncy castles, deckchairs and other plastic fabrics into colourful bags and accessories swerving them from landfill and giving them a new lease of life. Great for: Strong sustainable customisable totes and rucksacks. I Love: Bouncy Castle Storage bags £35
JEWELLERY - ISH
ALEXIS DOVE Who: Based in Lewes, this independent jewellers is somewhere I visit whenever I’m in the town. Great For: delicate quirky charm necklaces - birds, shells, flowers, guinea pigs, triceratops! I Love: Guinea pig necklace from £100 ROSA PIETSCH Who: Rosa has been making acrylic jewellery since 2012. This year she has been experimenting with designs using her offcuts recycled into new material to create unique pieces. Visit @rosapietsch_recycled for more information. Great For: Beautiful statement acrylic jewellery inspired by vintage print, florals and geometric shapes. I Love: Deco star drop earrings £42
I AM ACRYLIC Who: Brendan and Ruth hand cut and finish acrylic jewellery in their little studio in Bristol and when I say hand cut I mean with tiny fret saws, not laser cutters! Many of their pieces are made from the acrylic offcuts from other local businesses. Great For: Cute bold coloured necklaces and brooches. They do love a nature motif so lots of great birds and flowers. I Love: Chaffinch brooch £12
MACON ET LESQUOY Who: French designers specialising in hand embroidered and beaded patches. Also stocked in Liberty and many small boutiques Great For: Small embroidered works of art that can be worn as patches, brooches or just framed and admired. I Love: Alphabet patches from £12
EMBROIDERY - ISH
BECKY HOGG Who: Becky did a 3 year apprenticeship with the Royal School of Embroidery and now has over 20 years as a professional embroiderer. Great For: Becky specialises in metal thread embroidery so if you are looking for your next embroidery challenge then look no further! I Love: Kingfisher Kit £50 STUDIO FLAX Who: Tanja is a woman on a mission. Her mission is to properly archive the beautiful Nordiska embroidery patterns from the past 100 years, research old designs and tracking down the women who created them. Great For: Faithful reproductions of historic embroidery designs all with a Nordic twist. Her kits come with original 1960’s linen embroidery threads. I Love: Teal Acorn Nordiska kit £39
THREAD HONEY Who: Jennifer founded Threadhoney in 2014 aiming it at millennial Martha Stewarts! Her designs look cool embroidered on clothing as well as wall art. Great For: Simple but stylish embroidery PDF’s I Love: Halo of Stars $8 COTTON CLARA Who: Founded by Chloe, Cotton Clara is going from strength to strength, starting out with a lasercutter in her conservatory, Chloe now works from a beautiful warehouse with a team of 10! Great For: Beautiful modern embroidery and cross stitch kits perfect for kids and beginners. I Love: 3D cross stitch letters kit £11.95
