Sunday, June 19, 2016

That Personalized Touch

I love the fact that I can sew, that I've developed the kind of skills where I can put a personalized touch on a gift relatively quickly if needed.

fo: Knitting Project Bag
A good friend of mine is leaving the territory on Monday, and I put together a little gift basket for her.  But it was feeling pretty impersonal, despite finding a few of her favourite treats and adding a thermos that I knew she'd probably use (and probably lose, but that's alright).

fo: Knitting Project Bag
So last night I whipped up a little knitting project bag out of a fabric I know she'll love...in about 20 minutes.  And it only took that long because I had to thread the drawstring and couldn't find the one safety pin I've managed to keep from the pack of 50 I bought a while back (like hair clips, apparently I only get to keep one of those no matter how many I buy, and that one becomes Precious and desperately coveted).

fo: Knitting Project Bag
Now the little gift is absolutely perfect, and I'm happy to send her off with a little something made from my own hands, even if I'm not happy to see her go.

I'm so thankful for the skills I've learned over the years, precisely for moments like this.  Do you ever add a little personalized touch to your gifts?

11 comments:

  1. I adore that fabric, I have it, and the one with the sheep knitting their own wool that goes with. I used to make all the gifts but time is a constraint these days so I tend to give gift vouchers for my shop!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've had this fabric for a while, so I'm glad to have found a use for it. :) I'm going to have to cut back on my solely made gifts because of time constraints myself, but I'll probably do more of these little touches!

      Delete
  2. What a clever idea! I tend to go overboard on handmade gifts, and it hasn't always been appreciated. I've learned that as much as I may want to give something handmade, gifting has to be about the recipient's joy, so if the person doesn't want something I've made, it's selfish of me to force my creations on them. That said, I really like the idea of mixing handmade and purchased items to make a gift more personal. Small touches go a long way while scratching that itch to gift a thing one has made. Plus it looks like a great way to use scraps, dabble in a kind of sewing you don't regularly do, and/or finish a quick project. Win all around!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hear ya, I've been making my gifts forever, and I've missed the target more than once in that time. I've started to really prod and see what people like or need and work around that. :)

      The bags are fun and really useful - I need to make more of them!

      Delete
  3. Oh, it's so pretty - and thoughtful. I agree, it's a good idea to work out what a person likes before making something. And yes, I have the same problem with my favourite earings - one always disappears...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw, thanks!

      Silly Things, not being findable when we need them. :)

      Delete
  4. What a lovely gift! I love that fabric-I'm sure your friend will make excellent use of the bag :) I love being able to incorporate handmade touches into gifts, just a little extra way to show them how much I care about them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's exactly it - letting people know you care, enough that you spend your free time making something just for them. :)

      Delete
  5. Are you trying to trick us? We're still waiting for the big news!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha nope! Just had to get home to write up the new post. :D

      https://thingsimakeplusrocks.blogspot.ca/2016/06/exciting-new-now-live.html

      Delete
  6. My goal after getting back from Europe is to learn how to use the sewing machine, my main motivation is to be able to make my own project bags! What a lovely gift to send your friend off with!

    ReplyDelete