Gift Ideas for Scatterbrained Sewists

First of all, what makes someone a Scatterbrained Sewist? A passion for making! I want to MAKE ALL THE THINGS, all the time. I have more ideas (many of them half-baked) than time. Even with a project wish list a mile long, I'm always looking for more ideas. Since I try to crank projects out in rapid fire, finding shortcut techniques and tools is key, but having fun is always #1 on my list!

Here are nine gift ideas that are sure to help your Scatterbrained Sewist get inspired and create!


1. Clover Wonder Clips (Available in 10 pack or 50 pack). These guys are great for a variety of tasks when pinning isn't ideal, like binding a quilt or bag making when lots of layers are involved. I had been using mini clothespins, but they fall apart too easily and are bulkier then I'd like, so I'm hoping for some of these. Wonder clips would make the perfect stocking stuffer.

2. MicroFine Glue Tips. My friend Julia pointed these out to me at Quilt Festival, and I am so grateful that she did. Glue basting is the easiest way I've encountered to get accurate, precise seams...which I'm not naturally good at. I highly suggest them to anyone who hates pinning or wants to get some lovely seams.

3. Cotton + Steel Basics Bundles. I've already purchased the green/yellow, red/purple and blue fat quarter bundles to round out of my rainbow of blenders. There is also a bundle with white, gray, and black prints. You can also get the entire rainbow in a jelly roll! Part of being a Scatterbrained Sewist means it's hard to get excited about non-focal/hero prints, which isn't good for building a well-rounded stash. Seriously, blenders make the best fabric gifts for Scatterbrained people like me because we get easily distracted by all the shiny focal prints.



4. Wonky Tee from Patchwork Threads. Wonky and Scatterbrained-ness go together like PB&J, so this tee would make a fun addition to your closet.

5. Modern quilt magazine subscriptions. Quilt Now subscriptions are available to us Americans through Pink Castle Fabrics as either a 6 issue or 13 issue plan. Love Patchwork and Quilting is available as a print subscription through their website, but if you live outside of the UK, you'll be about an issue behind due to delivery times. It's also available as a digital subscription the Apple Newstand for $5.99 per issue, which is released at the same time as it is in the UK, so no waiting! Any cover-mounted goodies that can be digitized (like patterns or mini booklets) will be included in the digital issue too.

6. Soak Wash, Flatter, and Handmaid. Part of being Scatterbrained means that when I hand wash things, I usually walk away and forget about them. With Soak Wash, a gentle, no-rinse detergent that's not a problem. Flatter is great for getting extra smoothing power when ironing, without the added stiffness of starch. It comes in handy for me because I have a bad habit of leaving fabric lying around in a wrinkled wad. Bonus, it comes in a variety of amazing scents! Handmaid is a hand cream, which I can never get enough of, especially after lots of hand sewing.

7. Craftsy Classes. Normally I'm too impatient for video courses, but I can't deny how helpful it is to get a clear visual when learning new techniques. Craftsy's video courses are easy to reference time and time again with multi-lesson classes that let you take notes and ask the instructor (and fellow students) for help.

8. Patchwork City by Elizabeth Hartman. I get bored easily when sewing, which is why I never make the same thing twice. Sampler quilts are another easy remedy to quilt-block boredom, and Elizabeth's new book is super duper exciting. The book contains 75 blocks in three different sizes, and only one is a square! Her freezer-paper template approach is perfect for people who have a phobia of FPP (and glue basting works wonders here). There are five quilt patterns as well, but these blocks have so much potential beyond those patterns. I've already started working through the book, page by page.

9. Shape by Shape by Angela Walters. I got an autographed copy of this book at Quilt Market, and it's already saved my butt on a quilt where I felt stumped. Custom quilting isn't something that comes naturally to everyone, so having a visual guide to get you started on tackling a project is a big relief. I can't wait to put this to work on some QAYG projects.