Handmade Birthday to You
Tips for topping your handmade gifts!
If you’re a crafter reading this, I can almost guarantee that you’ve gifted a handmade project to your loved ones before. It seems to be in the nature of making; we create what we love, and share it with others. There’s no greater feeling than knowing you’ve really touched someone and made them feel special with the effort you’ve put in to make something just for them.
With this in mind, I’ve put together a few tips and ideas for creating and elevating your handmade gifts. No Birthday Bonanza edition would be complete without it!
1) don’t skimp on the finishing touches
In the earlier stages of learning to crochet, I was definitely guilty of cutting corners. Even just last year, I gifted a granny square blanket to a friend of mine that was not quite a square… So, with my current blanket project (another gift) I promised myself it would be blocked to perfection before it gets wrapped up and sent off.
There are other finishing touches to think of too. Making sure all ends are darned in and properly secured is a big one as the recipient of your gift might not know how to fix it in the future if they come unstuck.
2) put personality at the heart of it
Details that create a personal touch are a great addition to any project. Whomever your gift is for, think about what they like and memories that you share together. Could there be a bit of embroidery here or a button there that represents these more intimate details? Also, don’t be afraid of putting your own personality into it. Something that is handmade by you is an extension of your interests too, and the recipient will love being able to see that this gift is connected to you and could not have been made by anyone else.
3) wrap it like a pro
A benefit of gifting something handmade is that you can capture the magic of this with your wrapping and packaging too. For handmade gifts, I like to wrap them in a piece of tissue paper as this protects it and ensures your gift remains in top condition. When it comes to wrapping, personally I love the classic brown paper look as it has a nostalgic, sentimental effect.
It’s also a great base for other embellishments. Something as simple as tying around ribbon in a bow with a handwritten gift tag can instantly elevate your gift, and show the recipient you’ve pulled out all the stops from start to finish just for them. You could also make some little charms to attach where the ribbon is tied. Handmade flowers and spirals can look amazing for gift wrapping. Mini crochet bees or hearts are always crowd pleasers, and you can tailor these additions for each person you gift to.
Do you have any finishing touches you love adding to handmade gifts? Head to Instagram (@inthewooluk) to let us know!
