Buying for someone crafty is surprisingly hard. They already have the scissors, the yarn and the tote bags. What they don’t have yet is the next thing they’ll fall in love with making.
That’s why my favourite gift for a maker is a new skill. Here are some ideas from my studio, from a small treat to a day out, for every budget.
Give a new skill: an online felting course
Wet felting is a wonderful hobby to discover. It’s tactile and relaxing, it needs only wool, soap and water, and it suits knitters, sewers, painters and complete beginners alike. With an online course they can learn at home, at their own pace, and rewatch every step as often as they like.
Under £20: a quick, happy project
Felted mushrooms are the perfect first taste of felting: colourful, quick and very satisfying.
Online course · Beginner
Funky Fungi: Wet Felted Woodland Mushrooms
Fly agarics, chanterelles and brown caps from merino wool.
£15See the course
Online tutorial · Beginner
Cow Parsley: Decoration part in Wet Felting (Mini-Tutorial)
For felters who already make pictures: delicate cow parsley flowers.
£6See the tutorial
£30 and up: something to frame or switch on
For the friend who loves painting or interiors, these bigger projects turn wool into art for the home.
Online course · Beginner
Daisies Picture: Wet Felting Video Tutorial
Painting with wool: a soft daisy picture with a watercolour effect.
£30See the course
Online course · Beginner
Silk and Wool Glow - Lampshade Tutorial
Design a one-of-a-kind lampshade in wool and silk.
£60See the course
Want to give an online course as a present? Send us a message with the name and email of the person it’s for, and we’ll help you set it up as a gift.
Give a day out: a felting workshop
If they live in South Wales or fancy a trip, a workshop is a gift and an experience in one. Our studio classes are small and friendly, all materials are included, and everyone goes home with something they made: a scarf, a lampshade, a picture or a little family of mushrooms. It’s a lovely thing to do together, too.
Get in touch and we’ll help you book a place as a present.
Make it personal
- Add a handwritten card saying what you think they’ll make first.
- Pair it with materials: a few bundles of merino in their favourite colours turns a course into a ready-to-go kit.
- Make a date of it: buy two places or two courses and learn together.
Why felting makes such a good gift
- No special equipment. Wool, soap, warm water and a towel are enough to start.
- Quick wins. Small projects like mushrooms are finished in one sitting.
- Room to grow. The same techniques lead on to pictures, scarves and lampshades.
- Calm and mindful. Laying out soft wool and working it with warm water is wonderfully soothing.
Whatever you choose, I hope it brings them as much joy as felting brings me.
Svetlana
