2020 has been a pretty rough year for most of us. I am so looking forward to celebrating Christmas and enjoying the festive season!
Our family of 6 will be reuniting to celebrate Christmas together after being separated from our son due to COVID lockdown for most of this year. I can’t wait for that!
One thing that 7 months of lockdown prompted me to do was to buy all those weaving books (ahem, OK, they weren’t just weaving books) I had always wanted. I don’t feel the need to tell you how many books have landed on my doorstep this year, but lets just say that I’m a lot more challenged for bookshelf space now than I was at the start of the year!
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Books make the most fabulous gifts though, so I’m going to be including a few of my personal favourites in this 2020 Weaver’s Gift Guide.
If you’re looking for fictional books to dive into (heads up, I’m a big classics fan!) you can find a list of suggestions in the Book Lovers section of my Amazon Shop.
If you need further inspiration, why not also check out last year’s Weaver’s Gift Guide?
Without further ado, let us launch into the gift guide! Items are in no particular order 😉
I have used my Sampleit a LOT this year, in fact it has rarely been without a warp on it’s sweet little frame. I have found it so perfect for not only sampling (which it is absolutely perfectly sized for) but also for weaving smaller projects. Would you believe that my Rainbow Lap Blanket was woven entirely on my 10″ Sampleit?!
Another thing I love about my Sampleit is that it’s so small and light it hangs on some hooks mounted on the wall when it’s not in use. I hang it up whether it has a warp on it or not. Easy and efficient storage!
I use mine without a stand, but stands are available.
A little loom is a great way for a new weaver to dip their toes into the weaving world without making a big financial investment.
The Ashford Sampleit comes in two sizes – a 10″ and a 16″.
2. Lacis Cards
I just started card weaving this year and I must admit I’m pretty hooked! I use my inkle loom to weave bands with cards, but rigid heddle looms and body tensioning can work too. Card weaving is so cool and there are so many variations on patterns that you can weave – I’ve only just scratched the surface and look forward to doing much more. The Lacis cards are really great – they are durable, have a light, shiny coating that allows easy turning of the cards, they are a good size for your hands and the holes are marked with A, B, C and D to help you keep track during threading and turning.
Another great card weaving resource is Candace Crockett’s book Card Weaving. Candace puts her instructions in laymen’s terms so they are really easy to follow. It’s a great book to start out card weaving with. The book + a pack of cards = a wonderful weaving gift!
Many newer and seasoned weavers would appreciate the gift of a fringe twister. If you have been twisting fringes by hand (or know a weaver who has) a fringe twister is an absolute game changer!
I own the LeClerc fringe twister with 4 clips. The more clips you have, the more fringe you can twist at once. I’ve had my twister for many years now and it is in constant use. It still functions just like new.
4. Rosie’s Flexible Tablet Holder for Loom
A little disclaimer here – I do not own one of these. But as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to include it in this year’s gift guide. Why?
Because I knew it would be the perfect thing for so many of my students! Many students watch my classes on their iPad or tablet and actually follow along with instructions whilst seated at the loom.
This tablet holder can attach directly to your loom or table, and it has a flexible arm so that you can get the positioning of the tablet just right.
It’s also surprisingly affordable for such a task specific tool. I love it!
The Smart Phone Holder is also available.
5. Clover Jumbo Bent Tip Tapestry Needles
Ok, I’m a weirdo, but seriously, these needles have changed my life! At least when it comes to hemstitching. I’ve written about these needles previously, but for a quick re-cap, I love them because:
- They have a coating that is just slippery enough. They glide through hand woven fabric like they were born to do it.
- The bent tip makes them ergonomically wonderful to use – less stress on your hands and wrists.
- They are a great size for holding and using.
- They are cheap to buy/
- They come in a 2 pack, just in case you lose one, which is unlikely because they are gold.
- Did I mention they are gold?! 🤩
It’s hard to know where to start with books, as the weaving world has been SO blessed with an abundance of excellent weaving books. Here are just a few of the books that are in my personal library:
Rigid Heddle Weaving:
The Weaver’s Idea Book, Jane Patrick
Inkle Weaving:
The Weaver’s Inkle Pattern Directory, Anne Dixon
Multi Shaft Weaving:
The Handweaver’s Pattern Directory, Anne Dixon
Card Weaving:
Card Weaving, Candace Crockett
Tapestry:
Tapestry Weaving, Kirsten Glasbrook
The Art of Tapestry Weaving, Rebecca Mezoff
7. Yarn!
Once again, there are just so many choices for weavers when it comes to yarn. But if you’re looking for gifts for weavers, here are a few of my favourites:
You may have noticed I’m a bit of a Maurice Brassard fan! Their yarns are affordable, reliable and beautiful so I use them a lot.
Well, if we’re going to use tech we might as well make it look good, and what better way than to slap some beautiful weaving on it?
My Society6 store has a huge range of printed weaving themed items, from coffee mugs to doormats, tote bags to greeting card, face masks to bath mats. It’s crazy just how many different items are available in my shop there, take a look!
My dressmaker’s shears are one of my most valued tools in my weaving studio. That feeling of finishing your weaving and cutting the warp off with beautifully sharp shears is just wonderful. Using dull scissors can be a huge frustration when you are cutting yarn all the time. And if you happen to sew with your hand woven fabric, a good pair of dressmaking shears is an absolute must.
In my opinion it is worth spending a little more on a good pair. I have had my Stag 9.5″ dressmaking shears for around 10 years. Strangely, this brand does not seem to be readily available nowadays, but I’ve read some rave reviews on Kai shears.
I simply have my shears sharpened every 2 – 3 years and they work perfectly. Sharpening only costs around $10AUD, so it’s a cheap way to maintain a sharp edge.
10. Tape Measures
Most days you will see me with a tape measure slung around my neck, and if not, it’s never far away. I have an assortment of tape measures so that I always have quick access. My tape measures are all inch plus metric measurements and I use both at various times.
You can go with the standard, basic tape measure or something cute and novel. I have both!
11. Last, but not least, I couldn’t finish the Gift Guide without mentioning my Online Weaving School. Perhaps it’s time to give yourself the gift of weaving through the huge number of classes available. If you want to dive right in, a membership is the perfect option. Or, if you’re dipping your toes in, you may want to purchase single classes. The choice is yours!
Here is what students are saying:
“I love, love, love my gold class membership! I love that I have access to all the wonderful classes any time I want to watch them. Kelly is a fabulous teacher. She explains things in such a straightforward and understandable way, learning is much easier. A great bonus is the weaving community that comes with the gold membership. How wonderful to be able to encourage each other.”
Lori
“For the first time, I am seeing exactly how to do the things I keep reading about or see “snippets” of in other videos. Kelly explains and demonstrates each and every step, making it easy and enjoyable to do my weavings. She’s real, and down to earth. She’s not trying to “impress”, or show off her skills like I have seen in other videos. I truly do recommend Kelly Casanova to any and all who wish to enhance their Textile and Fibre Arts.“
Pamela
You can also gift memberships to others, simply contact me for more information.
Well, I certainly hope this Gift Guide has inspired you and something (or somethings) have caught your eye.
Whatever your are doing during this festive season, I pray that you be blessed with peace and joy and surrounded with love ❤️🎄🙏🏻
Until next time…
Happy Weaving!