Gift Basket Ideas
Dateline: 12/12/00I love to make gift baskets, and I think they are the greatest present. My first was done for a baby shower, and consisted of a baby bathtub filled with bath time things for baby and mom.
I know that beady people do not need a lot of ideas as to gifts for other beaders, but sometimes we all get stumped. We know that the woman who hosts so many bead caves is a lampwork lover, but what can we do, besides giving her a lampworked bead? How about a basket with some great lampwork display ideas, a few complimentary beads, a good book on stringing projects. How about some wire and a jig, so she can make her own pendants?. You get the picture.
So with that in mind, here are a few ideas for bead-themed gift baskets for all kinds of beaders!
The New Beader:
Center it around a good basics book such as The Beaders Companion from Interweave or Creative Bead Weaving by Carol Wilcox Wells. Throw in a nice selection of basic starter colors of seed beads or Delicas, a couple of spools of Nymo, some needles, a pair of scissors, some beeswax or a container of Thread Heaven. If you want to add to it, you could also include a subscription to one of the bead magazines such as Bead and Button or Beadwork.
The Peyote Queen:
She already has every color of Delica ever made, and enough thread to reach the moon. She has been printing out patterns since the beginning of time and can Peyote in her sleep. She has no interest in learning (or doing) other stitches, she's perfectly happy, thank you! But what can you get her? How about accent beads? She may have a lot already, but sometimes new and unusual accent beads will spark a new line of creativity. Swarovski is always nice, but try a flea market or yard sale for broken vintage jewelry and harvest the bead! Or take a look at the many on-line Vintage beads shops. Don't forget Bali Silver, or Czech pressed glass. There are lots of cool beads around!
The Bookworm:
Books, of course! Get her an assortment of beadwork book store gift certificates. Try some of the out-of-print bookstore or on-line places, to get her something she is missing from her collection. Art books and books on Native American beading or bead history books make good gifts, too. Also, Gallery catalogs from big shows make really cool gifts for booky-beaders!
The Needlework Beader:
This would be the bead knitter, crocheter, tatter or embroider. New needles/hooks are good, as is a new frame for working, or a new set of hoops. A big pack of Lacy's Stiff Stuff would be excellent for an appliqué nut, and Aida cloth or good linen fabric are nice things for an embroiderer. For a knitter, things like stitch counters, tip protectors and a selection of Perle Cotton or silk thread would be welcome. You could finish it off with a nice storage basket for work - what a nice gift!
The Loom Lover:
Besides a wonderful new loom, you could also give that bead weaver a nice selection of warping thread. Nymo "F" is a good one, so is the new upholstery thread, and the really strong quilting threads are great, too. A stand is always welcome, and so are long needles, like the 5 inch "Big Eye" needle.
The Creative Kind:
Give this beader a good selection of hooks on different types of stitches. Something like the Zulu series by Diane Fitzgerald would be good, so would The Morning Rose by Sharon Bateman. Books on creating beadworked sculpture or 3-D work would be great. Supplies and forms are nice, too. Give a selection of bottles to someone who likes to bead bottles. Or a box of beautiful ornaments to the beaded ornament nut!
The Stringer:
Lots of good big beads, and a wonderful selection of stringing media (Soft Flex, Beadalon, silk thread). Also throw in a good knotting awl or tweezers, and a nice selection of findings. Give some double strand box clasps, lobster claws, Bali Silver clasps, gold plated clasps, ear wires and any others that catch your eye!
So, I'm sure you can come up with many wonderful gift basket ideas! And if you don't have a fellow beader in mind of a basket, you could always email this page to someone as a huge hint for your own basket!
I would like to close with a little list of ideas for single beady gifts. These are goodies that beaders have been asking for, so I'll share them with you! Maybe you'll discover what you really want!
Ott Lites
Good looms
Pattern books
Instructional books
Beading software
Computers to run the beading software
Bead storage containers
Trips to the big Bead Shows
Gift Certificates to Bead Classes
And, of course, More Beads!
Happy gift giving and happy gift receiving this joyous Holiday season!
