I know that beady people do not need many ideas as to gifts for other beaders, but sometimes, when the shopping pressure is on, we could use a few ideas. 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? I like the idea of a beading gift basket with some great lampwork display ideas, a few complimentary beads for lampwork she already owns, and a good book on stringing projects. If she is a veteran stringer, then 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 beading gift baskets for all kinds of beaders!

The New Beader:

Center the new beaders' beading gift basket around a good basics book such as The Beaders Companion from Interweave Press or Creative Bead Weaving by Carol Wilcox Wells. Throw in a nice selection of basic colors of seed beads or Delicas, a few spools  of Nymo or Fireline Micro Ice Fishing Line, some needles, a pair of embroidery 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 bead ever made, plus enough thread to reach the moon. She has been printing out patterns since the beginning of time and can Peyote in her sleep. She may work other stitches occasionally, but her first love it Peyote. What can you put in her beading gift basket? Try a few accent beads to add to fringe on an Amulet bag or Peyote wall hanging.  She may have many accent beads already, but sometimes new and unusual 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 beads. Alternatively, take a look at the many on-line Vintage beads shops. Don't forget Bali Silver, or Czech pressed glass for this Accent Bead gift basket. The cool beads are everywhere.

The Bookworm:

This beading gift basket is easy, you'll give books, of course! Get her an assortment of beadwork bookstore gift certificates. Try some of the out-of-print bookstores or on-line places, to get her something she is missing from her collection. Art books and books on Native American beading or bead and beading history books make good gifts, too. And don't forget that Gallery catalogs from big shows such as the annual Dairy Barn competition or the auction catalogs from the annual Bead and Button show make really cool items for your beading gift basket. Try the books 1000 Glass Beads or 500 Beaded Objects for some divine eye-candy!

The Needlework Beader:

This would be the bead knitter, crocheter, tatter or embroiderer. Be sure to include a pack of Big Eye Needles in this basket, along with a new frame or set of hoops. Toss in a great book on Bead Embroidery, some Lacy's Stiff Stuff, a package of Aida cloth and this bead embroidery beading gift basket is set. For a knitter, things like stitch counters, tip protectors and a selection of Perle Cotton or silk thread would be welcome. 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 new strong quilting threads are great, too. A stand is always welcome, and so are long needles, like the 4.5 inch Big Eye Needle.

The Creative Kind:

Give this beader a good selection of books on different types of stitches. Something like the Zulu series by Diane Fitzgerald would be fun and different, as 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. Give a box of beautiful ornaments to the beaded ornament nut and if the recipient is fond of making beaded dolls, nothing beats a wonderful face cabochon.

The Stringer:

Give this beader 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. Add a few double strand box clasps, lobster claws, Bali Silver clasps, gold plated clasps, ear wires and any others that catch your eye!

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 E-mail 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 gift requests that beaders have said they would like to receive, 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!