One person who benefits from this trend is MaryAnn Hall, owner of Knitwits Boutique, a yarn shop on Main Street in Laurel. She says it’s not only the item itself that makes a handmade item a good gift idea, but also what goes into creating it.
‘‘It’s the fact that you’re putting your time and effort into the project, and you want to give somebody a part of you that they’ll have for a long time,” she said, at ease in one of the several chairs at her shop where knitters can spend some quiet time completing a project.
In total agreement with Hall is Monica Williams, event coordinator at Michaels in Bowie.
‘‘Handmade gifts are worth more than gifts that can be purchased in stores. In order to create a craft from scratch, one must devote a lot of time, effort and thought, which is priceless,” she said.
But where does one begin after deciding to take gift matters into one’s own hands? Williams suggests one of the classes at her store such as knitting⁄crochet, beading, calligraphy, painting and floral design, and cake decorating.
For first-timers, there’s no need to fear. Marian Leonard, who works in the floral department at Michaels, believes that everyone has it in them to be crafty.
‘‘Everybody has a talent for doing different things, even if it’s painting a birdhouse to go out in the spring, or making something to give to their favorite charity,” she said between serving customers at her station.
Taking the DIY approach to gift-giving is also a way to get children involved in the fun, allowing them to contribute without breaking their piggy banks. Newsome, the arts council director, recalls the first handmade gift he was ever given: a creation by his own daughter.
‘‘It was crocheted pot holder. I still have it,” he said.
Pointing to the various items and departments all around her, Leonard had several ideas for projects to fit all occasions, not just holiday gift-giving, and to fit any level of expertise, from all thumbs to a Martha Stewart wannabe.
Leonard herself often gives handmade items for Christmas as well as birthdays and weddings. Hand-assembled gift baskets are one of her favorite options.
Now, what happens when money isn’t so much the issue, but the time involved?
Leave it to experts
The county is full of solutions to the time-shortage problem: just look to the local craft shows and art galleries.
Newsome offers several options for Prince George’s residents to find something that’s been lovingly handcrafted by hands long accustomed to the task of creating. Populating the tables at these shows are artisans who ply their trade part and full time, all looking to make a few extra dollars by selling their wares.
This, Newsome feels, offers a perfect opportunity to pick up something unique to give that special someone.
‘‘Most of us take some time in making these types of purchases, and we want them to send a message, and usually they do,” he said. ‘‘The smiles that result from these types of gifts are wonderful.”
Newsome offered H&F Fine Arts in Mount Rainier as a good starting point, as well as Montpelier Arts Center on Muirkirk Road in South Laurel. Additionally, a Holiday Art and Crafts Sale is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Mount Rainier Artists Lofts, 3311 Rhode Island Ave., Mount Rainier. More craft show offerings can be found at The Gazette’s Community Calendar Web page at calendar.gazette.net.
Things to remember
If one is looking to purchase or commission a gift or artwork, keep in mind the time, skill and materials necessary to produce the item, and budget accordingly.
Sitting at her yarn shop, Hall pointed out several things she’d created, and that her friends had made, and told several stories about successful and well-received gifts of knitted and crocheted goods.
But one story Hall told, about an alligator scarf she had knitted for her granddaughter, demonstrated the occasional misunderstanding about what goes into such a gift.
‘‘Someone I know who knows nothing about crafts came to me and said, ‘Oh, those are really cute. Do you make those to sell?’” she said. The person said she’d be willing to pay $15 or $20 for the scarf, Hall said.
Hall said she had to decline.
‘‘I put more than $20 into the yarn,” she said. ‘‘Granted, it doesn’t take a tremendous amount of time to do it, but your time has to count for something. She had no concept of how long it takes to make something.”
Another crucial point to remember when giving a gift of any kind — handmade or store-bought — is to match the gift to the recipient. A bright pink hand-knitted sweater may bring tears of joy to your auntie, but that same sweater given to a black-clad teenager may be tossed in the drawer and never again see the light of day.
‘‘Make sure your best sense of taste is working,” Newsome said. ‘‘Consider the person you are buying for. Think about their style, décor, hobbies.”
If a breathless-with-surprise reaction is the goal, another good idea may be to find out whether the recipient would know what goes into the creation of the gift.
‘‘If you’re making something for somebody who knows a little bit about crafts, they know and they really appreciate it,” Hall said.
E-mail Kate Carroll at kacarroll@gazette.net.
When giving a handmade gift, remember to keep these pointers in mind:
Budget your time wisely. A beginning knitter probably will not be able to finish a sweater in one week, unless she plans on not sleeping.
Just like good ingredients make a better meal, better quality materials can go a long way toward making a durable, eye-appealing gift.
Know your recipient. Consider his or her interests, hobbies and style.
Information on craft shows scheduled in the county can be found at calendar.gazette.net.
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