Handmade Christmas gift ideas, and when to order them

Handmade gifts ask for one thing that shop-bought gifts do not: a little planning. Nothing here is sitting in a warehouse, and some pieces are started only once you order them. The upside is a gift that was made for the person receiving it. Here is what to choose, and when to order it.

Order-by dates

Work back from the 25th:

• Made-to-order pieces take 1 to 2 weeks to make, plus delivery. Order by early December.
• Ready-to-ship pieces leave the studio in 1 to 3 business days. Order by mid-December, earlier if you are shipping across the country.
• Personalized pieces follow the made-to-order timeline. Order by early December.

Every product page says which of the three it is, right under the price. If you are ordering late, filter the shop by Ready to ship and you will only see pieces that can go out this week.

For the person whose home always feels calm

A throw or a blanket. It is the gift people mention a year later, because it gets used every evening. Cotton suits year-round use and warm houses; wool is warmer and better for a cold room. Choose a color that works with what they already own, and when in doubt take the neutral: oat and cream sit with everything.

For someone who has just moved

A gift box, or a basket with a candle in it. New homes are full of boxes and short on comfort, and something warm to put on a shelf on the first night lands better than another kitchen gadget. Look at the housewarming gifts if you want it chosen for you.

For a host

A candle, every time, but pay attention to the scent. Something clean and woody suits most homes: cedar, sage, fig, amber. Avoid strong food scents in a house where someone is cooking for guests, because the two fight each other. A pair of tapers plus a small candle is a generous-looking gift that stays under most budgets.

For a new baby, or the parents

A blanket that can be washed easily, or a soft plush toy. Ask for a name to be added if you want it to become the keepsake rather than the practical gift. Order these early: personalization adds time, and babies arrive on their own schedule.

For the person who says they want nothing

Something small and used daily. Coasters, mug cozies, a bud vase, a bar of something nice for the bath. Under $25, unmistakably handmade, and impossible to object to.

For someone far away

Send it directly to them with a gift note. At checkout you can add gift wrap, and a handwritten card goes in the box. If it needs to arrive by a particular date, tell us in the order notes and we will say honestly whether it can be done.

A few things worth knowing before you order

Handmade means slight variation. Colors shift a little between batches of yarn, and no two stitches are identical. That is the point, but it is worth knowing if you are matching something.

Ask about custom colors. Most crochet pieces can be made in a different color from the one photographed. Message us before ordering and we will tell you what is possible and how long it takes.

Wrapping is included if you want it. Tissue, linen ribbon, dried flowers and a handwritten note, added at checkout for a few dollars.

If you have left it late

Every year someone does. Filter for Ready to ship, choose something small, and add gift wrap so it arrives ready to hand over. A candle and a set of coasters wrapped together looks considered and goes out the same week.

Browse the Christmas gifts or start with the gift boxes, which are already assembled and wrapped.