How to choose

Gifts for Crafters: Which Gift Guide Fits Your Maker?

By the Which Gift editorial team 5 min read

The best gifts for crafters start with the craft itself, so pick the guide that matches what they make: quilting, knitting, crochet, sewing, art, baking or woodworking. Each guide below covers ideas for one craft. If you are unsure, ask what they are working on now, then choose a tool or supply that supports it.

Gifts for crafters are easier to choose once you know the craft, because a quilter, a knitter and a woodworker each reach for very different tools. A generic crafty present rarely fits, while a tool that suits the project on their table usually does.

This roundup helps you pick the right niche guide for the maker in your life. Below you will find seven crafts, who each guide suits, what kinds of ideas it covers, and a short method for choosing when you are still unsure.

Needle and thread crafts: quilting, knitting, crochet, sewing

These four crafts share a love of fabric and fiber, but each has its own tools. Match the gift to the craft, not to the general idea of sewing or yarn.

Gifts for quilters

Quilters care about accurate cutting, flat seams and steady layers, so the best presents help with the next quilt. The guide covers cutting tools, pressing and piecing helpers, fabric and thread, and sewing-room upgrades. See our gift ideas for quilters for the full list.

Gifts for knitters

Knitters often appreciate the tools around the yarn, since yarn itself is a personal choice. The guide covers needle sets, stitch markers, row counters, blocking mats and winding tools, plus small notions that work as stocking stuffers. Start with gift ideas for knitters.

Gifts for crocheters

Crochet gifts often start with the hook. The guide covers ergonomic, steel and Tunisian hook sets, then beginner kits, blanket yarn, a granny square sourcebook and a blocking board. Our gift ideas for crocheters include picks for beginners and for crocheters who have everything.

Gifts for sewers

Sewers use small tools every session, so a good pair of shears, a seam ripper or a marker is rarely wasted. The guide covers cutting, marking, pressing and the machine, with a serger or a dress form for a bigger present. Browse gift ideas for sewers.

Art, baking and woodworking

These crafts are about making things with paint, dough or wood. In each case, the medium or the style decides which gift will be used.

Gifts for artists

The best art gifts match the medium, so ask whether they paint, draw, use markers or work digitally. The guide covers watercolor, gouache, markers, a tracing light box, a pen tablet and studio extras such as an apron and a brush cleaner. Open our gift ideas for artists once you know their medium.

Gifts for bakers

Bakers differ by what they bake: sourdough, everyday bread or cakes. The guide sorts ideas that way, with proofing and scoring tools for sourdough, a scale or dough whisk for bread, and a turntable or piping tips for cakes. Try gift ideas for bakers and match the idea to their bake.

Gifts for woodworkers

Woodworkers like tools that do one job well. The guide separates hand-tool ideas, such as a pull saw, a marking gauge and card scrapers, from picks for a power-tool shop, such as a compact router and a push block. Our gift ideas for woodworkers also include stocking stuffers.

How to choose a gift for a crafter

When you are not sure which guide fits, work through a few simple questions before you open one. The answers usually point to a single craft and a single kind of gift.

  1. Which craft do they spend the most time on right now? Open that guide first.
  2. Are they a beginner or experienced? Beginners enjoy starter tools, and experienced makers enjoy specialty items they would not buy for themselves.
  3. Do they buy their own materials? Yarn, fabric, paint and wood are personal choices, so tools and notions are safer than materials.
  4. What is your budget? Each guide mixes smaller and larger ideas, so you can match the gift to what you want to spend.
  5. Can you ask one question? A quick message about size, medium or brand prevents a miss.

Some makers do more than one craft, such as sewing and quilting, so the neighboring guide may suit them too. Check both before you decide.

Gift ideas from our guides

Frequently asked questions

What is a good gift for someone who does crafts?

Choose a tool or supply for the specific craft they do, such as a needle set for a knitter, a marker for a sewer or a brush set for a painter. If you do not know the craft yet, ask what they are making now. Small notions are a safe start, and our guides group ideas by craft.

What do you get a crafter who has everything?

Look for a specialty tool they may not buy for themselves, or a small item they run low on. Several of our craft guides call out ideas for people who have everything. A book or a small organizing case can also work, as long as it fits their craft.

Should I buy yarn, fabric or paint for a crafter?

Materials are personal, so tools, notions and organizers are usually safer than yarn, fabric or paint. If you do want to give materials, ask for a color or a brand, or pick a neutral option. Our guides lean toward tools and notions for this reason.

How do I choose between a small gift and a big one?

Give small tools to makers you do not know well, and keep bigger gifts, such as a machine, a serger or a power tool, for people you can ask first. Those purchases depend on personal preference and workspace. Several of our guides note when a gift is worth discussing first.