We love this time of year! There is so much cozy crafting to do, last-minute gifts to make and purchase—and yes, ogle for ourselves, we deserve it! We just finished celebrating Thimbles 12 Days of Christmas, our annual tradition of holiday discounts and deals that we look forward to every year. We hope you were able to snag all your favorite tools and kits!
We love our fabrics, our kits and tools and gorgeous patterns, but the real shining star here at Thimbles is our community of crafters, and we count our dedicated staff among those numbers. This isn’t a place where people just clock out and go home at the end of the day. We all live and breathe quilting and sewing—it’s a lifelong passion that we hold dear, and it’s enriched beyond measure by the combined community of our staff and our customers.
So, in honor of the beautiful people who keep the fabric of Thimbles running smoothly (no puckers here!), we’re checking in to see what their holiday season looks like. What’s on their wish list this year? How do they celebrate?
We hope you enjoy this look at their seasonal traditions and get inspired about your own holiday wish lists. There are some great ideas here for last-minute gifts, too!
Tammy
What’s at the top of your personal wish list?
A Rowenta iron is sitting at the top of my wish list right now. A really good, quality iron is one of life’s little pleasures. Ironing is like a form of meditation. Bring on the zen!
What’s your favorite gift to give to other quilters and sewists?
The Clover desk top needle threader is a classic. It’s such a handy tool and makes a great stocking stuffer.
What’s your favorite go-to last-minute handmade gift?
Nothing beats the Baked Potato Bag. It takes about an hour to make and it makes the fluffiest, most delicious baked potatoes. You’d swear they came out of the oven. You can also microwave corn on the cob in it. It’s just very useful!
What’s your favorite holiday movie to watch?
Nothing puts me in the holiday mood better than White Christmas. The music, the gorgeous costumes, the set pieces. It really captures the pageantry of Christmas. I love it.
Jane
What’s at the top of your personal wish list?
The Better Board, because I like a LARGE pressing surface!
What’s your favorite gift to give to other quilters and sewists?
The ListPad, to keep track of their many projects.
What’s your favorite go-to last-minute handmade gift?
A great reusable tote bag, like the Friendship Tote.
What’s your favorite holiday movie to watch?
Miracle on 34th Street.
Kay
What’s at the top of your personal wish list?
I really covet the Babylock Circle attachment foot. It’s something I’ve always wished for. It would be fun to try out all the embellishment stitches available on my machine. Bernina has a similar foot that would be nice too. Beggars can’t be choosers!
What’s your favorite gift to give to other quilters and sewists?
I love the Tabletastic books and I think they are an awesome gift to give other quilters. There are so many beautiful runners featured. We often create kits based on those patterns, so if you know a Thimbles quilter, it’s a great gift because then they can just purchase one of our kits and they’re good to go!
What’s your favorite go-to last-minute handmade gift?
I love to make table runners for people. Friends and family always love personalized table runners—it’s one of those items you can never have too many of, and personalizing them always adds such a nice touch.
What’s your favorite holiday movie to watch?
My favorite is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. I love the message!
Maria
What’s at the top of your personal wish list?
Ok, I’m going to be real here. I love the gift of a massage or a personal spa day or a quilt made by someone else, because I still can’t make one! But I’m learning. I just started working here at Thimbles, but I’m already learning so much!
What’s your favorite gift to give to other quilters and sewists?
I think a little basket with basic sewing notions—scissors, tape measure, Clover’s Sweet and Sharp Macaron, Thimbles manicure set, and a Thimbles gift card—is a great and thoughtful gift. I’m a new quilter, so that’s what I’d want!
What’s your favorite go-to last-minute handmade gift?
Right now I mainly crochet, but I could sew together a little pouch to store pins and scissors.
What’s your favorite holiday movie to watch?
I really like A Christmas Carol with Jim Carrey.
Kara
What’s at the top of your personal wish list?
Tutto Tula Pink Trolley! It has that super-cute rainbow shimmer print, I’m obsessed.
What’s your favorite gift to give to other quilters and sewists?
I love to give fabric bundles. Fabric bundles almost feel like the more personalized version of giving someone a gift card. You just have to pick a bundle with their favorite colors, and then they can make whatever they want.
What’s your favorite go-to last-minute handmade gift?
Usually a double pocket zipper wallet. It’s such a handy and useful item.
What’s your favorite holiday movie to watch?
Currently, Last Christmas but my mom usually makes us watch The Godfather trilogy and she reminds us how it’s all about “family”!! (Of course, we laugh!)
Char
What’s at the top of your personal wish list?
A new Koala cabinet. I have an old one and yes, they are worth wishing for!
What’s your favorite gift to give to other quilters and sewists?
A gift certificate or a quilt kit.
What’s your favorite go-to last-minute handmade gift?
A table runner – I LOVE the Goof Proof Lattice pattern or Easy Striped Table runner. They are great gifts anytime!
What’s your favorite holiday movie to watch?
White Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life and Meet Me in St. Louis.
Maren
What’s at the top of your personal wish list?
New fabric and pinking shears. It’s great to get new fabric at the end of the year—it feels like it gives the new year a fresh start for inspiration!
What’s your favorite gift to give to other quilters and sewists?
Notions and pattern weights. The little things you forget quilters always need—those make great gifts.
What’s your favorite go-to last-minute handmade gift?
I love to make the Tie Ditty Bag. It’s fast and simple, and it’s a great gift because it’s so useful for travel—anyone can appreciate it. SewCanShe has a really nice tutorial for one here.
What’s your favorite holiday movie to watch?
Christmas Vacation. My Dad was so much like Clark Griswold!
Sheri
What’s your favorite go-to last-minute handmade gift?
I really like to make a makeup zipper pouch. I consider it a unisex gift because with the right fabric, it can easily double as a travel pouch for holding charging cords, pens, whatever you need to organize. This version from Melly Sews is elegant and only takes about 15 minutes!
What’s your favorite holiday movie to watch?
I also love Christmas Vacation! It’s a comedy classic.
Pat
What’s at the top of your personal wish list?
Spending time with my whole family. The best thing about the holidays is it’s a time we all strive to gather together, no matter what else is happening. I think that’s a wonderful gift worth appreciating.
What’s your favorite gift to give to other quilters and sewists?
I like to give new quilting notions (you can never have too many!) and I think quilt calendars are a really fun and inspiring way to move through the year. The Kona Calendar is a great example.
What’s your favorite go-to last-minute handmade gift?
I think some of the best gifts you can make are things they didn’t know they needed until they received them. So I love making microwave bowl covers. They make removing hot bowls from the microwave so easy!
Craftsy microwave bowl covers
What’s your favorite holiday movie to watch?
Elf. What’s your favorite color? 😉
That’s it for us! What’s on your wishlist this year? Do you have a favorite holiday movie? Let us know on our social channels—we’re always looking for fun new gifts and movies to watch this season!
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