Help with a craft gift please

[BarryManilowRocks]

My DD has just moved abroad. Tiny studio flat, doesn't know anyone and already feeling stressed. I'd like to buy her a craft project to keep her busy when she's on her own in her room. Any suggestions? Thanks!

I’ve been enjoying making felt animals and decorations for the Christmas tree: beads, lots of coloured felts and embroidery thread and some buttons and ribbons and there’s an infinite quantity you could make.

I’ve done owls, holly, snowmen, Christmas trees, little coloured birds, mittens. You could make up a package with some patterns, instructions, felt etc?

They are easy - back stitch and blanket stitch are the only sewing skills, you get something you can remember every year, and they are small enough to regularly get the satisfaction of finishing one.

You could do a different theme set if you wanted? Woodland creatures and autumn leaves? Or Bright birds and flowers?

That sounds perfect - do you have a pattern book?

sublimestitching.com/pages/jenny_hart

There are some good embroidery patterns/tutorials here

I’ve just got patterns off the internet or made them myself, which is unhelpful of me!

But I think you could make a collection from things like this

www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F17%2F8f%2Fcc%2F178fcc6157163abed20c8ba9220c5339.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F380202393513038002%2F&docid=gWvjG4IfPh3fcM&tbnid=SJuBcIiXZtgmpM&vet=1&w=694&h=1000&hl=en-gb&client=safari&ved=2ahUKEwjonZ70naLdAhXMoBoKHXLxA-YQMygMegUIABDnAg

Quite easily or some people do kits in etsy. You’d get a lot more for your money if you make the kit up yourself though.

I can maybe dig you out my patterns and scan them in if you want though? Probably not for everything but for some? And then you could print others off the internet? The range has good value felt and embroidery thread.

How about a cross stitch kit? There are some lovely modern designs available and they are easy to do. Have a look at the Make Arcade (www.themakearcade.co.uk) or search for Satsuma Street on Etsy, or Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery has some more cutesy stuff. The last two would be more expensive for kits as they are in the US but you could buy a pattern and get the materials yourself to make up a kit for your DD.

Thanks everyone - I'll have a look at the websites.

Jewellery making kit - needle nose pliers, beading needles, thread, wire, bails, fixings etc and omg the beads you can order online. A great selection would be very small in size and easy to post and would take up about half a drawer in her studio flat.

How about some of those art sets where you scrape off the black covering ( lines provided ) to create the picture underneath. I am not explaining it well but l have some that are great and not childish designs - from hobbycraft but I’m not sure what they are called sorry.

Scrap booking!