Birthday gift for GCSE textiles student

[crispsnotchocolate]

Hello mumsnetters! My daughter has just started (and is loving) GCSE textiles and has asked for some textile items for her birthday (hasn't been specific). Her teacher has suggested buying a craft trolley which is perfect but I wondered if anyone more crafty than me could suggest small items we could include in addition? I was thinking dressmaker scissors, tape measure, acrylic pens, that kind of thing but ideally aimed at teens? Or perhaps point me in the right direction of any particular shops I could look in. I'd really appreciate any help. Many thanks in advance :)

Seem to remember Dd using a hot glue gun a lot

I wouldn't get anything aimed at teens specifically. If she's into this for sure than I'd get some nice professional bits but I wouldn't be getting everything around her GCSE subjects. Saying that, if she doesn't have access to a sewing machine and you have space, there's lots of cheap secondhand ones on Facebook marketplace and Facebook groups.

My teen dd is partial to embroidery kits Like this

I have a sewing machine which she will occasionally go through phases of using but not massively.

Thanks all, I'll take a look at some more professional items, hot glue guns & embroidery kits. We do have a sewing machine too that I can manage to show her the basics of.

Good quality needles
Tailor’s chalk
A French curve

Tailors chalk
Fabric scissors
Embroidery kit
Pattern cutting book
Sketch book
Felting kit
Beads
Crochet kit

I worked in costume for many years. I'll tell you the kinds of things I really like, not aimed at teens though.

Clover stitch rippers are incomparable to any other brand. And their hot rulers are really useful.
Sajou needles (also very pretty packaging): https://sajou.fr/en/1515-sewing-needles-
An emery sand pincushion to keep pins and needles sharp (Etsy has some pretty ones).
Merchant and Mills has wonderful fabric and sewing patterns and the best scissors around: https://merchantandmills.com/uk/ - v useful to have a small sharp pair of embroidery scissors as well as dressmaking scissors and pinking shears are also useful.
A magnetic needle rest - loads of nice looking ones around.
A Bohin chalk pencil: https://www.bohin.com/boutique/en_US/products/mechanical-chalk-pencil-6-leads-3-colors-a-7-3-90795/90795

My daughter did textiles. Has she got a sewing machine? We had second hand, which is far more affordable.

Wow - some amazing suggestions here that I've never heard of/would never have thought of! I'll have lots of fun researching and I'm sure my daughter will be thrilled. Thank you all for taking the time to help.

I am assuming you have a sewing machine? How about professional scissors, a selection of gorgeous threads, beautiful buttons, some vintage patterns, some liberty fabrics, some fashion designer books, a subscription to LOVE or Vogue…. Just some ideas.

Check out the William Gee's website, as they stock all you'll need! Buy good quality scissors (they'll last for ever), alongside good tape measure and needles / accessories. How about buying a vintage Singer hand crank machine, say a 99K, great workhorse, generally around the £30 to £50 mark, loads about.

A mannequin stand? They sell adjustable ones on SHEIN quite cheaply, but someone else may be able to recommend others.

Cutting mat (A2 or larger), 45mm rotary cutter (Olfa are a good brand and get one with the squeezy handle) and long transparent ruler.
Frixion heat-erasable pens for marking.
A roll of dressmakers tracing paper for making working copies of patterns/drafting patterns.
French curve
Pins in various lengths
Magnetic pincushion (my favourite tool)
Binding clips (big bag from Amazon)
various needles for hand sewing
Her own iron
Tailors ham
good scissors for fabric, and a cheap pair for paper.
thread cutter
Big spools of thread in off white and light gray (eg Guttermann all-purpose)

She can make pattern weights, stuffed pincushion, needle book etc as projects to practice on.

Brilliant suggestions here. Lots of ideas for birthday (and Xmas) thanks you!

Also a small table top ironing board to go with the iron. I have the the IKEA one and it’s great for quickly pressing seams etc on smaller items.

And a pair of snips. I’m not actually sure what they’re called. Like handle-less scissors with very small blades. They’re for snipping thread ends. You could, of course, just use your scissors for this, but then you risk snipping the fabric (do not ask me how I know 😭). Snips do not easily cut fabric.