Share the Love of Beading this Holiday Season - Top 5 Favorite Gift Ideas!

I have so many good beading memories, going all the way back to when I was quite young and decided to make some seed bead necklaces to sell at my mom’s craft table at a local bazaar. I was so excited to make those necklaces in a rainbow of colors. After making the simple seed bead necklaces, I expanded into making my own beads out of polymer clay. My mom went out and bought me books about how to layer the clay to make fancy designs and patterns within the clay. She bought me clay in different colors and the stringing materials to make my jewelry. I am so grateful that my mom shared her love of crafting with me and encouraged my artistic side by gifting me with supplies and books. I now treasure not only the memory of her generosity but the memory of creating and making my designs.

Every year the holidays seem to sneak up on me and every year I search for gifts that are personal to my loved ones and gifts that I hope they will enjoy. In recent years I have found that I want to give gifts that create memories or are an activity and not just an object. Beading supplies are perfect for that. They afford the recipient an outlet for their artistic talent, expose them to something new (which could become a passion), and teaches them a new skill.

Below are my top 5 favorite beading gifts, whether the recipient is a beader or not, young or just young-at-heart.

Jewel Loom. This loom is so nice and easy to use. You can space the threads to use large or small beads, it's very lightweight if you want to ship it, and it comes with a little instruction booklet that will teach your recipient how to use it. Throw in some Nymo thread and a few tubes of seed beads, and you have a lovely gift! 

Tool sets make a great gift because they already feel like a collection and are everything a person needs to get started beading. Also, if they already are a beader, a tool set like the one above is always appreciated and welcome. It's personal and will definitely bring a smile to a beader's face.

The Beadsmith Macrame board is fun because you can make so many different projects with it using a wide variety of materials. If you have someone in your life who likes to make friendship bracelets, this is a great gift idea. Also, it's really lightweight to ship if you are sending gifts from afar. 

The Wrapit Loom. For years I had seen wrap style bracelets in stores and could make them myself but it always was a bit tricky and complicated holding the side cords steady and straight. Then along came the Wrapit Loom and suddenly these designs were quick and easy to make. I love this loom and I like how pretty all the designs come out when you use it. 

The Beadsmith Portable Bead and Jewelry Storage Box. This is a gift that I have given many times and I like to personalize it further by adding some supplies to the little compartments. It becomes a really fun gift of surprises when you add a charm to one little box, a few seed beads to another, and so on. You can even tuck little notes or chocolates in some of the boxes as little surprises.  

See our Gifts for Beaders category for even more recommendations. I hope you enjoyed these gift ideas and an early happy holidays to everyone! 

- Julie