Gift Guide: Wishlist

Are all pregnant women like this? This has been the winter of home so far, I don’t want to leave the house but just sit in my living room in my cozies and knit. My Christmas wishlist is pretty reflective of that this year, clockwise from top left:

DC Homesick Candle, I am not homesick for Washington I love a bit of DC kitsch.

Schnauzer Salt and Pepper Shakers from Quail, because everything is better with a schnauz.

One Hundred Stars Robe because I heard a rumor this is where Nigella gets her robes and because I feel like most of the spring of 2019 will be spent in a robe, with a squishy little person, at home.

Handmade Planter, because the number of plants have exploded in our house in the past year and they all need a nice place to live.

Nina Simone on Vinyl, because since we got our record player I’ve re-embraced listening to albums all the way through and no one is as good as Nina. No one.

Initial Necklace from Kate Szabone, because she made my engagement ring and 8 years later I still love almost everything she does, especially these gorgeous initial pendents, maybe an H?

Lotta’s from Sweden, because they are gorgeous, look comfortable and go with everything.

Cloud Earrings, because I can’t wear any normal clothes and am living in a capsule wardrobe of cheap black maternity clothes so I’m leaning into huge, fun earrings, glittery shoes and gorgeous statement accessories. These are just the thing.

Everything from Suite One Studio Pottery is insanely gorgeous. This blue ring dish is one of my faves, perfect for beside my bed.

Gift Guide: Dudes

Dads and boyfriends and husbands and brothers are impossible to shop for as far as I'm concerned and in my attempt to buy gifts that support my values, I've had to look a little farther afield than usual.  Here is what I'm considering for the brother who just moved to Manhattan and left me in DC, the father who does more yoga than anyone else I know, and the husband who mostly just wants books and records.

Clockwise from top:

1.  I've been obsessed with these amazing vintage Soviet oil paintings on Etsy this year.  I'm tempted to buy this amazing river scene for David as an 'I want it and now it's yours' present.

2.  My dad got one last year and my brother got one in the fall and this will be Dave's year.  Lopapeysa  are Icelandic sweaters and the Icelandic wool is warm and a little bit water proof and generally wonderful. I'm knitting mine with a pattern from Ravelry but there are tons of vintage and new on Etsy.

3. A backpack from United by Blue, for every item sold a pound of trash is removed from waterways and the company is B-Corp certified.

4. Nathan Miller Chocolate is made near my hometown in Pennsylvania and is decadent and delicious and perfect for everyone.

5. We've tried to do a lot of our shopping locally this year and to support local businesses. Two standouts are Swings Coffee, roasted in Arlington Virginia, and One Eight Distilling, who's Rock Creek Whiskey is an absolute fave.  These are also perfect hostess gifts for holiday travel.

6. NeedlePainters helped me design a gorgeous belt for David last year with his school crest, our schnauzer's pretty face and other lovely personal things, it was a great experience and the belt is gorgeous.  They also do card holders and flasks.

7.  Usually I buy what NPR calls 'Eye Opening Reads' as Christmas gifts, instead this year I'm liking the look of Bearskins,  a mystery perfect for short cold days and afternoons reading in front of the fire.

8. Speaking of short days, winter always seems like prime cooking time to me and Julia Turshen's Now & Again: Go-To Recipes, Inspired Menus + Endless Ideas for Reinventing Leftovers sounds like just thing for the men in my family, who all like to cook.

9. Something to better the world or themselves: a newspaper subscription or a donation to NPR  in his name along with a mug or a donation to the International Rescue Committee or a membership to the ACLU.  Can I say again that this has been a hard year?  

Gift Guide: The Ladies

The moral of this year is that I have the very best friends.  It's been a doozy (for everyone, right?) and I am constantly reminded that I have somehow managed to assemble the finest women known to man on my side.  

Given the doozy of a year for the entire nation, this year I am trying to use my dollars to support my community of small makers, and women owned and run businesses, and in general, put my money where my big fat mouth has been shouting all year.  I'm trying to minimize the number of Amazon and Target boxes that I order this season and up the number of Etsy boxes, trips to my local bookstore and homemade and baked things I give my lovely friends.  Here are some of the things I'm considering, clockwise from top:

Custom Address Stamp, for a good friend’s move.

The Witch Elm by Tana French, for my sister who loves a good mystery

These Truths by Jill Lepore, for the friend who is concerned about the country and cannot get enough of Lepore (everything Lepore writes is perfection)

Dogs on Jumpers by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne for my friend of 23 years who loves knitting and dogs as much as me

I’ve recently fallen in love with Moorea Seal’s Seattle shop and website and a few stockings will be stuffed with her Twisted Suns Earrings, Tortoise Hoops, and my favourite Spark Earrings.

Boho Turkish Blanket, for my friend’s new apartment.

Girl III Totebag, for my funky baby sister who is living on her own in the city now.

Three blocks from our house in Capitol Hill is Hunny Bunny Boutique, an awesome natural bath and body shop and this year, with new babies, big moves, break ups and new jobs, I can think of lots of friends who could use a sugar scrub, luxurious soap and a lavender lotion bar (the lotion bars are a dream).

A Bear Card, to tell them I love them.

I am also going to step up the knitting and baking game this year. I’m planning on baking my favourite holiday cookies and finding some festive tins as well as bringing back my grandmother’s unstoppable mitten pattern and this gorgeous hat pattern for a couple good friends, along with a donation in their name. This year, I’ve been incredibly privileged to have amazing prenatal care in a city that is the most dangerous place in America for African American women to give birth. This year I’ll be making a donation to Communities of Hope, an organization that helps families in Washington, DC and specifically provides health care and midwifery services to low income women in my city.

Gift Guide: Little People

Every year there are more tiny people in our lives and we're much the luckier for it.  This spring we’re expecting our own tiny person and so a few of these things might end up hidden for the new arrival in the new year. I’m making fewer animals than in past years but am still taking custom orders and will be up until mid December. Remember to use code ARGYLSWEATER18 for 15% off the shop until the 27th. Here are some of the things I’m loving for nieces, godchildren, snugglers and for my own baby, clockwise from top left:

As I say, I’ve slowed down with all the sewing but I’m still taking custom orders, please get in touch to order a custom tote bag. I’m working on a few as personal gifts to friends’ children.

This Wooden Rainbow Stacker is gorgeous, natural and looks amazing on a shelf as well as being very fun when added to regular old blocks.

Safari Wooden Animals from PetitCollage are just my favourite things around this year for babies and small kids.

Little Feminist Board Books have already been ordered for my not yet born baby, I keep being reminded how important it is to raise feminist sons as well as feminist daughters and these are so bright and colourful and fun.

The shop is stocked with funky friends but if you’re looking for a ballerina for your ballerina or a badger with glasses, I still have space for Custom Animals this winter.

DC Rattle, I’m clearly partial to the DC Rattle but it’s available for all 50 states and would make such a stellar new baby present.

This Superhero Mask Kit is the perfect stocking stuffer for some kids on my list.

This My Felt Bag Craft Set is the kind of thing I would have gone nuts for as a kid, and, like the superhero mask kit, it encourages little sewers which I love.

I am obsessed with One of One’s gorgeous baby quilts, especially this lovely Beach Grid Quilt, perfect for snuggly little people in snuggly weather.

Honestly, I might just buy this Whale Rattle for myself because it’s very cute and very soft and very sweet and I’m very hormonal.