Simple Gifts: 50 Little Luxuries to Craft, Sew, Cook & Knit

by Jennifer Worick

Heartfelt + handmade = the perfect gift. In Simple Gifts, Jennifer Worick offers step-by-step instructions for creating easy and inspired handmade gifts that won’t break the bank. Learn how to stitch a wine bag for your favorite foodie, sew pajama pants for a tried-and-true friend, roast coffee beans for an office pal, or felt a ring for your sweetheart. Also included is Jennifer’s helpful, witty advice on choosing the right gift for anyone-man, woman, or child-and how to wrap up your present with style.

From a sweet knitted apron to a hand-embroidered handkerchief, personalized note cards to soothing natural lip balm, a quilted baby blanket to a manly wooden toolbox, these heartfelt, handmade gifts are certain to wow and touch your loved ones.

Genres: Crafts, Nonfiction

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

I write. That’s rather obvious. Mostly I write about things that blow my skirt up. Humor is a big—huge—part of everything I do. But then there’s that soft, squishy sentimental part of me that can’t help but rear its heartfelt head. And since I like to tell people what to do every chance I get, I write a lot of how-to books, blogs, and articles.

Humorous. Heartfelt. How-to. Three great tastes that taste great together, at least in my cereal bowl.

So let’s get down to it. I know you don’t have all day to ogle my bio, as much as a girl can dream. Here’s what you should know off the bat: I’m the New York Times best-selling author of more than 25 books and, per Reader’s Digest, one of the four funniest bloggers in the US. Pretty cool, eh?

I’ve written on everything under the sun for national magazines and websites like The Huffington Post, Allure, and Salon, and I currently write a books column for today.com. In addition to bookshelves, newsstands, and your favorite websites, you can also find me online at Things I Want to Punch in the Face.

Along with fellow author and publishing pro Kerry Colburn, I deliver publishing talks, workshops, and webinars to help burgeoning authors get published through The Business of Books. You can also catch me in university auditoriums, where I offer up side-splitting but informative slide-show presentations based on my popular books.

Originally from Southwestern Michigan, I currently live in Seattle, where I eschew fleece while eating more fish and chips than is good for me.

Reviews

[Ligaya · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've read a couple books by this author and I think I will stop. It's getting close to the holidays and I thought this would be a book to jump start the inspiration for me, but no... The photo of the bookmark on page 30 is indicative of the quality of this book and the projects therein. Could not believe that this passed muster from multiple editors and was photographed by a professional. The top stitching is not straight, the embroidery is not spaced evenly. Ugh. The directions for many projects seem abbreviated, incomplete, not enough to produce a piece that looks polished. The photography is uneven. Pass on this one.

[Lara · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars.

While this has a wide variety of ideas of projects to make, the actual instructions fall woefully short. I'd describe this more as a Pinterest board in print - lots of inspiration that then pushes me to find more complete instructions elsewhere. None of the instructions have pictures or particularly detailed step-by-steps. Just photos of the final projects - and not always good ones at that! Like the cover photo of the candle in the teacup? Can't tell at all that there are flower petals in the candle itself! And I'm just going on the crafts I know! Knitting for example - I'd never put a lace project in a general collection of 'simple projects' like this. Yes, there are plenty of simple lace projects, but those are for people who already know how to knit. Or in the knitting basics section - only a handful of diagrams showing the stitches. And if one of your descriptions (Knitting Two Together) includes "Make sense?" at the conclusion, but has no picture of that particular instruction?? Not a good sign. And I've done Kool Aid Dying before. Lots of fun, but better instructions can be found for free online - check out Knitty.com for really good article. Or making the caramel - really, really weak instructions for the different stages of sugar (firm ball, etc). Which can make a huge mess if you don't know what you're doing. Basically, these projects might be inspirational, but they have a very high expectation of pre-existing knowledge on a variety of crafts if you're going to actually make anything.

That said, there are some good inspirations here, and I liked the creative gift-wrapping ideas. But one to check out from the library - not one for the personal collection, and not one I'll be going back to repeatedly.

[May · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lots of goods ideas but I am little unsure at how simple some of these projects. I was expecting something a little more doable for the absolute beginner but this book doesn't appear to be the case.

[Francine Apollo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up to do a little brainstorming. I've actually made several of the crafts included in this book.

I especially liked the author's tips on gift wrapping suggestions.

[Mckinley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the best photos, some projects seem to lack polished finish. There is a wide variety.

[Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

One to revisit closer to the holidays!

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Nothing really grabbed me and things seemed a little too.. Unpolished.