Sticking with something unique...

It's that time of year when many of us start scrambling to buy seasonal gifts for friends and family.

The store-bought pincushion

And, as you hustle off to the shops, keep in mind the many artisans who have made lovely and unique items which make much better gifts than store-bought, mass-produced merchandise.

The importance of the lovingly crafted item was brought home to me when I recently tidied my sewing desk. For some time, I had been using a pincushion that came from the store. Like so many other things, it was "Made in China". But it was getting rather ratty and I decided to replace it.

And what better to choose than the lovely pincushion made by my godmother, Aunt Mary? Carefully crafted from colorful scraps of material and filled with lavender she grew in her garden, I had been using it as a "reserve" pincushion but decided to use it as my primary one. For one thing, the workmanship in Aunt Mary's is superior to a store-bought item, for another it connects me to the labor of a fellow human being. I can imagine her sitting and painstakingly stitching her pincushion.

The hand-made pincushion

That's why it's important, at this time of year, to seek out the many craft shows and artisan displays to find one-of-a-kind treasures. You won't find these things at the mall or in the glitzy shops. More likely in community halls and church basements. But the effort will be worth it: not only will you be able to give unusual and unique gifts, you will also be honoring the tradition of "Buy Local", as most of these items will be made close to where you live.

Happy Holidays.

P.S. Harobed Designs will be taking part in two craft shows, on December 11 and December 19 in Toronto, The first is at the Ralph Thornton Community Center, 765 Queen Street East and the second is at The Gladstone Hotel at 1214 Queen Street West. Both are on the 2nd floor and both run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Copyright Deborah C. Sawyer