It’s December, and we all know what that means – it’s just over three weeks to Christmas and the Christmas shopping is getting more urgent! As always, at Coles we’re here to help so here are some ideas for gifts for the stitcher in your life.

Sewing machines and overlockers

We like to give you some really fantastic offers on sewing machines and overlockers at Christmas, and this year is no exception. We have a whopping 16 machines in our Christmas Special Offer section, which you can click here to browse, but I’d like to pick a couple out that I think would be wonderful gifts.

The Emerald 116 and Emerald 118 both come with a free sewing machine bag that is ideal for dust-free storage as well as letting you safely transport your machine to classes. The Emerald range is great for dressmakers and there is a great range of additional accessories available that can make completing your project quicker and easier, such as the Clear Seam Guide Foot that makes adding an even seam allowance of any size a doddle!

If you’re looking for a machine for a quilter then look no further than the Opal 690Q. This is an absolute workhorse of a machine that is easy for a beginner to use but also has lots of advanced features that a more experienced stitcher would love. This Christmas it comes with a £100 Coles gift card that can be used in store on anything that takes your fancy – feet, fabric, you name it!

If an overlocker is more up your street, then you can’t go wrong with the Amber S|100. It’s Husqvarna Viking’s newest release and has 4, 3, 2 thread capability with 16 different stitches to help you complete any project. It also comes with a £50 Coles gift card to spend in store on anything you like.

All of these offers are available until 31st December 2022 or while stocks last, plus all new machines from Coles come with free tuition to get you up to speed quickly. Not sure where to hide such a big gift? We have a Wrap & Store service – we can wrap and store your machine for you until the big day, you just need to collect it before the shop closes at 2pm on Christmas Eve! Simply contact the shop to take advantage of this time-saving service.

Husqvarna Viking Accessories

The Husqvarna Viking boffins have been busily creating again and there are several new products available this Christmas. Check out our staff picks below to learn more about the Husqvarna Viking Designer Quilter’s Kit, the Husqvarna Viking Circular Attachment Templates and the Husqvarna Viking Serger Case. There are also several more familiar items that it’s always worth taking a look at, including extension tables, the Interchangeable Dual Feed and the Quilt Binders, which are now available in 1/2″ and 5/8″ sizes. These products are some of our most regular sellers for a reason – they’re incredibly useful for all types of sewing. It’s important to make sure that they will fit your recipient’s machine, but as long as you know what type of machine it is then the product pages will give you all the information you need. If you’re still not sure whether you’ve made the right choice then our helpful shop floor staff will be able to advise you either by email or phone.

Thread boxes

Books

We’ve got some lovely new books available this Christmas as well a some old favourites that no sewing library is complete without. For people trying to live a more sustainable life, then Sew Eco Friendly by Debbie Shore has 25 projects to reduce waste and help you live a more eco-friendly life. Urban Quilting by Wendy Chow is perfect for beginners and features simple illustrations and easy-to-follow steps that teach you how to make up to 30 beautiful quilts in a short amount of time. Bags For Life by Stuart Hilliard has 21 bag-making projects to help a crafter expand their expertise from simple tote bags to more complicated bags that make use of zips, pockets, piping and more. The book itself is a beautiful hardback and will keep any crafter happily occupied. Last, but certainly not least, then take a look at our selection of books by Tilly Walnes from Tilly and the Buttons. Tilly’s mission is to demystify dressmaking and make it a skill that stitchers of all skill levels feel comfortable trying. Her books are firm favourites with the Coles staff and dressmakers around the world.

Stocking fillers

Christmas makes and fabric

Staff picks

Deborah has chosen the Prym Love Starter Set for her staff pick this year. She says it’s great gift for any beginner sewers, but it’s also perfect for taking to classes. Anna is excited about a couple of Husqvarna Viking’s newest products: the Designer Quilter’s Kit and the new templates to use with the circular attachment. The Circular Attachment Templates help you to stitch perfect flower, heart and leaf shapes with your circular attachment, while the Designer Quilter’s Kit contains a whole host of tools for quilters, including a brilliant rotating cutting mat.

Jackie loves to make clothes for her lucky granddaughter Evie, so will probably be getting some of Dashwood’s babycord to make Evie a Christmas dress. Catherine has her eye on the new Husqvarna Viking Serger Case. This wheeled case lets you transport your precious overlocker safely and easily and it is big enough to take even Husqvarna Viking’s largest overlocker, the Amber Air S|600. If she found one of those under her tree then she would be absolutely over the moon!

As for me, I’ve chosen Sewgirl’s Chelsea Girl Hat pattern. Being the owner of an inconveniently large head, then hats are difficult for me to buy, but the Chelsea Hat can be adjusted to fit me perfectly so I can keep warm this winter without giving myself a headache!

Gift cards

If you’re still not sure not to buy then we’ve got you covered – with a Coles gift card then you can get anything in the shop! We have them online in amounts of £5, £10, £20, £25, £50 and £100 but if you would like to give a different amount then just give us a call or drop us an email and we can help you out. There’s no need to worry about it expiring before it can be spent – our gift cards don’t have expiry dates so you can use them up at your leisure.

This is our second Christmas since we started our blog, so if you want some more ideas then you can take a look at last year’s Christmas Gift Ideas blog post (although not every item on there is still available) and there are even more ideas in store. Don’t forget, we are open until 2pm on Christmas Eve so there’s still time for those last minute purchases! If there’s anything you’d like to know more about, or if you’d like to take advantage of our Wrap & Store service, then you can email us on info@colessewingcentre.co.uk or call the shop on (0115) 9881550. In the meantime, everyone at Coles wishes you all a very merry Christmas!