Hands-On Gifts Do-It-Yourselfers Will Love to Get Their Hands On

It’s amazing how many dedicated Do-It-Yourselfers thrive in a world that places so much value in convenience and instant gratification. We’re not talking about people who save hundreds of recipe and craft ideas on Pinterest to revisit in the winter. (Though we’re all for that!) We’re talking about both novice and professional makers who create for the pure enjoyment of creating. It’s tough to prevent yourself from spiraling into a guilt trip when exchanging gifts with these DIY enthusiasts. You know that they probably spent hours getting their hands dirty to make you something special. How can you compete with that kind of laborious gesture? But just because you’re shopping for a gift instead of crafting from scratch, it doesn’t mean that you can’t show just as much love for your giftee. We’ve rounded up hands-on kits and accessories that will inspire and excite the thoughtful, crafty people on your holiday list.

A chance to create six different kinds of hot sauces at once? Awesomesauce!  | Make Your Own Hot Sauce Kit

No need to hop on an Island-bound flight for a live Ukulele performance. After assembling this four-string guitar, your giftee can customize it with paint, wood stain, or other decorations in time for your next house party.| Make Your Own Ukulele Kit

DIY-ers don’t undertake a new project and ask “why?” They dive in with a pen in hand and ask “wine” not? | Wine Maker’s Journal

For the kids who are just getting their hands dirty, this kit offers a set of colorful instructions to make a fun, cozy accessory.| Felt Link Scarf Kit

If your little ones aren’t much into fashion just yet, this DIY String Art Kit offers a canvas to express their own designs or to learn the ropes through engaging templates.

After a few weeks and some TLC, this pumpkin will be ripe for Jack-O-Lanterns, toasted seeds and pumpkin-flavored everything. | Pumpkin in a Bag Kit

You say tomato, she says homemade pasta sauce. | Tomato Takeover Grow Kit

An adventure 65 million years in the making? Maybe not. But any DIY enthusiast will have fun rolling up her sleeves to build her own mysterious Jurassic world under glass. | DIY Dinosaur Terrarium Kit

 

Girls’ night just got a groovy upgrade. | DIY Molten Lip Gloss Kit

 

Some of the best things in life do come in small packages! | Tiny Mail Kit

 

Whether it’s tie-dye, shibori dye, vat dye, or resist dye, this kit is sure to give the royal treatment to any plain garment.| Indigo Textile Dye Kit

 

Your friend could use her extra clay to sculpt a bowl, or she could use it to invent the most surreal computer keyboard ever. With the Makey Makey, you can transform almost anything into a “key” that tells your computer what to do, whether that’s typing a letter or controlling a game character.

No dark room? No problem! All you need is some Sunography paper, sunlight, water, and fun objects to produce your own richly blue prints.| Solar Photography Kit 

Enjoy cozy craft nights without any of the tangles and knots. | Sherman the Sheep Yarn Bowl 

Knitting your own downy throw is all in a day’s work with this easy-to-start, easy-to-finish kit. Complete with over-sized needles and the thickest yarn presently available on the market, knitters of all levels can follow a no-frills pattern that ensures they will keep their end goal in mind. | Nantucket Throw Knit Kit