Gift for a Good Sewing Friend - Suggestions Please
 

Hello ladies. I have a bit of a quandary and I’m looking for suggestions!

I have a very good friend I’ve known for 30+ years (we met through our Smocking Guild). She recently lost her mom and has been clearing out her mom’s house getting it ready to sell. She comes from a long line of needle artists; her mom was actually the founder of the rug hooking guild here in R.I. and was also a seamstress, a quilter, you name it, they’ve done it.

In the process of cleaning out her mom’s house, she gave me a beautiful antique rocking chair. The seat and back are done in petit-point but my friend is not sure who actually did it (could have been her mom, her great-aunt, who knows because all of her family were wonderful needle workers). She was going to try to sell it but ended up giving it to me and wouldn’t take any money for it.

So my dilemma is this – I really want to give her something to say thanks for this beautiful chair. (I put a photo below so you can see how gorgeous it is.) – she has all of her own stash, plus all of her mom’s stash now too and is totally running out of room in her own house. So, it can’t be anything sewing-related (notions, etc.) or even a quilt because she has so many quilts now, both hers and mom’s, that she doesn’t know what to do with them all!

I thought about a gift card to JoAnn’s but she’s not a fan of the place (LOL) and besides which her house and potting shed are full of fabric (the potting shed is the hiding place from hubby!). I know JoAnn’s sells other things but she’s not one to want the latest and greatest notions or rulers or anything like that, she does everything the old-fashioned ways and enjoys that. By profession, she is a horticulturist and has many different gardens at her house (she lives way out in the country) so a plant or flowers is out of the question too!

I am stumped!! Any ideas for me??

That is a beautiful chair! What about a gift certificate from a maid service or one of those folks who help you sort through and valuation of a loved ones things?

How close do you live to her mom's house that she's cleaning out? I know what I value--and that is help. Help that is helpful, organized, willing to sweat, willing to listen to me reminisce but not get totally sidetracked, someone who can help get me over the hurdle of indecision when those hurdles arise. If you qualify as such a person, your service would be most appreciated and long remembered. If I were giving the gift, I would offer, say, 12 hours of my time plus lunch on you , to such and such a place.

Alternatively, if you are not physically, emotionally, or logistically able, then a gift of a cleaning service when all the stuff is cleared out and the repairs made would be a huge relief. You want to help un-burden her, and I can sense that in your post. It's overwhelming in every way to go through a parent's possessions when they've passed. I'm fortunate that I have 3 sisters who have helped clear out much of my mom's stuff, but when the time comes to clear out my dad's to put his house on the market, I know for sure I will want all kinds of support.

A gift card for a 90 minute massage is something I would want. If she welcomes the touchy-feely, then by all means, give her that to look forward to.

You've known your friend for 30 years and I'm sure know what makes her feel cared for. Give her that.

Embrace the gift of her friendship and accept the chair with grace. Write a thank you letter. Include a special memory of the years past.

Yes, it can be hard to just accept such a special gift. Enjoy the beautiful chair.

You could make her a special dinner or bake her a cake...

I agree with this. It's harder to accept a gift without reciprocating. The offer of your time is also a nice response to her gift.

How about including a photo of the chair in your home with the thank you card? I agree that it's hard to accept such a gift, but your friend knows you'll be a good "keeper of the chair," so just enjoy it. :-)

Beautiful chair.

Beautiful chair. Is there a special dinner she likes that you can prepare for her? My favorite gift was a pan of stuffed shells ready to bake and eat. Whether you join her or let her enjoy it with her family would be a nice gesture

I agree with everything Zozee has said. Having gone through this exercise not long ago with Dad's house, any help would have been gratefully accepted and appreciated. Like Zozee, I had siblings to help out with much but it was still a great deal of work for all of us.

A massage and lunch - girls kind of day - would also be an awesome thank you.

BTW- the chair is fabulous! Enjoy.

Beautiful chair! Everyone has to eat---how about a gift certificate to a fabulous restaurant?

I think both Rhonda K and Zozee are right on target. I'd go with something that was more a shared experience (maybe to a local museum with a quilt display; helping her with clearing out her Mom's house in some way; love the massage idea; just being that good friend that comes over with some baked goods and coffee when she's "hit the wall" on the whole clearing out the house/grief process.

If she gardens, a gift certificate to local nursery or favorite seed catalog ( we actually received two seed catalogs for spring in the mail yesterday!)

Sometimes the giver gets pleasure knowing that a gift is being used/treasured.

I know this may not be what you have in mind but having just lost my BFF from girlhood I only wish I had this myself. Take your friend with you to have a photo done of the two of you together. Ideally it would be in the chair but since that may not be possible, have someone come and take the photo at your home. This way you both have the picture and that will last forever. What I would do to have a picture of my longtime friend with me. Frame the picture and gift it to her. Again just a thought.

look at bus tours...take her 'away from it all' :) And nothing to store but memories when you come home.
there are a lot of one day ones around here. Do something you've never done before.

Beautiful chair and what a treasure to receive. I agree with giving her a gift certificate but don't know where to suggest. I agree that it is hard to receive such a gift and not return the favor of some kind.

A gift certified to a grocery store that she likes. Or an Accuquilt electric cutter to help with her stash.
Lovely chair

I suspect she is already thrilled to have found a good home for her chair. Absolutely beautiful btw.

Offer help with cleaning the house if you are able.......you don’t need to reciprocate in any way but continued friendship. Personally I would take her out for a meal and have fun together.

Well ladies, as always you have given me some truly wonderful ideas. Thank you all so much! :)

I like the idea of a girls day out- massage or mani pedi kind of thing.

how about a day at the spa the works

QI love this idea! Most of us are at the age where time marches faster and we are losing family members and our friends,....I treasure a photo of me and my former neighbor-friend who passed 3 years ago. I stopped in to see her The year prior ( long battle with cancers...yes, in multiple areas) and we snapped a photo of us....it was the last time we saw each other. I miss her still.