For sometime I burned myself out doing gifts for everyone that was associated with our kids education. After the uproar and very poor behavior by those same people over the need to get our state back in check financially, I realized I'd been expending my efforts for people who not only didn't appreciate it but expected it.
This young woman has expressed an interest that only you can evaluate. Perhaps she has never known what it's like to have a gift made by hand with great care. The issue isn't the dollar amount it's the item itself.
I have made quilts for people who did not understand the reality of a home made gift and found them discarded or stuck in a closet and then there were those who I thought may not care who treasured them more then I ever thought.
Give her the gift you feel is right and add with it printed care instructions for now and preservation.
Just a quick note of an unexpected gift appreciated. Several years ago my oldest son entered junior high and realized one of the teachers from his grade school who had treated him with respect was now at that school teaching english to non-english speaking students. He never had her for a teacher nor did he see her often. At Christmas he saught her out and gave her a small gift. She threw her arms around him and broke down into tears which caught everyone on the staff off guard as she was a strong and private woman. Our then 12 year old son in his normal gentle nature held her and comforted her whispering- Jesus loves you, Jesus loves you. Her confided in him that her mother was dieing and she felt so dispondant. That one moment and gift made a major impact in her life at just the right time.
When we spend time threorizing and rationalizing what to do and not we miss oppurtunities that way beyond our understanding have an impact on someone we may never have thought they would.