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Book Review – How to Sew a Button: And Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew

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Nowadays, many of us “outsource” basic tasks. Food is instant, ready-made, and processed with unhealthy additives. Dry cleaners press shirts, delivery guys bring pizza, gardeners tend flowers, and, yes, tailors sew on those pesky buttons. But life can be much simpler, sweeter, and richer–and a lot more fun, too! As your grandmother might say, now is not the time to be careless with your money, and it actually pays to learn how to do things yourself!

This book is the perfect gift idea for anyone who is leaving the nest, going off to college or just has no idea about any of this stuff.

Practical and empowering, How to Sew a Button collects the treasured wisdom of nanas, bubbies, and grandmas from all across the country–as well as modern-day experts–and shares more than one hundred step-by-step essential tips for cooking, cleaning, gardening, and entertaining, including how to

• polish your image by shining your own shoes
• grow your own vegetables (and stash your bounty for the winter)
• sweeten your day by making your own jam
• use baking soda and vinegar to clean your house without toxic chemicals
• feel beautiful by perfecting your posture
• roll your own piecrust and find a slice of heaven
• fold a fitted sheet to crisp perfection
• waltz without stepping on any toes

Complete with helpful illustrations and brimming with nostalgic charm, How to Sew a Button provides calm and comfort in uncertain times. By doing things yourself, with care and attention, you and your loved ones will feel the pleasing rewards of a job well done.

Have you read?

How to Price Handmade Christmas Items (Without Underselling During the Holidays)

Christmas selling brings out a very specific kind of panic — even in confident sewists.

Suddenly, there’s pressure to be festive, affordable, competitive, and profitable all at the same time. You start second-guessing prices, comparing yourself to everyone else, and wondering whether you should “just lower it a bit” because it’s Christmas.

But here’s the truth most beginner sellers don’t realise until it’s too late: Christmas is the worst time to undervalue your work.

Let’s talk about how to price handmade Christmas items realistically, confidently, and in a way that keeps selling joyful — not exhausting.

Why Christmas Pricing Feels So Hard

Christmas creates urgency — for both sellers and buyers.

As a seller, you’re dealing with:

  • Tight deadlines

  • Increased demand

  • Rising material costs

  • Time pressure

  • Emotional expectations around gifting

As a buyer, people are:

  • Purchasing out of necessity

  • Short on time

  • Looking for meaningful gifts

  • Willing to pay more for convenience

That’s not a reason to lower prices — it’s often a reason to raise them slightly.

Handmade Christmas Items Aren’t “Extras” — They’re Solutions

One mindset shift makes all the difference during the holidays.

You’re not selling decorations or crafts.
 You’re selling finished gifts.

Handmade Christmas items solve real problems:

  • “I don’t know what to buy them”

  • “I’ve left it too late”

  • “I want something meaningful”

  • “I don’t have time to make it myself”

When you price from this perspective, confidence comes much easier.

Why Underselling at Christmas Backfires Fast

Lowering prices at Christmas feels generous — but it creates problems quickly.

Underselling leads to:

  • Longer hours at the busiest time of year

  • Burnout before Christmas even arrives

  • Resentment toward orders

  • Less time for your own family and traditions

If your prices don’t protect your time in December, they’re too low.

Start With the Real Holiday Costs (Not Just Fabric)

Christmas pricing needs to include more than usual.

In addition to materials and time, consider:

  • Extra packaging

  • Gift wrapping

  • Labels and tags

  • Market stall decorations

  • Travel and setup time

  • Rush orders

Holiday selling costs more. Your prices should reflect that reality.

A Simple Christmas Pricing Formula That Works

You don’t need a complicated system.

Use this as a baseline:

Materials + (Hourly rate × Time) + Holiday costs = Christmas price

Holiday costs might only add a small amount per item — but they matter.

Even a modest increase protects your energy and sanity.

Why “Small, Giftable” Items Can Still Be Priced Well

There’s a myth that Christmas items have to be cheap because they’re small.

In reality, small handmade items sell because they’re:

  • Easy to gift

  • Affordable luxuries

  • Stocking fillers

  • Thoughtful add-ons

Pricing them too low often signals “throwaway” instead of “special.”

A well-priced small item feels intentional — not cheap.

Comparing Christmas Prices Without Spiralling

It’s tempting to scroll Etsy or wander markets and panic over prices.

Instead of asking:
 “Why are they cheaper than me?”

Ask:

  • Are they mass-producing?

  • Are they selling at wholesale margins?

  • Are they undervaluing themselves?

You don’t need to match the lowest price to make sales — especially at Christmas.

Christmas Buyers Aren’t the Same as Everyday Buyers

This is important.

Holiday buyers:

  • Expect higher prices

  • Value speed and readiness

  • Want gifts, not projects

  • Care less about bargain hunting

Trying to price like it’s March instead of December is a common mistake.

When to Raise Prices (Yes, Even During Christmas)

If you’re:

  • Selling out quickly

  • Struggling to keep up

  • Working late into the night

Those are signs your prices may be too low.

Raising prices slightly can actually slow demand to a manageable level — and increase profit at the same time.

Protecting Your Time Is Part of Pricing

Christmas is already busy.

Your pricing should:

  • Limit over-ordering

  • Respect cut-off dates

  • Prevent rush pressure

  • Allow you to enjoy the season too

A price that protects your time is a healthy price.

The Confidence Shift That Makes Christmas Selling Work

Instead of asking:
 “Is this too expensive for Christmas?”

Ask:
 “Does this price allow me to make this item with care, on time, and without stress?”

If the answer is yes, you’re pricing correctly.

Handmade Christmas items don’t need to be cheap to be desirable. They need to be well made, thoughtfully presented, and fairly priced.

And the sellers who respect their time during the holidays are the ones who enjoy selling — year after year.

Book Review – Sewing to Sell – The Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Craft Business