The Best Handmade Housewarming Gifts for a Cozy Home

Curating the perfect gifts for my friends big life milestones has always been a favorite pastime of mine. When I started knitting and sewing I realized my gift giving game had totally changed — now I could make handmade gifts for my dearest friends!

As life goes however, I started knitting and sewing rigggghhhtttt as most of my friends had settled into the next stages of their lives. Babies had been born, houses moved into, graduations had, new jobs locked in. So when my oldest friend shared with me that her family was buying their first home I leapt at the chance to create and curate perfectly beautiful homemade housewarming gifts for her.

Why Homemade Gifts?

To be seen is to be loved, and I believe there is no greater way to express love than to physically make something for someone, especially in this digital age of fast fashion and cheap products. When you’re creating something for someone, you’re taking in all that you know of them. You’re thinking of the colors they like, the shapes they like, how they interact with their surroundings, what they might want vs. need, the things they delight in and the things they hate. When I’ve been gifted a handmade quilt or knit, all I can see is how deeply someone knows me as well as the countless hours it took for someone to make that for me. It’s a wholly special experience, one that I absolutely love being able to provide for my friends.

Homemade gifts also offer you the chance to try new skills or patterns you might not normally have reached for. I’ve found it’s a great way for me to test out new yarns or use up yarns I have in my stash that I don’t have plans for. Homemade gifts help build skills and reduce over consumption and waste!

Knitted Housewarming Gift Ideas

Here are some of my top knitted housewarming gift ideas. All of them are fairly beginner friendly, especially if you identify as an adventurous beginner! I personally believe everything is beginner friendly if you’re not afraid of making mistakes, starting over, and learning new skills.

1. No-Purl Rib Hand Towel by Purl Soho
   This is a great housewarming gift pattern if you hate purling (like me). The cotton/bamboo/linen yarn I used holds up really well, it can be machine washed and is absorbent! This pattern was featured in my 15 Free Knitting Patterns post and you can read more about the yarns I used and access the pattern page from that post.

2. Double Thick Pot Holder by Purl Soho
   Also featured in my free knitting patterns post, this useful and beautiful housewarming gift is perfect for friends or family who love cooking or hosting! Made from this cotton, the pot holders add such a gorgeous texture to a table laden with food and love. Again you can find more info in the post linked above.

3. Sunburst Pot Holder by Purl Soho
   Another really interesting and whimsical free housewarming knit pattern! It would be SO easy to knit these up in different colors for the different seasons and use them as decor as well.

4. Edelweiss Cosy Set by Sandra Nesbitt
   If you are making homemade housewarming gifts for a tea drinker than you absolutely have to knit up a teapot cosy and matching mug cosy! While this pattern includes colorwork, you could totally just knit in a single color if you haven’t worked up to colorwork yet.

5. Irish Moss Hot Water Bottle Cosy by CelticPurls
   Nothing says welcome home like a housewarming gift that is ACTUALLY warm! This simple Irish moss stitch is beautiful and easy to learn, helping you advance your skills while also providing a beautiful yet useful gift to your friends or family. I’d recommend gifting a hot water bottle inside it so they don’t have to hunt through their boxes for theirs.

Sewing Housewarming Gift Ideas

1. Quilted Oven Mitts by Sotake Handmade
   A perfect hand made housewarming gift if you’re a beginner sewer! Quilting cotton is by far some of the more affordable fabrics out there, and this whole project cost me less than $15 to make. The youtube tutorial is very easy to follow and understand. I ended up making a pair for myself and a few extras for some homemade Christmas gifts!

2. The Allspice Apron by Hey June
   If you love the look of the Japanese smock aprons that usually retail for $80+ at places like Anthropologie, then you have got to give sewing your own a try. Aprons are one of those “luxuries” that I’m always hesitant to spend money on and I’ve LOVED receiving them as housewarming gifts. I will say the first couple of times I tried to purchase the free pattern I got an error message and then randomly it worked after I waited a few days so don’t give up if you have issues at first.

3. Heirloom Linen Napkins by Me! Pattern will be coming soon so make sure you’re following me on Instagram and Tiktok for the announcement!

Other Ideas!

Of course knitting and sewing are not the only way to create beautiful handmade housewarming gifts for your loved ones. Local pottery studios often offer beginner classes or paint your own pottery classes which could result in lovely handmade coffee mugs. There is nothing cozier than new mugs! If you have a green thumb you could easily build a gardening basket, or if you’re a genius in the kitchen a creative recipe book of your favorite meals would make anyone feel at home! The bottom line is anything that you’ve put thought, time and energy into is a gift worth giving.

I hope you try some of these gift ideas and please let me know on my instagram or tiktok (or email) if you do!