Sew a Personalised Cycling Cap
Good with a sewing machine? Why not order some funky fabric and make custom cycling caps for all your bike-loving pals. There are plenty of downloadable patterns available online and because you only need about .25 yards of fabric per cap, it’s a budget-friendly option that will put a smile on the recipient’s face every time they’re getting ready for a ride. Here’s a great step-by-step video to follow:
Make a Festive Wheel Wreath
Time to put your crafting hat on and upcycle those rusty old wheels. Holiday wreaths are the perfect way to give a space that little touch of festive energy. And if you’re a collector of bikes, you probably already have the most crucial component you need to make a gorgeous holiday decoration for yourself or someone else. Using a rim as the basis for your creation, you can let your imagination run wild. You can spray-paint the rim if it needs a little TLC or simply leave it as is. From traditional additions like evergreens, holly, and ribbon, to a personalised collage using clothespins and photos of your favourite cycling memories, your old bike rim is sure to bring joy with its second life as a holiday wreath. Here’s some more inspiration and how-to advice.
Crochet a Cosy Homemade Seat Cover
Why not give your cyclist the gift of a warm bum on a chilly day? Here’s another fantastic handmade idea for those who are more into knitting or crocheting than sewing. A seat cover is the perfect small-scale knitting/crocheting project for beginners to start practising on, and will surely add a fun punch of colour and personality to whatever bike it ends up gracing. With different patterns and colours to choose from, they can be made more playful, cheeky, or bold according to your taste. Bonus points if you also make matching handlebar grips! Find a free crochet pattern here.
Customized T-shirt, Tote Bag, or Poster
If the idea of sitting down to sew or knit doesn’t jive with your idea of a relaxing winter activity, worry not! You can still give a thoughtful, personalised DIY gift that isn’t reliant on your craftsmanship skills. If you’ve got a cycling mantra that you share with buds, a picture that captures their love of the sport, or just a funky cycling-related graphic that makes you smile, why not have it printed on a t-shirt or tote bag as a gift? You can also make a poster to help decorate your cycling enthusiasts’ pain cave as they train their way through the cooler months. Find inspiration and order prints here or here.
Give the Gift of Energy
Homemade granola bars and energy balls make thoughtful gifts that don’t require much time or planning. Your delectable creations will also be preservative-free and tailored to suit the lucky recipient’s dietary preferences and favourite ingredients. There are recipes online to tickle every fancy, but you can also keep it simple by combining oats, fruit, nuts (maybe chocolate?) with honey and peanut butter to bind the ingredients together. Wrap them up with a bow, pen a thoughtful note, and you’ve got yourself a winning gift that will help fuel any cycling adventure.
Encourage Your Bike-loving Friend’s Artistic Side
Or maybe the pal you’re shopping for is the crafty one? If you’ve got a cyclist in your life who also loves to craft, why not prove that you know them inside and out by gifting them a cycling-themed craft book? The Happy Bicycle is one such option and is full of DIY gifts instructions, patterns, and photos to make 15 cycling-related accessories, from handlebar bags to helmet covers.
