These fun and useful gift ideas are perfect for mothers who know their way around a project, whatever the occasion.
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These fun and useful gift ideas are perfect for mothers who know their way around a project, whatever the occasion.
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.Learn more.
Emily Pilloton’s Girls Garage: How To Use Any Tool, Tackle Any Project, and Build The World You Want To See, is a refreshingly different kind of DIY book. Pilloton, the founder and executive director of the nonprofit design-and-build program Girls Garage, wrote the book to empower young women by teaching them to use tools, build real-world skills and envision themselves as change-makers. The 300-page book contains illustrated tool and hardware guides, 11 step-by-step projects, 21 essential skills for building self-reliance and 15 profiles of women builders. It’s a great gift for the novice DIYer to the seasoned pro, as well as for new homeowners.
Thankfully, the days of women stuck wearing men’s work clothes because of a lack of choices are long gone. A number of companies are making outstanding quality workwear designed specifically for women. Duluth Trading Company’s women’s flannel shirts really stand out for their durability and comfort. The fit is snug but comfy, stylish but rugged.
This Carhartt Active Jac is an updated and better version of the original. Details, from the hood drawcords with cord locks to the durable zipper design, were informed by the people who actually wear Carhartt gear on the daily. This jacket is made from heavyweight cotton duck and it’s lined with insulation for lightweight warmth. Durability is guaranteed.
Seriously safe work boots can also be comfortable. Timberland PRO Hightower 6″ Alloy Safety Toe Boots combine protection and comfort with a waterproof membrane and fiberglass shank for structural support. And she can wear them all day thanks to shock-absorbing, geometrical technology that returns energy back to the foot. Foot safety first.
File the Headspin Convertible Light System gift under: handy and versatile. The kit comes with four options for mounting the light with a maximum of 400 lumens. It’s built tough for outdoor use, and the case easily stows in a boat, camper or shop. Give the gift of seeing in the dark.
Make her indoor herb and garden dreams a reality with The Sill’s grow lights. They’re guaranteed to last 15 years with an average use of 16 hours per day. And the clean lines and black or white color scheme should fit nicely with most decor.
While you’re ordering grow lights, be sure to check out The Sill’s huge variety of live plants, cute succulents and artistic plant hangers to round out this year’s favorite gift. Here are 10 ideas for charming indoor herb gardens.
A cordless drill is an essential item for multiple DIY projects. This impact driver is both compact and powerful. At 4-1/2 inches long, it will drive just about any fastener — even in the tightest of spaces. Milwaukee’s exclusive sensing technology provides protection from overloads, and a self-tapping screw mode reduces fastener stripping.
The Dovetail Workwear Multi-Purpose Work Gloves are perfect for everyone from the avid home gardener to the professional repair technician. Designed to fit a woman’s hands, these gloves are lightweight and flexible for real-world functionality. Beside their high dexterity, they also feature a four-way stretch with reinforced panels to give outstanding palm and fingertip protection along with touchscreen-sensitive index fingers.
Since the 1920s, DeWalt’s been making woodworking equipment, and has earned a reputation for tough, high-quality tools. It’s a massive player in the hand and power tools game, with a name you can trust for durability and power. This 15-amp, 4,000-RPM miter saw is no exception. A great gift for woodworkers, it provides enough power to cut both large blocks of wood and dense materials accurately and safely. It cuts true, every time.
Let her customize her beer profile using this handy home brew starter set. It includes all the necessary equipment and instructions for five-gallon batches of beer. An expert selected the yeasts, and the hops and grains are high quality, too. It comes nicely packaged for a gift, rare for home brew sets. Check out this DIY reclaimed barn wood beer caddy for some after-brewing inspiration.
Dovetail Workwear was designed by women who owned a garden business in Oregon and realized regular jeans just couldn’t hold up to serious work. The utility pants are a DIYer dream in terms of fit and performance. The pants feature a mid-rise, contoured waist and stretch fabrics for bending. Pocket placement is thoughtful (not just an afterthought) and reinforced panels in high stress areas hold up over time.
Makita’s 5-in. orbital sander delivers fast, smooth sanding performance with better grip and control. The perfect tool for home woodworkers or pro finish carpenters, it provides 1/8-in. random orbit action and its 3-Amp motor delivers 12,000 orbits per minute. The sander comes with a dust bag and a plastic tool case.
Nothing updates a kitchen cabinet faster than some new hardware. Slip center bar pulls into her stocking and have a refreshed kitchen by the New Year. Here’s how to install cabinet hardware.
This four-pack from DeWalt includes two large- and two medium-sized clamps. These clamps can be operated with one hand and are absolutely essential for any carpentry, woodworking, furniture-making, welding, construction or metal-working projects you’re working on. The large clamps have a 300-pound clamping force and convert from holders to spreaders at the touch of a button. The medium clamps have a clamping force of 100 pounds.
A high-quality set of carving tools is just the thing for the DIY-er eager to try wood or soap carving. This set includes 20 pieces, including 12 carbon steel carving knives, a whetstone and more. Here’s more on how to use a wood chisel.