Today’s feature is more of an ‘adulting’ gift, perhaps for those lovely people in your life who have recently gotten their own place or for those with a family home. For these kinds of recipients, a handwoven piece from Christabel Balfour may be the perfect thing. They’re a little pricier than some other gifts in this calendar, but they’re a perfect statement piece, can be customised to your preferences, and are all ethically handmade with love.

Christabel is a London based artist and weaver, she studied at the Ruskin School of Fine Art and her work focuses on tapestry and rug weaving. Her works are made individually in her London studio and she aims to emphasise simplicity and tranquillity over complexity and chaos when she creates (so a perfect gift for any aspiring minimalists you may know too.)

Christy creates her rugs on a power loom that she rescued from a garage and lovingly restored over the course of many months. Each rug has a story behind it relating to what inspired its design, generally connecting to nature and landscapes. Her rugs are made to order, so create minimal to no waste, and you are able to customise your choices to get the perfect rug for you. Her wool is either locally sourced in London from small companies or it comes from a huge stash of vintage wool that she was given along with her loom. The vintage wool is completely undyed, and with the rest Christabel works hard to find ethical and environmentally friendly sources. (Also, if you’re looking for a non wool option you can ask for alpaca – read more info on that here). When ordering your rug you can talk to her directly about your preferences and go from there.

How It Works: order the design of your choice, after you’ve placed your order, you will be contacted directly by the artist asking you what colours, thickness and warp (i.e. fringe) you would like for your rug. You can choose up to three colours per design. Then, depending on how many orders are queued for the loom, your rug will be handwoven over the course of several days.

If you want one of Christabel’s rugs to go to a loving home this Christmas you can place an order online here. I definitely know a few parents who would appreciate a Balfour rug!

Until next time, stay magic y’all.