Sun and clouds mixed. High 49F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..
A clear sky. Scattered frost possible. Low 32F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Updated: November 15, 2021 @ 1:54 pm

The official start to the “holiday shopping” season is just around the corner. For some, this means it’s time for finger calisthenics, as they get ready to shop their way through all the internet has to offer. Others are scoping out the circulars for the best deals and preparing to wait in line at the crack of dawn. There’s nothing wrong with either option, but I always encourage shopping local around the holidays as well, as Westerly has PLENTY of wonderful small businesses where you can find unique gifts for anyone on your list. If this isn’t an option, or if you’re looking for a more economical route, handmade gifts are always loved and appreciated, and the library can certainly help you with those!
This November and December, we’re offering numerous Take & Make kits that will help you create thoughtful gifts for friends and family, completely free of charge. If you stop by the library on Saturday, Nov. 29 (also known as “Small Business Saturday”) we’ll have something for everyone! Kids and teens are welcome to grab a kit to make custom 3D ornaments that were designed in our own Makerspace. For crafty adults, we’ll have supplies to make adorable gnome ornaments (they’re cuter than they sound!), which are also a great craft for the whole family. And finally, in lieu of our ever-popular annual Wreath Workshop, you can pick up a Wreath Take & Make kit, which includes a wreath ring, assorted greens straight from Wilcox Park, and wire to affix your greenery. There is a suggested donation of $10 for this particular kit. The fun continues in December, when we’ll have another adult craft kit (this time making wreaths out of recycled book pages), as well as a fun craft for kids! All of these projects, once complete, make excellent gifts.
Of course, there are innumerable books with handmade gift ideas, so you’re sure to find something that matches your particular talents (or lack thereof). Yarn artists — those who knit, crochet, weave, etc. — will love the books in our 746 section: “Modern Baby Knits” by Tanis Gray, “Knits to Give” by Debbie Bliss, and “Last-Minute Knitted Gifts” by Joelle Hoverson, among others. “Taste of Home Handmade Christmas” includes every sort of gift imaginable, from wreaths to jewelry to handmade cards. Another similar title is “100 little Christmas gifts to make” by Search Press Designers, but there are many more in the collection as well.
Personally, I’m a huge fan of creative wrapping, so I’ll be checking out “Pretty Packages: 45 Creative Giftwrapping Projects” by Sally J. Shim, for inspiration. I might also leave “Crafting for Cat Ladies: 35 Purr-fect Feline Projects” by Kat Roberts lying around the house in a conspicuous location, so perhaps my husband will find some gifting inspiration as well! As I said, there’s something for everyone.
Top requested books
1. “Apples Never Fall” by Liane Moriarty
2. “The Lincoln Highway” by Amor Towles
3. “The Last Thing He Told Me” by Laura Dave
4. “The Judge’s List” by John Grisham
5. “Better Off Dead by Lee Child
6. “Peril” by Bob Woodward
7. “Cloud Cuckoo Land” by Anthony Doerr
8. “State of Terror” by Hillary Rodham Clinton
9. “The Madness of Crowds” by Louise Penny
10. “The Dark Hours” by Michael Connelly
Top requested DVDs
1. “The Crown: The Complete Fourth Season”
2. “Jungle Cruise”
3. “Free Guy”
4. “Respect”
5. “Mare of Easttown”
6. “Palm Springs”
7. “Stillwater”
8. “Pig”
9. “On the Rocks”
10. “Snake Eyes: G.I Joe Origins”
This week
MONDAY — 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Crafternoon To-Go – This month, we’re making dry erase boards out of picture frames! Pick up your kit in Reference while supplies last; 6:30-7:30 p.m.; Stonington Madrigal Singers Concert – Join us in the 2nd floor auditorium for “Madrigals and More”, a delightful program of part-songs from the 16th and 17th centuries including works by Monteverdi, Arcadelt, and di Lasso. This concert will also feature the Stonington Recorder Consort.
TUESDAY — 10-10:30 a.m., Family Storytime – Join us in the 3rd floor Terrace Room for a family storytime and craft to go! The program will be geared towards ages birth through 11 years when accompanied by a caregiver; 1-4 p.m., Community Resource Advocate – Our volunteer Community Resource Advocate is available to help connect you with local services/resources. Email her at [email protected]; 2-3:30 p.m., Virtual Tech Social – We meet on Zoom every Tuesday to address your tech questions. Preregistration is required; 5:30-7:30 p.m., Knit and Crochet Club – The Knit and Crochet Group is meeting weekly upstairs in Reference.
WEDNESDAY — 10-10:30 a.m., Family Storytime – Join us in the 3rd floor Terrace Room for a family storytime and craft to go! The program will be geared towards ages birth through 11 years when accompanied by a caregiver; 2-3 p.m., Virtual Film Club – We will discuss three movies we selected last month and choose three to watch for our December meeting. Contact Hannah at [email protected] for meeting details; 6-7:30 p.m., Community Conversations in Partnership with Westerly ARC – Please join us for a virtual panel conversation with local leaders aimed at bringing our community closer together. The topic of this month’s discussion is “All Are Welcome Here”. Please register on our website at www.westerlylibrary.org.
THURSDAY — 4-4:30 p.m., Teen Book Club –This is a hybrid event and will be held on Zoom and in the Teen space. For the month of November, we will be reading any book or graphic novel about food! Preregistration is required. For more information and to register please email [email protected].
SATURDAY — 10:15-11 a.m., Zumba in the Park – Try out Zumba for a fun workout! Classes are FREE and will be held on the grassy area near the gazebo, weather permitting.
Cassie Skobrak is a reference librarian at the Westerly Library.
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The post At the Library: Books and kits for crafty, thoughtful gifts – The Westerly Sun first appeared on Magikal Journeys Jewelry Handmade.