Housewarming gifts

A housewarming gift works best when it's something for the home itself, not another thing to find shelf space for. Coasters, table runners and small wall pieces are what Maa makes most in this corner — things that get used the week they arrive, not tucked into a cupboard.

Cotton yarn does double duty here: it takes the heat off a hot cup without watermarking wood, and it washes easily when a coaster inevitably gets a ring of chai on it anyway. A set of four or six tends to feel more finished as a gift than a single piece, if you're choosing between options.

If the family already has a colour scheme, ask Maa before ordering — a lot of these pieces can be made to match a dining table or a living room rather than whatever's already listed.