You buy local lettuce to put in your sandwiches and drink DC Brau beer, so it only makes sense that your holiday gift list should star gear made around here. And thanks to a slew of area artists working in home studios and co-ops, it’s easy to score presents that are both cool and crafted nearby. Here are our picks for born-in-the-DMV gifts. ...
Perfumes by Florescent, wool baby crowns by Susanne Shirzad, soaps by Wing Pokrywka, baby clothes by Mirasa Designs, dog pillows and zodiac coasters by Naked Decor and quilts by Insung Kim. (Greg Powers/For The Washington Post)
Roll-on perfume, 5 milliliters ($49)
Perfume spray, 15 milliliters ($79)
Rose oil, balsam essences and other natural delights star in the three subtle scents by Susannah Compton, the Cheverly, Md., force behind Florescent. Pretty Bird is a warm comboof bergamot, rose and sandalwood. Follain (Union Market, 1309 Fifth St. NE), florescent-perfume.myshopify.com
Knit crowns ($38)
Cabin John, Md., crafter Susanne Shirzad has been knitting for decades; her clever wool crowns come in multiple hues and in sizes from infant to adult. She says they are popular for children’s birthdays and playtime. www.etsy.com/shop/laceandcable
Soaps ($5.99 each)
Inspired by her own skin issues, Hong Kong-born Wing Pokrywka, based in Columbia, Md., looked to the rice-water cosmetics of her ancestors when she started makingSumu-Su Soaps. Her bars, which she says are less irritating than commercial suds, are spiked with lavender oil, sea salt and other elements meant to moisturize or tone skin. Whole Foods Markets (area locations), www.sumususoap.com
Baby clothing ($18)
Gender-neutral — and just plain cute — frogs, tigers and giraffes romp on Mirasa Designs’ organic cotton baby clothing, blankets and toys. Founder Aashumi Shah of the District studied printing in her native Mumbai. Downtown Holiday Market (Nov. 27 through Dec. 23 , Eighth and F streets NW ) , Eastern Market(225 Seventh St. SE ), www.etsy.com/shop/mirasadesign
Contemporary quilts ($125-$525)
Insung Kim of Mount Airy, Md., inherited a love of sewing from her Korean grandmother, who stitched hanbok (traditional clothing). Kim’s Namoo quilts for adults and kids mix traditional techniques with modern color combos (gray and yellow; tangerine, cream and black) and bold shapes. www.namooquilts.com
Pooch pillow ($50)
Zodiac coasters (four for $30)
Colorful screen prints of dogs of many breeds, zodiac symbols and pop-arty icons headline the pillows and coasters of Kalorama-based Naked Decor, brainchild of Supon Phornirunlit. The Cheeky Puppy (1709 Connecticut Ave. NW), Downtown Holiday Market, www.nakeddecor.com
Wildcat clutch by Carolyn Misterek, Cloud Terre tray and bowl by Amber Kendrick, rooster pillow and black and white clutches by Eva Calonder, earrings by Mallory Shelter. (Greg Powers/For The Washington Post)
Wildcat clutch ($130)
Minimalist shapes and feminine touches (a scalloped edge here, a gold button there) characterize Matine leather bags, which are all hand-cut and sewn by creator Carolyn Misterek of Capitol Hill, whose master’s degree in art history informs her sense of space and shape. Salt & Sundry (Union Market, 1309 Fifth St. NE; and 1401 S St. NW), Christkindlmarkt (Dec. 5-6, Heurich House Museum, 1307 New Hampshire Ave. NW), www.matineshop.com
Porcelain tray ($54) Bowl ($42)
Arlington’s Amber Kendrick turns and fires rustic-chic porcelain serving pieces for such restaurants as Fiola and the Ashby Inn, making her Cloud Terre tableware a good pick for foodies. Pop-up shop through Dec. 25 at Reston Station (1904 Reston Metro Plaza), www.cloudterre.com
Zipper bags or clutches ($48-$72) Pillow ($75)
Parisian street pavers and Provencal flowers inspire French-born, Adams Morgan-based screen-printer Eva Calonder’s dreamy, hand-pulled fabric prints, which she sews into bags, pillows and clever storage bins and sells under the name Printed Wild. Salt & Sundry, Miss Pixie’s Holiday Market(5:30 to 8 p.m. Dec. 4, 1626 14th St. NW), Christkindlmarkt, www.printedwild.com
Convertible jewelry ($72)
Designed by Adams Morganite Sarah Bayot, Kichecko Goods’ parlay necklaces consist of lengths of nylon cord joined by gold-plated magnetic closures, so they can be worn as a 36-inch piece, a shorter choker or as four bracelets. Proceeds from each sale help fund children’s education in Congo. Christkindlmarkt, www.kicheko.org
Earrings ($98)
Working with semiprecious stones and gold or silver, Mallory Shelter — social media pro by day, Dupont Circle jeweler by night — specializes in lightweight, lyrical pieces. She also does custom work. Salt & Sundry (Union Market, 1309 Fifth St. NE; and 1401 S St. NW), www.malloryshelterjewelry.com
Wooden planters by Casey and Amy Johnson, ties by Read Wall, office products by Suann Song, cufflinks by Mann Made Designs, wall hangings by Lindsay Giffin. (Greg Powers/For The Washington Post)
Wooden planters ($38-$48)
Run by husband-and-wife team Casey and Amy Johnson in an Annapolis backyard workshop, Foxwood Co. uses local walnut or charred cedar to create geometric planters for succulents and free-form trays (great for serving nuts or cheese; $65-$95). West Elm (1728 14th St. NW), Salt & Sundry (Union Market, 1309 Fifth St. NE; and 1401 S St. NW), www.foxwoodco.com
Bronze cocktail picks (four for $32)
Applying the same soldering and sketching techniques she uses to create her delicate Sarah Cecelia jewelry line, Sarah McLaughlin of Woodridge in Northeast Washington turns out bronze cocktail picks suitable for olives, cherries or fruitcake nibbles. Salt & Sundry, www.sarahcecelia.com
Ties ($145)
From his new showroom in Shaw, D.C. haberdasher Read Wall offers small batches of U.S.-made or Italian-woven silk ties. The vibe is Kennedy era, just like the suits available here. 1921 Eighth St. NW, 866-798-3655, www.readwall.com
Cloth-covered notebooks ($24) Brass pencil cup ($95) Desk calendar ($34)
Hyattsville, Md., graphic designer Suann Song recently launched Appointed, a line of American-made, old-school office products using brass, high-end paper and a clean look. Salt & Sundry, www.appntd.com
Beer-bottle-capcuff links ($42)
Detritus from yesterday’s cold ones are combined with sterling silver in Mann Made Designs’ clever cuff links, which also can be customized with caps from a favorite brew. The “Mann” is Jimmy Mann, of Capitol Hill. Downtown Holiday Market (Nov. 27 through Dec. 23, Eighth and F streets NW), Eastern Market (225 Seventh St. SE), www.mannmadedesigns.com
Wall hangings ($85)
Vintage yarns, textiles from trips abroad and mod brass elements mesh in Lindsay Giffin’s groovy woven Linny wall hangings. Most of the Columbia Heights artist’s works come from handheld wooden frame looms. Washington Project for the Arts Holiday Pop Up Shop (Dec. 5-6, Hirshhorn Museum, 700 Independence Ave. SW), www.linnyfriend.com
Custom paper-cut portrait ($100-$125)
Graphic designer Kate Zaremba worked for peppy New York City designer Jonathan Adler before moving to Petworth a few years back, and his spirited influence shows in her bright, custom-cut paper portraits. E-mail her a few photos — a snap of your sister’s dog, a vacation shot — and she’ll craft a highly personal piece of art. www.katezarembacompany.com
Jennifer Barger is a Washington freelance writer and stylist. To comment on this story, e-mail wpmagazine@washpost.com or visit washingtonpost.com/magazine.
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