Every guy should have one on his person. The myriad uses may be obvious, but let’s just do a quick recap:

1. Blowing his nose.
2. Drying his eyes.
3. Wiping sweat from his brow.
4. Cooling his neck in the summer.
5. Cleaning his pocket knife.
6. Polishing his glasses.
7. Straining the grounds out of cowboy coffee.
8. Filtering the dust out of otherwise breathable air.
9. Signaling for assistance in dire situations.
10. Using as a tourniquet in the direst situations.
11. Offering it to you for any of the above uses.

It’s an extremely useful item. It’s also one that you can make a few of as a gift for him. He’ll be grateful.

Making a serviceable hanky only takes two steps.

One: Cutting out squares of thin, but absorbent fabric. It should pick up moisture and dry quickly. Typical handkerchiefs are somewhere between 16 and 18 inches square.

Two: Stitching a hem around the edges.

Good fabric choices are cotton, chambray, and linen. Avoid wool and canvas. Moisture tends to slide off of them.

When picking out fabric patterns, think about his personality. Is he a plaid-wearing Paul Bunyan-type or would he prefer linen? Maybe something funky like paisley.

You may be thinking that just giving him hankies isn’t much of a gift. That’s fair.

You can use the handkerchiefs as wrapping for something else you’ve made or include them in a larger gift kit. Here are 4 things every guy can use assembled in a kit:

• Mug – This has a lot to do with his personality. Some guys like pottery. Some guys like enamelware.
• Those awesome handkerchiefs you made
• A favorite book – Think Ian Fleming or John Updike. Heck, if he likes James Patterson, throw it in.
• Pocket knife

Put those four things into a wooden crate and you’re good to go.

If you’d like some more ideas, have a look at some of the other posts.

I recommend: The Big List and Boyfriend Gift Ideas