Have you ever made a gift for someone instead of buying one? How did it go?

A natural way to answer

I once knitted a scarf for my mum. It wasn't perfect - one end was wider than the other - but she wore it anyway. I think a handmade gift means more, even with its flaws, because the person can see the effort that went into it.

Key phrases to use

• gave up on — stopped trying to finish or believe in something“I almost gave up on the project, but I'm glad I didn't.”
• paid off — produced a good result after effort or risk“All that practice finally paid off.”