I’ve always been enamored with DIY gifts. Every one I’ve ever received felt personal and meaningful; proof that this person spent hours making something instead of logging on to Amazon.

So when I received a set of knitting needles last year, I vowed to learn to knit and make 2013 a DIY Christmas. But, unsurprisingly, the needles unused all year. I considered learning at the last minute, but giving everyone uneven, hastily-made scarves just seemed a little disingenuous.

I did pick up another DIY skill over the last year though: 3D printing, which means DIY Christmas can still be a thing. With the help of the experts over at San Francisco’s TechShop makerspace, I am going to spend the next few weeks making a chess set with a few custom tweaks.

My workflow began with a call with one of TechShop’s “dream consultants;” an adviser who let me know…