7 Fast & Easy to Make Handmade Sewing Gift Ideas for the Holidays

If you are looking for easy and fun projects to make and gift, consider making simple items that you can make in advance and keep in your gift closet. This way, you can make several versions of a particular item and tailor it for each person on your list.  Here are a few easy to make, handmade sewing gift project ideas for the holidays.

Handmade Sewing Gift Ornaments

Ornaments come in different shapes and sizes and can be customized for every holiday and everyone on your list. They are a great budget friendly gift for teachers, co-workers, and host/hostess gifts. The bonus: they are calorie free and can be a wonderful way to use up leftover fabrics from previous sewing projects. The Ornament Girl offers an extensive library of ‘no sew’ patterns and ornament making supplies. With their fast shipping, there’s still time to get a few ornaments made for last minute gifts.

Handmade Sewing Gift Stockings

Instead of welcoming a new family member with toys or clothes, consider gifting a handmade stocking. Stockings can be personalized with a child’s (or pet’s) name and used every year. New parents often have many other worries on their mind at the holidays and Christmas stockings are often a last-minute purchase.  If you are considering this gift option, reach out in advance to the parents. Confirm the correct name spelling and ask if they are using a specific color scheme/holiday theme. If you have never sewn a stocking before, here’s a free pattern to try.

Placemats, Matching Napkins, Napkin Rings

If someone on your holiday gift list has a new home, consider making a set of placemats and coordinating napkins. This is a great housewarming and bridal shower gift!  Again, these items can be personalized with initials, colors, design motifs.

One of the easiest ways to make professional looking placemats is to use a product by Bosal. I’ve used it to create beautiful placemats. The directions were easy to follow, and the results were great!

If you are short on time and have an embroidery module built into your sewing machine, try this easy hack.  Buy a set pre-made napkins and embroider the host’s last name initial at the corner of each napkin. This inexpensive gift is sure to garner many thanks and compliments!

 Personalized Throws & Towels

This is a great gift option for kids and adults if you have a sewing machine that can do embroidery. The benefits: you do not need to know a person’s size and can buy neutral-colored throws and towels when they are on sale.  This allows you to save money and gift a personalized item. Normally a gift like this is presented as a housewarming or wedding gift, but they also make wonderful holiday gifts! One year, I needed to create a child friendly gift for several family members. After a brainstorming session, I decided to embroider each child’s name in a fun, colorful font on a soft fuzzy blanket. They could snuggle under them on family movie nights. Every child loved their blanket! I later learned that they used their blankets on long car trips, camp outs, and cold nights when an extra blanket on their beds was necessary.

  Aprons

If you have an aspiring chef or baker on your gift list, consider gifting practical items they can use. Aprons can be simple or fancy; just remember to make all items machine washable so they can be enjoyed for many years. Here is great reference for free apron patterns. Short on time?  Consider buying an apron and personalizing it with a name or initials.

Oven Mitts & Hot Pads

If you have ever tried to remove a hot pan from an oven, then you understand the importance of handy oven mitts and hot pads! These make great complimentary gifts to tuck in a hostess basket.  You can make them in advance and easily store them in a gift closet so that they are ready when the moment calls for a cook related gift.

Jewelry

Not all handmade sewing gifts need to be food or home related. Jewelry is a fantastic way to use up small bits and pieces of fabrics.  Some of the most popular fabrics to use for jewelry are leather, cork fabric, soutache, and silk shibori ribbon. Designs vary from simple and modern to fancy and complex.  Also, if you opt for gender neutral fabrics like leather and cork, your gifting options expand.

By no means is this a complete list of handmade sewing gift ideas, but hopefully it will jumpstart your creativity!

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