20 Handmade Gifts To Sew

Looking for some inspiration for gifts to sew for friends and family? We have put together twenty of our favourite gifts, with something for everyone. There are practical gifts, fun gifts, Eco friendly gifts and some for the children as well. All are fairly quick to make and some are great scrap busters.

Aprons are a great practical gift that anyone could use. Perfect for bakers, barbecuing, gardening, kids and crafting. You can make them very simple or super cute like the one we made using a pattern from the Learn To Sew With Lauren book by Lauren Guthrie. 

This year we decided to make sleep shorts in a Christmas fabric for the men in our lives, and team them up with a plain t-shirt to make Christmas pyjamas.

Caitlin made this gorgeous fully lined, Bow Cosmetic Bag using, a pattern from the Makery Sewing Book by Kate Smith.                     She  really enjoyed sewing it,and the contrasting bow on the front makes it a real show stopper. Zippered bags are such a great gift,     that can be used for so much more than make up!                                 

For the littlies in your life or the young at heart, handmade soft toys are a really great unique gift that will be treasured for years to come. The Bonbon Pets  are a pattern from Made Everyday which are very fun to make. There are four animals to choose from, a koala, cat, bunny and llama, and they have the most adorable felt details on their faces. Each animal has two sizes a small and large. It is a well written pattern that is easy to follow.

Another lovely pattern is the Modern Folksy Bunny by Gingercake Patterns and Design. It is so cute with an adorable pom pom tail. The pattern also comes with the option to make a kitty.

Quite often when travelling, you like to take the book you are reading. I have found it is difficult to keep them safe in your bag, and I was looking for a cover to make. Originally I was going to crochet one, and then I came across the Book Cosy tutorial on YouTube from Pin Cut Sew and decided to sew one. The pattern comes in three sizes and we made the large one. The project was a really fun and the tutorial is easy to follow. Perfect for any book lover in your life.

To accompany the book cosy we decided to make a Corner Bookmark using matching fabric. This is an extremely quick and easy make, and such a cute item to keep your page.

Caitlin made this functional but cute backpack from the Bags Book by Anna Alicia, that can hold a laptop and more. She really enjoyed making it and learned new skills installing the straps and hardware.

Do you ever get tired of your phone cords being in a tangle and lost in the bottom of your bag? These Cord Keepers are the perfect gift that are quick and easy to make from scraps and will have them neat and tidy in no time.

A Key Fob Wristlet is a very popular gift that is a perfect stocking stuffer. They only use small scraps of fabric and a swivel snap clip to attach to your keys or purse. Making your keys much easier to find and look pretty.

This iPad Stand is a perfect gift for the technology lovers in your family. Sit your iPad, phone, e-reader or even a book on your lap.

We made our pillowcase using the instructions from the Makery Sewing book by Kate Smith. Using a store bought pillow case, a colourful strip of fabric is sewn onto it creating a lovely unique, personalized gift.

For the Eco lovers or anyone looking for something cute to cover your bowls, this beautiful Bowl Cover is a practical and useful gift that will be used time and time again by the recipient. It is a simple make and so much prettier than a piece of plastic wrap!

Tired of burning your fingers, when you get your bowls out of the microwave, then you need one of these cute practical Bowl Cozies made using a pattern from Lincraft. Make one for all your family and friends and tailor them by using fabrics they will love. To use in the microwave you will need cotton fabric, batting and thread.  

 

Decorative hand towels are a very popular gift. Embellish a plain towel
with a cute piece of fabric, add fancy bar of soap and the recipient will have a pretty towel for their bathroom. Can also be teamed up with a matching face washer.                                         

A Coffee Sleeve is a great gift for those who love a drink on the go. Suitable for hot or cold drinks.

Fabric Baskets are a delightful gift that can be used to store so many things. The pattern comes in five sizes giving you many options. You could even use the basket and fill it with treats to make it into a personalised gift hamper.

An extremely popular gift is the Pot Holder Tea Towel, a modern twist on the crocheted tea towel. They are so cute and easy to make. Gather the top of your tea towel, sew it onto a pot holder and finish with a cute button and you have a very practical gift for anyone.

A handmade Lanyard is a gift that can be used by simply anyone! Use if for keys, name badges or like we did attach your yarn cutter to it.

With plastic bags becoming a thing of the past a handmade grocery bag is a lovely Eco gift that will be used time and time again. We made ours from a pattern in the Sewing To Sell book by Virginia Lindsay. This is a great bag with a very unique construction. She also has a video tutorial to follow. 

A cute notepad teamed with a Pen/Pencil Holder is a lovely present. The pen/pencil holder is attached to your notepad with elastic, so you will always have a pen on hand for making notes.

We hope you find some inspiration for your gifts.

Until next time,

Samantha & Caitlin xx

 

 

 

 

Changeroom Revelations

We have been busy since launching our new sewing channel on Youtube: Violet May Handmade and unfortunately our blog fell by the wayside! 

We are back with the release of our our new video, Changeroom Revelations.

This blog is now going to be dedicated to our sewing and we have a new blog A Crafty Yarn which is all about our Crochet and Knitting. We also have a Youtube channel for this, A Crafty Yarn Crochet & Knitting Podcast

We have been sewing for awhile now, and were finding it difficult to work out which styles suit us. Often you spend a lot of time making a garment that you liked the look of, only to find that the finished garment is not quite the fit or style that you were after.

We decided to take a day out to try on different styles. After selecting a few different dresses, we set about finding the ones we liked. Even though Caitlin and I are very different sizes and shapes we found that the same styles suited us both and gathered tiered dresses were a no-no! It was very enlightening, and we came away with a really goodidea of the styles that we would like to make in the future. To see more on this, head over to our Youtube channel.

Our makes:

Caitlin finished her New Look 6210 using a lovely polyester spandex called Bouquet from Spotlight. It was a very enjoyable make and the first time she did a v neckline in a stretch fabric. Such a great throw-on dress for the impending summer days!

Caitlin also made the Simplicity 8872 dress using a floral rayon from stash. This is not a style of dress she would normally wear and was a little unsure. She omitted the tie around the neck, instead closing it with a brooch. It certainly gives off autumn vibes with the long gathered sleeves and muted colours. With the addition of a cute little belt it looks gorgeous.

I made the Sew Simple Miranda T-Shirt pattern, using a knit fabric from Spotlight. I really like this pattern and love the cute fabric. This is my staple T-shirt pattern and will definitely be making more.

 

Until next time,

Happy Sewing!

Samantha & Caitlin xx

 

Violet May Handmade Podcast Episode 3

It has been a busy few weeks with lots of crocheting, knitting and sewing. We have finished a few projects and made lots of progress on others. Even though we are still having some quite hot weather, the subtle changes of season are in the air and the nights are drawing in. Looking forward to when we can crochet and knit by the fire.

 Finished Projects:

Miss C has completed her  Elements Hat  by Nancy Said using a chestnut coloured, pure wool 8 ply. The pattern has a lovely texture and the addition of a white faux fur pom pom, has lifted it to the next level. We used a 6" plate to trace around on the fur and then sewed a gathering stitch around the edge, pulled it in a filled it with stuffing. A very simple project that has such impact.

I have finally finished the Cloud Nine Cardigan by Iron Lamb using  Drops Nepal in Fog & Forget-me not. I am really pleased with the finished cardigan and I am sure my Mum will love it.

Miss C has also finished the Gooseberry fool by Lisa Cook from the Delicious Crochet Shawls book. A quick project to crochet using an Aran weight yarn.

What's On Our Hooks:  

I had a small amount of yarn left from my Single Skein Necklet and we decided to make a start on the Crochet Memories Blanket pattern by Hannah Siegmund. This is the perfect project for small scraps or mini skeins. You only need about 7 grams for one square. 

 

The Recovery Shawl by Helda Panagary (Inside Crochet Magazine Issue 152)  is a very simple, enjoyable make. We work a little on it each evening and it is amazing how large it is getting. They are both looking gorgeous.

Miss C has started on her next crochet project, the  Amazing Grace Angel Wing Shawl by Beatrice Ryan Designs, which is a free pattern. The yarn she is using is producing a beautiful pastel effect. 

 

I have started my Bobbly Beauty Scarf by Marianne Rawlins, from Simply Crochet Magazine 124, using Calypso in the colour Pressed Lavendar, a gorgeous 8 ply slub yarn from Bendigo Woolen Mills. This is a lovely project to work on with my favourite bobbles. You can never have to many bobbles!

Work has begun on my Star Stitch Glovelets. I am loving the colour and the stitch. This was a new stitch to me and Nina has a tutorial on her channel to show you how to do this. 

Miss C is also working on a pair of crochet gloves. The Booklover's Fingerless Gloves by Nancy Said. The lace edging on these gloves is going to be so pretty. 

The Desert Irony Poncho by Crafternoon Treats is a new project for Miss C. She is really enjoying it and finding it fun to work on. She is using Stylecraft Batik in the colours, graphite, mushroom, mint, rose, heather, plum and silver.

What's On Miss C's Needles:

Miss C has completed the body of her knitted Rosa Jumper by Along Avec Anna. She is using Bendigo Woolen Mills Luxury 4 ply in the "Truffle" colourway, held with Moda Vera Faux Mo in a mink sort of colour. Work has been halted as we had to order some needles as she didn't have the correct ones the sleeves. 

The back panel on her Shawl Collar Cardigan is now complete and the stitch pattern is so pretty. The fronts will be quicker as they have less stitches. It is going to be such a lovely cardigan to wear.

Plans:

Miss C is looking forward to starting The Zen Spirit Scarf by Nancy Said, and the Cherry Bakewell Shawl by Lisa Cook.

Until next time,

Samantha & Miss C

 

 

 

Violet May Handmade Podcast Episode 2

Autumn is officially here in Australia. I am looking forward to the cooler months after some very hot summer heatwaves. We have been busy crocheting some new exciting things, in preparation for winter and have some finished projects as well.

Finished Projects:

Miss C has completed crocheting the Single Skein Necklet by Nancy Said in Cascade Heritage Waves colour, Nightshade. It looks fabulous and the lovely edge detail is very unique.

My Gelato Gloves by Nancy Said using a gorgeous yarn from Biggan Design Yarn in Royal Purple 8 ply are completed. I absolutely love the colour and the cute flower makes them extra special.

The Elements Gloves by Nancy Said are a very quick and easy pattern to work up and the end result is stunning. Made using a lovely chestnut brown pure wool yarn they will go with everything. 

What's On Our Hooks:  

I was lucky enough to be gifted a gorgeous skein of hand dyed yarn, which is absolutely perfect for the Single Skein Necklet by Nancy Said. I am really enjoying crocheting this and loving the way the yarn is working up, it is so pretty and pastel.

We have both begun working on the Sea Maiden Shawl by Nancy Said, using Lion Brand Summer Nights in Stargazing & Wildflowers. It is such a gorgeous yarn with a bit of bling, in the form of a metallic thread. The pattern is quite interesting using a picot, which is a new stitch that we have learnt. 

After falling in love with the Recovery Shawl by Helda Panagary (Inside Crochet Magazine Issue 152) we both went hunting in our stash of 4ply to see what we could use. We found a mixture of scraps and smaller balls of yarn that were perfect. We divided them between us and even though we are using the same yarns, they are so different.  We are really loving the pattern.

Miss C has begun working on an Elements Hat  by Nancy Said using the chestnut pure wool 8 ply, which will go with the Elements gloves that she has finished. The rib is a little tight, so she will make some adjustments to get a better fit.

We are both starting on a cosy pair of crochet socks, using the Sweetheart Socks pattern by Vicki Brown. I have begun the ribbing and found it was too small, so will have to go up a size.
 

What's On Miss C's Needles:

She has begun working on a new knitted project, the Rosa Jumper by Along avec Anna. She is using Bendigo Woolen Mills Luxury 4 ply in the "Truffle" colourway, held with Moda Vera Faux Mo in a mink sort of colour.

She has made some progress since last time, on her Shawl Collar Cardigan, but has been spending more time on her Rosa Jumper. 

One sock of a pair is finished, using Mayflower 1 class sock yarn in the Black colourway for the cuff and toe, and Atlas Happy Feet in the "Rose Garden" colourway for the main body of the sock. They are worked on 72 sts with 2.25mm needles. Such a pretty colour.

Dressmaking:

Miss C has completed her mini skirt from The Capsule Wardrobe Book, using a gorgeous cotton print, modern florals on navy.   

Plans:

The next two crochet projects that Miss C has planned are an Amazing Grace Angel Wing Shawl by Beatrice Ryan Designs. This is a free pattern and the end result is stunning. I have made two of these before that you can see here. She also plans to make a Gooseberry fool by Lisa Cook from the Delicious Crochet Shawls book.

I plan to make a Bobbly Beauty Scarf by Marianne Rawlins, from Simply Crochet Magazine 124. I am using a gorgeous 8 ply slub yarn from Bendigo Woolen Mills, Calypso in the colour Pressed Lavendar. I also plan to make a zippered cardigan using a vintage pattern. This will be more of a long term project.

I plan to make some project bags and Miss C plans to make the Stella joggers and a Freya dress, both from the Tilly and the Buttons book, Stretch!

There are plenty of projects to keep us both very busy!

Until next time,

Samantha & Miss C