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.
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.
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.
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
