Sewing Christmas Gift Ideas For Beginner?

Judi
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September 25, 20080 found this helpful

You could make placemats if all you can do is sew a straight line. You'll need enough filling to line each one. Aprons are always welcome. Do an internet search for patterns. I make towels to hang on the stove by gathering a towel in the middle and attaching it there to a regulat pot holder and then attaching a button to the pot holder to hang on the handle of the stove. You couldmake these really neat neck warmers stuffed with different kinds of seeds. My grandchildren favor blanket made from fleece with no sewing required becasue the edges are cut and two fabrics tied together.

The Martha Stewart website has a lot of good craft ideas.

How about pillows? Just 2 squares that you would stuff...or table runners....if you did two different prints it would be reversible.

Make a pattern out of old news paper and make a Christmas stocking. They are easy and you can buy the iron on letters for the top. I have made a lot to give as gifts. If you have the money, buy the pattern from joAnns when they have the 99 cent pattern sale. It also comes with patterns for table runners, a stuffed Christmas tree which is easy to make. I believe a few other things, most of it is easy sewing, and it's basic. everyone likes Christmas stockings. both for decorations and for use.

I have adjusted the pattern many times to enlarge or shrink. Depends on what I want to use it for. I made small ones to give with a candy Kane and say a gift card to give as a present.. If you know someone who has pets make a flat pet pad.. its just an enlarged place mat. Just put some batting in it and sew about 2 inches inside from the seam. to Keep the batting in place when washing.

I used fleece and some batting makes nice ones. I give some to the SPCA. they are washable also. pillows, something else draft tubes. It's just a tube you make and then fill an old nylon stocking to put inside to put at the doors or windows to stop the drafts from coming in. But most of all be brave and try things that are on the curve or straight lines. You will surprise yourself how nice and how much you can make. Good luck.

Janet
Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 399 Feedbacks

September 29, 20080 found this helpful

You can buy cheap-ish potholders (2 for $1.00 at the Dollar Store), fold in half & sew up one side & along the bottom. These make neat potholders for iron pans or other pans that have handles that get very hot. Can't beat 2 gifts for $1.00.

Thanks to each for all these great ideas! This will help me so much! May God bless each of you!

Sandi/Poor But Proud
Gold Post Medal for All Time! 969 Posts

September 29, 20080 found this helpful

Check out the pattern books in aprons. They are so cute now and very retro, and most are just straight seams, too. Another thing you can do with the pot holders is having the hanger part up, fold the other two sides in the middle, overlapping one just a little.

sheila

September 30, 20080 found this helpful

I love to sew with polar fleece. It is not always cheap but you can often find blankets, hats and scarves to embellish at $1 and discount stores.
For the blanket you can sew on a square of cloth at the top the size of a pillow in the middle for a quillow. You can then fold the blanket in toward the pillow and fold it up and put it in the pillow. You can also make neck rest for car seats or scented pillows. Polar fleece hats are $1 at my local dollar store. you can embellish them with sequins, fabric paint or cat, bunny,dog, ears which is all the rage with preteens and teens into Annamae(sp?) My daughters hat is a walrus and she is 16!

The first sewing project I did was a bag with the top cinching closed. It could be used over and over again to take to the grocery store.

I would say a table runner would be a great present, even a reversible one! You could make it holiday oriented or the colors of the persons house.

Start small:  Cut two 10-inch squares of fabric, and one 10-inch square of an old towel. Put both  fabric squares down wrong side up, then the towel square. Double a four-inch piece of ribbon and lay it down at one corner, with the fold towards the center of your piece, and the two ends sticking out a bit over the edge, Stitch around all four sides, but leave an empty space along one side, about four inches long.Now, reach in through the empty space and turn the whole thing inside out. Your two fabric pieces are now right side out, and the towel piece is in the middle. And, without any fuss, you also have a hanging ribbon.  Machine stitch carefully along the space where you turned everything inside out.

POT HOLDER! You can make these from scraps.  You can put old washcloths in the center for insulation. You can buy some stuff called Insulbrite to put in the middle. Have fun.