Christmas gifts to sew with fabric scraps
Christmas is the perfect time to give small, personal gifts, sewn with care and application.
If you’re short of inspiration for your loved ones, and fancy some easy, inexpensive sewing, here are a few ideas!
For your little niece who wants to keep her pocket money tidy: a small purse
If you’re looking for an easy-to-make gift for a child, why not sew them a little purse? It can hold a few coins, cards he or she collects, little figurines… Just like “the grown-ups”!
The Loumajinne Créations purse is designed so that you can use your fabric scraps. Try to include a pattern or color in your coupons that the recipient will like. It could be cotton, soft denim, linen…
You’ll also need a small piece of thicker fabric (like imitation leather) to reinforce the sides of the purse.
Then it’s just a quick trip to the haberdashery to pick up the zippers, key ring and fusible webbing needed to complete the project.
For your fashionista sister-in-law: a small half-moon bag
To sew our Sérac half-moon bag, you need just 30 centimetres of outer fabric. Use faux leather, denim, upholstery fabric, sequined fabric or faux fur, for example. And 60 centimetres of cotton for the lining. Use scraps from your bag, coat or upholstery projects to find the perfect fabric!
Sérac is a quick and easy-to-assemble project that lets you sew a trendy, practical bag that’s easy to personalize. Enough to delight all the fashion fans in your circle!
For your eco-friendly aunt: washable paper towels
If you’d like to please loved ones who are careful not to generate too much waste, you can sew them washable paper towels for use in the kitchen, bathroom or housework. Durable, sturdy objects that can be kept for years, and which avoid the need for disposable rolls of paper towels.
To sew this very simple project, simply rummage through your cotton and terrycloth scraps. You can also use towels you no longer use.
The Miss Cactus pattern allows you to sew two sizes of washable paper towel.
Make a batch of several and store them in a pretty personalized reusable pouch.
For your father who likes to travel light: a small satchel
The Atelier Adriette satchel measures around twenty centimeters in height, and can hold the essentials of your personal belongings: a cell phone, keys, wallet… It’s an ideal gift for a loved one who doesn’t want to take on too much when out and about or traveling. And who only likes to take the essentials with them.
As the bag is very small, you can use your fabric scraps, or even several pieces of fabric: one color for the outside of the bag, a contrasting color for the small front pocket, a third shade for the lining.
For the main fabric, it’s best to choose a fairly thick one: upholstery fabric, denim, faux leather… Or reinforce a finer fiber with wadding or fusible web.
All that’s left is the haberdashery you’ll need for the finishing touches: pretty piping around the edges of the bag. Also a strap, two buckles and a zipper.
For your mother who loves to read: personalized bookmarks
To please your fiction-loving loved ones who always have a book in their bag, sew them bookmarks from Modèle Nature. These little projects require very little fabric and are very easy to personalize.
You can make the longest bookmark and embroider (for example with a stem stitch or a front stitch if you are not very comfortable with embroidery) a small dedication, a quote from the person’s favorite book, a musical note, a personal reference to a shared hobby… Or add a label, a small iron-on patch…
The pattern includes three separate designs, making it possible to offer a pretty assortment of bookmarks for Christmas.
What about you? Do you make 100% homemade gifts? What are your favorite things to make for your loved ones?
