Is there a better way to show someone how much you care for them than by gifting them a handmade gift?
If you have a passion for sewing like I do, I strongly recommend a sewing project gift. Potholders, kits, pillowcases, pouches, phone cases… there are so many cool and inspiring things you can give to a person dear to you.
Behind every handmade gift is a message of love, respect, and willingness to invest your time, effort, and skills into making that person happy. The gift doesn’t have to turn out perfectly, sometimes the little mistakes we make in producing them turn out to be our personal stamp.
My main point is – as long as you enjoy, have fun, and sew these projects with love and enthusiasm, that’s all that counts.
Let’s dive into easy sewing projects for gifts!
1. Fish Shaped Bags
Maybe you’re not a fan of fish, but I find this sewing pattern so cute, simple, easy to sew, and with lots of room for personalization and decoration.
You can make this into a laundry bag, a handbag, or even a tiny backpack.
This one is a great DIY moving-in gift, but it’s also suitable for smaller children. I bet it would make your mom happy.
Click on the link to see the tutorial on how to make it yourself.
2. Travel Manicure/Pedicure Kit
This one perhaps requires an intermediate sewing skills level, so if you’re only at the beginning of learning how to sew, it might be a challenge to complete.
Nevertheless, the travel nail-care kit is an amazing gift and you can make it using scraps of fabric, you don’t have to buy new pieces. In my opinion, the more colorful and versatile, the better.
You can find all of the instructions at this link.
3. Potholders
Here’s one universal gift that’s easy to make and it’s super useful for anyone who cooks – we all use pots and we all don’t want to burn our hands while cooking.
The sewing procedure is very simple, it’s a 15-minute job, so if you’re rushing with a gift, but still want to come out as original, maybe this is the perfect pick.
Check out Radiant home studio’s tutorial on how to sew a simple potholder.
4. Zipper Pouch
I never get sick of pouches in all colors, shapes, and sizes. I use them for so many things: as change wallet, card wallet, to pack makeup, jewelry, and playing cards for traveling, I use larger zipper pouches as handbags when I go out, but they can also serve as mobile phone cases, or basically any type of organizers.
A zipper pouch can be a perfect git for a friend or family member who likes to keep their stuff well-organized, but also for those who are not at all organized but maybe should try to be.
Here’s how to make a proper zipper pouch.
5. Envelope Pouch
As I said, pouches are the perfect gifts for anyone as they’re cute, multipurpose, and a sweet memory of the person who gifted them (you).
If you’re not confident with sewing a zipper, maybe a simpler but also very sweet envelope pouch will be a better solution for your gift sewing project.
Check out This Heart of Mine blog page for a tutorial on making zipper pouches.
6. (Sun)glasses Case
We all have those friends who are suckers for sunglasses, but maybe also wear vision glasses, so they constantly need to switch. Why not gift them a nice and trendy, hand-sewn fabric case?
You can even embroider their name, or a special message to have them remember you whenever they switch their glasses.
If you’re interested in making a (sun)glasses case for a gift, check out this tutorial by Life Sew Savory.
7. Beverage Holders – Koozies
A great gift for all ages, your custom made koozie will be the talk of the party whenever your friend pulls it out.
There’s plenty of room for customization here. Embroider their name or an inspirational quote, use a funky fabric that represents their personality, make it in their favorite sporting team’s colors. The possibilities are endless.
A cool koozie can be used on a number of occasions, not only as heat protection. If someone’s at a party, and there are lots of people with the same cups or glasses, by pulling on a koozie, that person will never misplace their drink.
Koozies are very simple and quick to make, and here’s a useful tutorial.
8. Pillowcase
A pillowcase is a gift that can’t miss. It works well for practically any occasion: birthday, wedding, Christmas, anniversary, etc.
Pillowcases are very easy to sew, so it shouldn’t be too much work, plus it’s an excellent occasion to practice.
You can add patchwork, embroidery, and other types of decoration to your pillowcase gift to customize it for your recipient.
My personal preference is pillowcases with inner flap – I like them much more than those with buttons, as buttons can easily rip in the washing machine or dryer, and zippers can get stuck over time.
Inner flaps are the most elegant solution for a pillowcase, they’re easy to make, and don’t require any additional equipment, so head over to the Threads Monthly blog to see the tutorial.
9. Placemat Bag
Are you a beginner at sewing? Do you have $1 in your wallet and your sewing gear at hand? Do you have 10 spare minutes for assembling a bag?
I’m asking because that’s literally all you need for sewing a placemat bag. This is the perfect low-cost, last-minute gift. The bag can be any size you want, and it’s great for the beach, park, and other everyday activities.
It’s a great gift for a person with kids, as it doesn’t get dirty easily, and it’s great for carrying toys, snacks, and small bottles.
It’s also good for other sewing enthusiasts from your circles, as it’s quite suitable for carrying threads, needles, or crochet projects.
Here’s an excellent and comprehensive step-by-step tutorial on how to sew a placemat bag by Happiest Camper.
10. Reusable Sandwich Wrap and/or Snack Bag
As you might have noticed already, I’m a big fan of these reusable and washable gifts that actually lower the amount of trash its user is producing.
Sandwich/snacks bags are great for people who tend to bring their own food to work or school. We all have at least one friend who likes to eat healthily and finds joy in preparing their own sandwiches and even baking their own snacks.
You can show support for their initiative by gifting them this reusable sandwich wrap or snacks bag. I’m sure they’ll love it. I’m one of those people, and I made a couple of these for myself, and I have to admit that the amount of trash I create on a monthly and yearly level in terms of food packaging has significantly lowered.
I strongly recommend using cotton for this purpose, as the fabric should be washed at a high temperature to prevent any food-borne illness.
Love the idea? Here’s an instruction on how to make it.
11. Makeup Removal Pads
If you have a friend who often wears makeup, this is an amazing gift for them.
People usually remove makeup with cotton pads which they later throw in the garbage, creating tons of trash over the year.
What if I told you that you could still apply soft cotton on your skin, but without producing garbage? Makeup removal cotton pads are super-easy and quick to make, you can sew like 10 or 15 of them in less than an hour, and once the user is done with them, all they need to do is wash them at 60C/140F to 90C/194F and they’re good to go.
Here’s a tutorial on how to sew makeup removal pads and have a ready-to-go gift in less than 1 hour.
12. Christmas Tree Ornaments
I find this gift especially sweet if we’re talking Christmas gifts from your children for their parents or grandparents.
Christmas tree ornaments are easy to make, they’re small and similar to other suggestions – are amazingly heartfelt gifts. You can decorate them however you want and make them out of almost any type of fabric.
You can customize them any way you like, and if whether you choose to fill them with something like cotton wool or leave them flat, they’re going to look amazing.
Wrapping It Up
I hope you found my 12 suggestions useful and inspiring, and that you’ll find the perfect solution for your sewing project for a gift.
In general, most people love handmade gifts. They show that you’re passionate and committed to your friendship and that you’ve been eager to invest time, energy, and skills into making that person happy.
And what’s most important – you get to practice and have fun!
