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20+ Gifts to Sew with your Scrap Fabric

Handmade gifts can be the most meaningful ones to give and receive.

Below you will find a great list of quick and easy gifts to sew for any skill level so you can give a one-of-a-kind thoughtful gift to your friend or family member.

gifts to sew

This list is full of wonderful gifts for the holiday season or any special occasions when you need to whip up a last-minute gift!

Almost all of the tutorials and patterns are free, so you can sit at your sewing machine and get straight to sewing some fab homemade gifts!

This post contains affiliate links – please see my disclosure policy for more details.

20 Gifts To Sew With Scrap Fabric

Quilted Journal Cover

quilted journal cover tutorial
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

These cute journal covers can be made in different sizes and are great for using up fabric scraps.

I’m sure you can come up with some great ideas on how to personalize these too – with favorite colors, names, or a fussy cut image from your favorite scrap of fabric!

Owl Stuffed Toy

free owl templates
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

These cute stuffed toy owls can be sewn up in an evening for a super quick and easy gift idea.

This is the perfect Christmas gift idea for little girls and little boys. Use their favorite colors and clear your scrap bin at the same time! What child wouldn’t love finding one of these cute little guys under the Christmas tree?

Quick and Easy Coasters

finished hexagon quilt as you go coaster
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

These fun quilted coasters are a quick and easy gift to sew and have to be one of my favorite sewing projects.

You can whip up a batch of these in one sewing session and have lots of fun doing it!

These coasters are made using quilt-as-you-go method and of course are perfect for fabric scraps, pre-cuts, and any leftover fabric you have to hand.

Use different colors to suit your recipient, and they will be a totally unique gift.

Quilted Wall Art

quilted wall hanging tutorial
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

Another simple sewing project. Use lovely bright scrap fabric strips to make this quilt-as-you-go wall hanging.

Use a frame to give it a polished and modern look and you have a lovely gift that can be personalized to suit your friends and family’s decor.

Fabric Key Fob Wristlets

key fob wristlets
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

These key fob wristlets are super quick and easy to make.

Use the trimmed edges from your quilting projects, fancy ribbon, or just strips of scrap fabric to make these practical gifts.

Fleece Heart Cushions

how to make fleece heart cushions
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

Looking for some fleece fun? These squishy soft cushions are a hit with kids of all ages.

In fact, they were inspired by my kids when I asked them what we should make from the leftovers of fleece quilt backings that I had in my sewing room.

This is an easy sewing project and also a great way to use up quilt batting scraps as well as fleece leftovers.

The mini version of these fleece hearts are also great gifts to sew for Christmas ornaments.

Bookmarks

scrap fabric bookmark
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

These bookmarks are made with tiny fabric trimmings – the stuff that ends up in your thread catcher bin.

They are thin enough to use comfortably in a book, unlike some fabric bookmarks and they are perfect for stocking stuffers!

Stroller Quilt

how to make a stroller quilt with velcro straps
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

This stroller quilt is the quickest quilt you’ll ever make.

It uses just 7 jelly roll strips and is a practical alternative to a baby quilt that Moms and kiddos will both appreciate.

The velcro straps make it easy to take off and on a stroller or buggy to keep your little one warm on those wintery days.

Baby Color Book

baby colour book diy homemade
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

Another great gift idea for kids is a baby color book.

Use up scraps in the colors of the rainbow to make them a lovely homemade gift that will help them learn too!

Art Portfolio

cropped-kids-art-portfolio-with-crayon-pockets-1.jpg
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

If you are looking for fun gift ideas for kids, this was one of my earliest sewn gifts for my nephew – a Thomas the Tank Engine lover.

Simple QAYG Keychain

quilt as you go beginner project keychains
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

These easy quilt-as-you-go keychains are not only great for scraps but also it’s one of those great beginner projects for anyone starting out with quilt-as-you-go.

It was my first QAYG project!

Quilted Advent Calendar

quilted advent calendar
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

My sister specially requested this advent calendar for her own home. It wasn’t exactly a Christmas gift as I had to give it to her early of course, but she has used it every year since.

I don’t have a full tutorial for this one as I was up against the clock but I did make a video explaining my process that I hope you can follow to make your own version!

T-Shirt Tote Bag

t-shirt tote bags
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

I made these cool t-shirt tote bags using my friend’s pattern. The middle one was a gift for my husband using one of his old band t-shirts.

The pattern for this one isn’t free, but you can find instructions on how to use t-shirt quilt interfacing for these bags and find the link to the pattern in the post below.

Bags are always useful gifts, and I used this project as a stepping stone to doing my first T-shirt quilt (still to come!)

T-Shirt Bag & T-Shirt Quilt Interfacing

Mug Rugs

how to hang a mug rug
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

Mug Rugs are basically like large coasters that you can put your coffee and cookie on.

I gave a couple of mug rugs to my sons a few years ago during lockdown but I wanted to use them as wall hangings, so I had to figure out how to add a hanging after the fact(!).

This mug rug pattern isn’t mine but you can find a link to it in this post about how I managed to get these mug rugs on the wall!

No Measure Fabric Gift Bags

reusable fabric drawstring gift bags
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

Not exactly a gift in and of itself but I love making these no-measure drawstring gift bags.

I sometimes get more exclamations from the gift bag than the gift inside it!

I encourage you to let your friends keep these gift bags so they can re-use them when they gift and we can all use a little less disposable wrapping paper.

If you’re on the lookout for more ways to reuse gift wrappers, read my guide on upcycling gift wrapping.

Stitch and Flip Denim Placemats

Denim Placemats
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

These fun placemats are made with strips of denim scraps left over from denim quilt projects and some brightly colored ‘focus scraps’ of leftover quilting cotton.

This is another great one to personalize to suit your recipient’s favorite colors or hobby.

Scrap Fabric Flowers

scrap fabric flowers
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

Make these easy scrap fabric flowers and turn them into brooches, hair accessories or embellish a gift with them.

There are two different methods for making these fabric flowers in my tutorial.

Fabric Doorstop

fabric doorstop
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

I experimented with making lots of fabric cubes recently.

Using the same method I made:

  • Baby Cube Toys
  • Doorstops
  • an Ottoman Footstool

Cushion Covers

cushion cover from an orphan block
Photo: Scrap Fabric Love

Cushion Covers are easy Christmas gifts for anyone on your list.

These make great gifts to sew for friends. I have made lots of these, including the ones above made from orphan blocks that I gave to my kids.

Video Version – Sewing Gifts Ideas

Top Tips For Gifts to Sew

  • If you’re anything like me, you’ll make lots of the same gifts at Christmas for all your family and friends. My best advice is to somehow make them all unique by using different fabrics or things that are meaningful to each of your gift recipients.
  • Make gifts that you know will be used and appreciated. It’s not worth spending hours on a gift that will be tossed to the side (don’t ask me how I know!)

Frequently Asked Questions

What to sew people for Christmas?

Some ideas of what to sew people for Christmas include; an advent calendar, a wreath, baubles or tree decorations.

You can turn anything at all into a Christmas-themed project, simply by using fabric or a style that your recipient loves.

Alternatively, you don’t need to stick with the Christmas-themed gifts and could make something your giftee needs, such as a make-up bag, quilt, cushions, or a scarf.

What should I sew for my Grandma?

Your Grandma will absolutely adore anything that you make her. Think about the things she might have grown up with as a little girl, could you reproduce her favorite doll or quilt?

Or why not make something that is special for the two of you such as matching cushions? If your Grandma is really practical, she might appreciate something like a tote bag, apron or kitchen towels.

More Ideas for Quick Gifts to Sew

There are so many fun and easy gifts you can sew – I’ve not got around to making tutorials for all of these but here are some more ideas if none of the ones above feel like the perfect gift for you to make:

  • Reading Pillow (I have made a ton of these for little kids and I really need to make a tutorial soon!)
  • Infinity Scarf
  • Pot Holders
  • Zipper Pouches (my family and friends got loads of these a couple of years ago! Great for makeup bags or a pencil case)
  • iPad Case
  • Placemats
  • Or make a Quick Quilt! I have lots of Free Quilt Patterns here.
  • On my other blog one year I also made a bunch of different items from my husband’s old shirts that would make great gifts – including a cute chapstick holder.

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