Sewing Gifts For Christmas

Christmas is the most magical time of the year, but the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping can be stressful, tiring and a huge drain on the family budget. With a little forward planning, you can sew personalised gifts for everyone on your shopping list without breaking the bank or falling into the holiday blues.

Retailers will tempt us with the latest gadgets and the most sort after products, but a handmade gift portrays a whole lot of love to its recipient. Trends and technology change in a heartbeat, but something made from the heart will be treasured forever.

Sewing gifts for Christmas will put you in the festive mood, but you want to avoid madly sewing the last pieces together on Christmas Eve, so I've put together a few ideas to help you plan your projects, stay organised and sew something special for everyone this Christmas.

Planning: Start Planning Early

It's never too early to start planning your Christmas sewing - some people sew gifts all year long to avoid the mad rush of the gift giving season.

Before you start, write a comprehensive list of gift recipients and plan the projects you intend to sew for them. Be realistic - you need plenty of time for large projects so start sewing early and endeavour to work on them at regular intervals. You can achieve a lot if you consistently devote a small amount of time each day to sew your Christmas projects.

Make extensive lists of all the materials required for each project and tape them to the lids of individual containers. As you shop or gather your supplies, add them to the appropriate container and mark them off your list. Keep everything together and organised and avoid that last minute dash to the shops for a misplaced zip or the perfect matching buttons. Keep a container near your sewing machine so you're ready to sew when time allows.

To keep costs down, shop from your fabric stash first and then purchase some new fabric to work with them. Be sure to shop the sales and use any discount codes companies offer prior to Christmas but be careful not to impulse buy - make sure it's what you need and it works with fabrics from your stash.

Keep a checklist of your Christmas sewing progress to keep you motivated and keep you focused.

Large Projects: Consider Your Timeframe

You may not have time to sew a large project for every member of the family, so consider sewing a quilt that can be enjoyed by everyone. Photo quilts are a great way to include family members into a gift, and you can personalise it by embroidering their names on the images or in the quilt sashings.

A quilt made from discarded family clothing is another way to include everyone. Items such as old t-shirts can be sewn together to make a big cozy quilt that the whole family will love. It's also a very special way to incorporate items for a loved one who has sadly passed.

If you have a family member in a nursing home or the hospital, a fidget quilt is a wonderful way to keep their minds active. Sew together some large colourful squares and add some old zips, buttons, textured fabrics, buckles, ribbons and studs - anything that will keep their hands busy.

When choosing a quilt pattern, look for designs that are quick and easy.  Pre-cuts such as Jelly Rolls and Charm Packs will reduce your cutting time and fabric selection, and chain piecing makes sewing quick and efficient. Large scale block patterns are time savers and they're a great way to showcase some pretty fussy cut fabric.

Quilting panels are another great idea for large quilts, especially for children. Border them with some simple, scrappy blocks or a plain border to achieve the size you require.

If you're planning on sending your quilt tops to your long arm quilter, make sure you book in early and that they'll be returned to you with ample time to sew on the bindings. If you're quilting your own quilt tops, consider simple designs like stippling, straight line or serpentine quilting to finish them quickly and avoid undue stress on your neck and shoulders.

Small Projects: Something Small For Everyone

Small gifts for teachers, neighbours and friends can be sewn in multiples. Sew a batch of coasters, mug rugs, placemats or gift bags, and add some home baked goodies to create the perfect gift.

A mug rug with a pretty coffee cup and a bag of freshly baked cookies is useful and thoughtful, and it shows someone you care and appreciate them. Gift bags or pouches can be filed with an assortment of personal items such as nail polish, notepads, pens, jewelry, sewing supplies, kitchen gadgets and gardening tools.

One of my favorite gifts to give children is books. Sew a bright, cheery cushion and include a pocket on the back to store their favorite book.  A library bag is another wonderful gift for children, and you can include a few of your favorite books to add to their collection.

Gifts don't need to be elaborate. When my mother in law was alive, I made a basket of simple pincushions and left them on her kitchen table. Every time a nurse, cleaner or neighbour popped in they left with their own pincushion as a thank you for helping us with her care. Everyone loved them!

I also like to include a small item in the Christmas cards I send to family and friends, and ornaments like my Fabric Star Hangers are always popular. Cards will be thrown away at the end of the season, but ornaments will be used year after year on their Christmas trees.

Decorations: Deck The Halls

Christmas decorations also make beautiful gifts and they will be displayed for many years to come. Advent calendars and tree skirts are very popular but also consider mini quilts, bunting, cushions, Santa sacks and table runners.

A Christmas apron or oven gloves would make a lovely gift for your Christmas lunch/dinner host, along with a nice bottle of wine and a promise to clean all the dishes after the meal.

Sewing Group: Sewing With Friends

Sewing with friends keeps us motivated and focused. Organise some sewing time with friends to inspire each other with new ideas and techniques. Offer a hand to those struggling with their Christmas sewing deadlines - you can bind a quilt very quickly if everyone grabs a side and starts sewing.

It's also a great way to share your sewing supplies. You can save money buying items such as batting in a full roll and sharing as a group. You can also swap and share fabrics from each other's stash.

Christmas Spirit: The Wishing Tree

Don't forget those who struggle every day to provide for their families. In Australia we have Wishing Trees set up to collect gifts for children of all ages. A hand sewn quilt, doll, cushion or jacket will bring more comfort and security to a child than the latest gadget or toy.

Sew something bright and cheerful and pop it under the Wishing Tree. Be the reason someone you've never met smiles on Christmas Day.

Etsy Shop: Stock Your Shop With Handmade

Shopping from home is more popular than ever before, so Christmas is the perfect time to open an Etsy shop and make a little fabric money selling your beautiful projects. Everyone loves the look and feel of handmade items but not everyone can sew or has the time. Make multiples of Christmas ornaments and stockings, hair accessories, library bags, cushions, advent calendars, tree skirts etc. and sell your items online.

Promoting your online business early will allow you to take custom orders and work with your customers one on one to make their Christmas shopping stress free. Be aware of the shipping times as postal services will be inundated with Christmas deliveries during this busy season.

Sewing gifts for Christmas is rewarding and lots of fun. Make sure you have an achievable plan in place and allocate time to sew your projects everyday. Put on your favorite Christmas music and show everyone just how much you care with a gift that you've sewn especially for them. You can't buy the joy these gifts will create!

Happy sewing :)