Christmas sewing ideas

[MrsGru]

I’m after some ideas and inspiration for some Christmassy sewing!

Teen dd and I learned to use the sewing machine in the summer - we are very much beginners but have made some nice bags (too scared to do anything more complicated like clothes yet!)

We’ll probably make lots of bags for people as Christmas presents! But the fabric shop in town has lots of lovely Christmas fabrics in so I was thinking it’d be lovely to make some nice decorations or other Christmassy things.

Any ideas? We’re quite busy at work and school so will probably start making over the autumn…

Christmas stockings are a nice project, or make an advent calendar? You can either do a big rectangle with pockets or individual little stockings to peg up on a string.

Cushion covers, apron, table runner, napkins, table mats

Mini draw string bags for tree treats, Christmas bunting. I was given a book called Fat Quarter Christmas which has some lovely ideas.

@menopausalmare thank you for that book suggestion! I was just looking at my pile of Christmas fat quarters and wondering what I could do with them all. Note to self- stop buying random fabrics 😆

Thank you for the ideas! Dd is thinking Christmas bunting for her room and I’m thinking perhaps some festive table mats and a table runner…. I’ll have a look for the Fat Quarter Christmas book too!
A fabric shopping trip definitely planned for next weekend!

A table cloth, with ric rac at the edges?

Or paper chains, but fabric, put some of that stiffener on each chain, the ones I’ve seen are individually velcroed but there must be another way of doing it I guess.

One cushion cover.

An appliqué wall hanging?

Or do winter things rather than Christmas, that way you might feel they last longer.

Do you have Pinterest? I’ve just spent a very happy half hour looking for winter stuff, there’s so much there.

hair scrunchies…
ties…
chair covers…
or sew material to towelling and make hair wraps for getting out the shower.
get a pattern for a teddy and make crimbo teddies!

I made this vase of flowers for a colleague. Hand sewn. Could easily be adapted to a Christmas theme with felt holly leaves, red buttons for berries and lots of Christmas fat quarters.
See YouTube for a simple method.

Here's the picture in case it didn't post earlier.

Have you seen these? https://customfabrics.co.uk/search?q=advent+calendar&_pos=1&_psq=Advent&_ss=e&_v=1.0 Incredibly easy to do. And they also sell panels perfect for cushions and tote bags.

Christmas fabric bookmarks. Or coin purses to go in the bags.

I made pie dish carriers one year, and gave with homemade treats.

Love the idea of fabric paper chains - stealing that idea, thanks!

Here's my ideas:

• Christmas tree skirt!
• Santa sack for gifts (or deco - stuff it with cushions).
• Fabric gift wrap (just hemmed fabric, hah) or gift bags to reuse year after year.
• Cushion covers with ribbon appliqued on so they look like gifts!
• PJs are an easy project - Christmas PJs for everyone! Or at least the PJ bottoms if buttoned tops/stretchy t shirts are a bit too-hard basket.
• Ornaments? You could make gingerbread men ornaments fairly easily I think?

I plan to make the Christmas crackers from this book - and add fabric crowns. https://www.twigandtale.com/products/celebration-sewing-patterns-ebook-6-simple-projects-to-stitch-copy I mentioned that on the Poncing thread, you might find more ideas there.

Ooo here's some of mine that I done last year. I think of myself as quite a good sewer but I'm useless at dressmaking!

The wreath is just 3 velvet tubes filled with stuffing, platted and secured with a bow to hide the join, very simple!

Good luck!

Oooh lovely thread! Will have a proper read when I have finished work.

There’s no picture on either of your posts ☹️

@MrsClausMaybe I’ve seen knitted paper chains too, but I don’t know if you have to starch them or something to prevent them from stretching. They look really good though.

I will be making these fabric crowns but using coloured elastic so we can just slip them over our heads rather than tie them with ribbon. This is the easier method, others have you cutting the shape first which makes sewing much harder.

I made a Christmas tree skirt with Christmas fabric but it is two layers sewn together and the underside is on the children's old flannel cot sheets so it has great sentimental value.

I made Christmas stockings which are easy enough and this is the best method. My advice with all of this if you are new to sewing is to use whatever fabric you have in the house, old shirts or whatever and practise it first on that, then move onto the beautiful Christmas fabric.

Table runners, you can buy "panels" already printed which you sew together. Again lots of inspo on YouTube.

I find YouTube tutorials the best way to learn, well anything, as I like to see how things are made.

Last year, someone on my Facebook was making oversized bow door and wall decorations! And charging £75+!! I had a go at making one, but it was trickier than it looked! I made a more successful tablecloth!

I have seen kits like this which I think are lovely. It’s the sort of thing I think I can make myself but it would likely be a disaster!

morrisworks.co.uk/products/scandi-christmas-tree-quilt-kit-mini-quilt.html?srsltid=AfmBOopNgfzaHCudOOR1KwP0F23badhcvawvFeI-aXIjoWpId7fWnDBh

I have made knitted chains and I didn’t starch them and they haven’t stretched.

Advent calendar?

https://calyperson.com/2015/12/03/diy-fabric-advent-calendar/

If When I learn how to knit I’m definitely doing some.

Over the years I have made lots of colour coordinated Christmas stockings and fabric gift bags. It means that we no longer need to buy wrapping paper as everything gets put in a stocking or bag. It also takes far less time to wrap up. Whilst fabric shopping is fun, I try to recyle fabric where possible. My colour theme is dark blue so some bags are made from old blue gingham school dresses and shirts and embellished with scandi motifs, others from left over furnishing fabric and I have a number of bottle bags from the legs of old jeans embellished with felt stags heads.

I sewed some Christmas crackers a few years ago which are still going strong - definitely recommend! On a related note, I sewed crowns to go in them - they're much better than the paper ones as they fit everyone regardless of the size of their head. Very handy when you have both adults with big heads and tiny tots at the same table.

This is the crown pattern I used: https://www.wavesandwild.com/shop/crowning-glory-ww/