What could I make for a teacher
 

My daughter has ask me to make a quilted gift for each of my three grandchildren's teachers. I am not sure what to make for them. I am open to some ideas that any of you may have.

Thanks,
Mary/stitchengramie

I have made totes and they loved them!

I like Rootyr's idea of totes. I think mug rugs would be nice too.

Totes are a great idea, what about Holiday table runner since you dont know their home colors, something simple, candle mats.

I vote mug-rug, table runner, candle mat....all would be quick and easy :thumbup: Let us know what you do :o

I never knew a teacher that didn't love another bag

I would stick with something simple. I am hoping to do some mug rugs for my son's teachers and then add a cup with Hot Chocolate mix with it. There are Cup Cozies out there that are also easy and fun to do. They would help with organizing pencils and pens on the Teachers desk. A small wall hanging that incorporates school and teaching would also be great. Can not wait to see what you come up with.

How about these mug "bucket" organizers? They take just a little over an hour each if you're quick, and my daughter, who is a 5th grade teacher decided to make them for each of the teachers on her team because she thought they'd be " a teacher gift they'd really use!" http://www.quiltingboard.com/pictures-f5/mug-"buckets"-t163322.html

I agree with all the options above... totes, mug rugs, or maybe

snap bags

or a small wallhanging with an Apple & A-B-C appliqued?

I have a daughter in kindergarden. I've thought about getting sets of tea towels and appliqué snow men on them for her 3 teachers (1 primary teacher and 2 aids) and her 2 bus drivers as Christmas gifts.. Totes are a great idea too!

I think the mug rugs are a good idea with a "matching" cup and a tea bag or hot chocolate mix included. Same too for the candle mat with a scented candle would be nice. The Quilting Celebrations magazine by Fons and Porter has patterns for gift card holders (mitten and stocking) if one wanted to give something like a Starbucks card.

I would go for either a tote bag to carry all her books in, or how about a quilted cover for a IPAD or E-Reader. There are some great patterns (free) out there. That is coming from a retired teacher.

Sounds like a great idea - but when I tried to go there, all I got was "Page Not Found"

Teachers - what do you like to get for gifts? or find useful?

What do you tend to get "lots" of ?

I think mug rugs like someone said would be the best, It would be hard to do bags without knowing their taste.

Last year I made Christmas table runners for all my grandsons teachers and his special needs bus driver. They were all so pleased and loved them. This year I am going to use a pattern I found for a simple fabric quilted napkin basket. It ties on 4 corners and is really simple to make. I believe I saw the pattern here on the board. I also plan to make a matching oven mitt and all will be in Christmas fabrics. Going to the dollar store and purchase some cute paper holiday napkins and maybe some nice wooden spoons, and there you go! Simple, inexpensive and creative. I think they will love it!!

As a former teacher, these are my thoughts.. Nothing smelly. Lots of teachers are allergic. Totes with lots of pockets. Make them strong and big, because they will get lots of use. Mug organizers, a cover for over the computer when not in use, notecards, ipad cover, potato bags for when they nuke their lunches, cup cozies to help keep their coffee warm, little sacs of snacks, i.e. gorp, for late afternoons at school, or just a nice note telling them how much they are appreciated. For elementary school teachers, a bag of "goodies", i.e. scraps of fabric, buttons, sequins, trims, any unused craft items to be used in the classroom to create mother's day cards, things they can create if they have a friend in a senior citizen home, etc. etc. would be well used!

We grew up in a very poor small town. What my mom did was get all the parents together, and had a lunchtime when they had all the kids draw around their hands with fabric crayons, each on a separate piece of white muslin, and had them write their names underneath, also in fabric crayon. (We were in maybe sr. Kindergarten, so about 4 or 5 years old? Crayons were the natural choice :) Then she set the crayon, added sashing, and quilted it. The sashing and batting came out of her own sash, and this way none of the other parents had to pay for a gift. The teacher LOVED it - REALLY loved it. For a decade afterwards (until she died), when I saw her on the street she'd make sure to come up to me and talk about it. That being said, I don't know that that sort of thing would fly in an area that's less close-knit, or if the parents want to each do something.

I like to take holiday theamed panels and make them into wallhangings. There are a nice variety of fabric panels out there.

Being with elementary kids - especially when we went on field trips - what I found most helpful was a simple back pack (made out of school themed fabric) filled with various sizes of bandaids, some gauze, (all in zip lock baggies) safety scissors, small hand sanitizer, tissues, a couple of safety pins, masking tape, small pad and a capped pen. If kids needed medicine while we were gone and the school nurse wasn't going, with permission slips from parents and Dr. I could put it in the bag as well. This was also good to carry the emergency information cards on the kids, (and make sure that one was in there for myself as well), along with any emergency #'s that might be needed.

These are all great ideas thank you everyone.

If the teacher has been really special you could make a lap rug (sometimes called a tv blanket) about 42x60". If you use fusible batting it can be done easily in a day.

Christmas placemats
 

I made these for my granddaughter's teacher last year. (My first photo upload. I hope I did it right.)

As a newly retired second grade teacher, I would've LOVED any of your suggestions as gifts from my students! Good thinking!

I ask my daughter what she would want. She told me what she uses the most is the tote bag I made her.

I am appliqueing onto kitchen towels and adding rick rack to the bottom of them. I took coordinating towels and also "doctored" them up but cut them in 1/2 and crocheted at the top of them so they can hang on cabinets. Then I made knitted dishcloths and may try to get some quilted potholds made as well. I have several sets made up to give to the grandkids teachers, co-workers, etc. I did this last year and the ladies that received them loved them!

Diannia

From a retired teacher....all of your ideas are good! Keep in mind, though, if some students give the teacher similar items (totes for example) the teacher has to be sure to use each gift equally. The children will notice. So I vote for items for the home....tablerunners, etc.

Nancy's Notions has a great pattern for a quilted/insulated casserole cover that is very easy to make. Just need 2 22" square pieces of fabric, some insubrite, and 2 D rings. Takes about an hour to make.

As a retired and substitute teacher... please stay away from "apples" unless you know they like them. I like apples but can't tell you how many unuseful apple items I got. Things quilted I would have liked.... placemats, napkins to match, table runner, table top, hot mitt, hot pads, a simple throw... keep it small but useable. Holiday items are good in the aforementioned categories. Hope this is helpful.

As a former teacher, I always had a good use for a new tote bag, or perhaps a quilted covered journal. I never really appreciated things for my house as I had my own style of decorating.

I was a primary teacher for years and years. I appreciate the thought when people gave gifts however I had all the mugs, #1 teacher gifts and gift baskets that I could stand. I would have been over the moon if someone had made me a quilted gift. I think the tote, placemat or laprug ideas are great. I also like the idea of a lesson plan book cover.

I am a teacher. Though I LOVE and APPRECIATE that people think of me, I want you to know I have more mugs and candles than I will ever use!! But I agree... ALL teachers love totes!! They use them for all kinds of things... lunch bags, school work, etc. Mug buckets and snappy happy wallets would really be liked... Also, many of those teacher wall hangings only get put away--having made many for my own kid's teachers I was once told this by someone I made one for. How about one for the classroom--maybe an interactive calendar? Or IPAD cases, Kindle covers, mouse pads, etc. They would be appreciated, used and the teacher would think of you each time he/she uses it. But seriously, A sincere letter to the teacher, written by your child, thanking her/him is really the best gift of all!!!!

Hi Mary,

I think these are just lovely, and you could do them "quilt as you go" method - so when you are done all you have to do is put on the binding.

Mary could you please email me, I have been wondering how you are doing - I did PM you with my email address a while ago.
Hugs, Donna

I have been wondering what I could make DS's teacher, looks like I need to find a tote pattern. Thank you.

i made a small wall quilt for my grandson's teacher in the first grade. I gave him the 'fabric crayons,' he drew a red apple with a green leaf and then colored it thickly per instructions. Then I ironed the muslin well to set the crayon, quilted around the 'real sized' apple and leaf and then continued the leaves round the outside of the little (24") quilt in tone on tone ecru. i made enough leaves for each of the children to be able to put their name in a leaf, along with the teacher and her assistant. I sent a permanent ink fabric pen and an explanatory note with the little quilt. Months later, I was picking him up, had to go to classroom and saw the quilt on the wall (red and green tiny double ribbon hangers set into the binding).... 'oh, you didn't have the kids sign the quilt yet?' and she looked horrified and said, 'I'm not gonna let them write on my quilt!' It was her gift for Teacher's Appreciation week in April, so I guess that's okay.

Same here :( Could you try to repost the link

I make tote bags on the second night of any of my sewing, or serging classes. This gives me a good idea of everyone's sewing skills and gives them a large bag to carry everything to class for the rest of the semester.
1. Get 3/4 yd. of upholstery fabric from a remnant bin
2. trim off 3 inches along the 54" side and set aside for strap
3. trim the remaining fabric to 24" x 54"
4. fold in half, sideways to make a pc 24" x 27"
5. with RS together, sew sideseams flat from top to bottom
6. while bottom is folded flat, mark crease with chalk along folded edge, several inches in from each side
7. now open side seam, match seam to chalk mark on bottom, putting pin thru to match up
8. now sew straight across the corner at any place you like...perpendicular to the seam/chalk mark, I like 3"...the seam will make a triangle which gives you a 'box' bottom
9. fold triangle-shaped corners to inside, extra layers make better bottom
10.Top hem --Turn bag RS out, turn top down 1" and then again, another inch, or bind
11.Cut pc of heavy (or 2-3 layers) of cardboard, to fit bottom of bag (approx 24" x 3" [or appropriate width depending on your choice]) for step 8.
12.Push cardboard into bottom, as you turn RS out
13.Strap --serge, hem or bind one long edge
14.Fold strap in thirds longways, raw side first, hemmed side last. Now stitch thru all layers several times, about a 1/2" from edge and then 1/2" apart (you can put a layer of batting inside if you like...gives more body)
15.Attach strap several inches inside or outside, centering the strap on the sideseam. Sew a box around the attached section, on 4th side of box, turn catty corner and make one leg of 'X' in the box, sew to opposite corner and repeat, finishing the 'X'.... this makes a strong connection for those heavy bags.

Many times my students tell me this is their favorite project and they continue to make them for gifts and specific projects.

Below is my current favorite, forest green vinyl that i quilted in green roses and leaves... big, soft and incredibly useful...

I would make a little sewing kit, the kind they can keep in their desk for repairs for their or a little ones clothing. You could make it a quilted cover, like a wallet, then enclose, needles and some diff colored threads, maybe some snips.

My niece is a first grade teacher. She has asked me to make a few things for her. A wall hanging for outside her door with her name, room number and what grade it was. A tote bag for her "homework". I made her three small pillows she used somehow in her reading groups. And a cushion for a chair. Some are specialty things just for her but the wall hanging and tote would be great....and I also like the mug rug idea. And what about some of the cup cozies that go around coffee cups or water bottles? Little zupper bags are great too.

I just love all the great ideas as gifts to make for a teacher. Now my daughter wants a gift for the bus driver as well. I found a tote pattern with lots of pockets in it that I thinking of making. Also, I thought that I would make them some mug rugs and potholders. Do you think they could use an insulated quilted lunch bag? I need to find a pattern for one.