One year I also knitted tiny sweater ornaments for my coworkers (knit in the round on sock needles). I also did a stocking. They took about an hour apiece to make, I think, and I really did it more for the challenge of figuring out how to do it than anything else.

There are patterns for similar little sweater ornaments online, but at that time there weren't any knit in the round like I wanted. There may be now, that was several years ago.

I knitted little winter hats in white and red with little pom poms on top for ornaments also one year. They were so cute and only took a little time to make. Thanks for the reminder!

Hats! That reminds me. I hardly knit hats for anyone, anymore, but fleece hats are very fast and easy to make.

Here's a tutorial I did (when I used to blog, which was in the B.C. - before children - part of my life) for a fleece hat.

http://butterflyblue-madebyamanda.bl...-tutorial.html

And a pic of my adorable daughter wearing a fleece hat I made for her last year, the basic type except to the "cat ears" points I added little fleece curlicue tassels.

I love the idea of the potato bag, has anybody tried them? On some site i was reading where they might catch fire in the microwave.

I had a potato bag catch fire in the microwave. It was one I made, using Warm and White batting (I don't think it is all cotton) and cotton fabric. The thread may have been cotton/polyester--I don't remember.
My friend had two of them catch fire in her microwave, one that I made and one that she bought at a craft sale. She had an older microwave that didn't have a turntable and I suspect it had hot spots.
I no longer use one.

I mostly use my potato bag (gift from a fellow quilter) to keep the potatoes warm AFTER they're out of the microwave. I didn't think that they made much difference in how the potatoes cooked, and it always worried me to put it in the microwave.

Here is another site with a lot of great ideas to sew for gifts. I haven't had a chance to look at many, but the sleep pants or pajama pants one was really neat.
http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/?p=3808

I haven't read through all of this thread so this idea may already be out there for the young men. . . . I try to find fleece that fit the man, sports, team, hunting, etc. and make a fleece blanket with some type of edging. My niece's husband is 6'7" and loves St. Louis Cardinals. Found the fleece as we drove from LR to STL area for the holidays and made it extra long so would fit from foot to shoulders with some to tuck under! He LOVES it!

Check out the Warm Tater Batting at this website:

http://www.wholesalequiltbatting.com/warm_tater.htm

Here are some little pocketbook ornaments I made from felt and scraps. They measure about 4 x 4 1/2 ". Hold a small treat or a gift card too. Teenagers like to make them for their friends.