Christmas is coming and I need fresh ideas!
 

Last year I made the quilt bowl and loaded with candy. The year before I made the 10 minute table runner with placemats. These are for co-workers. What can I do differently this year. Is there a quilted ornament or something else? I cannot wait to see what ideas you throw my way!

I did mug rugs last year and they were a huge hit , even with the guys. I loved it because it gave me a chance to play with new blocks in smaller form, and it helps use up the endless supply of scraps ! My uncle got his last year and asked what the heck he was supposed to do with it, and I told him it was like a snack size placemat for his coffee and cookies and things. He gave me a look, and I did not think he was ever going to use it. Well let me tell you, He has already put in a request for 4 more, so he can have one in every room of the house because it is so dang useful !

The quilted baskets are great. You can make in 3 different nested sizes or just give one filled with a favorite candy, special soaps, teas, coffees, etc. use your imagination and make them individualized!

I just look thru magazine patterns that are for sale on eBay or Google a new quilt project and view the pictures.

I gave family members the microwave bowl holders, and everyone loved them. I did three sizes for everyone.

There is a star ornament that you making using Styrofoam balls and LOTS of pins that is pretty neat. You can google and get the pattern, or at least that is what I did. I think it is Everything Quilts that has some kits for sale with fancy pins that would make nice gifts but I never checked prices or anything.

my favorite! http://www.modabakeshop.com/2009/02/...e-pockets.html

At the risk of sounding like Scrooge -

How about everyone that does a gift exchange collect money for a needy family or a favorite charity of a Food Shelf in the area instead of exchanging gifts?

Here's a Christmas ornament idea. I'm making these for my family this year.

http://katrinastutorials.blogspot.co...umber-one.html

What about a quilted coffee sleeve?! They are great and also green for the coffee or tea drinker on the go.

I have to agree with bearisgray on this. Christmas and any other holiday is so commerialized anymore, it's all about how much money they can get people to spend, instead of the real reason for that particular holiday. We think that Christmas is for kids, but even then they don't get everything they want. Give to a charity of your choice or to the person you're "gifting", then send that person a card stating that you gave x amount of money, food, etc., to the charity in their name.

Not being a Scrooge but why not have some fun too ? There are Plenty of charitible organizations that overflow with donations at the holidays. She wants to share the love with people in her immediate circle. Why not???

Perhaps adopt a charity or two and donate mid-year when donations are still needed and the giving has slowed??? The holidays take care of the "giving" mood more so than other times during the year. A friend of mine works at an organization that assists the poor. She once made a comment about food pantries in our county. "If you are hungry and cannot find food, you are not looking!". Our town-county generously supports the food pantries all year round.

Charitible giving is not a "seasonal " effort.

my gift idea, take some Timtex double sided fusible (or any stiff fusible) , iron on some holiday fabric, cut into shapes, punch a hole in it , insert a ribbon and now you have a quick and simple ornament! Embellish with trims, hot fix crystals, etc.

Sandy

This is what we did when I was working. I love the idea of helping someone less fortunate, and children especially. I liked doing this better than doing the co-worker gifting thing, I always got something that wasn't my style (or in the case of a candle--a scent I couldn't stand, so made me think it might be re-gifted). I might be a scrooge too, because I'd really rather be at home quilting or being with family than shopping and crafting for someone who won't really appreciate what you spent all that time doing for them (mostly because they have no idea of how much time is involved). I'll step down off my soapbox now.......You're welcome.;)

That is what we do. One year I received a tree planted in my name, another year a lamb. I give to the food bank, a cancer society,Toys for Tots, Blue Santa, and this year I am going to make quilts for wounded warriors and give them the picture of the quilt. Considering the time and cost,I figure 4 people per quilt.

I agree about doing something for a charity. I belong to a ladies social group, we used to have a gift exchange. One year someone started the conversation about the gifts and it turned out many of us didn't want any gift. We have so much stuff and we were tossing the gift out or donating it. You can still share your love of crafting by making gifts for nursing home residents, group homes for children, etc. Look around, call around and you'll probably find a need for small gifts in your community.

At so many of the gift exchanges at a group or at work, I've ended up with something that was so NOT something I would have bought or made for myself.

Maybe a cookie or bar exchange instead?

Items for a food shelf?

I realize I do not know the people or dynamics in the group you are talking about.

Sometimes receiving (or giving) "a little something" - like a mug rug - for a non-traditional holiday or "just because" such as the 4th of July is a lot more fun - and memorable - than piling in "one more thing" for the December holidays.

When I worked at this one brokerage, we had a white elephant gift exchange. You didn't have to purchase new it could be a re-gifted gift. Every one got a number as they entered the door. All the gifts were put on a table. Number one got to choose a gift. Number two could choose a gift from the table or choose the one from number 1. If number 2 took number 1's gift then number 1 could choose another. If number 3 chose number 2 gift from number 1 then number 3's gift was retired and could not be chosen. Something like that. You could choose from the table or a number that hadn't been chosen twice already. After all was said and done you could trade. Depending on how many are going to be involved will determine how long the exchange would take. It usually went pretty quickly. No gift was suppose to me more than $10.00. Another would be a potluck and bring a canned good to donate. We also had $10.00 donations which could be in canned goods or gift card to a specific grocery store chain.

I could not agree more. I'm not sure why people always feel the pull to donate to charitable organizations only at the holiday season. I've had friends who volunteer at food pantries and the like and at this time of year they are BEGGING for donations, but at Christmas, people can't pile it in fast enough. If you want to do something to help others, then try helping them at times when others don't - like now, for instance.

One year I did what you suggested about donating to a good charity. I chose heifer Project to give farm animals or flocks to help folks all over the world feed themselves. It was well received by everyone. My family has grown up and increased in numbers with children grandchildren all grown and now seven great grandchildren all scattered over the world...and me, getting much older as well.

Why not a insulated lunch sack? There are many freebie patterns on line for them.

Great idea for a co-worker oven if they don't bring lunch it's useful for snacks and drinks too.
Or a reusable coozy for disposable coffee cups.
do you often have pot lucks at work? If so how about an insulated dish carrier for hot or cold dishes

Although my preference is for charity giving as many have already mentioned, if you really want to make and give a useful gift I will put my "green" hat on and suggest making reuseable shopping tote bags and reuseable produce bags for the grocery store. I really try to avoid all plastic bags nowadays--both the carry out bags and the clear plastic produce bags to reduce trash. I made the produce bags with utility mesh fabric and colorful cord ties in various sizes and get complements on them every time I go to the grocery store.

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We have a donation jar in our house for donations. We save up all our change and then turn it in once a year, donate it to a shelter (usually a rescue for animals) or split it for the homeless shelters for families and the rescues.
This year we gave to to the Great Dane Rescue and a local homeless shelter.

I just re-read what I wrote.....I do sound like a scrooge! Really I'm not (I don't think so, anyway). I am always thankful to be remembered at any time, especially the holidays with everything going on. I'm like a lot of us.....I just really don't need anything else, except maybe some fabric, but not to be mean I'd rather pick that out myself. When I worked, it was at a manufacturing plant with a lot of men and non-crafty-type women, so we drew names, and most of the time we got someone's name that we'd never worked with before, so we knew nothing about their likes or wants. That's why I said what I did.

A mini quilted stocking cap with their first name in glitter on the cuff. Picture this upside down with a pompom or tassel at the point and a festive ribbon to hang on the tree.

You could fill it with mini candy canes and mini chocolates.

I hope I didn't offend many people.....I do give to charities throughout the year and at Christmas I get together with the lady who runs the Neighborhood Services office to find a local family to provide Christmas for. I have 2 co-workers and the building janitor that I like to do a little 'happy' for. Not much, just some little something. As I said I made fabric bowls and just filled with candy last year. Maybe spent $4.00 on each....

I have made a lot of Christmas Yo- Yo-ornaments , I make the yo-yos from Christmas fabrics and sew some dangling beads to the bottom of them, and sew a ribbon hanger to them. I have all of the Clover Yo -yo forms and make up very quickly. and its endless of how you can decorate them.I also painted some with Modge Podge for fabrics, it dries to a shimmer.

The last year I was working I made quilted lunch bags, coaster sets, some photo frames and makeup bags for people in my department. I had three young men in my department. All big beer fans so they received a 6 pack and can socks made out of old blue jeans with their initials on them. I did not have a pattern but used a can to make my own pattern big enough to add a little batting to help keep the beer cool. A couple of the ladies ask if it would be OK to trade colors or designs but all kept the items I chose to make for them. One of the guys came to me to see if I would make more beer socks for his mom & dad to put in their RV. Those were made out of handkerchief blue and red fabric.

I think decorated dish towels or potholders are a nice gift. Everyone can use fresh ones, at least I can!

I LOVE this idea!

I'm right there with several of you...however, in my circle of friends there are a few that I love to 'give a little something' to. These were the people on my Kdg team at school...my two very close sis-in-laws (our extended families do not exchange gifts)...and a couple quilting buddies. I think I've come up with an idea for this year...at the LQS I go to, we have the monthly Anita Goodesign embroidery classes. The project this month is a tote bag that rolls up and is closed by a button on the front pocket. Just perfect for sticking in your purse or keeping in a pocket of your car. If you are like me, I'm always finding I need an extra bag for one reason, or another. I think these will make adorable and very welcome little gifts. I intend to get busy and make a few to give my retired friends next month...we get together every summer at the lake to play cards and reminisce. You do need some embroidery capability as part of this is an 'in the hoop' project, tho.

Tale a look at these:
http://www.sewmamasew.com/2014/05/quilted-fabric-tray/

I like doing little handmade gifts for close coworkers too. Not every year, but just sometimes. We have year-round, monthly, and seasonal charity drives at work so that's very (VERY) well covered; I like doing something a little more personal when I have the time. Usually I just get each person some small token gift; usually a desk/fidgit toy of some sort - a little tub of Silly Putty, a Slinky, a little wind-up toy, one of those bent-nail logic puzzles... (I work in IT, us geeks love little fidgety desk toys)

I like the roll-up tote bag idea though - my county has recently passed a new resolution (or whatever they call it) and soon stores will no longer be able to give out plastic bags, and I think they'll also start charging for paper bags. (With some exceptions for food service, I believe.) There are 16 people in my department, I think I can make enough of them in time...I just recently was shown how to make those bags so I'm all set!

I don't think anyone has mentioned fabric boxes. In the "Project of the Month" on this board we made some. I think it was in January. Everyone needs a box to store little or big things. I went on to make a huge "basket" of quilted fabric for my living room to store my numerous knitting and crochet projects. I like to work on more than one thing at a time and it was a pretty place to store them.

You can make the boxes flat for a man to store his wallet and ring, or taller for anyone to store anything. I made a little one inside out so I could stick knitting needles and tweezers, etc. in the outside flaps.

I forgot to mention, one person made sort of gift boxes of hers and put Valentine's candy inside.

I have wanted to make a kitchen valance with these for a very long time. Thanks for the reminder. They are so sweet.
peace

This is not sewing related, but what I did once was get Christmas coffee mugs, check yd sales and thrift stores. Get the small candy bags that fit in the mugs, filled with peppermint candy. Place the bags in the mugs and put decorate.

A lamb? A live one?

Great Idea Pam B, do you have a pattern for the roll up tote bag?

How about the square bag with handles on each side . It can be carried with either short or long handles or used to store items in. Just make 5 squares the same size and the two sets of handles short set hold in hand length and two long for over the shoulder.

Join 5 outside squares place handles on the top . Make a lining same size as outside leave a 6 inch gap in a bottom seam sew around top ensuring you take in handles safely

Think it is a based on a moda pattern.