My dearest hubby... he wants to make the 3 daughters linen napkins with embroidery on them.

At $5 a napkin I said I couldn't do that for the 3 girls (they each wanted 8 napkins for a set) so I've gotten some polished cotton that I will try and make the napkins from. It was $5 a yard in the colors they wanted so I figured it was worth a shot. I'll either hem them with the serger or do the metered corners on them ... or then again a rolled hem wouldn't be too bad.

Lucky for me, he didn't tell them which Christmas they would end up being for :)

padded coat hangers with pockets for undies / hankies----calico garment bags also with pockets for special stuff----i am going to copy the hand idea thank you for sharing

Thanks everyone, such great ideas...

My daughter asked for placemats this Christmas.
And she wanted each one to be a different quilt block.
Kind of fun to use a focus fabric in several different ways.

A couple years ago I gave each of my three daughters a Willow figurine set of the nativity. It is something that they will have year after year!

IMHO those are some pretty good suggestions. My suggestion was a lap quilt for each with pix of the appropriate kids.

Karen T
 

I have three daughters, 28, 31,and 33. I retired 8 years ago. Since then they each get a box filled with things that I have sewn. Now my two son-in-laws, my husband, my parents and 3 grandchildren get some sewn gifts also. I make purses, wallets, oven mitts, potholders, organizers, suitcase tags, travel trays, kitchen appliqued towels (a request for new ones every year), bed quilts, pillow cases, wall hangings, etc. I am always on the lookout for new patterns for something different. The guys are a bit of a challenge, but I manage to find one or two items to make them. For the grandkids (age 5, 2, and 2 months) I make slippers, raincoats, appliqued bibs (most out of towels), crayon organizers, small purses to match their mom's purses, etc. A couple of years ago I mentioned that I was going to cut back on Christmas gifts - all three girls said - not the gifts that you make, please!!! That brought tears to my eyes.

In addition to these gifts I make a gift for each person in my knitting group and also my tennis team every year.

Every other year, I ask my two adult children what they would like me to make for them the following Christmas. It's been a real pleasure since we discuss colors and sometimes even pick out fabrics together. It's a wonderful way to share my love of quilting with them and they appreciate what I make for them. For the alternating years, I still make them something. This year I've made some spiral table runners and will make them pillowcases just for the fun of it.

One item my daughter asked for and has appreciated is a set of 16 coasters. She entertains a lot and people were putting cold drinks down on her furniture leaving circles of moisture. These were definitely coasters not mug rugs. They were for ice tea glasses.