Hi,
My quilting group is doing a gift exchange. I need to take about 20 little gifts.
Any ideas?
Thanks!

Pot holders, mug rugs, or anything small like that would work great. You can also do up Christmas ornaments, though be careful to make sure that everyone in the group celebrates Christmas. I have several Jewish friends that get very frustrated around this time of year because everything is Christmas related & they always feel left out.

http://www.make-stuff.com/projects/quiltball.html

There are other things that would work great. You can make a needle holder that goes around the wrist or over the finger; pincushions, et cetera.

Hope this helps.

Note cards, decrative or blank or create a set of about 4 cards for each person; Christmas tree ornament; quilted coaster set... all depends on how soon you need the gifts and how much time you have and if there is a dollar limit to spend. Just thoughts that popped into my head.

Potholders, candle mats...

How about book marks, they aren't expensive, you can make them quick and everyone can use it!

How about pocket tissue holders for the purse

http://www.skiptomylou.org/2008/09/02/3383/

Here is a blogs with lots of freebies

http://freebiesforcrafters.blogspot.com/

Oooo those are all wonderful sites

Do you have an embroidery machine? There are a lot of in the hoop projects that work up quickly... Emblibrary is having a sale now...

An Embroidery machine is on my wishlist, not yet though.
Thanks for all the suggestions! It helps a lot. :)

Something I found handy and inexpensive is a magnetic wand that you use to pick up pins and needles that fall on the floor. They come in lots of colors and are both cute and useful.............mine is blue. Tie a ribbon on the handle and how easy is that!

And even if they already have one, it is always nice to have an extra. I've got a couple. One is in my quilt room, another by the chair I sit in when I watch tv, and another is in a little pack I keep for taking to class, though I loaned that one out and I can't remember to whom. :roll:

It is handy to have things stashed all over to save you time and steps. I have my hidy holes all over the house.

If there is a ruler sale -

I gave the members of my group the 1x6 inch ruler.

Another year I gave them that hand cream that comes in the black and white packaging.

Last year I gave them a microfiber cleaning cloth.

Does it have to be something you've made?

Needle threaders? a pack of assorted needles?

You might try this site for some neat ideas:

http://www.ufo-rphanage.com/holiday_gifts.shtml

Happy sewing,

Criss Cross coasters make up really easy & quickly!! I made several sets for Christmas last year!! Also kaleidescope trivets, they are fun too.
:D :D :D :D

Here is a cute Christmas tree made from folded fat quarters. After Christmas they can unfold the fq's and use them for something else.

http://whosies.blogspot.com/2009/11/...rter-tree.html

zennia, how do you get the patterns from the freebiesfor crafters site?

What are criss cross coasters? I know what coasters are, just not the criss cross part. At a guess it sounds like plastic canvas, but I'd rather ask then guess.

How cute! What a neat idea. :thumbup:

zennia, how do you get the patterns from the freebiesfor crafters site?

I just click on the bold/colored print. It takes you to different sites.

Here's the link: http://allsorts.typepad.com/allsorts...ross_coas.html

I've made several sets and everyone loves them!

Thank you for the link!

I make pincushions from bars of soap. Cut a piece of batting the width of the bar and a length that will wrap around the bar at least twice. Cut a strip of fabric, selvage to selvage, 1" wider than the bar of soap. Then use the fabric like you would cord on a package, twisting on the "back" of the soap and bringing the ends to the top. Then tie a nice square knot and trim the ends of the fabric. I don't take the paper wrapping off the bar of soap.

That is a great idea! I do want to point out that if you have any friends who are sensitive to certain scents or have allergies, make sure they aren't allergic to the soap. :wink: :wink:

One year my friendship group exchanged gifts and the one I received that I really loved was a fancy square potholder (store purchased but could be hand made) folded in half in a triangle shape, sewn up one side and decorated with a button. The top of it had the little loop handle sticking up. It is used for your scissors. I love it and use it all the time to take to class.

Those criss-cross coasters are a wonderful idea - I bet you could make them a little bit bigger and have cool pot holders! Hmmmmm (thinking) a great, quick stocking stuffer for my DD!

If you used the teflon fabric for the bottom, or used the InsulBrite batting, all you'd need to do is figure out how to put a loop on it.

I took the short bamboo skewers (about 6" long) and glued stones, jewels, etc. onto the blunt end with E6000. I just had to make sure the stones had a hole large enough to slip onto the skewer. Voila, stilletos for a group of friends.

Try the Maggie bag by Lazy Girls, they are so fast and so fun!

What about pin cushions? Or lounge cushions...

Lounge cushions? I'm picturing something you would use at the small of your back when sitting down. Is it like that?

I agree with the tissue holders being fast and easy. I spent the morning making about 12. You can get really creative with left over scaprs of fabric in your stash.
Ellis' Granny B

thanks for the great ideas.

Yes Tiffany.... lounge cushions for the small of your back... easy to make...

Buy fabric on sale and cut it into fat quarters. Voile' :D

You could put a loop down before the first folded square - it would come out on top when you flipped it thru, I think?!?

how about the jewelry bags you make from 2 circles and put pockets on the inside; they have a drawstring to pull closed. I have seen the same idea but use it for a traveling sewing bag instead of jewelry

Wow!!! So many sites and ideas :D:D:D

I am in the process of making potato bags for my co-workers. They are VERY fast, but they do take more than a little fabric. Also you have to be sure you use only 100% cotton in your fabric, thread and batting. Here is the link to the ones I am doing; the only thing I changed is I am cutting them 12.5 x 22 instead of 10 x 22.

http://web.archive.org/web/200712021...otato_bags.htm

Also these coasters can be increased in size to 8 x 8 to make hot pads.

http://allsorts.typepad.com/allsorts/2006/11/crisscross_coas.html


Darren

I haven't read the complete thread yet, but I'm thinking about those precious blue and white bookmarks. That would be great.