Holiday Gift Guide

The 2020 holiday season is going to be different! For many families and friends, the gifts may not be given in person, but you still want your gifts to be personal and special, like the people in our lives. Since it may not be possible to spend time together, we can spend time creating handmade gifts to show our love for the holidays. In the past two days, I gathered up some of my favorite fabric and thread from the Cotton Cuts Membership Boxes and sewed some one of a kind gifts. I will share with you these quick and easy projects sure to make family and friends smile this holiday season.

My first project was a star ornament using the Polar Magic fabric and Moda Deer Christmas that came in the Classic Box recently. To make this, check out the tutorial from Threadbare Collection. I found this easy to follow, adding  some fusible interfacing to give it more structure. It is a fun ornament to fussy cut a design to be the star.

The Deer Christmas fabric was so adorable I made some drink coasters that could also be an ornament. Layer the fussy cut top fabric with a scrap of batting and backing fabric. Sew about ¼” from the edge and use pinking shears to trim for a quick finish. Make a stack of these tied with a pretty ribbon and it will be a great gift for just about anyone on your list.

For the little ones I found this pattern for baby shoes from Spoonflower. just couldn’t resist making these from the cute snowman fabric with a bright green lining. You can make these to match an outfit to customize the look for the babies on your list. With multiple size patterns, you can make a set for the whole year using different fabric.

Next up are two fun projects using ombré fabrics from Fairy Dust. For the snowman potholder I sewed three fabrics together and cut two 8” circles for the front and back. In the middle, I used Insul-Bright batting. Sew right sides together, turning right side out to finish with top stitching and a little quilting. The happy snowman face is attached with Heat n Bond.

The Gnome mug rug was made using the one seam flying geese technique for quick and perfect triangles. The Fairy Dust fabric was perfect for this magical little guy. It is just the right size to settle in with grandma’s homemade cookies and a mug of hot cocoa. A perfect gift since we will be “gnome for the holidays” this year ;)

Now it’s time for some fun and games with this compact checkers game. The new Wishwell fabric collection in the November Classic Box worked great for this pattern from Fave Quilts. It has a small zipper pocket at one end to store the game pieces. On the top there is space to add a name or message to personalize using free motion quilting. When you are not playing the game it doubles as a mug rug.

The Winter Shimmer from Robert Kaufman fabric arrived the same day as our first snowflakes of the season. I thought it would be ideal to make a cozy pillow for your favorite reading chair. Using the entire fat quarter I folded the fabric so the seam would be on the back. With right sides together I sewed a ¼” seam along the back and on one end. Turn right sides out and press the seams. Stuff with Poly-fil to desired shape and hand stitch the opening closed. This would be a nice gift for someone on your list to add a bit of seasonal decor to their home.

Everyone likes a little something extra and Cotton cuts includes a lagniappe in all the subscription boxes! It is always a fun surprise and this placemat was made from a piece of the Scandi Panel included in the Classic box recently. The black fabric borders really set off the design. Using Aurifil thread from the Chroma membership, I used free motion quilting around the bird and leaves to add some texture and interest to the design. This panel offers a nice assortment of winter designs to use as placemats, table runner or even a pillow.

To add to your one of a kind gift experience this year consider going green and make a reusable gift bag. I shared this blog DIY Fabric Gift Bags with all the details of how to make some for everyone on your gift list. With all the great fabric choices from the subscription boxes you can make a variety to use all year for many years to come. It is the gift that keeps on giving year after year.

The final project on my gift list is the from a previous blog. This is a fun one to fussy cut fabric to design your own village for children to pretend play or holiday decorations on the mantle. The same pattern can be used to make seasonal decorations throughout the year. The windows and door are fused on with Heat n Bond and optional black thread stitching to add in some details.

All of these gifts were made from the fabrics from Cotton Cuts Membership. If you are already a member, you know all the great benefits of having the fabric delivered to your door each month. I hope some of these ideas inspire you to make some gifts for the holidays. I invite you to explore a membership if you have been thinking about joining, now is the perfect time! Go ahead and add it to your wishlist this holiday so you always have the perfect fabric to make a special handmade gift for your loved ones. For additional inspiration check out this Pinterest Board