Simple Handmade Gifts – roundup #1

NOTE: Many of you asked for the Ginger Spice Softies recipe and I’ve just added it to the post! Check it out here.

And now back to….
Today I went through my tutorials and pulled the easiest ideas together (with Tutorial Links at the bottom of the page). For more inspiring takes, check out the You Made It Flickr group to see what you’ve done with these tutorials.

The Market Skirt. A very simple gift for any little (or big) girl.
Ruffled Scarf. One of the fastest things to sew. One strip of fabric, two lines of elastic thread! For a cozy winter twist, use a thrifted sweater, soft knit, or other sweater knits.
Turn a thrifted sweater into a Boy’s (and girl’s) Sweater Vest. Works great for a Christmas outfit or as a last minute gift idea.
The easiest handmade gift of all time? Freezer Paper Stenciling. Make a shirt, bag, pants, etc. for family and friends and stencil their favorite movie quote, singer’s face, food, or kitschy pastime on the front. Simple and unique.
Pajama Pants and Shorts. Everyone loves a pair of jammies. Make these for kids or adults. Simple!
Recycled Totes made from plastic shopping bags. Melt the layers of plastic bags together using an iron and turn them into fun totes!
Felt Food. Endless options. Use our tutorial for the dinner below but also do a Google search for the amazing versions that other bloggers have made. Felt food makes a fun stocking stuffer or pair it with an apron or little kitchen set.
These grapes pull apart into little bunches with velcro (in the tutorial link below).
Journal Jars make an excellent gift any time of the year. Decorate a jar and place topic ideas inside to inspire personal history writing. Journaling doesn’t have to exhausting or stressful. Just work on it one story at a time.
Candy Bags! Every year as kids, one of our gifts was a food item. Make a cute zippered pouch and fill it with candy, toys, whatever your kids (or husband) like. Line them with vinyl or leave them plain.
Okay, hands down, simplest gift idea: A Pillowcase. Make them for your kids, your kids’ friends, your nieces, nephews, for a Christmas Eve treat for the entire family! Everyone will sleep great that night. They really give the handmade vibe without taking much time.
Quilted Notecards. These make an excellent Teacher Gift. Once you pull your fabric scraps together, you can whip out 20 cards in no time. Then wrap them up in sets of 5 with little envelopes and you’re done.
Table Toppers and Tablecloths. Most women enjoy a festive table, so turn a few yards of fabric into simple decor. A very easy gift for a mom, sister, aunt, or grandma.
One of my all-time favorite gifts: The Hobo Sack. Easy to make and easy to fill with goodies, toys, clothes, or any gift. We use these daily at our house when running out the door for a drive. “Grab your bag and fill it with the toys you want!” They make outings much more enjoyable with kids.
Hobo Fruit Sack. Fill your sack with fruit or other ingredients for your favorite recipe.
Stick a copy of the recipe in the bag and you’ve got a wonderful family or neighbor gift.
And that’s a roundup!
Click on an image below for the step-by-step tutorial:

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