It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and if you’re like me, the Christmas spirit strikes a little early. For me, it’s right after the fireworks from the Fourth of July! I stream Christmas music while making gift lists and Christmas crafts, a tradition my mom and I started when I was just 8 years old. So if you happen to be the same way and are looking to get a head start on making some of your own gifts, keep reading! Below are some examples of DIY Christmas sewing projects that I like because they are easy to whip up and use as holiday decor or for gift-giving.
Easy Christmas Sewing Project Ideas
1. Cookie Cutter Ornaments
Sew Crafty Me provides a template for these ornaments, but you could very well just trace your cookie cutters! These stitch up nicely from felt and are quick projects that the kids can also enjoy making.
2. Cheater Quilt
“Cheater” is such a bad name for such a great quilt. Even though you buy the fabric pre-quilted, you still have to bind the edges and personalize it. This tutorial uses a vinyl phrase for personalizing, but you could just as easily applique or embroider on a monogram or name.
3. Braided Wreath
This is a genius project! The sewing is easy – make three tubes of coordinating Christmas prints, stuff them, then braid them to form a wreath. Easy-peasy!
4. Quilted Postcards
These are for any season but the only time I mail anything it seems like is the holiday season. This quilted postcard tutorial would make a very unique holiday greeting. My goal is to send these out as Christmas cards this year. Oh, and they are totally mailable without an envelope!
5. Snowflake Pillows
PIck a solid color fabric and add a bold white snowflake right in the middle to make a seasonal pillow that shouts “Hey! Look at me!” These pillows are sophisticated yet whimsical at the same time! (You can sew them by hand or machine, whichever you are most comfortable with.) (Tutorial)
6. Hanging Towels
Hanging towels extend the Christmas spirit into your kitchen when you start with a holiday themed towel. Make them for gifts, too. You can also make year-round hanging towels to use all year long (and they make great gifts). (Tutorial)
7. Stuffed Reindeer
These reindeer are stuffed and used for display, but adding a simple loop of ribbon to an ear would transform this into an adorable tree ornament for someone who loves the farmhouse look. (Tutorial)
8. 3-D Fabric Tree
One of the things my mom made during that first Christmas in July many years ago was a stuffed Christmas tree from McCall’s crafts pattern M5778. This pattern is the closest free template I’ve been able to find for that style tree. Our tree was made of a single holy print fabric and each “branch” tip was dotted with a stuffed strawberry.
9. Bitten Gingerbread Man Ornament
When it came time to make Christmas traditions with my own daughter, I knew we had to incorporate humor. She fell in love with this ornament and we made tons of them for her friends. (Turorial)
10. Wine Glass Ornament
This is a cute ornament for your wine-drinking friends. It uses red sequins to represent the wine and shiny glass beads outline the edges to provide a “glass” look. If you want to gift a set, make the wine varieties vary by changing the sequin colors. To give just one, tie it to a gift or gift bag as a little something extra!.
11. Nordic-Inspired Ornaments or Bunting
You can use these simple hearts or stars for ornaments or to make a bunting/garland. They rely on simple embroidery stitches in contrasting colors and just seem so Christmasy! (Tutorial)
12. Felt Trees
These little felt trees can be stitched by hand or machined and embellished by adding sequins, beads, buttons, or hand embroidery. This is an easy project for even the most novice crafter.
13. Clipart Creatures
Learn how to use clip art designs to create your own felt ornaments to create a perfectly themed Christmas tree. My favorite here is the polar bear. The little clear beads on his back reminds me of falling snowflakes.
14. Stockings
What’s Christmas without a stocking? This tutorial offers a free PDF pattern and includes all the instructions for lining your stocking, too.
15. Yo-Yo Trees
These little yo-yos stitched in holiday colors make the cutest little country decorations. Stitch the yo-yos by hand, then compile your tree.
16. DIY Fabric Gift Bags
I don’t know about your family, but mine generally saves the good gift bags that don’t show a lot of wear and tear. These fabric bags will last longer and can be recycled for many years to come.
17. Felt Christmas Tree Wall Hanging
I was fascinated with the felt board my teacher used to tell us stories in first grade. It’s no wonder that I’m likewise drawn to this felt the sewing is minimal – applique a huge felt Christmas tree onto a neutral felt background, add casing to the top and bottom so it will hang well. The felt “ornaments” stick directly to the felt tree. It’s a fun activity for kids to do and could even be somewhat of an advent activity for them to add an ornament each day leading up to Christmas. (Tutorial)
18. Pocket Advent Calendar
And speaking of advent activities, this neat pocket advent wall hanging is a fun way to offer trinkets or small ornaments to the kids in your family. This one just uses a yard of fabric (opt for a heavier-weight one), a dowel rod, and a little fabric paint.
19. Christmas Gift Tags
Since these gift tags are small, they don’t use a lot of fabric and they are finished in no time. Make many ahead so you don’t run out. This pattern focuses on applique, but you can just as easily omit the applique and use up the small pieces of your Christmas prints instead.
20. Double Pot Holder
The pockets in this double pot holder make it a handy accessory year ‘round, so if you decide to gift one as a Christmas gift, consider giving two – one in holiday fabrics and the other for year ‘round use.
21. Bathroom Towels
Sewing a holiday print or some festive trim onto the edge of a set of bath towels not only makes a good gift, but it’s also a festive way to bring some holiday joy into the bathroom. And who doesn’t want holiday joy in the bathroom? (Hint: If you’re going to use dark or vibrant fabrics, choose a towel of similar color in case the fabric bleeds. Wash, dry, and press the fabrics before sewing them onto the towel.)
22. Love Bear Ornaments
These love bears could double-duty for Valentine’s Day decor, too. Use the free pattern to make your own. I use felt instead of fleece and omit the hearts.
23. Photo Fabric Ornaments
I love that I can use printable fabric sheets to print old pics of my grandparents to create vintage ornaments for my cousins and me. This tutorial uses a 4-inch embroidery hoop and hand embroidered accents. For mine, I’m thinking of stitching their picture onto a backing of a quilt my grandmother made. I’ll bind the edges and add a hanging loop. (See the Tutorial Here)
24. Handprint Tree Skirt
Christmas is about making memories, isn’t it? What a fun tradition it would be to start this handprint tree skirt. Using a white background, the children of the family could paint their handprints on it year after year. (See the tutorial here)
25. Reverse Applique Tree Pillow
The only thing I love more than applique is reverse applique. That’s a process by which you have a fabric behind the main one that you want to reveal. After stitching a design outline, you cut away the inside to reveal the hidden fabric. (See the tutorial here)
