50+ Last Minute Sewing Gifts
Tutorial: Upcycled Denim Jeans Crossbody Purse
This tutorial will show you how to turn an old pair of jeans into a unique and creative crossbody bag. You’ll use the front and back of one leg of your jeans, using the pockets for the bag design. This is a whimsical way to upcycle an old pair of…
Tutorial: Cute Ear Warmer with a Big Bow
This is a variation of my basic ear warmer pattern that adds a cute bow to make it a little more fashionable. It’s an extremely simple project that can be made with just 1/4 remnants of fleece fabric that you have leftover from other projects. Check out the free pattern…
Tutorial: Easy Flannel Poncho with 1-Yard of Fabric
This is a super simple tutorial that will walk you through step-by-step how to make a basic poncho with only 1 yard of fabric. It works best with something cozy, such as flannel, but can be made with a wide variety of medium-weight fabrics. I included a free pattern you…
Tutorial: Upcycled Denim Drawstring Tote
Learn how to make a quick drawstring backpack using the legs of an old pair of jeans. This is a great way to upcycle your old pants to make something new and useful! Simply follow along with the step-by-step instructions, and you’ll have a new bag in an hour or…
Tutorial: Jeans Pocket Coin Purse
Learn how to make a simple coin purse by using the pockets from an old pair of jeans. This is a simple tutorial that you can easily complete in less than an hour and is a great way to upcycle a pair of jeans that’s too worn out to wear…
Tutorial: How to Make Fleece Mittens
Learn how to make cozy fleece mittens to keep your hands nice and warm this winter. I like to wear these mittens over top of another pair of gloves as an extra layer of warmth, so they are quite roomy and should be able to fit larger hands as well….
Tutorial: Drawstring Penguin Tote Bag
This is a super cute drawstring penguin tote bag and backpack. You can check out the free pattern below and I’ll walk you through how to sew the bag together and add the drawstring so you have the cutest bag to show off as your sewing skills improve. Supplies Needed:…
Tutorial: Sew a Simple Beanie with Knit Fabric
Learn how to make a simple beanie with this easy tutorial. You can wear this hat with the bottom folded up or flat, whichever you prefer. This tutorial requires a stretch knit fabric (I recommend using a rib knit fabric) and is great for fall or winter fashion. Check out…
Tutorial: How to Make a Dog Ear Fleece Hat
This step-by-step tutorial will show you how to make a floppy dog ear hat. I’ll show you how to put the dog ears together so that they stand up on the hat and flop over. What’s even better is that you can make this hat using remnants of fabric that…
Tutorial: How to Make a Cat Ear Fleece Hat
This tutorial will walk you through how to make a cute cat ear fleece hat. It’s a pretty easy tutorial that only required some leftover remnants of fleece fabric. The free pattern that you can check out below is sized for an adult head, but you can shrink the pattern…
Tutorial: How to Make a Teddy Bear Fleece Hat
Learn how to make a cute teddy bear fleece hat using less than half a yard of fabric. You can get the free pattern and follow along as I walk you through the step by step process of making the hat and adding teddy bear ears. It’s a very simple…
Tutorial: Cute Ghost Drawstring Bag
Learn how to make an adorable ghost drawstring bag with this step by step tutorial. I’ll walk you through how to add the ghost eyes and how to assemble your little ghost backpack using only fabric remnants. This is a great project for beginners or a fun project for anyone…
Tutorial: Easy Flannel Infinity Scarf
Learn how to make a basic flannel infinity scarf in just 3 steps. This is an super easy project that is perfect for beginner sewists who want to make something that they can actually wear in their daily life this autumn. It’s also great for using up any leftover remnants…
Tutorial: How to Sew a Pencil Pouch With Only One Piece of Fabric
This tutorial is for an extremely simple pencil pouch that only requires one piece of fabric. A large leftover scrap or remnant of fabric will work, or use a fat-quarter sized piece of material. It’s best to use something like a light canvas or a quilting cotton for this, but…
Tutorial: Easy Pillowcase with Fabric Scraps
If you have a bunch of medium-sized fabric scraps and remnants available, this scrap pillowcase project is perfect for you. It’s a simple way to use up those scraps by making something that you can actually use every day. I recommend choosing some softer fabrics for this so that it…
Tutorial: Adorable Ear Warmer with Cat Ears
This tutorial is a variation on my basic ear warmer pattern that adds cute cat or fox ears to make your winter outfit adorable. This can be made with just 1/4 remnants of fleece fabric that you have leftover from other projects and is honestly quite simple to make. Check…
Tutorial: How to Make a Keychain Wallet using Denim
If you have an old pair of jeans that’s too worn out to wear anymore, you can upcycle them and turn them into a cute little keychain wallet. This denim wallet has five pockets for cards and ID, as well as an inside pocket that I like to use for…
Tutorial: How to Make the Perfect Folding Wallet
The wallet that I’ve been using for the last 10 years is finally seeing the end of it’s days, so I decided it’s time to make a new one. This wallet pattern has four slot card pockets, two inner pockets, and a larger pocket for bills. I also show you…
Tutorial: How to Make Simple Stretch Hand warmers (with thumb holes)
This tutorial will teach you how to make cozy hand and arm warmers that keep your fingers free to type or do what ever you need to do. These arm warmers are made using remnants of stretch knit fabric so they can fit snuggly around your arms. You can access…
Tutorial: Scrappy Cat Face Pillow
This tutorial will walk you through how to make a cute cat pillow using only leftover scraps of fabric. This cat-face pillow is honestly really simple. You’ll be able to accomplish it in no time and have you own truly unique throw pillow! Check out the free pattern I drew…
Tutorial: Quirky Shirt Pillow Idea
If you have an old or worn out button-up shirt, you can easily turn it into a funny throw pillow to decorate your space. This is a very simple sewing project that’s great for beginners. I made this for a 14″ square pillow, but you can also follow the instruction…
Tutorial: Fleece Winter Ear Warmer
Learn how to make a cozy ear warmer for when you when you want to go out on cold winter days. This is a simple fleece ear band that can be made using just 1/4 yard of leftover fleece remnant fabric. Check out the free pattern and follow along with…
Tutorial: Easy Peppermint Candy Festive Pillow
Make your own DIY festive decorations this year with this easy Peppermint Pillow. I included the pattern I used below if you want to check it out, but really all you need to get started is 5 strips of red fabric and 5 strips of white fabric along with some…
Tutorial: The Perfect Scrappy Rainbow Pillow (it’s easier than you think!)
Learn how to make a cool scrap rainbow pillow. It may look complicated, but this is actually a very simple pillow and an easy way to use up fabric scraps from other sewing projects (or you can upcycle old pieces of clothing you never wear anymore). I’ll teach you how…
Tutorial: Upcycled Denim Flowers
If you’re short like me and always need to hem your pants, you can use this tutorial to make cute little flowers out of the length you cut off instead of throwing it out. It’s a cute and simple way to use up that little bit of leftover fabric. Supplies…
Tutorial: The Simplest Scrunchie
Scrunchies are a great project for using up leftover remnants of fabric. All you need is a long strip of fabric and a little bit of elastic, and you can easily create these useful hair accessories. They are also great for adding to goody bags for kids’ birthdays. Check out…
Tutorial: How to Make a Basic Bandana Headband
Bandana headbands are quite cute and easy to make. This bandana uses ribbon to tie in the back, instead of a typical elastic casing. It makes the headband quite simple to make and the size is more adjustable. Check out the free pattern below and check out my step-by-step instructions…
Tutorial: How to Sew a Padded Case for Sunglasses
My sunglasses case just broke, split straight down the spine. But no worries! It just gives me the excuse to make this cute new case for my sunglasses. I only work with fabric, but of course I still want my sunglasses to be protected, so I designed a quick padded…
Tutorial: Upcycled Jeans Butt Pillow
This tutorial will show you how to turn your old worn out pair of jeans into a silly butt pillow to decorate your home. This is a great way to upcycle an old pair of pants and give them a new life. Simply follow along with the step-by-step instructions, and…
Tutorial: How to Make a Butterfly Hair Clip (in 10 minutes)
This tutorial will show you how to make an easy butterfly hair clip using some leftover lightweight fabric scraps. It’s a quick tutorial that you can easily accomplish in 10 minutes. I’ve also included a free pattern you can use to follow along with the step-by-step instructions. If you don’t…
Tutorial: Easy Flowers Using Ribbon
This is the easiest way I know to make fabric flowers. All you have to do is arrange the ribbon, stitch thread around the edges and pull. If you have a spool of ribbon, or any leftover from other projects, you can quickly make a whole bouquet of flowers. This…
Tutorial: Simple Fabric Flowers Using Circles
These super simple flowers are made using circles of lightweight fabric scraps that you fold and gather to create cute little flowers. The pattern I included uses circles that are 3 inches in diameter, but you can adjust the size of your circle to make your flowers bigger or smaller,…
Tutorial: Simple Fabric Flowers Using Small Squares
This quick tutorial will teach you how to make an easy 5-petal flower using lightweight scraps of fabric. These quick flowers are great for decorations that give your home or outfit a touch of spring. I like to use them to create simple hair clips, but you can also sew…
Tutorial: Simple Fabric Flowers Using Knit Scraps
This tutorial walks you through how to make easy flowers using knit fabric. You’ll create a double layer flower using semi-circles for the petals. The pattern below uses is a circle that’s 2 inches in diameter, but you can also create these flowers with slightly bigger circles and have a…
Tutorial: How to Make a Cute Flower Headband
Learn how to make a simple elastic headband with fabric flowers to give it a cute spring and summer aesthetic. All you need for this are some fabric remnants (less than 1/4) leftover from other projects and some small lightweight scraps for the flowers. You can access the pattern below…
Tutorial: How to Make a Pleated Drawstring Dice Bag
This tutorial will walk you through how to create a pleated drawstring bag that you can make using remnants from two contrasting fabrics. This is great to use as a small dice bag for your D&D sessions or just as a cute little drawstring bag for everyday items. I’ve also…
Tutorial: How to Make an Easy Clutch Purse
This tutorial will show you how to make a basic clutch purse with a metal frame. The pattern was made for an 8″ frame, but you can easily adjust the pattern to fit what ever size clutch you want. I made this bag so that you can make it with…
Tutorial: How to Make a Fleece Scarf with Scraps of Fabric
If you have a bunch of fleece scraps leftover from other projects, you can easily combine them to create a cozy scrap scarf. This simple tutorial will walk you through how to sew your scraps together for a unique winter creation. Use the pattern below for a scarf that’s 60″…
Tutorial: How to Make a Flannel Scarf with Scraps of Fabric
If you have a bunch of flannel scraps leftover from other projects, you can easily combine them to create a cool-looking scrap scarf. This simple tutorial will walk you through how to sew your scraps together for a durable finish. You can use the pattern below for a scarf that’s…
Tutorial: How to Make a Lightweight Scarf with Fabric Scraps
If you have any sheer or lightweight scraps sitting around from other projects, you can use them to create a truly unique summer scarf. Check out the pattern (below), arrange your scraps, and I’ll teach you how to sew them together step-by-step. I recommend using a microtex needle when sewing…
Tutorial: How to Make a Simple Scarf with Pockets (or mittens)
I like adding pockets to almost everything, and scarves are no exception. This tutorial will walk you through how to create an easy scarf with pockets on the end. I made these pockets big enough to hold my phone and wallet. I also use the pockets as makeshift mittens sometimes….
Tutorial: Make a Folding Gift Bag with Fabric
I really wanted to learn how to make reusable folding fabric gift bags as a sustainable option that will (hopefully) be passed from person to person as people give gifts to each other. This particular bag was made to be used with 1/2 yard remnants so that you can use…
Tutorial: How to Make a Fleece Lined Cowl Scarf
This tutorial will teach you the step-by-step process for making a fleece lined cowl scarf with a clasp closure. I used flannel for the main fabric and minky fleece for the back to make it softer to wear. You can access the pattern for free below, but I also recommend…
Tutorial: How to Make a Reversible Hooded Scarf
In this tutorial, I will teach you how to make a scarf with a hood attached. It’s also completely reversible, so you can wear a different color depending on the day. I made this pattern so that it will work with 1 yard remnants of fabric that you might find…
Tutorial: How to Make a Flower Pillow with 6 Petals
This tutorial will teach you how to make a flower-shaped pillow. It might look complicated, but this is actually a fairly simple project that’s great even for beginners. I had a half yard of quilting cotton leftover and it was just the right amount for the pillow. However, if you…
Tutorial: How to Make a Large Tote Bag With Pockets (using Fabric Remnants)
This tutorial will teach you how to make a large tote bag with pockets and just 1/2 yard of fabric and some scraps. I’ve digitized the pattern I made for this tutorial so you can print it out and follow along with the step-by-step. This bag was made so that…
Tutorial: How to Make a Square Pillow With Scraps
This pillow tutorial will teach you how to use leftover scraps of fabric to make unique pillow creations. I’ve included a pattern for a 7″ square pillow, but the same principles can be used to make scrap designs of any size and shape. Supplies Needed: Pattern includes: (all of my…
Tutorial: Scrap Denim Bucket Hat
Learn how to make an upcycled bucket hat using scraps of denim. The free pattern (below) was made with small pattern pieces so that you can easily cut up old pairs of jeans to patch together different shades and tones of the denim for a creative and sustainably made hat….
Tutorial: Scrap Denim Zipper Pouch
This tutorial will walk you through how to make a cute zipper pouch using small scraps of denim. It’s great for upcycling old pairs of jeans into something you can use! You can check out the free pattern below and follow along with the step-by-step instructions. Note: When sewing through…
Tutorial: Easy Christmas Goody Bags
These little fabric scrap goody bags are a great way to use up leftover pieces of material while also handing out more sustainable and reusable goody bags. They are a great size for adding little pieces of candy or small stocking stuffer type of gifts. You can check out the…
Tutorial: Drawstring Gift Sack with Fabric Scraps
This tutorial will show you how to upcycle your leftover fabric scraps to create a drawstring gift sack to wrap presents in. This specific tutorial was made with Christmas-themed fabric, but you can easily use your fabric scraps to make something similar for birthdays and other gift-giving occasions. Just collect…
