Felt Pin Cushions
Cut two pieces of felt about 4 inches square or cut into a freeform shape. Machine sew or hand sew a seam, leaving an opening for turning. Turn, stuff with batting, sew the opening closed. Embellish with a few special buttons sewn on, ribbons, decorative hat pins or simple embroidery.
Sewing Kit in a Mason Jar with Pincushion Top
Cut out a circle of fabric ½" larger than the screw band of the Mason jar's top. Cut out a circle from a piece of stiff poster board (or thin cardboard) using the jar top's separate sealer lid.
Place a wad of poly batting between the poster board cut out circle and the circle of fabric and hot glue to the inside of the jar top's screw band. It will pouf slightly above the screw band and form the pin cushion. Next hot glue the sealer lid to the inside of the screw band covering the fabric and circle. Fill with a few new sewing supplies like thread spools, hand sewing needles, small scissors, thimble, tape measure, decorative straight pins and a few buttons and snaps.
Memory/Message Board
Use a stretched artist's canvas, add batting to cover, then cover all with a pretty cotton print fabric securing at the back with staples, then criss-cross with ribbons, stapling them to the back too. Sew buttons at the junctions where the ribbons criss-cross. Add picture hangers to the back.
Hand-sewn Country Sachets
Cut 6 squares of different coordinating fabrics that will be used to make 3 small sachets. Cut with pinking shears for a different look to the edges and to prevent the fabrics from raveling. For each sachet, place 2 fabric squares wrong-sides together and hand stitch around the edges in a ½" seam allowance, leaving an opening for filling with potpourri. Use a coordinating or contrasting thread color for the stitches. Stack the three finished sachets one on top of the other then criss-cross with a ribbon tie.
Tea Cozy
Cut two 10-inch squares of pre-quilted fabric. With right sides together, stitch around three sides in a curving arc. Trim seam to eliminate the squared edges. Hem the bottom opening by turning under ½" and stitch. Turn right side out.. For a warm fragrant aroma to waft from the tea cozy when it covers the hot pot of tea, sew a small pillow of lavender or potpourri into a square of organza or other light-weight sheer fabric and hand stitch to the inside of the quilted fabric.
Fabric Wrap
Wrap your present to Mom using an elegant, reusable fabric wrap instead of wrapping paper; In Japan it is called furoshiki. How to use Furoshiki.
Fabric Gift Tag
Dip a small fabric square or rectangle in white glue thinned with water. Let dry till stiffened, glue onto notepaper, then cut out into any shape – cookie cutters work well as templates, then use a paper punch to cut a hole for a ribbon tie to attach to the gift.
Sew happy, sew well.
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