What are some neat ideas for presents?

[quilt4lovedones]

What are some neat things that I can make as presents for my friends and family members? I love to make things for my friends and family. I'm starting to make things such as quilts and pillows, and pot holders and I want to start making table runners as well as placemats..what are some other neat ideas yall can provide me with?

Thanks.happy quilting
Ash

[gmaann]

My favorites are the tablerunners and placemats. If you have a serger you can make napkins. My kids all have napkins for all the holidays. My grandchildren have pillowcases for all holidays, too - plus ones for things like Olympics, Back-to-School, Spring, Fall, Winter, etc.

Lots of fun to make - and lots of fun to receive!

[Geneva2]

I like to make hand towels or dish towels out of birdseye diaper cloth. If you have an embroidery machine you can put cute or seasonal designs on them if you don't have an embroidery maching you can decorate them with a fancy stitch or two on your sewing machine. I started giving these as teacher Christmas gifts many years ago and I still make them for my granddaughter to give to her teacher.

[Susie]

I like to make totes too. My sisters especially appreciated the ones I made them. Another easy idea is coaster sets.

[auntjana]

I like to do baby bibs out of a hand towel that you put t-shirt ribbing on - I also do some fun embroidery with my machine.

I also do receiving blankets made of flannel - I put a front and a back and then crochet a shell edge on them. I make the blankets 36 inches sq - they are then useful!!

[purrfect-lady]

I made my sister an assortment of pretty grocery shopping totes out of various daisy prints - she loves daisies. I also made her some throw pillows in daisy prints, using El's dresden plate pattern to match the quilt I made her last year.

I've made vests, seasonal wardrobes for friends/family who love their pets, placemats and napkins, special wallhangings. I did a mini UGRR, six 6" blocks, matted & framed, as a gift for a good friend whose roots go back to slavery. (from El's book, naturally!)

My favorite hand-made gift of all was for my BFF. I took a special photo of her and her husband dancing in costumes. (we belonged to a semi-pro dance troupe in those days) I enlarged that, drew it onto freezer paper, and fused it to fabrics that matched their costumes. I pieced an appropriate, but simple, background that I copied from a quilt I saw in a magazine many years ago. Added the dancers. It turned out beautifully. She was very touched.

There are also some wonderful patterns out there for dogs, cats, and other animals. We all love our fur-kids and people love to get something that shows off their favorite breed or color.

I hope my ideas are helpful!

mary

[xteacher]

I've been doing book covers in all sizes. I gave some to my book club as Christmas gifts and they asked about other sizes. I offered to sell them others, but notice they haven't taken me up on it, ha, ha. I also did tissue covers to go with them, especially for those tear jerkers.

[lorettav]

Pillowcases are vey nice, quick and easy. You can also get the fabric for them on this site at 1/2 price.

[Jules]

Oh I make all manner of differnt things for friends, the real quick and easy things are journal covers, placemats, coasters, pot holders, make up bags, pencil case rolls, heated wheatie bags, cushion covers........some thigns that take a little longer but are still nice are bags, aprons, table runners, storage pots.......

[Joannequilts]

I have to ask.....Jules, what are "heated wheaties bags"?????????????