If you have a sewing machine and know how to use it, you can sew gifts for anyone for any occasion.
For ladies, you could sew an easy apron, a purse, zip cosmetic style bags, purse accessories, such as a wallet, checkbook cover, business card holder, or glasses case. Or a simple garment, such as a bias cut skirt or a nightie, made from fabric chosen specially for her.
For anyone, you can make pillowcases. Children (and some adults) love these in novelty fabrics. Or you could embroider a solid colored pair. I like to make ruffles on the open end. You can make a pillowcase from a yard of fabric.
I love to give cloth napkins, both beautiful, and also soft, everyday flannel sets, to every household I know; these are gifts that give to our Earth as well as our loved ones or friends! Another such gift is “unpaper towels.”
For babies, you can make blankets, soft toys such as balls, cubes, and bears, bunnies, doggies, and dollies. Or a soft book or one of hundreds of sweet baby toys to sew. Or an easy reversible jacket or a bunting or bonnet or hat or soft shoes or baby leg warmers..
Little girls love purses, and tutus for dress up, or you can make bows or an easy dress. Cloth dolls are lots of fun and easy to make.
A little boy would love to get a car roll, to carry his hot wheels (and a roadway) along for a ride.
For any child, crayon or colored pencil rolls are neat, and these are fun to make for birthday presents.
For boys and men, you can make boxers or ties or handkerchiefs. Also, zip bags for toiletries or other essentials, and little boys especially are fond of small drawstring sacks. You could fill these with jacks or marbles or candy or coins for your gift. Don’t forget that men and boys can cook, and many would love to have an apron made from cool fabric.
For a teacher you could make a marker roll, or an art smock for that sort of teacher. I am sewing sets of miniature purse and apron ornaments for some of the teachers this year.
For a crafty friend you could craft a pincushion.
For a reader, a paperback bookcover and a bookmark.
For a writer, a fabric covered journal.
For the dog, how about a leash and collar made from trim? Or cut bone shapes from fleece and sew, turn, and stuff. Or make him a coat by repurposing an old sweater.
Soft slippers might be nice for anyone. So could anyone use a scarf or fleece hat.
For a wedding, you could make a lap quilt in the wedding colors. Or a tablecloth or placemats or napkins for their table. Or a wallhanging.
Handmade ornaments are nice holiday gifts for anyone who celebrates with a tree, and stockings are another Christmas gift you could make for just about anyone. I like to make stockings with an additional flap at the top that has a drawstring; this allows you to use the stocking as a gift bag because the drawstring prevents the gifts from spilling out of the top of the stocking.
There are many more ideas for gifts to sew, but hopefully this list will help to spark ideas for what to sew for who this year!
If you need more inspiration, I recommend checking out the SewMamaSew website. They have been doing “handmade holidays” every day in November for several years now, and there are scores of great gifts to sew, handily divided into categories, in their archives.
