This tutorial for mini foldover baskets will have you making up a batch in no time. Perfect for teacher or bridesmaid gifts, or use them to corral goodies around the house. The possibilities are endless.

Here’s a quick and easy tutorial for incorporating a simple paper-pieced heart into a mini lined drawstring bag, perfect for carrying any bitty goodies you want. I’m planning to fill these with some chocolates, a note, and a gift card for the teachers as a Valentine’s thank you, but the possibilities for these sweeties are endless. The main part of the Maker’s Heart Mini Pouch finishes at just 5” x 6”, and you could easily put several together in one night of sewing fun.

Each year, I seem to kind of flip back and forth between wanting to make all the holiday gift items and decorations and just selecting a few small projects to work on. Regardless of which end of the cycle you might be in this year, quick, small handmade projects are always a fun way to sneak in a little special holiday sewing, and I’ve got several on the site that are just perfect for that.

Happy season of giving! I don’t know about you, but I’m deep in the midst of present gathering for family, friends, teachers, and service workers. While I love a personal gift full of meaning, there’s always a time and a place for a good ol’ gift card. But that doesn’t mean you can’t add a personal, handmade touch with a delightful fabric gift card sleeve.

Just in time for Teacher Appreciation Week, I’m swooping in with a new free pattern just for you! The Coffee and a Cookie pattern turns simple embroidery into a sweet mug rug sized just right for a cookie and a cup of coffee or tea. A simple handmade gift combined with homemade cookies and a coffee-shop gift card is the perfect way to show your children’s teachers you appreciate them. But the pattern lends itself to gifts for lots of people beyond teachers, so use it to show some love to anyone in your life!