quick- what can I do with Christmas-themed fabrics?

[bri276]

I have three yds of holly patterned, and two yds of pointsetta/shimmery fabric. I had first planned to make a tree skirt using both, but the idea sort of fell apart after I put them both under the tree and just wasn't happy with the way the holly one looked (too busy).

I'd like to be able to make two gifts out of these, one for my mother and one for my grandmother. the fabrics don't look great combined, so if I could use one for each project that would be good. Keep in mind I'm mostly a sewing novice so nothing too complicated!

I've been brainstorming...

-cover some boxes in the fabric that could be used to store xmas decorations/ornaments? how would I do this- fabric glue?

-I thought of a table runner but this is just flimsy-ish polyblend fabric, tablerunners should ideally be thicker

anything else?

[SleepyMamaBear]

i dunno what the fabric feels like but maybe a xmas themed apron? my mom made us TONS growing up.

[tsfairy]

My first thought is to use it for gift bags. I made a bunch last year out of Christmassy fabric - just fold a rectangle in half to make a square and sew up both sides, then hem the opening and fasten a length of ribbon to one end for a closure (or you could put the ribbon in as a drawstring but I was making mine on Christmas morning and was in a hurry LOL.)

I have a really thin tablerunner that I made from some shimmery fabric. It's purely decorative, but looks nice enough. But if you do want it thicker, maybe you could add some lightweight quilt batting or a piece of fleece as an inside layer.

I like the apron idea.

[EricaLeigh]

You could also line a basket with the fabric. I would just make a draw string bag and place it into the basket folding the edges over the outside of the basket, then tighten the drawstring .Then fill the basket with any theme you would like, bath products, a coffee or tea theme, sunday am breakfast with pancake mix, maple syrup coffee, crossword puzzles, anything that they would enjoy!

[GruppieGirl]

I second the gift bags!

We almost exclusively use fabric gift bags to save on the environmental and monetary impact of paper gift wrap.

Unfortunaltely for me, I can't sew. I have to buy my gift bags. You sound crafty, so gift bags should be no problem for you.

[eepster]

I put in a third vote for gift bags. the first year I worked in a fabric store every gift I gave came in a christmasy tote bag. They were like these http://www.supereggplant.com/archives/000216.html
If you have some not so christmassy fabric around that goes well then they can be reversable.

[ikesmom]

You could make little pillow ornaments with the J O Y letters on each pillow or make a garland with other odds and ends mingled in between. Someone I knew threw a party and had plastic colored forks and spoons in little sewn dinner napkins with a candy cane. A pocket organizer could hold cards and tags ect. A stocking full of goodies or taper candles. Scented sachets for clothes. You could get some fingertip towels(saw them at dollar store) and just wrap them in it like paper with a big bow.

[bri276]

thank you so much for the great suggestions! I made an apron last night for my grandmother out of the holly fabric, even DH was impressed! I think I'll try another one for my mom out of non-holiday fabric and use the rest for gift wrapping & baskets.

thanks!

[numom499]

I like to make pillow cases out of assorted fabrics for kids...i put their gifts in there and then they can use it on their bed for the appropirate season....

I have also made throw pillow slipcovers out of holiday fabrics....

[MamaFern]

gift bags are grea.. with a simple drawstring (sorry if someone else has said this already..im nak and busy)

its a great alternative to wrapping paper and then they can be used for a myriad of things after