Many arts and crafts enthusiasts look forward to the holiday season. It serves as the perfect opportunity to gift loved ones with presents made from the heart. If you’re interested in improving your sewing skills, below are three holiday-inspired projects to try.

3 Sewing Ideas for the Holidays

1. Decorate the Mantel With Stockings

Leaving stockings on the mantel for Santa to fill with candies and small trinkets is a holiday tradition in many households. Instead of buying store-bought stockings, put your sewing skills to work. You can buy plush fabric in holiday colors and download online patterns. You’ll need to cut out two stockings and sew them together along the sides and bottom to create a pocket. You can use a fuzzy fabric for the lining around the opening and a piece of ribbon for the hanger.

2. Create Holiday Aprons

You might spend more time in the kitchen baking and cooking elaborate meals for family gatherings during the holidays. To keep winter clothing stain-free, create aprons to wear while you cook. You can use festive fabric and find a pattern online. This project will allow you to practice sewing double-fold edges and hems to make seams and pockets.

3. Give Quilts As Gifts 

During winter, many people like to wrap up in blankets and gaze at the roaring blaze in the fireplace. Keep this pastime in mind when thinking of gifts to give friends and family. A loved one can stay cozy with a homemade quilt. You can use fabric in their favorite colors or source the material from old keepsakes. The project requires sewing numerous square-shaped pieces of fabric together to create two “sheets”. Next, put batting between the two “sheets"  and sew the quilt together around all sides with binding. You will have to create seams throughout to hold the batting in place. 

Before you can start any of the above sewing projects, you’ll need reliable equipment. If you need sewing machine repair or are interested in making a new purchase, the professionals at The Sewing Center in Kalispell, MT, have you covered. With a certified Pfaff® and Husqvarna Viking® sewing machine technician onsite, the center has been the go-to source for sewing machine service and sales in Northwest Montana since 1950. To learn about equipment, services, and sewing lessons, call (406) 752-7058. Find class schedules online and stay tuned for announcements on Facebook.