Looking for a quick and practical sewing project? These folded square fabric coasters are perfect for beginners and experienced sewers alike. In just a short time, you can create a beautiful set of coasters that protect your surfaces in style.

If you sew you probably have a fabric stash and what a better way to make use of it than to sew reusable gift wrapping. Single use wrapping paper is often not recycleable and tons of it ends up in landfills annually.

1. Furoshiki

One of the easiest ways to wrap a gift in fabric is by simply wrapping it in a square of fabric, like a tea towl or a second hand silk scarf. But using a piece of fabric with a fun print from your stash is another great option. Just finish the edge with a double fold hem and miter the corners for an elegant finish.

For the wrapping itself I suggest looking into furoshiki, the Japanese art of wrapping with cloth. Or look into bojagi, the Korean art of wrapping with cloth.

 There are more tips in this blogpost: How to sew a reusable giftwrap - Furoshiki Wrapping Cloth

or dive right into the sewing with the video tutorial:

2. Drawstring Gift Bags 

these are a little more work, but they are a great scrap sewing project or stash buster. You can often sew multiple in an hour especially if you batch steps and set up an efficient workspace.

here are three tutorials for drawstring bags that can be sewn with just a sewing machine, no serger needed. 

Unlined drawstringbag with french seams

3. Mini tote bags

4. Tsuno Tie Bag

Easy to customize and ideal for batch-making, them for a wedding party favor. No pattern needed! Just a simple and quick sewing project. You'll only need a sewing machine for this project, no serger needed sinde the seams are finished with a French seam.

This unlined drawstringbag bag is very fast to sew, it takes me about 10 minutes to make. No serger needed ass the seams are finished with a French seam.

Use a fun quilting cotton, and you have the perfect reusable gift bag. Check out the tutorial on Youtube.

You only need two pieces of fabric to create this cute colour block drawstring bag. In fact, you only need two fat quarters. A perfect fabric stash buster project.

Because of the way it's constructed it lines itself and it's SO fun to see how it comes together. It's not difficult, but there is a lot of pressing prep involved. It's a beginner friendly sewing project that doesn't need a serger.

I've had some of these scraps for years, but when my partner said he needed an extra blanket for winter...I said "I'll make you a quilt" and then I came up with an ASTRONOMICAL quilt design ;)

The final episode in the series about making my first quilt to process grief.

I started my first quilt to deal with grief, thinking it would give me something positive and challenging to focus on. I decided to make a baby quilt for a friend who was moving to another country, and as the stack of blocks grew, I started to feel better, but it also made me nervous I would mess up my blocks… My perfectionism took over the project stalled... but their moving date kept getting closer and I had to get going again.

When I'm in the midst of a craft project, I'm eager to progress, but once I'm nearing the finish line, I always feel homesick for the start of the project. But to finish my first quilt was amazing and I'm sure there will be many more quilt projects in my future.

Watch the series on YouTube

This is the third video in my video series about processing grief through quilting and making my first quilt.

I started my first quilt to deal with grief, thinking it would give me something positive and challenging to focus on. I decided to make a baby quilt for a friend who was moving to another country, and as the stack of blocks grew I started to feel better, but it also made me nervous I would mess up my blocks… My perfectionism took over the project stalled... but their moving date kept getting closer and I had to get going again.

Watch the series on YouTube

This is the second video in my video series about processing grief through quilting and making my first quilt. I'm finally getting in the swing of it and it's wonderful to find solace in the moments behind the sewing machine. Block by block piecing myself and the quilt together. 
Watch the series on YouTube

When my grandmother passed away quilting became a way for me to process my emotions and turn grief into a gift.

This first video of the series is all about the fabric, the saw tooth block and me making mistakes.