I have a couple of Christmas in July events this month, so I have handmade gifts on my mind these days. I’m sharing a tutorial for my small jewelry pouch later this month, but  I thought I’d share some of my favorite gift ideas in the meantime.

For the hostess, baker, and/or chef:

• I’ve made several of Amy Sinibaldi’s potholders and these casserole potholders for family members and friends, and they’re always a hit! It’s also a great way to play with some of those decorative stitches that came with your machine. You can grab a cute serving set or spatula to pair with a potholder, and it’s the perfect gift! Who has too many cute potholders?
• Another favorite gift I like to give is etched glassware with a casserole pot holder. For the etched glassware, I refer to this tutorial, but there are other tutorials and methods if you don’t have a Silhouette.
• These reusable bowl covers are a great easy and quick sew. They’re great for covering bowls while waiting for the dough to rise or just to seal your leftovers.

For the girl (or guy) on the go:

• Cord wraps are my favorite stocking stuffer to make for everyone. Everyone has cords, and these guys are so handy when you’re traveling, whether it’s just to the office or going on vacay. The larger size is perfect for laptop cords and the smaller size is great for all your USB cables.
• Personalized flex frame pouches aren’t just great for glasses, but they’re great for carrying change and cards. I purchase my flex frames here (Affiliate link), and I occasionally like to add leather or denim accents.
• Boxy pouches are perfect for carrying small toiletries or other accessories. We use them to carry markers and crayons, Legos, and various other toys for Lo on our travels. I generally make several at a time, so I buy zippers in “bulk” here.

For the photographer or shutterbug:

• I made lens monsters for our Cannon DSLR when Lo was really young, and after seeing how well they worked for her, I made a few more as gifts. I didn’t use a pattern or tutorial for mine, but I found this felt elephant lens bling tutorial that is similar to what I did. Something to consider, most Nikon cameras have lenses that are smaller (not as wide) than Cannon lenses, so keep that in mind when making one as a gift.
• Much like guitar straps for musicians, personalized camera straps are loved and appreciated by most photographers. I sew a small strip (about ½” smaller in width and about 4-5″ in length) of non-slip fabric from Seattle Fabrics to prevent any slipping when wearing.
• Lastly, a DSLR camera pouch is a great gift for any photographer. I recommend doubling the batting used in the tutorial, and stitching velcro strips to keep it securely closed.

When do you get started on Christmas sewing…or shopping? What’s your favorite thing to make and/or gift?

***This post was not sponsored. All opinions, photos, and thoughts are my own. One affiliate link was used in this post.***