How To Make a Gift Card Holder // Simple Sewing Project

gift card holder

When you give a gift card as a gift, why not make a unique, homemade gift card holder to put it in? They only take 10 minutes to make and it’s a project in that you can use up some of your fabric scraps.

gift card holder

These gift card holders are so fun and simple to make and are great for “last minute” gift giving. This is a good beginner sewing project.

They only take a minimal amount of fabric (two 5 x 7-inch pieces) and a few snaps. You can make the gift cards a little more rigid by adding some lightweight interfacing, but this is optional.

fabric gift card holder items

GIFT CARD HOLDER MATERIALS & ITEMS NEEDED

GIFT CARD HOLDER CUTTING OUT

GIFT CARD HOLDER INSTRUCTIONS

1 – Using the free pattern, cut out 2. (1 lining/1 outer)

You can have them be different prints or the same.

2 – Cut out 1 interfacing (optional).

CUT IT ¼ INCH SMALLER

3 – Apply the interfacing to the WRONG SIDE of just one of the fabric pieces.

(bumpy side of interfacing down).

4 – Place the two pieces RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER.

 

5 – If you are adding a tag or label, do that now.

Using the pattern, apply the tag where suggested. This is totally optional. It helps to baste the tag in place before sewing the outer seam.

*** If you want to learn how to make your own labels, check out my tutorial HERE.

6 – Using a ¼ inch SEAM ALLOWANCE, start sewing at the point indicated, and continue to sew around and stop LEAVING A 1 ½ – 2 INCH OPENING.

Back stitching at the beginning and end of the seam.

7 – Clip corners and notch the curved edge.

8 – Turn RIGHT SIDES FACING OUT

Push out the corners with a “turning stick” or something with a blunt end.

9 – Tuck in the seam allowance from the opening you left.

Press all the edges well.

10 – Fold the bottom edge up 1 3/4 inches, and press.

Fold the top edge down so the height of the envelope is 2 ¼ inches. Press to make a crease.

gift card holder

11- Pin or clip the bottom section of the gift card holder in place and sew along one side, over the top, and down the other side using a top-stitch 1/8 inch from the edge.

Clip threads.

gift card holder turning

Gift Card Holder Snap Application

12- Poke Holes

Using the awl that comes with the kit, poke a hole in the top flap where indicated and mark the hole with a pencil where the second snap needs to be applied.

gift card holder snap 1

13 – Top Snap

Take one of the thumbtack-looking components and stick it through the hole you made at the top of the holder. (push through from outer fabric to inner)

14- Apply a female component.

Hold in place while you squeeze the two pieces together using the snap pliers.

15 – Repeat for the other snap.

Do the same thing with the other snap but poke the thumbtack piece through the hole from the outer fabric to the inner. Use the male snap piece this time.

16 – Tad-ah, that’s it! 

 

17- Insert your gift card into the gift card holder and you are ready to roll.

 

 

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Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

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How To Make a Tomato Pin Cushion // Free Pattern

tomato pin cushion

This adorable tomato pin cushion is such a fun little sewing project and a nice asset to your sewing supplies. You can make this pin cushion out of quilters cotton scraps or of course, a felted wool upcycled red sweater!

tomato pin cushion supplies

Tomato Pin Cushion Materials & Supplies

zipper bracelets items and materials
tomato pin cushion cutting out

Tomato Pin Cushion Instructions

1- Cut out 4 tomato panels

2- Cut out 1 leaf and one stem from felt

tomato pin cushion panels

 

3- Place two of the tomato panels (RST) right sides together and pin in place.

4- Using a ¼ inch seam allowance, sew along one side of each set, back stitching at the beginning and end of seam.

5- Clip seam allowance with little v cuts, making sure not to cut into the seam.

 

6- Place the two tomato panels (RST), lining up the seams.

Pin or clip in place.

7- Starting about 1 inch from the top seam, sew around the tomato stopping about 1 inch from the seam.

Back stitch at the beginning and at the end of seam.

8- Turn the tomato right side facing out.

Poke out curves with your fingers.

tomato pin cushion filling

9- Fill the majority of the tomato full of the crushed walnut shells.

Use a funnel and a cookie sheet underneath to help control spillage.

10- Top off the tomato with the fiberfill stuffing.

11- Double thread a needle with red thread and knot the end.tomato pin cushion closing opening

Sew the opening closed using a ladder stitch. (the video tutorial shows close up of how to sew this stitch).

tomato pin cushion indent

Tomato Pin Cushion Indent

1- To make the tomato indent, double thread a needle with the UPHOLSTERY THREAD.

Knot the end. Insert the needle into the bottom, center of the tomato. Poke the needle out of the top center. (You may need to use a pair of little pliers to pull the needle out).

2- Take BIG stitch, and direct the needle back up through and coming out the bottom of the tomato.

Repeat this process until you have the intent you like. Take a stitch and knot close to the thread. Cut the thread.

Tomato Pin Cushion Stem & Leaf Application

1- Take the 1×1 inch stem piece and apply some craft glue to one side.

Start rolling to form a little stem.

2- Clip a little slit into the center of the leaf.

3- Slip the stem into the slit and extend it about ¼ inch pas the leaf.

4- Apply a light application of hot glue to underneath side of the leaf to adhere the stem to the leaf.tomato pin cushion

5- Using the craft glue, apply a light coat of glue on the underside of leaf.

Press the leaf onto the tomato.

Tomato Pin Cushion Stem & Leaf Application

1- Take the 1×1 inch stem piece and apply some craft glue to one side.

Start rolling to form a little stem.

2- Clip a little slit into the center of the leaf.

3- Slip the stem into the slit and extend it about ¼ inch pas the leaf.

4- Apply a light application of hot glue to underneath side of the leaf to adhere the stem to the leaf.

5- Using the craft glue, apply a light coat of glue on the underside of leaf.

Press the leaf onto the tomato.

Top Stitching Leaf Embroidery

This portion of the project is optional. I like the added character of edging the leaf with a small ladder stitch.

1- Separate out 2-3 strands of green embroidery floss. Thread a needle and knot the end.

2- Starting at one of the inner corners of the leaf, stitch around the edges of the leaf.

That’s it!

I hope you enjoyed that tutorial. Have fun sewing!

Other projects you may be interested in.

 

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Jan Howell

Jan Howell

Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

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Upcycled Sweater Hearts

I love Valentine’s Day!

Here is another idea for you to use up some of your old sweaters, and better yet, the scraps from your other upcycled projects.

These sweater hearts are way easy to make, you’ll have a bunch made up in no time.

The pattern comes with directions and a pattern for both the regular heart and patchwork heart.  

Upcycled Sweater Hearts

Cut out fabric pieces using sweaters of your choice.

Upcycled Sweater Hearts

With Right Sides Together (RST) sew piece 1 to piece 2.  Open that up and place pattern piece 3 (RST) and sew together.

If you want to hang your sweater hearts, baste a ribbon, jute, or thick string on the right side of the heart back piece.

Gather the string or ribbon up and pin it in the center of the heart, so it won’t get caught in the seam.

Place the pieced heart top to the bottom piece (RST) and pin in place.  Sew all the way around leaving about a 2″ opening to stuff the heart.

Turn inside out and stuff firmly.

With a needle and thread, slip stitch opening closed.

Ta Dah!

Sew a bunch up for all your Valentine’s, or just fill a basket full of hearts for a fun holiday decoration!

 

Here are some other fun DIY Valentine gift ideas.

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Jan Howell

Jan Howell

Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

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Sweater Heart Hand Warmer Tutorial

heart hand warmer

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, YEA!  I love this holiday!  I always like to make some kind of valentine’s gift each year and I think this year I am going to give these fun heart-shaped hand warmers.  They are WAY easy to make and will be easy to mail to my family and friends.

I am terrible at sending out Christmas cards, but I do enjoy making and sending out valentine’s cards with a personalized note (of course).  That is one of my pet peeves, getting a generic card or letter in the mail.  Very rarely do you get something in the mail besides bills and advertisements? 

Don’t you think it is fun to get a card in the mail with your name HANDWRITTEN and maybe even a cute sticker on the back of the envelope?  My mother-in-law and I still send notes back and forth every once in a while in the mail, and I just love it.  We do converse with email, but there is just something about a written note that really lifts your spirits.  Even with her arthritic hands, she still sends beautiful handwritten letters.

This little rice bags really do work quite well.  Just pop them in the microwave for 30-40 seconds and place them in your coat pockets.  They are a great thing to send your kids off to school with or take in the car on the way to work.

So……go to your felted sweater, fleece, or flannel stash and pick out some cute, bright colors and get to work, and with your handwritten valentine’s note, send a set of cozy heart-shaped hand warmers.

heart hand warmer

cut out 4 hearts

heart hand warmer

Sew around the edge using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Back stitch at the beginning and end of the seam. Leave about a 2 inch opening

heart hand warmer

Using a funnel, fill with 1/2 – 3/4 cup flax seeds or rice.

Flax seeds don’t put off as much aroma as the rice and tend to stay warmer a little longer, but rice still works quite well.
Go back to the sewing machine and sew the opening closed.

Ta-dah!  There you have it.
Finish them off with a ribbon and a note attached explaining how to heat and use the rice bags.

Click HERE to download the heart pattern.

Check out my therapeutic rice bag pattern set in my shop.  Includes the heart and rectangle hand warmers, neck bag, eye pillow, back soother, and foot warmer patterns.

heart hand warmer

My husband and I have become wimps.  We heat up the foot warmer every night and throw it in the bottom of our bed.  It works like a charm, keeps our feet nice and toasty!  This puppy stays warm for a good 3 hours or more.  All of these bags are really easy and fun to sew up.

Here is a link for the foot warmer tutorial.

heart hand warmer

If you have any questions, send me a note.
Have fun sewing!

Jan Howell

Jan Howell

Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

Read More

Upcycled Sweater Scarf Tutorial

Here is ANOTHER way to use up your felted sweaters.  This is such a fun, easy project to make.  I get comments on this scarf every time I wear it.

Upcycled sweater scarf tutorial:

The most time consuming part is cutting out the squares.

upcycled sweater scarf

1- Cut out 16 – 18 squares that measure 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches.  Use sweaters that have been felted.  (shrunk down by washing in very hot water and dried in the dryer)

upcycled sweater scarf

2- Arrange the squares in a pattern that suites you.  Mix and match colors, textures and patterns that feel good to your eye.  Then stack them up in that order.  Starting with the piece on top, place two pieces together and pin in place.

upcycled sweater scarf

3- Using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, simply sew along pinned edge. Back stitch at the beginning and end of seam.  No need to worry about the edges fraying if the sweater has been felted.

4- Open those pieces up and place the next square on top, right sides together.  Pin in place and sew the seam.  Repeat this process until all pieces are sewn together and the scarf is the length that you desire.  Ta dah!  Now wasn’t that fun and easy!

upcycled sweater scarf

Now you have a stylin, whimsical, one of a kind scarf

Jan Howell

Jan Howell

Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

Read More