Holiday Gifts?

Maybe you are out today braving the US shopping day known as "Black Friday."  Or maybe you're sitting at your computer doing your shopping online to avoid the crowds.  Or maybe you're like me and not doing any shopping but are itching to get into your sewing room and start a new project.  
Mr. Lucky and I have the reached the age where we are doing more downsizing than gift-buying for one another and our immediate friends and family are phasing out or in most cases eliminating gift giving among the adults.  Last weekend my neighborhood garden club had our annual luncheon and we decided the month before to stop a gift exchange and just enjoy the time together.  If I do exchange with a friend or two it is usually something consumable...an edible (I'm a jam making fool) or drinkable treat, or an experience together.  
But sometimes it is nice to share a little something more lasting and here are some of the gifts that I have offered from my house and sewing room. 

These reusable snack bags are so cute and clever.  I gave them to my cousin's daughter last year and she said it was fun and practical for school snacks,
Here's the free tutorial from a generous blogger, Aubrey, who took the time to write up and photograph great step by step directions.  re-usable snack bag  And here are my versions:

Reusable snack bag

I bought the PUL fabric at Joanns's and the quilting fabric is from a Fabric Mart quilt store buy out and year or two ago.  It seemed little girl-y without being childish.
It's not the easiest thing to do to topstitch that PUL fabric but I have teflon foot that made it easier.

This one seemed school snack appropriate

A lovely Japanese cotton print

Since these little stand up bags have that slippery PUL fabric inside, they would also work as a nice thread/scrap bag for a sewing friend.

I've written about this next pattern years ago but it too would be an easy gift to make up in fleece for a friend.  I'm one of those people who is continually chilly so a little wrap is something I have posted in a number of places around my house.  Marsha McClintock created a clever cape like, vest like pattern that I love.Saf T Pockets Pattern 2011  Take a little more than 1 1/2 yards of fleece and in five minutes you have a lightweight but cozy little gift.  I donated one to my church auction in Florida and it was popular with the winner for a lightweight winter topper and in summer air-conditioning.  My first versions were in fabrics that I had to bind but my latest is from a Fabric Mart fleece sale last winter...

my first vest/cape post
dressier cape/vest version

Last holiday gift idea for this post came from Rhonda's great post about a Spoonflower tea towel offer.  tea towels for Christmas  I'm not going to show the full collection of what I bought at this great on-line sale but will show you the two that I am keeping in my house....

Can you see the sewing machine....?

Here's hoping your gift making has gone smoothly and you get to enjoy family, friends and the changing of the seasons where you live.