Welcome to Lori Miller Designs! I am very excited to be participating in the Quilting Arts Holiday Blog Hop 2014. All of the contributors have joined the hop and you can find great give-aways, tips and ideas for holiday gift giving along the way. The magazine features a slew of great holiday gift ideas that you can whip up for the special people on your gift list this holiday season. I really enjoy making handmade gifts for my friends and family, especially for the holidays. These unique, one of a kind gifts seem to be well received and I like infusing a little love into each item. In recent years, I have started making multiples of similar gifts to give away. These small, useful items are on the agenda for everyone on my list.
This year I am making these cute Gingerbread House Pincushions featured in the magazine. It is a great little project for gift giving to your creative sewing and quilting friends for the holiday and it is not too early to start getting ready. All of the directions are included in the magazine and you can sew up these cute little confections in a jiffy. Make a bunch of them using my ideas below to create gifts in multiple quantities.
Nifty Gifty Tips
Start planning early. Figure out what kind of item or gift you want to make in early fall so you can gather patterns and materials and have time to stitch them up. I like to start in September and pace myself so I am not pulling my hair out as the holiday gets closer.
Customize the gift. Just because you are making many of the same item does not mean that you can’t tailor them to individuals and make them special. Personalize them with names or with your choice of fabrics. Try a fabric with a theme or hobby or favorite color that matches the individual or their décor.
Practice. Take an afternoon and completely sew through one version of the gift to have a feel for the time it will take, any special notions you will need, and to make notes on the pattern that will make the assembly go faster. Also, it may eliminate a few surprises if you get in a hurry.
Set up an assembly line. When you do similar items at once, I think the work simply goes faster. Group the tasks together. Consider cutting everything out at once, then stitching and piecing, then quilting, and finishing. If you are appliquéing or sewing, try to sew all of the things with that particular thread color so you are not constantly changing the spool.
Don’t get too ambitious. Ask me how I know this one. I made these lovely rainbow baskets for my sewing friends last year. I used all scraps to make the 2 ½ inch squares, but these were huge and the quilting took forever, I thought I would never get them finished. One friend even got a few pins instead of buttons as I rushed to gift them. Oops. May I suggest you find a simple but useful item, big is not always better.
Stock up on supplies. Be sure to have extra thread, needles and notions handy. Needles break and threads run out and if you are in the stitching zone, you don’t want to have to stop to get a needed supply. Stock up and be ready.
Have fun! Sew with a friend. Turn on your favorite music, invite your crafty friend over stitch and EAT the day away. You will not believe what you can accomplish, and the fun memories you will have, when you share the day sewing with a friend.
To celebrate my pattern being published in the magazine, one lucky reader will receive this Gingerbread House Pincushion in a giveaway.
Contest Closed.Thanks to those who entered. Winner is Josie Davis, congratulations.
Here is the Holiday Blog Hop Schedule:
Friday, September 12, Vivika Hansen DeNegre
Saturday, September 13, Lyric Kinard
Sunday, September 14, Claude Larson
Monday, September 15, Linda McLaughlin, and Kathy Kerstetter
Tuesday, September 16, Lori Miller
Wednesday, September 17, Melanie Testa and Liz Kettle
Thursday, September 18, Susan Brubaker Knapp,
Friday, September 19, Lisa Chin
Saturday, September 20, Sarah Ann Smith
Sunday, September 21, Catherine Redford
Lori Miller Designs 
Oh my, what to make. I do like your pin cushion. Actually I have liked all the projects/ideas so far. I can’t wait to get my magazine and make some decisions and start making those holiday gifts for friends and family.
Thank you for all the ideas/reminders on how to organize for this kind of making and giving. I will make a good effort this year – may even dig out the unfinished gift projects from past years and see if I can infuse some freshness into them. My goal is to do some small pet portraits in fabric for all my friends who are owned by some dear 4-legged creatures. Onward!
I have two, matching purse kits that I am making for friends. Also finishing up a quilt for my brother.
I always have a list of what I’d like to make…then as it gets closer and I know I can’t make all the things, I shorten it and go to my stash of things I made ahead. I can still give that someone on my list something handmade that they love.
Mug Rugs, Potholders, Dishcloths and Christmas Ornaments… This is a nice Magazine,,, I will have to look for it…I need to get organized.( Guess thats what Clear plastic zip shut bags are for! that way if I see it I can work on it..)
I haven’t decided. We have been remodeling my sewing room and I’ve only just gotten back to having a work space and access to my “stuff.”
Every year I make origami peace cranes adorned with beads to send to family and friends who live far from me. Thank you for your generous giveaway.
Your projects are wonderful, and thanks for the tips. I am thinking of making personalized garden flags for gifts this year. Wonder if I’m being too ambitious??
this year has been so confused that I am not sure what I will make. But I always do make something for those on my list. I just hope I can get to the sewing machine between now and Christmas. Maybe I will make linen totes. Have a bunch of linen I have not yet used.
I like to make lap quilts. But I’ve been thinking maybe placemats or table runners or pillows. Thanks for the opportunity!
I am making tree skirts.
I am excited because I already have made gifts for the people in my knit group! I bought small, cute scissors and made small triangular, quilted cases to store them in. I am very pleased with how they turned out.
oh my, it is that time of year to plan and get moving with the gift making. Appreciate your tips. The pinchusion is sweet and happy.
Congratulations on being published, how very exciting!
Great idea to make one item first before making multiples. This gives to a chance to learn the pattern and make any tweaks before making the others.
I’m making a few handbags with matching wallets, kitchen towels with matching potholders, and slippers. I’m still deciding on a few more items.
Thank you for the chance to win!
I am planning on making a beaded felted bracelet for my special friends, and some simpler gifts for others, maybe a pattern and materials for something they might enjoy making themselves.
bookmarks for my book club friends…
I love your Gingerbread House pin cushion. I am making bags for my sisters and little organizer coin purses for my friends. It has been a very long time that I handmade anything, so this is a great start for the holidays. Thank you for shaing, Judith, Texas
Last year I made table runners as gifts. this year I need ideas! Your ornaments are priceless and the hand dyes are gorgeous!