Nifty No-Sew Gift Bags

Greetings, creative friends! It’s new Therm O Web tutorial day—holiday edition, and I’ve got the perfect last-minute gift wrapping project for you—quick, easy, and using minimal supplies!

The holidays are here, and if you’re anything like me, you’re juggling last-minute wrapping with a cup of cocoa in hand. Don’t worry—I’ve got you covered with a no-stress project that will make your gifts look like they came straight from Santa’s workshop: Nifty No-Sew Gift Bags featuring HeatnBond!🍬

This project is ideal for anyone who loves fabric but doesn’t have time (or desire!) to sew. In just minutes, you can transform ordinary kraft paper bags into festive, personalized treasures using HeatnBond UltraHold Iron-On Adhesive. No needles, no thread—just pure holiday magic!

Visit the Therm O Web Blog for a full tutorial and FREE templates in four sizes:
https://blog.thermoweb.com/nifty-no-sew-gift-bags/

✨ Why You’ll Love This Project

• Fast & Easy: Perfect for those last-minute gifts.
• No Sewing Required: Seriously—just cut, peel, press, and go!
• Scrap-Friendly: Use up those holiday fabric scraps you’ve been saving.
• Customizable: Mix and match fabrics, colors, and embellishments for a look that’s uniquely yours.
  
  

✀ What You’ll Need

• HeatnBond UltraHold Iron-On Adhesive
• Fabric scraps (I used assorted holiday collections by Sweetwater for Moda Fabrics)
• Kraft paper bags in assorted sizes/colors
• Brown Gift Bags
• Colored Gift Bags
• Oliso M3Pro Iron
• Cutting Tools (cutting mat, rotary cutter, small sharp scissors)
  
  

Find a complete shopping list in my Amazon Shop (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/3KRykhn

🎁 Make It Extra Festive

Want to add more holiday cheer? Try these ideas:

• Add ribbons or trims using HeatnBond UltraHold Iron-On Adhesive Tape.
• Glue on buttons, sequins, or charms for sparkle. (Note: Not for kids, could be a choking hazard.)
• Skip the templates and cut bold motifs from your favorite holiday fabric for a quick, eye-catching design.

BONUS: Pair your bags with my Nifty No-Sew Fabric Tags for the ultimate handmade gift wrap combo! Free tutorial and templates found here:

👉 https://blog.thermoweb.com/nifty-no-sew-fabric-tags-featuring-heatnbond/

🎅 Spread the Joy!

These bags are perfect for making your holiday gifting extra special. Share your creations with me—I’d love to see your festive designs! Explore my blog, website, or Instagram for more creative ideas.

If you are ready to try your hand at making one (or ten!), you can find the tutorial on the Therm O Web Blog: https://blog.thermoweb.com/nifty-no-sew-gift-bags/

Happy holidays and happy crafting!

Magical Mitten Stockings

The holiday magic continues! It’s day seven of the Poppie Cotton Christmas Countdown, which means only eight days until Christmas! Poppie Cotton has been sharing festive projects perfect for gift giving—and today, I’m thrilled to share one of my own designs with you.

This one is extra special because I’m giving you a complete tutorial and templates right here on my blog. Get ready to make Magical Mitten Stockings! These tiny, ornament-sized mittens are open at the top so you can tuck in treats and treasures. They’re quick to sew, perfect for gifting, and absolutely adorable on your holiday tree.

We’ll be working with a short and simple list of supplies, and I’ve partnered with Therm O Web to make things even easier using SpraynBond Pattern & Stencil Spray Adhesive—a favorite in my sewing studio! These sweet mittens feature Poppie Cotton fabrics and measure approximately 3.75" W x 4.75" H (without the hanger).

Ready to stitch up some holiday magic? Gather your supplies below and let’s get started!

Magical Mitten Stockings

What You Need for One Mitten Stocking:

• SpraynBond Pattern & Stencil Spray
•  Pressing Paper Fabric and Craft Sheets
• 1 – sheet
•  HeatnBond Light Weight Non-Woven Fusible Interfacing
• 1 – 9 ½” x 6 ¼”
•  HeatnBond Fusible Fleece
• 1 – 9 ½” x 4 ¾”
• Cotton Quilting Fabric
• Outer Fabric 
• 1 – 9 ½” W x 5” H (Model uses Oh What Fun by Elea Lutz for Poppie Cotton)
• Lining and Cuff
•  1 –  9 ½” W x 6 ½” H (Model uses Jailhouse Stripes from Poppie Cotton)
• ¼” Twill Tape (Model uses Hand-Dyed 100% Cotton Quarter Inch 1/4" Twill Tape by Lady Dot Creates)
• 1 - 6 ½” piece
• ¼” Button
•  Basic Sewing Tools: Iron, Sewing Machine, Small Sharp Scissors, Ruler, Hand Sewing Needle, Pins, Etc.
•  Mitten Templates

Please note: a few of the supply links above are affiliate links. When you shop through them, you help support my projects and keep my blog ad-free—thank you!

How to Make a Magical Mitten Stocking:

CLICK ON ANY IMAGE FOR A LARGER VIEW.

1. Download and Print the Magical Mitten Stocking Templates
• Magical Mitten Stockings – A Project for the Blue Ribbon Designs Blog
  Print actual size – do NOT “fit to page” or “shrink to fit.” Print on regular printer paper.
  
  
2. Prepare Fabrics
• Place 9 ½” W x 5” H outer fabric and 9 ½” W x 6 ½” H lining fabric right sides together (RST), lining up the widths and sew together with a ¼” seam. Press seam toward the lining/cuff fabric.
  Combined unit will now measure 9 ½” W x 11” H.
  
  
  
  
  
3. Add  Fusible Interfacings
   NOTE: I added the interfacings after sewing the fabrics together to lessen the bulk at the seam.
• Adhere the 9 ½” x 4 ¾” piece of HeatnBond Fusible Fleece to the wrong side (back) of the outer fabric side of the combined unit. Lining it up against the outer edges, not the seam.
1. Pre-heat iron to cotton setting (high heat). No steam.
2. Place the rough side of the fusible fleece on the wrong side of the outer fabric portion of the combined unit.
3. Cover with lightweight, dry pressing cloth. Press and hold iron with medium pressure for 10-15 seconds. Repeat by lifting iron to a new area and pressing, slightly overlapping previous area until the entire surface is bonded.
4. Allow the fabric to cool.
   
   
   
   
   
• Adhere the 9 ½” x 6 ¼” piece of HeatnBond Light Weight Non-Woven Fusible Interfacing to the wrong side of the lining/cuff side of the combined unit. Lining it up against the outer edges and not the seam.
1. Pre-heat iron to cotton setting (high heat). No steam.
2. Place the rough side of the fusible interfacing on the wrong side of the lining/cuff fabric portion of the combined unit.
3. Cover with lightweight, dry pressing cloth. Press and hold iron with medium pressure for 10-15 seconds. Repeat by lifting iron to a new area and pressing, slightly overlapping previous area until the entire surface is bonded.
4. Allow the fabric to cool.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Protect your Workspace with a Pressing Paper Fabric and Craft Sheet
   
   
   
   
   
5. Cut Mitten Stocking Templates
• Loosely cut out paper templates.
• Place templates face down on Pressing Paper and Craft Sheet.
• Apply SpraynBond Pattern & Stencil Spray to the back of the templates and cut out mitten units.
1. Shake can of SpraynBond Patten & Stencil Spray well.
2. Hold can upright, 12 inches from paper templates. Press nozzle and apply adhesive using a sweeping motion to lightly cover the backs of the paper templates.
3. Let dry 1 minute then press template to the combined fabric unit, being sure to line up the straight line on the templates on the seam line of the fabric unit. The shorter side of the mitten template should be on the outer fabric; the larger side of the mitten template should be on the lining/cuff fabric.
4. Reposition templates as needed.
5. Cut on the solid template lines to create two mitten stocking units.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Sew Mitten Stockings
• Place mitten stocking units RST and pin or clip around perimeter. Line up the seam on each side.
• Sew around perimeter with an ⅛” seam allowance, leaving an opening in the lining for turning. NOTE: I designed the template to use an  ⅛” seam allowance, should you want to use a larger seam allowance, you will need to add that allowance to the template when cutting out the mitten units.
• Clip curves (especially around the thumbs) carefully.
• Turn the unit right side out through opening and press.
• Sew the opening in the lining closed.
• Push lining into the outer mitten, leaving a visible lining cuff. Press again, if needed.
  
  
  
  
  
7. Apply Hanger
• Attach twill tape hanger with a small button to the top of the cuff, using a hand sewing needle and coordinating thread.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
8. Fill and Display or Gift.
• Fill the mitten stocking with tiny treats and/or treasures.
• ENJOY!

Thank you for joining me today for this special Blue Ribbon Designs tutorial during the Poppie Cotton Countdown to Christmas! I hope this inspires you to make a few Magical Mitten Stockings to display or gift—be warned, they’re addicting!

If you share your mitten creations on social media, please tag me—I love seeing your work. For more projects and inspiration, check out the rest of my blog or visit my website, Instagram, and YouTube channel. I’d truly enjoy connecting with you and celebrating your creativity!

I hope you’ve been enjoying my holiday content with complimentary patterns and tutorials. My wish is that these gifts inspire you to spread joy—whether by surprising someone you love or brightening the day of someone in need. Let’s start a movement of giving and positivity!

If you’d like to support my work, you can visit my Etsy shop or Buy Me a Coffee—never required, but always appreciated. Thank you for valuing my artistry and supporting my creative journey. 💕

Wishing you a season filled with creativity, joy, and handmade magic!

Gingerbread Cottage Pincushion

Greetings friends! Today is a very special day...it is day three of the Poppie Cotton Christmas Countdown...that means only 12 days until Christmas! Poppie Cotton has been counting down the days until Christmas with fun projects, perfect for gift giving...and today I get to share one of my projects with you!

This is my "Gingerbread Cottage Pincushion" and oh, how I loved creating it! This is actually my Cosmic Cottage Pincushion (with a hidden pocket for scissors!) - a complimentary pattern on my website, with a few changes to make it a gingerbread house! For Poppie Cotton fabrics, I used Snowfall Teal from the Prairie Christmas Collection, Country Confetti in Rodeo Arena Brown, and Gingham Picnic in Cool Pool Mint. 

I took my original pattern and changed the pom pom trim to rick rack (and added a bit more around the roof and chimney). I used lovely Hand-Dyed Rick Rack from Lady Dot Creates in the color Snow on the gingerbread house and in the color Sizzle around the perimeter of the pincushion. To up the CUTE factor, I added some vintage daisy trim I had on hand...the centers of the daisies were pink, so I opted to color them red with a Sharpie to match the candy canes (more on the candy canes shortly). I used a red 1/4" button for a door knob...and I added some red, green, and white baker's twine to give it more of a gingerbread house look. For a perfect (and oh so soft!) backing fabric, I used Hand-Dyed Velveteen by Lady Dot Creates in the color Chili.

Now, about those adorable little candy cane embellishments...they are made from baker's twine and if you want to see how I created them, visit the Therm O Web Blog today, where I share a full tutorial! Yes, I made these cute embellishments...and decided to share my process with you. They would work great for adding to sewing projects or paper projects (such as cards or gift tags).
https://blog.thermoweb.com/bakers_twine_candy_cane_embellishments

About the pattern: you can find my Cosmic Cottage Pincushion FREE pattern here:
https://blueribbondesigns.com/free-charts/
This is a foundation pieced quilt block with added trim and a hidden pocket for scissors. I made the border strips a little wider for the Gingerbread Cottage, so the finished pincushion measures 7" x 7". Be creative and add your own embellishments and use what you have on  hand to make your Gingerbread Cottage unique and extra special.

You can also find the exact supplies I used in this project by visiting the post in my Amazon Shop (note, as an influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases).

I will have one more Poppie Cotton surprise next week...and I can't wait to share it with you! Be sure to check out the Poppie Cotton Blog and/or social media for their 2024 Countdown to Christmas!

If you make a Gingerbread Cottage Pincushion, I hope you will share a photo with me or post it on social media and tag me...I would love to see your finish!

I hope you have been enjoying my holiday content with complimentary patterns and tutorials! My hope is that these gifts inspire you to pay it forward by giving a holiday surprise to someone you love or someone in need! I would love to start a movement of giving and positivity. I also hope this complimentary pattern and accompanying candy cane tutorial will entice you to visit my website and/or Etsy Shop to take a look...or if you feel so inclined, you can Buy Me a Coffee...it is definitely not required, but truly appreciated. Thank you for supporting my creativity and valuing my artistry!💕

Christmas Countdown 2022

Greetings friends - happy Wednesday! If you follow me on social media, then chances are, you have seen some of my recent creations for the Poppie Cotton Christmas Countdown Challenge. Poppie Cotton created a very fun word prompt list beginning on December 1st - each day, you can use the word as a prompt to create something and post an image(s), tagging them for a chance to win prizes - you can participate as little or as often as you like. You can visit their Instagram page post for all the details...and visit their website for a downloadable list, a coloring page and Santa templates! I have been participating on  most days and have enjoyed my time creating projects for some of the words...

I have posted on multiple days, and here are some of my photos and creations....

Day 1 - Christmas Pincushion

I created two cube pincushions, using the Poppie Cotton Snuggle Up Buttercup fabric Collection. 

Day 3 - Hot Cocoa

I created a whimsical mug rug with a tea cup of hot cocoa, using mini buttons for marshmallows. I was just playing around...but will create a pattern, if there is interest (let me know in the comments!).

Day 4 - Peppermint

For peppermint, I created a small project bag - appliquéing the word JOY and using wool for the peppermint appliqué. I used  red, white and green baker's twine for the zipper pull. This was a lot of fun to make and was (again) just me playing around in my studio...

Day 5 - Ornament

This day was easy - I used my 2021 and 2022 cross stitch Christmas ornaments..."My Frosty Friend" and "Bundled Up Birdie"....

Day 6 - Cookie Exchange

For cookie exchange, I made my favorite molasses cookies and photographed them on my Alphabet House Mug Rugs (pattern available in my Etsy Shop in both paper format and digital format). I also provided my molasses cookie recipe, so you can make a batch yourself!!

I hope these creative ideas will get you in the holiday mood and provide some inspiration and Christmas cheer! I have more posts up my sleeve for future days, so look for those on my social media pages...

For now, it is back to work - I am feeling quite stressed with client orders after my time away in New Zealand and recovering from a terrible case of the flu (I am much better, but still have a nasty cough!)....so I am busy from morning until night in the studio. I will share some of those pieces soon. Also, I have some very exciting news to share in the coming days - I am a brand ambassador/designer for a favorite company and will be posting fun projects and tutorials for them soon...stay tuned for that announcement...

Christmas Cottage Cushion

Hello creative friends! Be sure to head over to the AccuQuilt Blog for my latest guest blog post...there you will find a complete tutorial for my "Christmas Cottage Cushion" with all the details, so you can make one of your very own...

This festive, holiday pillow is made with some basic piecing and machine appliqué and can be worked up rather quickly. It uses four AccuQuilt GO! cutting dies:

• GO! Schoolhouse (55344)
• GO! Rectangle-2½” x 4½” (2″ x 4″ Finished) (55159)
• GO! Triangle-Isosceles-5″ x 6″ (55016)
• GO! Strip Cutter-2″ (1½” Finished) (55025 or 55164)

....along with the GO! Fabric Cutter (55100S) or GO! Big Electric Fabric Cutter (55500).

This project is great for scraps or fat quarters...and while I used more traditional holiday colors, it would look great in a variety of color pallets! It finishes a nice size (21½” x 13½”) - perfect for seasonal decorating.

So be sure to stop by the AccuQuilt Blog for a materials list and step by step tutorial, with images:
https://www.accuquilt.com/blog/education/go-project-tutorials/christmas-cottage-cushion-holiday-quilting-tutorial/

...and while you are there, check out a plethora of inspiring projects - there are TONS of wonderful ideas to get you in the sewing/quilting mood!