22 Quick Crafts for DIY Christmas Gifts (And Instant Adoration)
- Words by Laura Jackson
Look, I don’t want to make anyone panic but IT’S DECEMBER!!! If you’re planning to give homemade gifts, you’re going to have to act fast.
I’m a big believer that a DIY gift is the best gift of all, because it isn’t just about the present; it’s about time, consideration and love. A jar of pickles made from tomatoes you grew, a scrunchie sewn with fabric off-cuts, a painting of a pretty flower that you saw on a walk, or a photo of us together in a frame you decorated… STAHP! I love it too much! Bring it to me, friend, because I will treasure it as I should.
So, if your fingers are twitching for some crafting, take a peep at this list of marvellous makes that can be whipped up in a flash. If money and time are slim for you right now – as they are for many of us – these projects will help you avoid the chaos and consumerism of the malls, scratch that creative itch and produce a pressie that won’t break the bank.
NO-SEW BRAIDED VELVET HEADBAND / A BEAUTIFUL MESS
A scrunchie makes a great gift (see below) but if you’re in the market for a fresh take on stand-out hair accessories, get a wiggle on and check out Carmen Christine’s Maxi Wiggle headband tutorial.
GATHERED / YOGA MAT BAG
Limber up and stretch your sewing skills with this nifty gift for the flexible friends in your life, because fitness can be ‘fashun’ too.
THALIAS THREAD STORE / WAVELENGTH TOTE BAG
Wave goodbye to boring bags and whip up this curved creation. With three sizes to choose from this totally terrific tote will bring a smile to every dial.
PAPER & STITCH / AIR DRY CLAY PAINT PALETTE
Got an arty type on your Christmas list? Why not show them your own creative prowess by crafting them a personalised paint palette? How lovely to think that you’ll be on their mind whilst they paint the days away. When mate becomes muse!
DELICIOUS / 100 INCREDIBLE EDIBLE GIFTS
Got a friend who doesn’t have a lot of space for trinkets and treasures? Why not give the gift of gastronomy? Edible gifts are a wonderful way to give a festive gesture without taking up space on the mantlepiece. They’re also a top tier option for the office Secret Santa gift!
CROCHET IN THE SUN / CROCHET COFFEE CUP COSY
Love your ceramic coffee cup but don’t love burning your digits? Gotcha. Enter: the crocheted coffee cup cozy. This perfect beginner crochet pattern is not only adorable to look at but fabulously functional too! Better yet, it’s a quick project – perfect for those last-minute present panic moments!
MIMO SEWING CLUB / RUFFLED LAPTOP OR E-READER SLEEVE
Just because we live in a digital world does not mean that all our techy tools have to be black and grey. Give your laptop a lap-POP with this darling ruffled sleeve. How lovely to know your friend or fam will be able to take a little creative piece of you with them to work and play!
SEW MUCH ADO / HEART BACKPACK
Be still our beating hearts. This cute-as-a-button heart backpack is the perfect choice for the little (or big) loves in your life. Personalise it with patches, embroidery or bag charms (see below for an adorable charm project!) for the perfect practical gift.
KYLIE AND THE MACHINE / DOWNLOADABLE POSTERS
A creative space should be inspiring, so why not gift the creative in your life some wall art? These downloadable posters can be easily printed off and popped in a fabulous frame, all ready to adorn the walls of a sewing room, creative space or basically any wall, anywhere!
HSATOLYETR / UTILITY POUCH BOOK SLEEVE
Give the gift of organisation this year with this beautiful and handy Utility Pouch Book Sleeve. With sections for all the important bits and bobs and an easy snap closure this project is not only useful but also a wonderful scrap-buster!
GRACE POOL / LITTLE FELT PATCHES
In need of a portable project this gift-giving season? Grab a basket and fill it with coloured felt, embroidery cotton and a pair of pinking shears. Don’t forget to pack your imagination and you’ve got everything you need for crafting little felt patches to gift, on the go!
SCULPD / CLAY KEYCHAIN CHARMS
Keychains are all the rage right now and they make for a delightful DIY gift. Use cutters to press out your shapes or make little paper stencils to trace out your trinkets. Dry them, paint them, then link those beauties together, maybe add a tassel or a bead and voila! Buy a kit from Sculpd to create multiple handmade gifts, or gift your pal a kit to DIY themselves!
WIGGLE HEADBAND / CARMEN CHRISTINE
A scrunchie makes a great gift (see below) but if you’re in the market for a fresh take on stand-out hair accessories, get a wiggle on and check out Carmen Christine’s Maxi Wiggle headband tutorial.
CROCHET BOWLS / MEZZA CRAFT
You want a quick craft? Have your hook at the ready, my friends! These sweet-as bowls come together super-fast. Bonus: they’re beginner-friendly!
RAFFIA BAG / HONESTLYWTF
If adorning an existing item is your jam, take a look at this pimped-up raffia bag. Perfect for market days, beach days, brunch days… all of the days!
COOKIE MIX IN A JAR/ RECIPETIN EATS
A gift I can eat?! Yes, please! Nothing beats a recipe in a jar and this white-chocolate-and-cranberry mix from Nagi of RecipeTin Eats takes the cake (or cookie). All the recipient has to do is mix in a few fridge staples, toss it all in the oven and, tada, cookies! Hooray!
RUFFLE TOTE / ALICE NIGHTINGALE
ICYMI the delightful Alice Nightingale has the cutest tote bag pattern in the latest issue of our Sew&Tell digital magazine. Best of all, you don’t need to brave the crowds to buy fabric because this baby can be made from a pillowcase!
STRAWBERRY POUCH / MA & ME DESIGNS
One for you and one for me! We reckon you ought to make many of these – the berry cutest of drawstring bags!
FRILLY SCRUNCHIE / DIY DAISY
Like we said, scrunchies are a solid handmade gift. But you know what’s better? A frilly scrunchie! DIY Daisy’s free tutorial will show you how to dress up your scrunchies with those little bits of trim that are too small for other projects.
CUSTOM PERFUME / BIOME
Lean into your inner witch and mix up a bespoke potion for someone you love. This guide from Biome will help you create a unique blend that can be rolled on and enjoyed throughout the day.
FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS / SARAH MAKER
It’s always hard to decide who gets the “BE FRI” and who’ll have the “ST ENDS”, but don’t sweat it, besties! Sarah Maker’s tutorial will show you how to whip up a matching pair, which means no-one has to compromise (#BeFri4Ever!).
STANDING VASES / COLLECTIVE GEN
Give the gift of long-lasting florals with a set of polymer-clay dried-flower vases, the vision of DIY queen Geneva Vanderzeil. Make them cute or make them minimal, then add dried blooms for the perfect Secret Santa present!
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Hang out with us on Instagram
As the world careens towards AI seeping into our feeds, finds and even friend-zones, it`s becoming increasingly hard to ignore.
We just wanted to say that here at Peppermint, we are choosing to not print or publish AI-generated art, photos, words, videos or content.
Merriam-Webster’s human editors chose `slop` as the 2025 Word of the Year – they define it as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.” The problem is, as AI increases in quality, it`s becoming more and more difficult to ascertain what`s real and what`s not.
Let`s be clear here, AI absolutely has its place in science, in climate modelling, in medical breakthroughs, in many places... but not in replacing the work of artists, writers and creatives.
Can we guarantee that everything we publish is AI-free? Honestly, not really. We know we are not using it to create content, but we are also relying on the artists, makers and contributors we work with, as well as our advertisers, to supply imagery, artwork or words created by humans. AI features are also creeping into programs and apps too, making it difficult to navigate. But we will do our best to avoid it and make a stand for the artists and creatives who have had their work stolen and used to train AI machines, and those who are now losing work as they are replaced by this energy-sapping, environment-destroying magic wand.
Could using it help our productivity and bottom line? Sure. And as a small business in a difficult landscape, that`s a hard one to turn down. We know other publishers who use AI to write stories, create recipes, produce photo shoots... but this one is important to us.
`Touch grass` was also a Merriam-Webster Word of the Year. We`ll happily stick with that as a theme, thanks very much. 🌿
If your fingers are twitching for some crafting, take a peep at this massive list of marvellous makes that can be whipped up in a flash, put together by our Sewing Manager Laura. Ok yes, it was originally a roundup we created for easy Christmas gifts, but now it can be your blueprint for easy craft wins to go on your 2026 making must-do list!
If money and time are slim for you right now – as they are for many of us – these 22 projects will help you avoid the chaos and consumerism of the malls, scratch that creative itch and produce a fun me-made make that won’t break the bank.
Link in bio! 🪡🎨✂️
#PeppermintMagazine #MeMadeGifts #DIYs #EasyWins
"I, like so many of my fellow sewists, live a life of endless lists of ‘to-sew’ patterns, fabrics and garments. My stitchy to-do list is longer than my arm and it ain’t getting any shorter. There are just so many wonderful surface pattern designers, indie pattern-makers and small businesses who I want to support, that I am simply never short of inspiration for garments I’d like to sew. But you know what just does not seem to make its way to the top of the list? Pyjamas. Jimmy-jams, PJs, jarmies. They just don’t rate highly enough for me to commit time and fabric to them. I mean, barely anyone even gets to see them. The ratio of bang vs buck is low on the ‘thanks-I-made-it-ometer’."
You’ve probably heard it from your Nan: always wear nice undies, because you never know what might happen! (And who might catch a glimpse.) But just in case the unexpected happens while you’re slumming it at home in your washed out tracky dacks, Peppermint sewing manager Laura Jackson’s adding pretty PJs to her list of preferred ‘ghost outfits’… Because shuffling off this mortal coil can be perfectly stylish, too.
Read more of `Haunt Couture: Why Laura Jackson Decided To Up Her Pyjama Game` at the link in our bio!
Words and photos: @Laura_The_Maker 💤
#PJPatterns #MeMadePJs #Pyjamas #GhostOutfit
STAY SOFT ☁️
We love when some of our friends collide! And this collab between @SueChingLascelles and the legends at @DangerousFemales is a goodie.
From Sue-Ching:
New year, new mantra babes, because we tried being tough and it was exhausting. So now we’re going to lead with kindness and compassion and see what happens. We have nothing to lose! So let’s stay soft this year. Love ourselves and each other.
New limited edition tee designed by me for @DangerousFemales. 100% of the profits go to supporting DV services. Available NOW and did I mention limited edition? Such a cutie reminder for the year we’re going to have. The year we deserve to have.
BIG LOVE ya big SOFTIES 🤍
Sue-Ching x
Photos by @AMRPhotographer_
#DangerousFemales #DVAwareness #StaySoft
Furred, feathered, fishy, scaled… The pets we choose are as diverse as our personalities. (And apparently, quite often we resemble each other.) But they all deserve to be cared for in ways guaranteed to keep them safe, healthy, and happy. Basically, to be loved – something most of us pet lovers go to great (often expensive) lengths to achieve! (Looking at you, ginger furball, claiming my just-washed bathrobe as today’s fave bed…)
But if you’re concerned about the environment, you might experience cognitive dissonance about the impact your favourite fluffy’s having on the planet. Our pets’ needs are complicated: food, toys, bedding, accessories, and… wait for it… poo patrol paraphernalia. Turns out pets have quite the carbon paw print! So, what to do?
Start by picking more sustainable pet products and eco-friendly pet accessories, and thinking outside of the (litter) box about waste disposal. We’ve gone digging to find some (by no means all!) of the brands that keep both pet welfare and planet front of mind.
Read more at the link in our bio!
🐶🐱🐍🐹🐤
#SustainablePets #AnimalPawPrint #CarbonFootprint #EcoPets
If you’ve ever wanted to try sewing a lace insert, take the Daisy Dress as your cue to dive in and give it a go!
Not a huge fan of lace? Fret not flower! You could use the lace trim insert line on the sleeve to add a strip of contrast fabric, ribbon or even another type of trim like giant ric-rac! Or, of course, leave it out entirely for a simple, classic version.
Thanks to @SewYourWay_ and their fabulously stylish sewing accessories for supporting the Daisy Dress. This Australian, female-led business is all about modernising sewing, crafting and quilting, and making creating easier and more inclusive for crafters of all ages, abilities and genders. Their Silipins are a must; the heat-safe, silicone head pins are designed for accessibility and ease – game-changing for sewists with arthritis, grip issues or dexterity challenges. Founder Zoe Patterson realised there was a huge community of sewers, quilters and crafters that lacked access to new and innovative sewing tools – so she did something about it!
Head to the link in bio to read more about the Daisy now – the digital pattern also comes free with Issue 64.
🌼 Photos: @KelleySheenan
🌼 Patternmaker: Betsy @GarmentaApparel
🌼 Model: Grace @OhSewGrace
🌼 Fabric: @Potter_And_Co_Australia
🌼 Tools: @SewYourWay_
🌼 Lace trim: Star Guipure 40mm @TheMakerSocietyAustralia
#PeppermintPatterns #PeppermintDaisyDress #SewYourWay #PotterAndCo #LinenDress
