Four simple handmade gifts, finished long before Christmas Eve
I know you want to sew some of your Christmas gifts this year, but you’re worried you won’t get them finished in time! Maybe you’ve already spent hours scouring YouTube for patterns and inspiration, only to end up overwhelmed and demotivated.
The Christmas Sewing Club is here to save you! With four simple projects, clear videos and a friendly group to keep you going, you’ll have your presents ready in plenty of time and be happily wrapping them, placing them under the tree and sitting back with a glass of mulled wine, excited to see your loved ones’ reactions.
Hi, I’m Helen, founder and sewing teacher at Badger and Bobbins, and I know the feeling well! The hot sweats, the long nights, that last-minute dash to Boots for a 3 for 2 offer while your homemade Christmas gifts sit unfinished in a pile in the corner. But it doesn’t have to be like that!
I set up the Christmas Sewing Club to put the joy back into sewing gifts. This year I’ve kept it simple: four easy makes, one released each week through November, that you can make again and again in different fabrics for different people. Start early, sew along together, and we’ll stay on track.
Why simple wins…
It is SO tempting to go big with handmade gifts. Something impressive. Something complicated. Something that makes everyone say “you MADE that?!” And that’s exactly how we all end up at the sewing machine at midnight on Christmas Eve, surrounded by thread, swearing at a zip.
So here’s the alternative. Four simple projects. Make them once, then make them again. Swap the fabric and it’s a completely different present for a completely different person. Pair it with something you’ve bought and you’ve built a proper gift, without having to sew your way through your entire list.
Skip the midnight meltdown. Be done early. Be smug about it.
Week 1: The book sleeve
For the book lover
A beautiful case to keep their current read safe, clean and super stylish, whether it’s a handbag-battered paperback or a precious hardback. Pop a book inside and you’re done!
Pair it with: the book they’ve been hinting about, and a bookmark.
The Projects:
Week 2: The bowl cosy
For the soup lover (or the person who loves showing off their fancy crisps!)
Cosy vibes, taken that little bit further. It turns an ordinary bowl into something that makes soup night feel like an occasion.
Pair it with: a lovely bowl and a posh tin of soup, or a bowl and a bag of the good crisps.
Week 3: The lavender bag
For the home accessoriser
Who doesn’t love a lavender bag? We all know how useful they are, and these absolutely look the part. Make a set and you’ve got presents for teachers, neighbours and anyone who’s hard to buy for!
Pair it with: a nice soap or a candle.
Week 4: The hot water bottle cover
For the one who’s always cold
You know the one. Give them the gift of warmth this Christmas!
Pair it with: a hot water bottle, a tin of fancy hot chocolate and some fluffy socks.
How It Works
Sign-ups open Friday 23rd October. The moment you join you get access to the Club page, a welcome video from me, and a fabric requirements list for all four projects, so you can raid your stash or go shopping before we start.
The Facebook group opens straight away too, so you can compare fabrics, get to know each other and ask questions long before the first project lands.
A new project is released each Friday: 6, 13, 20 and 27 November. The last one lands almost a month before Christmas, so you’ve got plenty of time.
Every project comes with a video you can watch whenever suits you and a one-page cutting and measurements sheet.
You keep access for 12 months, so you can make them all again next Christmas.
You don’t have to do it on your own
The Club comes with a Facebook group that opens when you join and stays open until 18 December. Share your fabric choices, show off your makes and shout when something’s gone wrong!
December is when everything else lands on your to-do list, and it’s very easy to put “sewing for myself” at the bottom. Being in a group helps. When there’s a new project every Friday and everyone’s posting what they’ve made, you’re far more likely to actually sit down and do it. Think of it as company, and a gentle shove!
Is it for you?
If you’re a confident beginner, then yes, it’s for you! You know your way around your sewing machine, you can sew a straight line (or close enough!) and you’d like some simple, giftable makes without any head-scratching. None of the projects are tricky or complicated, and every one comes with a clear video to take you through it.
What you get
A welcome video, as soon as you join
A fabric requirements list for every project, so you can raid your stash or go shopping before we start
Four project videos, released weekly from 6 November
Printable paper patterns for all four makes, with measurements too, so for the bowl cosy and lavender bag you can choose whether to print and cut or measure and cut. (The book sleeve and hot water bottle cover do need their pattern pieces, so you’ll want a printer handy for those!)
A folded star decoration, as a bonus!
The Facebook group, open from sign-up until 18 December
12 months’ access, so you can make them all again next year
What people say about learning with Helen
“Helen is always very helpful, patient and knowledgeable.”
“Helen is very knowledgeable, patient and good at demonstrating and guiding through different techniques.”
“You could not find a more patient and kind teacher than Helen. We all made huge progress under her supportive tuition.”
Frequently asked questions
-
Nope! But you do need to be comfortable using your machine. The projects are simple and the videos are detailed.
-
When you sign up you’ll get a fabric requirements list for each project, so you can see exactly what to gather before we start. All of the projects are stash-friendly or use fabrics that aren’t hard to find. Two of the projects use printed pattern sheets.
-
Don’t panic! Nothing disappears. Everything stays available for 12 months, so you can catch up whenever you like.
-
The projects will be available until 31st December 2027 so roughly 12 months - you can defo have a go at them again next year!
-
It’s easy, I promise! When you sign up, you’ll be asked to create a login on the Badger and Bobbins website. Once you’re in, the Christmas Sewing Club will appear in your account, ready and waiting. That’s where you’ll find your welcome video, your fabric requirements list and each project as it’s released.
You can watch on a phone, tablet or computer, wherever and whenever suits you, and you can log back in any time over the next 12 months.
-
The Christmas Sewing Club is a one-time payment of £47 payable when you first sign up.
-
Just click the link below to sign up to the club - let’s make presents together!