7 Easy Sewing Projects for a Greener Christmas

Replace your paper gift wrap with fabric. This is such a quick, easy sewing project that you could have several different sizes completed in an afternoon or evening of sewing.

Reusable fabric gift bags are another option to replace paper wrapping and paper gift bags. These Grommet Bow Gift bags do take more materials and time than the furoshiki but they'll last for years.

These cute little gift bags have a divider inside that makes it so much fun to come up with different ideas for what to fill them with. The original tutorial was Pam's from over at Threading My Way contribution to our 2018 Christmas in July blog hop. In the post, you'll find a link to that tutorial plus some helpful hints I discovered when making my version.

You'll also find a few themed gift ideas for different people on your holiday gift list.

Advent Calendars are a fun way for kids and adults alike to count down the days from the 1st to 25th of December. Instead of the cardboard ones that will just be discarded once all the little windows have been opened, why not make a fabric wall hanging?

Each day, hang a tiny ornament. When all the ornaments have been hung on the tree, Christmas Day will have arrived.

You may not be able to find a fabric tree panel exactly like the one in the tutorial, but I'm sure you'll be able to find a similar tree panel that would work just as well.

Fabric napkins are another quick, easy sewing project that can be completed in a few hours. They'll add a timeless, elegance to your holiday table setting.

Want a more casual look? Make them in fun Christmas novelty fabrics.

To get even more use out of them, look for fabrics that will transition from the holidays into winter. Think blue and white, snowflakes, mittens, sledding and skates.

If Christmas crackers are a tradition that your family loves, there's no reason to give them up.

Make your own using fabric, ribbon and toilet paper rolls. Not only are you reducing waste from disposable crackers, you're reusing those cardboard rolls that would otherwise be thrown away or recycled. Remember, reduce, reuse, recycle.

This post links to Joy's original tutorial and gives you all kinds of ideas for what to fill them with.

I'll admit that some of the filler ideas are more sustainable than others but you'd still be making progress to reduce waste.

There's nothing that adds a delightful pop of holiday cheer quicker than switching out your regular cushions for Christmas or winter themed ones.

But then after Christmas you're left trying to figure out where to store them. After all, how many cushions does one household need?

That's where pillow covers come in. Instead of buying new decorator pillows, simply cover the ones you already have.

This Quilted Christmas Wreath Pillow Cover Tutorial with step-by-step instructions is a great way to use up scraps of fabric from your other holiday sewing projects.

The zippered back makes it easy to slip on and off. And when the holidays are over, it stores flat in with your other holiday decorations.