How about pin cushions, cell phone carriers, ornaments, gift bags, scissor carriers, chatelaines, or if you are feeling a bit ambitious, tote bags.

beverly

The little bag in the link below is very easy to make and so handy to hold our quilting items, make-up, cell phone/debit card/etc. My quilting friends seem to really like the ones I have made for them.

They are best made with pre-quilted fabric rectangles which need no lining. The quilted fabric makes them soft and cushiony. I have also quilted my own fabrics with a light, thin batting in the quilt sandwich - just takes a little more time.

Here is a link that might be useful: teepee bag

I don't have the link but coasters are fun, check book covers,eye glass holders, book covers.

That teepee bag is so cute! Some years ago I made some pincushions similar to that. It was two log cabin units joined that way. A little beak and a comb were sewn into the seam on one end for the head and a prairie point was sewn into the other end for a tail and it became a hen. Also cute.

Last year I made these snap purses:

They're just a couple seams and a casing. The "snap" closure action comes from a length of metal carpenters' measuring tape with the convex curl facing outward. You can easily pull the two sides to open and a little push is all it takes to encourage the tape to snap shut again.

Then there this handy little bag to hold a few sewing supplies for hand stitching while waiting for the doctor or the mechanic, etc.:

It's just 2 or 3 or 4 little lined envelopes with one having a side that's half-again as long to form the front flap. The envelopes are just joined with a bit of tacking on each side. That enables it to open out accordian-style and sit upright on its own.

I added the flap of ultra suede on the front for needles.

Then, too, a cute little needle book is always a delight. Never can have too many.

Finally, Janet at quiltsalott just made some adorable little purses. (The link is below). The original tutorial she used is in her blog entry. It's in Japanese but she says it wasn't hard to follow and I put the link to the Japanese blog in Babelfish and got the whole thing translated. I haven't tried to follow it and make a bag myself yet. I did, however, print out the pattern telling my printer to do it at 125% of the original size.

Here is a link that might be useful: One-piece purse from quiltsalott

Forgot about some things you could whip up pretty quickly. I think they all have tutorials too. I just LOVE collecting tutorials.

These shopping bags are really striking. If you don't care to devote a lot of fabric to this you can easily scale them down by adjusting the size of the basic squares they're constructed from. A bag just large enough to hold lunch is a handy, handy thing! And you could make all the handles in a few great lengths and just cut off sections to save time.

Here's a variation on the handled bag that forms a simple fabric basket for the desktop or the sewing table.

This drawstring bag would be handy. And I bet you could whip these up fast.

There's also luggage tags that are pretty easy. I made some tropical ones last Christmas for a family going to Hawaii. There are other fun designs on this site.

Here is a link that might be useful: studiokatdesigns

How cute are those roly nesters on the same page with your luggage tags, bozogardener?!

I have to make some right away! How handy for corralling electronic cords and headphones and all those things that get lost so easily or get knotted up and make me crazy.

Little projects are so much fun. ;>

Wonder Wallets are fun and fast to make--I made them for my girl scouts one year and then made some more for my mom and sisters. It's a Lazy Girl pattern--not hard to find on-line or at fabric stores.
Another easy--very easy thing to make is the little drawstring bags. I made 25 or so for a wedding shower recently and filled each one with a few tea bags, a tea caddy and a few pieces of dark chocolate.

Criss Cross Coasters is a great little gift, is inexpensive and goes fast and is fun to do. I've made tons of them and everyone that gets them really likes them. If that link doesn't work just google Criss Cross Coasters and you should find the directions.

Here is a link that might be useful: Criss Cross Coasters

All good ideas up there, and I have none to contribute, LOL.

But I do have a question. Are you sure you need to make a gift for everyone, or is it more like a Secret Santa thing, where you draw a name and make just one gift?

15 handmade gifts is A LOT to ask!

Yes they make something for everyone, i think another newbe and I had our mouths hanging open. There are some good ideas here, I'm thinking on the fabric caddies, that sounds like something no one else would do and I could use up a lot of scraps. Thank you all for the ideas if yu have any more keep them coming.

This has been fun. Like all the great ideas everyone has come up with. Need more of this type of exchange. Jayne

Bookmarkers???

I love the thumb pincusions like toolgranny/Linda makes! They are now a necessity wherever I'm sewing.

SharonG/FL

So many neat ideas being shared... we will all benefit from the suggestions. Thanks to everyone for sharing the ideas. Barbara

I have made these luggage tags and they are very simple. I made the pattern so would be happy to send it to you. I use timtex for the inside to stiffen. I save the stiff plastic from fruit containers or the plastic from electronics covers to make the see-through sleeve for the address label.

They go very quickly and make it easy to spot your luggage at the airport.

Sue/polardream