With the rise of DIY projects during the quarantine season, a lot of people are now into sewing. Here are easy sewing projects that are perfect for beginners.
Taking on a new sewing project can be intimidating, particularly if you’re a complete beginner. While it might be tempting to procrastinate, the only way to get better at sewing and needlecraft is to practice, practice, practice!
It’s important to choose an easy sewing project to match your ability level, but also one that will allow you to exercise your skills, whilst being fun and rewarding to make. We’ve found 30 easy sewing projects that are perfect for beginners, but also enjoyable for more advanced needle-crafters to try.
We’ve got projects for people of all lifestyles and skill levels, and we’ve also included video tutorials as well! We’ve made it super easy to get inspired with this list of 30 easy sewing projects, so just scroll on through and pick your next project.
Most of these instructions encourage to use new fabric, but it may be worth it to try repurposing some old household items! Whether it be an old dish cloth, a vintage pair of jeans, or a worn out bedsheet, many used textiles can be given a new life, if you use a little creativity!
So settle in, get your notepad, and start dreaming up some new projects for your weekend. We’ve got you covered, with new fashion statements to totally utilitarian items. We’ve got ideas for expecting parents, and we’ve got ideas for the seasoned couple. There are projects to help liven up your dining room table, and ways to protect those very easy to lose items.
Related: Types of Sewing Machines | Types of Sewing Tools | Crafts You Can Make and Sell at Home | Things You Can Make and Sell at Home
1. “Retro Rockabilly Pinup” Bandana!
This bandana is fun and easy to make, and it looks super cute too!. The video tutorial from YouTuber What Abi Makes is clear and easy to understand, with step by step instructions on how to create this stylish piece of headwear from scratch.
The bandana itself is simple and easy to make, cut from one very basic pattern piece. Abi gives clear instructions on how to cut out the pattern piece and then sew the headband together on your sewing machine.
Whether you’re looking to make a costume for your kid, you need an extra cute way to keep your hair up while puttering around the house, or you’re just trying to embody that early badass-feminist persona, this tutorial makes all of those things a possibility.
DIY Rockabilly Pinup Bandana/ Headscarf Tutorial by What Abi Makes
2. Cute Chapstick Holder Keychain
A neat little project that’s equal parts cute and functional, this chapstick holder keychain from Crazy Little Projects makes a perfect handmade gift. The tutorial is clear and easy to follow and the chapstick holder itself is so easy to make that you could even make multiple multiple ones at the same time (great for Christmas stocking-stuffers).
All you need for this easy sewing project is a small scrap of fabric, a keychain ring, and a chapstick. The tutorial shows you how to make a pouch for the chapstick, hem the fabric, and then to secure the keyring to it.
Super simple, fun, and extremely easy – you can create it in no time at all. This way you will never be caught running errands or on a day ay the beach without that very necessary, life saving chapstick!
Easy Chapstick Holder Keychain by Crazy Little Projects
3. Stylish Scrunchie
A beloved hair accessory of the 90s, the scrunchie is making a comeback (did it ever really go out of style? This scrunchie tutorial is a super easy sewing project for sewers of all abilities, and makes a wonderful handmade gift!
Using only some fabric, elastic, pins and, of course, a sewing machine, you can whip up this gorgeously retro hair tie in no time. The only part of the project that beginners may need to take some time with is folding away the raw edges of the scrunchie, and creating a closed-loop by putting one edge inside of the other. However, it’s all good practice!
DIY Scrunchie Tutorial from Treasurie!
4. Fashionable Face Masks
Face masks have never been more ‘in fashion’ than they have been in 2020, and we all know the reasons why. If you’re currently in a location where masks are mandatory (aka everywhere), then this simple sewing project is just what you need.
YouTuber, Melanie Ham, makes sewing a face mask look like a breeze with this beginners tutorial. She breaks down the project into simple steps and includes pattern sizing information, with different options for men and women. Because we all have learned that one size doesn’t fit all, at all.
The face mask is pleated on the side to ensure a comfortable fit, and it fastens with elastic behind the ears, keeping it nice and secure. Melanie also includes fabric suggestions in her tutorial to make sure your mask is functional, as well as fashionable.
DIY Facemask with Elastic in 10 Minutes with Melanie Ham!
5. Simple Snack Bags
This satisfyingly simple snack bag tutorial from Better Homes and Gardens makes creating reusable food storage solutions a breeze! The project uses less than a yard of fabric and provides sewing enthusiasts with a quick and easy project with a truly useful end-result.
The tutorial contains a video, written instructions, and even a free printable template to make sewing these cute kitchen must-haves a breeze. The project follows step by step instructions from cutting your pattern, to adding a liner and creating the fastenings for your bag. It will be a fun and easy project to help sharpen your sewing skills!
How to Make Reusable Snack Bags and Sandwich Wraps by Better Homes and Gardens
6. Pretty Phone Charging Station
This gorgeous phone charging station sewing project from Positively Splendid is functional as well as fashionable. The tutorial itself contains step-by-step instructions, as well as reference photographs and a downloadable PDF featuring the pattern.
This tutorial is easy enough that beginners can take on a satisfying project, but more experienced sewers can also take part and create something enjoyable – and useful to boot! What’s more, the finished product (a cute little phone pouch you can hang up with your phone inside while it charges) makes for a great gift, no matter the holiday.
DIY Phone Charging Station by Positively Splendid
7. Functional First Aid Kit
Also from Positively Splendid, this cute little first aid kit is a great project for beginners wanting to create something truly functional and useful. I don’t really know why more people don’t carry around first aid kits with them all the time!
Be a hero at the park when someone scratches their knee, or maybe when you’re at the beach and someone gets stung by a bee! It’s always better to be over-prepared than under-prepared, and you might as well make it fashionable while you’re at it!
This super easy project can be done by hand or with a sewing kit. There are so many used textiles that are laying around your house that could be repurposed into this day-saving little tool.
DIY Portable First Aid Kit by Positively Splendid
8. Funky Luggage Labels
People truly are amazing. Debs Days’ youtube video tutorial can show you how to make your own luggage tag in less than 5 minutes! This is a perfect option for those of you who thought of this at the last minute before your vacation (maybe in 2022..).
It’s more than likely that your luggage has been lost in transit, and if it hasn’t happened to you, it’s not hard to guess how not-fun it is. So, let’s get preventative! Creating these cute luggage tags will not only make it hard to lose your luggage, it will make them easier to spot as well.
There isn’t all that much material you need, and this video tutorial is so clear and concise that anyone of any skill level could do it.
How to Sew Your Own Homemade Luggage Labels – DIY How-To Project by Debs Days
9. Cozy Picnic Blanket
Is there anything more romantic than setting up a picnic on your very own homemade picnic blanket? I think not! Why don’t you make this dream a reality and make your very own? Make it any shape, any size, and any pattern you want.
This video tutorial by heyitsjenn is specifically made for all those beginners out there. So if any of the others seemed intimidating, this is just the project for you. Because at the end of the day, all it is is a giant square of fabric.
How to Make a Picnic Blanket (Easy for Beginners!) by heyitsjenn.
10. Fine Fabric Cozies
At first, I wasn’t entirely sure was a fabric cozy was! I’d heard of a tea cozy, and it turns out that this is the exact same thing, but it can be used on much more than just a teapot!
I’m sure you’ve experienced the annoyance of a nice bowl of soup that cools down too quickly, or maybe you got distracted and that delicious pasta cooled down. Fear not! No need to make a trip to the microwave, because you will soon have this new sewing pattern for a fabric cozy that can be used for your hot dishes.
Not only that, it’s also a way to help save your fingers or your lap from an unpleasant and unexpected burn! This super straight forward youtube video tutorial will have you crafting within no time at all.
How to Make a Cozy Quilted Bowl by Today We Craft
11. Travel Manicure Kit
For some of us, having clean and manicured nails is a very important thing. After all, you can tell an awful lot about a person by looking at their hands! Sometimes it can be annoying having a super cluttered handbag with nail files and clippers clattering around..
Luckily, there is a way to organize your purse, without having to many another purchase. This tutorial by MadamSew is super straightforward, and incorporates a zipper for easy access.
You never have to be left with a rogue hangnail again! Let’s also not forget all of those times we got a surprise splinter and wished all day that we had our manicure set around to help set it straight!
DIY Travel Manicure Kit by MadamSew
12. Nifty Sunglasses Case
All too many times, I have ruined a pair of sunglasses because I simply keep forgetting to buy a new sunglasses case. They end up getting lost in a purse and the lenses become scratched to no end.
Why don’t we all collectively save some money, and simply make our very own sunglasses case! You can get super creative with this one, with any fabric, attach a handle, close it with a button or a zipper, anything you can imagine is possible!
This great video tutorial by TheCraftyGemini is only 10 minutes long, and will have you feeling like an expert in no time.
How to Sew Sunglasses Case – Sewing Tutorial by TheCraftyGemini
13. Fun Pillowcase
Wowza, we really hit the jackpot here! This genius video tutorial tells you how to make 2 different types of pillowcases, and makes it seem really easy to boot!
We like this video because the instructor encourages folks to repurpose old household items to create new ones! This is a great option especially if you are a nostalgic person, and are having a hard time throwing away those old kiddie sheets.
Let’s save the planet one pillowcase at a time, and get started on this really easy sewing project.
Sew a Pillow 2 Ways: Basic Throw Pillow and Envelope Pillow by MADE Everyday
14. Everyday Apron
The youtuber Loepsie, has the right idea with finding creative ways to use leftover fabric from a different project. When making your very own apron it’s a great idea to make it as custom as you’d like!
So many times I’ve tried on an apron and been surprised at how not well it fits! When you decide to make your own, you can make it adjustable so the whole family can use it, or make it just for yourself.
Add a pocket, add a place for a pen and paper, I’ve even see it where someone made the skirt of the apron out of a towel for extra easy cleaning! Loepsie was inspired by the old-timey cottage apron look, so check it out to see how they did it.
Linen Apron – Beginner Friendly Sew With Me by Loepsie
15. Fashionable Headband
For all of you headband lovers out there (chances are you love scrunchies too), we’ve got the right tutorial for you. We tend to get picky about finding the exact right hair accessory. They’re usually never perfect…
Here you have the opportunity to create the absolute perfect looking and perfect fitting headband, customized just for you. Virginia Lindsay has made an excellent video tutorial for those of us who are new to sewing.
Simply Stylish Headband Sewing Tutorial by Virginia Lindsay
16. Homemade Pajama Shorts
This one may seem a little bit more complicate than the others, but it really isn’t! This is the perfect next step in the sewing world. It’s an important step to learn about adding rooshing and elastics to a project.
Making your own pajama shorts is a very worthwhile activity. Now is your chance to actually create that perfect pair of pajamas that suit your skin and lifestyle exactly. What are you waiting for! Click this wonderful tutorial by youtube star, Molly Sews.
Learn to Sew Pajama Shorts – Beginning Sewing Tutorial by Molly Sews
17. Handy Dandy Tote Bag
The likelihood of you actually remembering to bring a tote bag to the grocery store will probably go way up if it was homemade! Take the opportunity to show off those new sewing skills and show off your homemade tote bag the next time you run errands.
The cool thing about DIY projects is that you can make them as custom as you want. How handy would it be to have an extra little pocket for your grocery list? Or an extra compartment to hold your wallet and phone? OR maybe even a zipper pocket to hold your grocery store coupons? The possibilities are just endless!
DIY Tote Bag for Beginners by abetweenie
18. Never Forget Your Keys Keychain
Okay, this project is so so so cool! I’m sure you’ve arrived at this section if you’re a person who just cannot figure out a way to hold onto your keys. And that is okay, some of us forget our keys, some of us forget our partners birthday.
This amazing sewing tutorial actually shows you how to make a key fob keychain that you can attach to your wrist! It’s a cute accessory as well as a lifesaver. People will be wondering where you got it. It might be a good little side business to start if the prototype goes well…
How to Make a Wristlet Keychain Fob by Sewspire
19. Attractive Table Runner
I mean, I didn’t think it would be possible to create a table runner in 10 minutes, but am I ever glad to be proven wrong! The Sewing Channel is an absolute master class in sewing projects, and they will equip you with everything you need for this project.
Many of us think of our parents thanksgiving table when we think of table runners, but this project is a great way to totally customize your dinner table set up! People will be gushing over this design, and they’ll be shocked to know you achieved it in only 10 minutes.
10 Minute Table Runner Tutorial by The Sewing Channel
20. Reusable Fabric Napkins
For this tutorial, you get a 2 in 1! Jordan Fabrics really did us a favor by incorporating two sewing projects into 1 twenty minute video.
Take the opportunity to really vamp up your dining table set up. This is your chance to have matching placemats and napkins, or to maybe design your favorite color scheme. Not to mention, using reusable napkins instead of disposable ones is gggggreat for the health of the planet!
You can use any kind of fabric you could imagine, as long as you have enough of it! Using an old picnic blanket or even an old set of sheets would totally work! Make them reversible! Make them small! Make them big! The world is your oyster, now sew the heck out of it.
Quick and Easy Placemats and Napkins by Jordan Fabrics
21. DIY Christmas Stockings
It may not be Christmas time while you’re reading this, but this is great project to keep in mind for later on in the year. For you Christmas celebrators out there, if it is Christmas time, this is a great way to get into the Christmas spirit!
This project is so simple that you could even make it into a group activity with your family — each member could make their own custom stocking, or you could take turns making one for each other. The possibilities are endless.
So put on a cute Christmas playlist, snuggle up, and start dreaming of snow drops and cookies and sugar plum fairies. You can put all of those things in a stocking, right?
Easy Christmas Stocking Tutorial by Erica Arndt
22. Baby Burp Cloth
For those of you reading who have a newborn, are thinking of having a baby, or have a friend who is expecting, this might be a really good tutorial to have in your repertoire!
This is an excellent video tutorial that shows you 3 different ways to create a baby burp cloth. There is a method for any skill level, so there is no need to be intimidated. VintageToNew youtuber really seems to know what they’re doing.
This project could make a really wonderful homemade gift. They’re so easy to make that you could make a dozen of them in one go, which I’m sure will come in really handy for those super busy new parents!
DIY Easy Sewing Project – Burp Cloth 3 Ways by VintageToNew
23. Children’s Reading Pillow
This project is such a cute idea. Make story time a lovely routine by placing the book of choice in its own little reading pillow!
This video tutorial shows you how to turn a regular old pillowcase into a majestic reading pillow. All it is, is an additional sleeve in the pillowcase where you can slide in your child’s favorite bedtime story.
This pattern is not complicated at all, and is perfect for those beginner sewers out there. Not to mention, it’s a great way to ensure that a book doesn’t get misplaced!
How to Sew a Reading Pillow – Book Pillow – Free Pattern by Lisa Pay
24. Kute Sock Kitten Stuffed Animal
Okay, don’t get freaked out. It may seem like a crazy step as a beginner sewer to move from creating flat sewing pieces into making something 3D, but the youtuber AmyFamily, makes it look easy enough for anyone to try.
This is also a really awesome project, because it’s a way of repurposing some socks that may be losing their luster. Maybe it would be best to look for a pair of socks that doesn’t have a hole in them yet…
Whether you’re looking for a creative gift, or are looking to just broaden your skill set, this is a great easy sewing project that you should totally keep bookmarked.
Sock Kitten DIY Tutorial – Easy Sock Toys for Kids by AmyFamily
25. Beautiful Silk Tank Top
Okay, not everyone is going to have ample amounts of silk laying around, but what about that old pair of silk pajamas that you never really wore? This may be the perfect project for to repurpose that silk fabric into something you’ll actually wear.
With this fashion piece, less is more. The design is so simplistic and elegant that no one is going to know that you made it yourself.
The great thing about this pattern, is that it’s so simple that it’s almost begging you to get creative with it. Anne the Tailor gives you the foundation, now it’s time for you to bedazzle it how you would like! Maybe some lace, maybe some sequins, get fun with it!
DIY Easy Silk Top with Straps by Anna the Tailor
26. Useful Dog Treat Pouch
Well if you’re a person who has just adopted a new dog, you are about the luckiest person in the world! If you’ve done your research on puppy training, you’ll know that it’s very important to be able to easily access treats.
What a better way of saving money, than making your own treat pouch! It really doesn’t have to be extravagant, it just has to be able to fit your hand inside, and it should be able to hook onto your pants.
You could get creative with it by adding a slot to put it around your belt, or add a loop so that you could make clip in a karabiner. Either way, your puppy will be thanking you for the constant treat-ment (ha ha) and you’ll be thanking yourself for investing in proper puppy training.
DIY Dog Treats Pouch by EasytoSew
27. Trendy Toddler Bib
I really don’t need to mention how messy humans can be when starting out their dining habits. There are so many things that new parents have to think of, and baby bibs may fall to the backburner.
These things get used a lot, and they have to be washed after every use! So it’s best to have plenty of hand. Whether you have a friend who is expecting, or you are a sewer and parent who needs a project, this is a great one.
Pin, Cut, Sew youtube channel knows how busy you can be, and so they make a super straight forward, beginner friendly, instructional video to get you started.
How to Sew a Baby Bib – A Beginner Friendly Tutorial by Pin, Cut, Sew
28. Amazing Pillow Bed
This really cool sewing project doesn’t need to be just for kids. I’ve tried one, and it is one of the best positions to read a book in!
This project does require a few more materials, aka quite a few pillows. Buying new pillows for this is great, but it’s even better if you have some old ones lying around. The number of pillows will all depend on how tall the person the pillow bed is for!
Kids will go nuts over this super comfortable toy, and it will make movie time, nap time, or chill out time a total breeze.
DIY Floor Pillow Lounge Cover by Olgaling
29. Tremendous Homemade Snuggle Poncho
Who knew that making a snuggle poncho was feasible for a person who was new to sewing! I know we all go a little crazy when we see commercials for snuggly-onesies and things like that, but you can actually make one yourself!
A great idea would be to use an old comforter or sleeping bag that may be laying in the back of the closet, just waiting to be used once again!
This design was made specifically for beginners, and so Fabricland West makes a great and easy to follow tutorial. This will be one of the greatest craft projects ever! Whether you’re cozying up for movie night inside, or preparing for a campfire outside, you’ll be thanking yourself forever for this awesome cozy accessory.
Snuggle Poncho by Fabricland West
30. Fun Fabric Coasters
And since this a guide to easy sewing projects, we’ve saved one of the easiest for last. Since you must be a sewing master by this point, why don’t we cool down with a little fun fabric coaster tutorial.
Give that vintage coffee table a chance, and make it some custom coasters to prevent those unsightly drink rings from forming.
You can use any material create any shape, and these coasters make for an exceptional gift idea too. Who knows, maybe for your next new hobby you’ll get into embroidery, and embroider these homemade fabric coasters!
15 Minute Easy Sewing Project – Easy Quilter Coasters Tutorial Vlog by Loopy Mabel’s Closet
That’s a Wrap!
So there we have it! 30 fabulously easy sewing projects for you to try your hand at, no matter your sewing ability. Even the complete sewing novice can create cool projects in no time, and as they say, practice makes perfect!
Which project will you be trying first? Let us know in the comments section – and don’t forget to share this article with your network!
Happy sewing.