With the winter holidays just around the corner, you may find yourself with young kids home during their vacations from school or perhaps visiting from out of town. Since one can only bake so many batches of Christmas cookies (at least that’s what I’ve been told), why not spend some time sewing with the young people in your life?

Managing Editor Tricia Patterson recently blogged about 5 lessons she learned when sewing with her 12- and 8-year-old granddaughters during one of their visits. “I was so looking forward to the day I could spend time quilting with them,” she wrote. “I know many quilters, grandmothers, mothers, fathers and brothers who want to share the heritage of quilting with young kids. I’d like to share with you what I learned from my experience teaching my kids.” Read all about Tricia’s insights here.

Here are some specific project ideas you might want to try depending upon the ages of the kids you want to sew with, their interests and the materials you might already have on-hand.

1) Quilting with Preschoolers

Let’s start with sewing projects for little ones. In the video below, I shared some simple quilt projects I did with my daughters when they were between 2 and 5 years old. I took advantage of packages of precut charm squares and mini-charm squares for two of them. Another project involved hand stitching using a small hoop and blunt Sashiko needles. The results provided insight into each child’s thought process and also resulted in doll quilts that have their own stories. You can watch the full episode below.

2) Image Transfer Technique with Markers

Learn to create beautiful image transfers using Sharpie markers and rubbing alcohol. Associate editor Gigi Khalsa shows you how to design your own artwork, color it and turn it into beautiful fabric with this fun technique. Gigi shows you how to convert a colored drawing into a beautiful little quilt as well as how to create one of a kind fabric embellishments, all using Sharpie markers. This is a simple, easy way to add a personal touch to your quilting projects. A preview video is below; you can view the full video on our website here.

3) Bright Throw Pillows

We love these cute throw pillows made in bright prints! This Quilting Quickly pattern is a great project to work on with young assistants who might enjoy creating their own accent pillows. Mix and match lights and dark prints to create this little project. The full video is included below.

4) Fabric Postcard Pets

Join award-winning quilter Pauline Salzman for an adventure in creating delightful fabric pet portraits on a small scale using simple sewing techniques. The postcards are perfect for sewists and quilters looking for quick and easy design ideas, or for beginners searching for unintimidating projects that are fun, easy, and not overwhelming. Click here to learn more about the Fabric Postcard Pets video tutorial.

5) Snowflake Centerpiece craft

This looks like a really fun, no-sew project that helps turn recycled materials (dryer sheets, to be specific) into a lovely piece of wintry décor. Click here to read the full tutorial with how-to photos.