3 Easy and Lazy Crafts You Can Make and Sell By Lori Wade


Love to quilt and make crafts? Then you have a gift that could earn you some extra spending money. People love homemade crafts and they are often willing to spend a bit more for something that was handmade by a local artisan.

There’s something about a handmade craft stitched by hand or sewing machine that has its unique look and story. That’s what makes them so profitable. Besides, quilting is a fun, stress-relieving activity, so it’s a win-win for you. You get to pursue your hobby while cashing in on your hard work. What could be better?

To help you out, here are some easy quilting projects that you can put together and sell.

Coasters

If you’ve got some scraps of fabric at home and you aren’t sure what to do with them, why not whip up some quilted coasters? They’re cute and can be used by just about everyone.

Be selective with your fabric patterns to create coasters that will appeal to all kinds of customers. Floral fabrics tend to be the most popular, but if your target audience are into geometric patterns or even superheroes, then taylor your patterns to them.

To get started with this project, all you need is your fabric, thread, and quilt batting scraps. You’ll need enough fabric to cut out eight squares measuring 4.5” by 4.5” as well as quilt batting to make four squares of the same size.

Start by cutting out your squares. Two pieces of fabric will be used for one coaster (one piece for the front and one for the back) and then you’ll have a square of quilt batting for each.

Lay a square of batting down and place a fabric square on top of it with the wrong side facing the batting. Then add your second fabric square on top, this time with the wrong side facing up. The wrong side just refers to the side of the fabric that you don’t want to show.

Then it’s time to stitch. Use a 1/4“ seam and stitch around the edges of the squares, leaving an inch or two for you to turn the coaster right side out. Once you turn the coaster so that the correct patterned sides are facing outwards, you can use a pencil or knitting needle to push the corners out so they’re not bunched up.

Finally, you can stitch up the opening and make any additional stitches on the surface of the coaster to add more flair.

Laptop Case

Laptop cases can be expensive and nowhere near as cute as you could make them with this DIY project. Plus, it takes mere minutes for an experienced quilter to create this laptop sleeve. All you’ll need is some felt fabric (it will do a good job of cushioning the laptop), thread, and some pieces of Velcro. About ½ yard of felt should do the trick.

Start by laying out the felt on a flat surface and place a laptop on top of it. Leave a 3/4“ border around the laptop and cut out the fabric. Then, cut out a second piece of felt but make it about six inches longer than the first one. This is for creating a flap closure for the case.

Pin the two pieces of fabric together, placing the smaller one on top of the larger one. Using a very small seam, stitch around the edges of the fabric, leaving one of the longer sides open so that you can slide the laptop in.

Trim any excess and then decide where you want the Velcro pieces to go. Place two pieces on the underside of the flap, then fold the flap closed so you can see where the other two pieces should go for a securely closed laptop case.

Tote Bag

Who couldn’t use a tote bag? Whether it’s for gifting to Mom or taking to the market, tote bags are versatile and become much sweeter when they’re handmade. For this project, you need a half yard of the fabric of your choice, two yards of 1” cotton webbing, and cotton thread.

Now, grab your fabric and cut two 16” by 14” panels. Cut the webbing into two 22.5”-long pieces. These are going to be the bag’s handles so choose webbing that complements your bag fabric.

Next, lay one fabric piece flat (correct pattern side up) and line up one of the handles so that each end sits three inches in from the sides and rests at the top of the fabric. Stitch along the top edge to secure the handles in place, then repeat with the other piece of fabric and handle.

Then, flip the fabric panels over so the wrong side is facing up. Fold the top edge over towards you about 1-1/2” and pin it in place so you can stitch the fold down.

To stitch the bag together, place one panel right side up and then place the other on top of it, right side down. The bag should look as if it’s inside out. Pin the fabrics together and stitch a 1/2“ seam down the side, along the bottom, and up the other side. Turn the bag inside out and push the corners out to see how it looks!

These DIY quilting projects are loads of fun to do alone or with friends. Play around with fabric choices and have fun gifting them or selling them for some extra pocket money.

Author’s BIO: Lori Wade is a journalist from Louisville. She is a content writer for who have experience in small editions, Lori is now engaged in news and conceptual articles on the topic of DIY and quilting. If you are interested in crafting or lifestyle, you can find her on  Twitter & LinkedIn. She has good experience and knowledge in the field.


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