Patterns, Techniques, Articles, Blogs, and other resources to learn how to sew
My husband and I have a running battle over dryer sheets. He likes them, I do not. However, after seeing this tutorial by Vanessa from V & Co. and Uptown Jane, I may have just had a change of heart. She uses used dryer sheets to help turn under the edges of a shape that’s being appliqued. Go to the tutorial.
[photo from V & Co.]
Christmas selling brings out a very specific kind of panic — even in confident sewists.
Suddenly, there’s pressure to be festive, affordable, competitive, and profitable all at the same time. You start second-guessing prices, comparing yourself to everyone else, and wondering whether you should “just lower it a bit” because it’s Christmas.
But here’s the truth most beginner sellers don’t realise until it’s too late: Christmas is the worst time to undervalue your work.
Let’s talk about how to price handmade Christmas items realistically, confidently, and in a way that keeps selling joyful — not exhausting.
Christmas creates urgency — for both sellers and buyers.
As a seller, you’re dealing with:
As a buyer, people are:
That’s not a reason to lower prices — it’s often a reason to raise them slightly.
One mindset shift makes all the difference during the holidays.
You’re not selling decorations or crafts.
You’re selling finished gifts.
Handmade Christmas items solve real problems:
When you price from this perspective, confidence comes much easier.
Lowering prices at Christmas feels generous — but it creates problems quickly.
Underselling leads to:
If your prices don’t protect your time in December, they’re too low.
Christmas pricing needs to include more than usual.
In addition to materials and time, consider:
Holiday selling costs more. Your prices should reflect that reality.
You don’t need a complicated system.
Use this as a baseline:
Materials + (Hourly rate × Time) + Holiday costs = Christmas price
Holiday costs might only add a small amount per item — but they matter.
Even a modest increase protects your energy and sanity.
There’s a myth that Christmas items have to be cheap because they’re small.
In reality, small handmade items sell because they’re:
Pricing them too low often signals “throwaway” instead of “special.”
A well-priced small item feels intentional — not cheap.
It’s tempting to scroll Etsy or wander markets and panic over prices.
Instead of asking:
“Why are they cheaper than me?”
Ask:
You don’t need to match the lowest price to make sales — especially at Christmas.
This is important.
Holiday buyers:
Trying to price like it’s March instead of December is a common mistake.
If you’re:
Those are signs your prices may be too low.
Raising prices slightly can actually slow demand to a manageable level — and increase profit at the same time.
Christmas is already busy.
Your pricing should:
A price that protects your time is a healthy price.
Instead of asking:
“Is this too expensive for Christmas?”
Ask:
“Does this price allow me to make this item with care, on time, and without stress?”
If the answer is yes, you’re pricing correctly.
Handmade Christmas items don’t need to be cheap to be desirable. They need to be well made, thoughtfully presented, and fairly priced.
And the sellers who respect their time during the holidays are the ones who enjoy selling — year after year.
Book Review – Sewing to Sell – The Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Craft Business
I’ve done this. I have used dryer sheets to turn fabric hearts. I’ll make two fabric hearts using this technique. Then after turning them I put torn or cut up used dryer sheets into the little slit I made on the dryer sheet side to lightly stuff the hearts. Then I top stitch the two hearts together around the edges while the right sides are showing and add in a small lace loop or small yarn single crochet loop at the top center v of the hearts being sewn together. Then finish sewing all the way around. You can do this top stitching by machine or hand, which ever you perfer.
Now you have a stuffed heart that is light and can be hung on your bedroom wall in groupings of three, five or even seven. You can vary the sizes and fabric patterns of the hearts if you wish. You could also hang them on clothes hangers to add freshness to your closet. If you want them as clothes hanger closet freshners you might want to use a little unused dryer fabric sheets that have more scent left on them.
I have several little hearts hanging in a grouping in the blue bedroom of our home and I used leftover drape fabric and left over ruffle fabric and left over bedding fabrics to make them. I love to use up little bits of fabrics and left over dryer sheets for the turning.
I just thought, maybe if you stuffed the hearts pretty tight with cut up pieces of used dryer sheets then these little hearts or other shapes you might make, might make fairly good pin cushions. Just a thought.
thanks for the link up! 😉