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ARTICLES Articles 3 min read

DIY Mother’s Day Gifts: 13 Patterns Everyone Will Love

diy mother's day gifts
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Mother’s Day is right around the corner and we know you’re on the hunt for the perfect gift for the women you hold dear in your life! And let’s be honest — it can be hard to figure out what to get the person who’s nurtured and cared for you all your life. So to help you out, our team pulled together a list of our favorite DIY Mother’s Day gifts that are sure to show your loved ones how much you care.


These quilted DIY Mother’s Day gifts that are quick to make, appealing, and even useful (for the moms who don’t want any gifts that they’re “just going to have to dust.” Did anyone else’s mom say that?). An added bonus? All of these patterns are digital downloads so you can start pulling fabric right away! With instructions for one of these projects and some scraps or precuts from your stash, you’ll be ready to gift to those you love in the most beautiful and handmade way this Mother’s Day.

diy mother's day gifts
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Gifts For the Moms Always On the Go

If you’re looking for a thoughtful and practical DIY Mother’s Day gift for a busy mom, consider making her a tote bag, zipper pouch, or carryall bag! These can be both stylish and functional, providing ample space for all the essentials.

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Beach Tote: Whether your mom is headed to the beach this summer or not, this quilted tote will come in handy lots of places. You’ll be able to make it in no time using precut strips and squares.

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Bow Tie Tote Bag: Quilters can never have too many tote bags! This tote was made with 5″ precut squares in a collection of pretty teal, coral, and yellow prints. To help you make this bag even more quickly, we have a full video tutorial showing how it goes together; click here to watch the free video.

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Quilted Carryall Bag: Create a quilting sampler using traditional or improvisational techniques and turn it into a fun, pretty, carryall bag!

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Zipper Pouch: After all, mom is going to need a coordinating pouch to put in her new tote or carryall, right?

Gifts For the Moms Who Always Cook Up Some Fun

For the mom who seems to spend most of her time in the kitchen, a handmade apron or pair of oven mitts are sure to please! Not only will these gifts keep mom looking stylish, but they’ll also protect her while she’s cooking up a storm.

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Cozy Oven Mitts: Use fabric to coordinate with the recipient’s kitchen decor for a special and useful gift that avid cooks and bakers will truly appreciate. Choose a background fabric to complement your table.

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Sweet n’ Simple Aprons: The vintage country appeal of these scrappy Dresden plates appliqued to a half-apron is hard to resist. Designer Erika Mulvenna joined Mary Fons to share some of her favorite vintage aprons from her collection and to demonstrate how to make the ties for her apron on an episode of “Quilty;” click here to view the episode for free.

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A Little Zig Zag Table Runner: Dress up your table in playful florals and bold prints—only the high heels are missing! Stitched in diagonal rows of five blocks, you can easily change the length of the runner (designed by Jenny Doan) by adding or subtracting one or more rows.

Gifts For the Moms Who Love Their Quiet Time

A quilted laptop case or colorful mug rug make fantastic gifts for the moms who cherish their alone time. With these items in tow, mom will have everything she needs to stay cozy while watching her favorite show! What could be better?

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Lone Star Tablet Keeper: This stylish tablet cover designed by Nancy Zieman finishes at 8” x 10” and fits most tablets.

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Puff Pillow Laptop Cushion: Customize this puffy lap cushion made from triangle-squares for the woman who puts in a lot of time on her laptop.

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Modern Mug Rugs: You can keep beverages close at hand on any surface with these easy pieced 6” x 8” mug rugs made with 2½” strips.

Gifts For the Moms Who Love Tokens of Affection

For the moms who value sentimental and thoughtful gifts, a customized heart pillow or pincushion are great options! Whatever you choose to make, just remember to add a personal touch. Your mom will adore whatever you make because you made it.

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I Heart You Pillow: Tell mom how much she means to you with this quick, scrappy pillow or table topper. The easy folded-squares technique provides little pockets where you can tuck love notes, and prairie points around the edges add charm. With no quilting, binding or zipper, it’s especially fast to make. Pattern includes ideas for ways to adapt the design to other sizes, colors and uses.

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Les Biscornus Pincushions: European embroidered pincushions get a modern American spin when made with quilting fabrics in colorful combinations.

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A Customized Quilted Heart: Make your mom or loved one a small stitched and embellished heart! You can make it extra special by incorporating themes that represent their personality. Click here to get a free PDF of the template.

Let’s Celebrate All Our Moms & Mother Figures

If you aren’t convinced that DIY Mother’s Day gifts are the ultimate display of affection, then we recommend checking out all of the fun accessories we have in our shop! These gifts are heartfelt, functional, and show how much you care. And because they’re handmade, these gifts will have an extra special meaning to your loved ones. So download your favorite pattern, grab some fabric, and get ready to stitch up a gift that will be cherished for years to come.

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