6 Simple DIY Gifts That You Can Make on a Budget

Sometimes a gift-giving holiday sneaks up on you without warning. Whether it’s Christmas, a birthday, a housewarming party, or a bachelorette party, occasionally you need a gift on a budget and in a hurry. Or perhaps you simply love giving handmade gifts! Whatever the reason you’re in a gift-making mood, I’ve got you covered. I’ve compiled a list of eight simple and practical DIY gifts you can make on a budget. Make some of these, or use them as a jumping-off point to come up with something truly your own.

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Gift #1: Set of Scrunchies

Sure, you can find scrunchies just about anywhere—but the benefit of making your own is in how much you can customize them! Find a fabric that matches your loved one’s hobbies, favorite colors, or profession. For a less budget-friendly option, order some custom fabric from Spoonflower with photos of them, their pets, or something else they love.

To make one scrunchie, you’ll need:

Fabric: I make my scrunchies 27” by 4.5”, but you might need more or less, depending on how big and fluffy you want your scrunchie to be. I have used cotton and also flannelette. If you can’t get a piece of 27” by 4.5” fabric, you could do 2 pieces of 14” by 4.5” and have two seams instead of one. I’ve done this and it works just as well as having just one piece!
Elastic: I use ¼” elastic. I’d recommend something like this.
Thread: Whatever color you’d like; I prefer to go with threads that match my fabric. Gutermann thread is my go-to for quality thread; I’d recommend these. It’s a popular brand, so you should be able to find it in any craft store, fabric store, and even Walmart!
A sewing machine or a needle to sew by hand. (PS – if you’re looking for a new sewing machine that works well and won’t break the bank, this is the one I use and I love it.)

For a full tutorial on how to make your very own scrunchies, click here.

Gift #2: Custom Ceramic Tile Coasters

Why get your friend a set of generic coasters from the store when you could make them a set with their photos on it? Get creative—you could use photos of their pets, places on their bucket list, wedding photos, or any other photos of memorable moments. This is one DIY gift they’re sure to show off!

For a set of four coasters, you’ll need:

Ceramic Tiles: I use 4” x 4” and get mine at the hardware store, but you can also get coaster-making sets on Amazon like this one here.
Photos/Images: I cut mine a little smaller than 4” x 4” – usually 3.5” x 3.5” – but this will depend on how you want it to look/if you want to leave a large border or a small border.
Felt or cork: This is to cover the bottom of the tiles. The set on Amazon, linked above, comes with both tiles and cork, but I generally buy mine individually.
Sealer: Waterproof Mod Podge is quick and easy. Resin also works great but can be expensive and tricky to work with. I have tried both options and both work well.

For a full tutorial on how to make your ceramic time photo coasters, click here.

Gift #3: Wristlet keychain/key fob

I switched to a wristlet keychain a few years ago, and I’ll never go back to a regular keychain. It makes my keys easier to find in the chaotic mess that is my purse, and if I have to run downstairs to get my mail or let in a delivery driver (ah, the joys of apartment living!) or outside to throw out the trash, I don’t have to worry about how I’m also going to carry my keys—they’re safe on my wrist! It’s such a practical gift, and because you can use whatever fabric patterns or colors you want, the options are truly limitless.

To make your own wristlet keychain, you’ll need:

Fabric: I use cotton and cut my fabric to 12” x 4”. This gives me a wristlet that is 1” wide, and about 6” tall (from fold to bottom of the metal hardware). If you’re making this as a gift, try to find a fabric that represents the recipient in some way! Use a fabric themed with their favorite colors, animals, a hobby, or their profession. There are so many fabrics to choose from, both online and in stores. (Did you know Dollar Tree even has little rolls of cotton fabric? If not, go check it out!)
Interfacing: I use thin, fusible interfacing. If you want to get a large amount, I’d recommend this one. HOWEVER, I’ve had just as much success with the fusible interfacing from the Dollar Tree, believe it or not. Check it out here. I cut it to slightly smaller than my fabric – roughly 11.5” by 3.5”.
Wristlet hardware: I bought this set on Amazon and love it. It includes the hardware and the appropriate pliers for closing the hardware. Make sure that whatever size hardware you’re using, that’s the size of your wristlet! My fabric dimensions are for a 1” wide wristlet, and the link takes you to 1” wristlet hardware.
An iron: You’re going to do a lot of ironing to make this!

For a full tutorial on how to make a wristlet/key fob keychain, click here.

Gift #4: Pet Magnets

Magnets can be a great gift because they’re practical. They can use them at home on the fridge, on cabinets at the office, on magnet whiteboards they have around their home, etc. Make them 10x better by personalizing them with pictures of pets, friends, or favorite places! Because this is such an easy DIY gift, it’s sure to become one of your go-to’s on a time crunch.

What you’ll need to make your own magnets:

Glass cabochons: I generally order cabochons and magnets separately, that way I can control the quality of each. I really like these cabochons. If you want to order cabochons and magnets together, however, here is a good place to start.
Magnets: As mentioned above, I generally order my cabochons and magnets separately. These are a great option. I’d caution against magnets that already have sticky backing, as they don’t tend to actually stick that well. Go with magnets you have to glue for the best results and make sure you use glue that can stick to paper, glass, and magnets.
Glue: My glue of choice is called Diamond Glaze, which you can find here. However, other people have had great success with E6000 glue, which you can find here.
Photos or Images: You’ll need images depending on the type of magnets you want to make. I generally print individual photos at Staples or the Walmart photo center. You can also take images from magazines, wrapping paper, old calendars, etc. The sky is the limit!

For a full tutorial on how to make some pet or photo magnets, click here.

Gift #5: Rice Hand Warmers

If you live somewhere prone to colder winters, this is a great, practical gift. Just pop these reusable hand warmers in the microwave to heat up, and then keep them in your pocket or your gloves when you go for a walk, go out to shovel snow, or just need to warm up a little. When the heat is gone, throw them in the microwave again and they’re ready to use again!

Supplies you’ll need to make your own rice hand warmers:

COTTON Fabric: For a pair of warmers, you’ll need four pieces of 5” square fabric. (You could make them smaller, or larger, based on your preference.) MAKE SURE that your fabric is 100% COTTON. Nothing else is microwave-safe!
COTTON Thread: I generally choose a color that matches my fabric. MAKE SURE that your thread is 100% COTTON. Nothing else is microwave-safe!
Rice!

For a full tutorial on how to make your own rice hand warmers, click here.

Gift #6: DIY Air Fresheners

Air fresheners are a fun choice because they’re not something people usually think of when they think about handmade gifts.

To make a DIY air freshener, you’ll need:

A Wooden Shape: These air fresheners aren’t limited to tree shapes (although that’s what I made because it’s Christmas time and wooden tree shapes are easy to find right now). Check your local craft store for a variety of wooden shapes to choose from. Or if you like the idea of tress, check these out.
Fabric: I use cotton fabric for this. You can do any colors or patterns you want! The amount of fabric you need will vary depending on the size of your shapes, and how many you’re making. I love this bright Christmas fabric but you really can use any patterns!
Glue: Most glues will work. I really like this Elmer’s glue all, I find it works well with wood projects.
String: Depending on what shapes you buy, they may come with string. If not, you can use cotton string, twine, or anything else that works with your theme.
Essential Oils: You’ll just need a few drops of whatever scent you want your air freshener to carry! For holiday scents, I really like this set and this set.

For a full tutorial on how to make these cute DIY air fresheners, click here.

What DIY gifts will you make?

Handmade DIY gifts don’t have to be expensive, or time-consuming, to be well-received. The number one thing to think about when gifting a handmade product (just like when gifting a store-bought product!) is whether it’s something the recipient would like/use.

Handmade things also make great additions to larger gifts; the wristlets would be great in a stocking or as part of a larger housewarming gift. The polymer clay dish would be great paired with a bracelet. Or mix and match a few different DIY gifts!

Will you attempt any of these DIY gifts? Let me know in the comments!