Best Sewing Crafts to Sell: 16 Ideas to Make and Sell

These sewing crafts have a history of selling well, and each suits a small sewing business run from home. They are worth having in your sewing shop. This post groups sixteen of them into children’s items, home and kitchen textiles, bags, and cases and organizers. It also covers the US rules for children’s items, which matter before you sell anything made for a child.

Some of the crafts are categories, which means you can add ideas of your own. If baby bibs are a good seller, consider bonnets, booties and blankets as well. Keep an open mind while reading the list.

To choose between the ideas, check demand and test a small batch first. Both steps are covered in what to sew to sell. For the full set of posts on starting a sewing business, see how to start a sewing business from home.

Children’s Items

1. Baby Items

Parents spend freely on the best and cutest things for their babies, and a lot of what a baby needs can be sewn. Bibs, bonnets, blankets, changing mats and booties are common examples, and the list goes on. People also buy these items as gifts, which widens the market. Sewing for babies is a good niche to specialize in, because it keeps you making interesting things.

Mothers like natural, handmade, safe and unique utility items for their babies. Safe and unique are the key words. Use the best material available, and put your creativity into the design. Cheerful, happy themes usually work best, and neutral shades suit buyers with that taste.

Baby items come with rules. Sleepwear has flammability requirements, and clothing needs labels. See the section on US rules for children’s items below.

2. Stuffed Toys

Stuffed toys are arguably the most difficult item on this list, and they are not for everyone. Making them goes beyond simple sewing. The stuffing, shaping and accessories make it a separate skill.

Many toys for children are not difficult to make, though. Look up some projects and see if you can sew them. Simple stuffed toys sell well, and children’s stuffed toys can be well worth the effort for a sewing business. The craft is popular online provided you can meet the legal requirements. Toys are children’s products, so the rules below apply, and some states also require stuffed toy makers to register or hold a license.

3. Doll Clothes

Doll clothes fit naturally with toys. Sewing these miniature outfits can be fun and profitable, and some makers earn a good income from this craft online. If you make outfits for popular doll models, you will find they are fast sellers. Find out which dolls are popular and make dresses and accessories for them.

US Rules for Children’s Items

Making and selling items for children is no longer simple. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) treats products designed or intended mainly for children 12 and under as children’s products. Whatever the size of your business, makers of these items generally need testing at a CPSC-accepted laboratory and must issue a Children’s Product Certificate. Products are retested at least every 12 months, and when materials change. Records must be kept for five years. The CPSC page for online sellers does not describe a separate exemption for handmade items. The law behind these requirements is the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).

Small batch manufacturers can register with the CPSC for relief from some testing requirements. The relief is limited, a Children’s Product Certificate is still required, and tracking labels remain mandatory. The CPSC’s Regulatory Robot helps you find the rules for each product type. The points below apply to the crafts in this section.

• Toys. ASTM F963 is the mandatory toy standard (16 CFR part 1250). The CPSC lists ASTM F963-23 for toys made after April 20, 2024. Tracking label markings must be on both the product and its packaging.
• Small parts. Products intended for children under 3 that have small parts are banned. A small part is anything that fits inside the CPSC test cylinder, including pieces that break off during testing. Buttons and plastic eyes on a toy for a young child are a risk. Fabric, yarn, string and elastic that come loose in testing are not counted as small parts, and children’s clothing and accessories are excluded from this ban.
• Sleepwear. Children’s sleepwear in sizes 0 through 14 must meet flammability standards. Garments that meet the infant garment or tight-fitting garment requirements are excepted from the flammability testing, but still have to meet the general clothing flammability rules. The CPSC page does not say whether an individual maker counts as a manufacturer. It points to its Small Business Ombudsman for that question.
• State rules for stuffed toys. Some states regulate stuffed toy makers. Pennsylvania requires manufacturers to hold a registration number and to attach a law label to each stuffed toy sold there. Massachusetts requires a license from its Division of Food Protection, with a $300 application fee for each manufacturing facility. Other states may have similar laws, so check yours before selling.
• Clothing labels. Clothing for babies and children also needs fiber content and care labels. See clothing labels.

For the general rules on licenses, zoning, sales tax and insurance, see US rules for a home-based sewing business. This is a general guide, not legal advice.

Home and Kitchen Textiles

4. Cushions and Pillow Covers

A common piece of advice when buying a new sofa or bed sheets is to go with a neutral shade and let the cushions and pillows add the color. That is the power of cushions and pillow covers, and the reason they sell so well.

Cushion covers are simple to make. Your own imprint of colors and prints is the main selling point. Festive themes can boost sales during the season, and local tradition themes work as well. Choosing interesting fabrics and prints is the focal point. A bonus feature such as making them reversible adds to the appeal.

5. Aprons

Aprons of all kinds are a successful selling project. Make different kinds for different purposes: kitchen aprons, sewing aprons, woodworking aprons and any other idea you come up with.

6. Placemat and Napkin Sets

This project is right up there among the useful sewing crafts, and it is a hot seller if the results are novel. Placemats are a common craft, but yours can be unique. Make them sturdy, reversible, durable and easily washable. Combine placemats with matching napkins and the set becomes a strong seller.

There are many ways to make placemats. Quilting-weight fabric works. To make them easier to maintain, use a thick fabric such as cotton twill or lightweight canvas. Patchwork helps this project sell even better, but it is labor-intensive. Include that labor in the final selling price, since there is a limit to what buyers will pay.

7. Oven Mitts, Gloves and Pot Holders

Gloves, oven mitts and pot holders are all high-selling sewing crafts. Combine prints and colors to make attractive designs. Make them in pairs, because people prefer to have two rather than one.

To make them quickly, do not quilt them. Layer, cut and build, using quilting-weight fabric, and you can make them very fast. Any other craft you can think of sewing for the kitchen is probably a good idea as well.

Bags and Pouches

Bags are a large part of this list because they sell for practical reasons and to keep up with fashion. Sewing all kinds of bags is profitable if you do it well, and the skill needed ranges from basic to advanced. Use your strengths and add creativity, and focus on finding interesting fabrics and prints.

8. Tote Bags and Reusable Shopping Bags

Tote bags are easy to carry and have enough space for almost anything. They are used by people of all ages, so the market is large. Use your strongest material and sewing techniques for any kind of bag. Make the handles strong, and add interesting pockets, such as an inside pocket for a mobile phone. Tote bags cost very little to sew and can be sold at inexpensive prices, yet they earn a good profit margin. They are a good addition to an online shop and always find buyers.

Grocery shopping bags belong in this group. People who use reusable bags are helping the environment, and with a good design they can look fashionable at the same time.

9. Messenger Bags

Messenger bags are back and popular with men, so do not neglect this part of the market. Choose more masculine fabrics such as canvas and denim, or leather if you are feeling adventurous. Sewing on leather is usually left to advanced sewers and tailors because there is no room for mistakes. If a stitch goes wrong, the piece usually has to be discarded and started again. Give a messenger bag plenty of pockets and a comfortable way to carry it.

10. Slouchy and Hobo Bags

Slouchy bags, including colorful hobo bags, differ from totes in design and appeal for different reasons. Someone who does not buy a tote bag may choose a slouchy bag instead, and some customers buy both. A little choice and variety in the bag collection helps sales.

11. Drawstring Backpacks

Simple drawstring backpacks are easy to make and very popular with young people. They make a good starter bag for a new shop.

12. Insulated Lunch Bags

A “keep warm” food bag is another good idea. Any family with children needs one, and usually more than one. They are used for taking lunch to school or the office, and on picnics and outdoor trips. Extra pockets make them multi-functional and suit school-going children. These bags sell best in summer and early fall, so stock up before then.

13. Zipper Pouches

Pouches follow the same concept as bags, which is storage, but they are a very different product. Zipper pouches come in different sizes and designs and sell for many different reasons. They carry cosmetics in a handbag, hold receipts and store small items. Make them in interesting prints and colors, usually with a soft padded material. The soft, padded ones give the contents cushioning and sell best.

Cases and Organizers

14. Phone and Tablet Covers

People like covers and cases for their expensive electronic devices. A handmade cover is an interesting way to carry a device and also protects it. The craft has two parts to get right. Make an interesting design, and use enough cushioning and soft fabric to keep the device as safe as possible. Handmade covers usually give good protection against bumps and minor falls.

People also appreciate handmade covers because they are unique, so use interesting designs, fabrics, colors and prints.

15. Organizers

Organizers are among the easiest items to make. Even the most basic design looks good, serves its purpose and sells well. They keep things together, such as letters, papers, pens and sewing accessories. You can make organizers for a wide range of things.

16. Sewing Accessories for Other Sewers

Accessories for other seamstresses and tailors can sell well. Think of the useful things that look good in a sewing studio, such as pin cushions and sewing organizers. Tailors and seamstresses like having plenty of useful accessories around.

Use fabrics, colors and embellishments to create interesting designs, and turn even a small accessory into an attractive one. Pin cushions and organizers are favorites because they do not take much time to make and sell for a good profit.

Making These Crafts Sell

Each of these crafts is a starting point. Narrow it to a specific product and a specific buyer, and add your own mark through fabric, color, print or a useful feature. Read how to make your crafts niche and how to coordinate fabrics for ideas, and how to do more with patterns if you want to adapt a design.

For a simple ballpark price, work out how much the item costs to make and sell it at four times that amount. How to set the final selling price on your craft covers other methods. Clear product photographs matter online, because buyers cannot touch the item.

To find buyers, see how to start selling sewing crafts online, 31 places to sell crafts online and how to sell at craft shows.

Pick one or two crafts from this list, make a small batch and see how they sell. Share the crafts that sell best for you in the comments.

Sources

• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Online Sellers Safety Guide, CPSC Business Guidance.
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Small Batch Manufacturers, CPSC Business Guidance.
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Toy Safety, CPSC Business Guidance.
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Small Parts for Toys and Children’s Products, CPSC Business Guidance.
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Children’s Sleepwear Regulations, CPSC Business Guidance.
• Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, Stuffed Toys, Bureau of Occupational and Industrial Safety.
• Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Apply for a License to Manufacture and Sell Stuffed Toys, Bedding, Upholstered Furniture, and Related Products, Mass.gov.