I took my very first sewing class recently at the incredible Make Workshop, a tidy studio housed in an artist’s collective on the Lower East Side.  Dianna Rupp, the studio’s founder, sewing book author and creative force, patiently walked us through everything from bobbins to back stitches. And at the end of the two-hour Intro to Sewing Machine session I had a nifty wallet-style pouch to show for it.

For those who know their way around a sewing machine, Diana suggested a pouch like this to present small trinkets for a holiday grab bag or office gift swap. Gussy up movie tickets, coffee gift certificates, even a little tube of lip gloss will seem like a bigger deal with bespoke packaging.