Maria Geer 
A drawstring bread bag in linen or unbleached muslin keeps a crust crisp for a day or two and doubles as a produce bag. French seams inside, a folded casing, and a cut chart for a round boule and a long baguette.
Tea towels are the easiest kitchen sewing there is: a torn rectangle of flour sack cotton or linen, a narrow double-fold hem, four mitered corners, and a strip of quilting cotton across one end. One takes 40 minutes, a set of six takes an afternoon.
Fabric bird ornaments are three-piece stuffed birds about 4 inches long, with a belly gusset, a French knot eye, and a felt wing. Draft the pattern from measurements and sew one in 25 minutes.
A mini stocking garland is a dozen little cotton or flannel stockings, each drawn from a 4 by 6 inch rectangle, cuffed, and strung on jute twine. About 20 minutes a stocking, and no pattern to print.
A fabric gnome is a rice-weighted cotton cone with a fur beard, a bead nose, and a hat pulled down over everything else. One pattern makes a 10 inch mantel gnome or a mini tree ornament.
A rag wreath is a wire frame packed with about 300 torn cotton strips. Chain the strips on the machine, gather, and lash them to the rings for a fuller wreath in about two hours, or tie them on the classic way.
Fold four starched cotton squares into sharp points, stitch them to a felt circle, and add a smaller second layer for a two-layer Scandinavian star. Hand sewn, beginner friendly, about 30 minutes each.
Stack nine fabric yo-yos cut from 6-inch down to 2-inch circles on a skewer and spool for a tabletop Christmas tree, or thread five on a string for an ornament. Hand sewn, beginner friendly, about an hour.
A stuffed cotton tube bent into a 4 inch ring, with a bow over the join. One seam, 30 minutes, beginner friendly, with cut sizes for three wreath sizes and a tied rag-strip version.
Two pieces of cotton, a traced stepped tree outline, a handful of stuffing, and a twine loop make a Christmas tree ornament in about 20 minutes. Template dimensions, trimming and clipping tips, and a garland of eight included.
Reusable drawstring fabric gift bags in three sizes, from one folded rectangle with French seams and a double-pull ribbon casing. About 15 minutes per bag.
Make a set of three contoured flannel and terry burp cloths in about an hour, with a hand-drawn shoulder-shaped template, a simple rectangle version, and the prewash and needle details that keep them flat.