One of my obsessions! I do all the above. Until recently I made rag rugs - however, my arthritic hands now find the hooking too painful.
use some fabric to make a feature on a garment, such as collar or cuffs
patch together to make aprons or gardening smocks
also knickers (I love my 'designer' knickers!)
make lavender bags (I have a lavender hedge and dry my own - I fund raise for charity with a few friends)
make all sorts of scarves - I use knits to make neck warmers - and I have made some lovely 'twist' cowl type scarves with beautiful fabrics. These have sold well at charity fund raisers, though I have to tell people that they are 'one-offs'!
gift bags - all sorts of sizes - I add a note 're-use or pass on'
gift wrapping
with appropriate fabric:
make-up remover / cosmetic pads
spectacle polishing scraps
hankies
tops to put on marmalade which I gift (I don't really make any other jams or chutneys)
I pass on knit fabric to a friend who cuts it into strips to crochet cushon covers. I'm thinking of trying this myself now I can't rag rug.
I know a lot of places offer free patterns. My own favourite is The Cloth House - my latest is their 'bunny bag'.
I also found myself wanting Sewing with Scraps. Seems a bit odd to pay quite a lot for something like that, but in the end I decided I could use my Fold Line points. It is lovely to read, and I shall do something from it, as soon as I have finished my current project!
All of these make lovely gifts for friends who don't sew (sadly, for some reason, most of mine)
