39 Unique Homemade Graduation Gifts

Author:
Loraine Brummer
Updated date:
Mar 15, 2022

Loraine loves arts and crafts and used to volunteer at an elementary art class. She loves sharing fun and easy craft tutorials.

There is no gift more personal than one that you have fashioned yourself. Some of the craft ideas here are for personal use and a lot of them are to use in an apartment or dorm room. Some of the gift ideas that you'll find in this article are gift baskets, storage ideas, personal items, quilts, pillows, and ways to give gift cards.

Any graduate would love the gift shown above. Find the tutorial to make one like it at The Country Chic Cottage.

1. iPad Shoulder Tote

This will be a much appreciated hands free way to carry an iPad. Sew this tote, which is fleece lined to protect the iPad, in colors that you know the graduate will love. Find the tutorial for making this super useful tote at Sew4Home.

2. Memory Pillow

Give your graduate a memory pillow to take a bit of home along with them to college. Or, if you are a friend, make the memory pillow featuring a favorite photo of the graduate and you. Find the tutorial for making this memory pillow at Polkadot Chair.

3. Heart Drop Guest Book

I love this heart drop idea as a guest book. What an awesome way to remember those special guests. To make a heart drop frame like the one shown, go to Seventeenfor the directions.

4. Winter Emergency Car Kit

Remind your graduate about how important their safety is to you by gifting them with an emergency car kit. To make a winter emergency car kit, go to Hoosier Homemade for all the information and the tutorial.

5. Laptop Desk With Chalkboard

This laptop desk includes a chalkboard for taking notes while studying. I can imagine that this will be a well used gift by any graduate who receives it. You'll find the tutorial for making this laptop desk at Shelterness.

6. Wristlet Key Fobs

If you need a bunch of graduation gifts, this is a great idea. Make the wristlet key fobs for both the girl and the boy graduates. Make it easy for them to remember where their keys are. The tutorial for making the wristlet key fobs can be found at Pretty Prudent. This would also make a great gift for Mom or Dad.

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7. Curling Iron Travel Case

A great graduation gift to a special girl is a curling iron travel case like this one.

8. Photo Quilt

The tutorial for making this photo quilt tells you exactly how to make the photo squares that you include in this quilt. Your graduate will feel less homesick when there are family photos to wrap up in. Everything you need to know about how to make this quilt can be found at Polkadot Chair.

9. Cushioned Crate Seats

Here is another great idea, using plastic crates, for making extra seating for the dorm room. Although the tutorial on Tupelo Honey doesn't use the crate for storage, I think this project could be changed a little to make it possible to take the cushion off so the crate could be used for storage too.

10. Covered Cork Board

Find out, before you make this covered cork board, what your graduates dorm room colors will be so you can co-ordinate this cork board gift. Any extra fabric could be given to the graduate to cover tin cans or boxes for desk accessories. Go to Carolina Charm to see how to make this cork board.

11. Spa Towel Wrap

Be sure to make this spa wrap using a nice large, fluffy towel. This gift will be very easy to make, and you can be sure it will be much appreciated. Find the tutorial for making it at Centsational Girl.

12. Hand Lettered Plaque

Dr Suess included some great words of encouragement and many graduates grew up listening to or reading his books. A hand lettered plaque is a perfect gift.

13. Fabric Covered Boxes

A college student can never have too much storage, so these fabric covered boxes will really come in handy. The instructions for making the fabric covered boxes is found at the Centsational Girl site.

14. How to Make a BFF Graduation Gift

15. Magnetic Board

Because it is magnetic, the board would probably be used more by the guys, because of the ease of using it. Go to Crate Paper for the basic instructions, and then make the board appropriate to the graduate.

16. Fabric Trinket Box

Whether this box is used for jewelry, love letters or extra coins, it will be used by the graduate. See how easy it is to make by going to Mod Podge Rocks for the instructions.

17. Reading Pillow

Your graduate will grab this pillow, along with whatever book that needs to be read, and find a comfortable spot to study in. Polkadot Chair has the tutorial for making this useful reading pillow.

18. Drawstring Laundry Bag

Taking their laundry to be washed will be so much easier if everything they need to do the laundry is together. This drawstring laundry bag makes sure your graduate has what he or she needs to get the job done. The tutorial for making this laundry bag is found at Sew4Home.

19. First Aid Kit

A gift of basic first aid needs is both welcome and thoughtful. The first time the graduate uses it, they'll understand why this first aid kit is such a great gift. The directions for making this kit is found at Finding My Way. This would also be a nice bridal shower or wedding gift idea.

20. Necklace For Him

21. Kindle Cover

Okay, so maybe you have a Nook instead of the Kindle. The directions at Chickpea Sewing Studio will be appropriate for either of them. It may even work for an iPad.

22. Money Graduation Gifts

I can't imagine any graduate who wouldn't be thrilled with a gift like this one. Find the directions for making this gift at Cut Out and Keep.

23. Bucket of Needs

A bucket filled with all school needs will surely be appreciated. Be sure to include items like fun tack and push pins with this bucket of needs. Check out the instructions for making this gift at Craft Create Cook.

24. Secret Book

Tell your graduate to not tell his or her friends that they have a secret book, a place where they can keep treasures that they don't want to share with anyone. Learn how to make a secret book like the one shown by going to Me and My Shadow.

25. T-Shirt Quilt

Do you have a graduate who has never been able to get rid of even one of their old t-shirts? Make your graduate a quilt, using the t-shirts, and they'll have their t-shirts and you'll free up space that those old t-shirts have been using. See how to make a t-shirt quilt by going to Stars for Streetlights for the tutorial.

26. College Survival Kit

If you want to gift a graduate with a tin of a variety of items, take a look at what's all in this survival kit. Go to All Grown Up Parties for a complete list of all the items included in this survival kit. But, don't be afraid to add, or subtract items, because no one knows your graduate like you do.

27. Business Card Holder

College graduates, especially, will appreciate this gift. You'll find the tutorial for making these business card holders at Mabey She Made It. You might want to include a gift card for the purchase of new business cards.

28. Photos on Canvas

The black and white photos make this a really sharp looking canvas. The instructions that you'll find at Crafty Et ceteras tells you exactly how to make the collage of black and white photos for this project.

29. Lunch Money Cuff

You'll find the tutorial for making this lunch money cuff at a lemon squeezy home. It seems to me that this money cuff would also come in handy when jogging or going out on the town when you don't want to drag along a purse or wallet.

30. Paint Chip Card Holder

This is another one of those items that you could make if you have a large number of gifts to make. Great for gifting a gift card in, and then it can be used to hold business cards. Go to design verb for the template for making these card holders.

31. Worth the Hassle Picture

A gentle reminder while continuing to study after high school. Go to Birds and Soap for the instructions.

32. Survival Kit

There are so many small items that graduates need, but don't think of before leaving home. This is a great gift that Mother’s Niche has a tutorial for.

33. Graduation Cap Money Card

Don't you just love the graduation cap themed money gift card? Make the cards yourself by going to Capturing Joy for the directions.

34. Laundry Bag

This is a gift that the graduate certainly doesn't know he or she needs. Find the easy to follow directions for making this gift at Design Love Fest.

35. Basket of Necessities

To make a dorm room or apartment more homey, there are a few necessities that the graduate may overlook. Craft Create Cook gathers some of these for this gift idea.

36. Money Diplomas

Rolling money bills to look like diplomas is certainly an unique idea. No Biggie is the place to go to see how to put this gift together.

37. Covered Plastic Crates

So many college students use plastic crates for furniture, and here is a way to make them attractive. To cover plastic crates, go to Laura Gunn for the tutorial.