Do-It-Yourself Baby and Kid Items

[MrsPinecone]

Fitted crib sheets:

Crib Sheets Pattern | Bundles Of Love (http://www.bundlesoflove.org/sheetpattern.htm)

How to Make Fitted Sheets (http://www.andsewitis.net/sewing/sheets.html)

Bibs/Burp Cloths:

Several free bib patterns-- Free Bib Patterns (http://www.poopockets.com/free/bibs/bibs.htm)

Hand towel bibs-- Free Directions to Sew a Baby Bib From a Finger or Hand Towel (http://sewing.about.com/library/weekly/aa070398.htm)

homemade by jill: burp cloth tutorial (http://homemadebyjill.blogspot.com/2008/01/burp-cloth-tutorial.html)

Hats:

Hats & Bib patterns-- Baby & Toddler Hats & Bibs Kwik Sew 2231 (http://www.thesewingplace.com/browseproducts/Baby---Toddler-Hats---Bibs-Kwik-Sew-2231.html)

Slings:

Pouch sling along the lines of the "New Native" sling promoted by Cindy Crawford, for much less money! Sew a Baby Sling (http://www.ida.net/users/stace/sling.html)

Maya Wrap-- Baby Sling Sewing Instructions from Maya Wrap (http://www.mayawrap.com/n_sewsling.php)

Rings for Maya Wrap: SlingRings.com | Manufacturer of high-quality nylon rings for slings (http://www.slingrings.com/) or you can buy 3" rings at a boating supply store.

"Man-tai"-- Making a Mei Tai (http://www.baypathleos.com/mt_instructions.shtml)

No-Sew Baby Wrap ala Moby Wrap Make a Wrap (http://www.wearyourbaby.com/Default.aspx?tabid=121)
Instructions for wearing on that site or at: Instructions (http://www.mobywrap.com/t-instructions.aspx)

A whole bunch of patterns for all kinds of carriers-- Links for Sewing and Improvising Babycarriers (http://www.thebabywearer.com/lists/Sewing.htm)

Make A Baby Sling :: Baby Slings | Baby Carriers | Mamma's Milk (http://www.mammasmilk.com/pages/makeyourown.php)

Diaper/Tote Bags:

Diaper Bag Pattern | Bundles Of Love (http://www.bundlesoflove.org/diaperpattern.htm)

Jan Andrea at home on the web (http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/baglite.html)

Collections of Patterns & Ideas:

Jan Andrea-- patterns for everything from baby slings to restaurant high chair covers to grocery cart covers to converting tshirt into nursing shirts-- Jan Andrea at home on the web (http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/)

This lady has compiled a big list of free patterns for baby stuff of all kinds. Includes knitting, crochet and sewing patterns! http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/ba...#Miscellaneous (http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/baby.html#Miscellaneous)

[MrsPinecone]

"Taggies"-type baby blanket:

TUTORIAL copy of a taggie blanket (http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=45180.0)

[BzyBee]

Hooded towels are easy to make, and much more absorbant than the ones they sell for babies. These are even good for toddlers and small kids.
I could not find a link to the easy pattern I used...but you don't really need a pattern.

Materials...
1 bathtowel
1 washcloth

Stitch 2 edges of the washcloth together. Find center point on opposite side of washcloth.
Fold the bathtowel in half lengthwise and match center point of towel and center point of washcloth. Pin and stitch. Easy, Easy, Easy!!!


I have seen these done with plain colored towels and then embroidered with the childs name, or embellished with fabrics to coordinate with the childs bathroom. I just used coordinating bathtowel and washcloth.

[MrsPinecone]

I made some DIY quilt clips to hang the quilt on the wall of the nursery! Since the 'real' kind are stupidly expensive for what you get, I had to find a better way.

I used 1" binder clips (also known as bulldog clips) from the office supply store. They are the silver ones with the hole in each handle, not the black ones with silver wires. The hole in the handle is perfect for a nail!

Michael's craft store has GREAT prepainted 3-D wooden cutouts in about 40 different styles for .49 each. I got 2 sets: one set of sun, moon & stars, and the other were lion, turtle & elephant. They had hearts, all kinds of beachy things, palm trees, frogs, dragonflies, cats, dogs, etc. Most of them were similar to popular crib bedding styles!

I used the 2 sided super sticky puffy tape to attach the cutouts to the clips, and voila! Custom quilt clips for less than $3 a set.


Edited to add: Apparently, I am not the only one who thought that they matched a lot of crib ensembles. Search quilt clips on ebay, and some lady (Serendipity's Den) is selling sets of 2 of these for about $9. Same cutouts that I paid .49 each for. She advertises them as "handcrafted". Yeah, gluing a prepainted cutout to a clip is "handcrafted". :rolleyes:

ETA: The original ebay seller no longer has a store, but this one is using the same idea: *Safari QUILT CLIPS/hanger elephant/giraffe wall decor* - eBay (item 400042802458 end time May-10-09 21:22:40 PDT) (http://cgi.ebay.com/Safari-QUILT-CLIPS-hanger-elephant-giraffe-wall-decor_W0QQitemZ400042802458QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_D efaultDomain_0?hash=item400042802458&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C 240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A2%7C294%3A50)
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q112/mrspinecone/QuiltClips.jpg

[jonjaktez]

When my children were born I had made them burp cloths. I loved how noone else had what we had.

Cloth diapers
Cloth lace
Sewing Ribbon

Sew by machine or hand the ribbon down the side of the middle part of the diapers.

Sew by machine the cloth lace on both ends.

You can also take the crossstich hand towels and crossstich a baby pattern. My younges son's theme was noah's ark and I made 2 of these and they are now hanging in my little bathroom.

[MrsPinecone]

Hair Bows and a Fluffy Tutu:

Free Hair Bow Instructions: hairbow free directions, hair bow business work at home (http://www.girlythingsbows.com/)

More Tutu-orials:

Instructions for How to Make a Tutu on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ambrosialove/522118984/)

GOphotography.com Tutu Instructions (http://www.gophotography.com/tutu/)

How to Make a Tutu | eHow.com (http://www.ehow.com/how_2059647_make-tutu.html) (this one requires sewing)

[MrsPinecone]

Pillowcase Dresses for Little Girls:

With step by step pictures:
Freshly Picked: Pillow Case Dress Tutorial (http://freshlypicked.blogspot.com/2008/03/pillow-case-dress-tutorial.html)
This one is cool because it uses elastic to make a neat gather instead of just ribbon.

everything sewing/how to/pillowcase dress (http://www.everythingsewing.net/pillowcase_dress_how_to.htm)


Sew Along Instructions: Pillowcase dress - AmityMama.com (http://www.amitymama.com/vb/sew-along/10725-sew-along-instructions-pillowcase-dress.html)


Pillowcase Dress Instructions - Jen Leheny (http://www.jenleheny.com/pillowcase-dress-instructions)

[MrsPinecone]

ok Im a little confused on the hooded towels....do you have a picture?

I think that you fold the washcloth into a triangle shape, and the point of the triangle meets up with the corner of the towel.

Someone posted this pic on a baby board:
Hooded towel question - The Nest Forums (http://boards.thenest.com/boards/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=33262810)

I also found a couple of sites with directions (two different styles):

Free Directions to Sew an Infant Hooded Bath Towel by Melissa Kadinger (http://sewing.about.com/od/freeprojects/ss/hoodtowel.htm)

Crafty Chic: Hooded Bath Towels (http://www.mormonchic.com/crafty/hooded-towels.asp)

[MrsPinecone]

Babylegs:

DIY BabyLegs - a photoset on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/babyhopes/sets/72157594274454468/)

Those cute and trendy little baby leg warmers that have been seen on Oprah, etc.

[MrsPinecone]

Wow, those crib sheets are easy.

I wanted Land's End flannel crib sheets for the Pinenut. I did NOT want to pay the $34 each. So I went to Sears and ordered a twin sheet for $14.99. It made 2 crib sheets.

[tivaclare]

I wanted to add, for anyone who is "crafty" check out Craftster or baby ideas. I've seen patterns to make diapers, reusable wipes, maternity jeans and much more.

It's not all baby either, it's EVERYTHING you can think of. I've seen Lite Brite coffee tables, oil paintings, purses made from soda cans...everything.

Craftster.org - Crafting community, including craft forums about knitting, crochet, sewing and more. (http://www.craftster.org)

[MrsPinecone]

Knot Dresses for little girls:

Everyday Chaos: Happy Anniversary to you! (http://bridgetbaxter.blogspot.com/2008/04/happy-anniversary-to-you.html)

[MrsPinecone]

Cloth Diapers:

Home of the Free RRP Diaper pattern! (http://handmadebyrita.blogspot.com/)

Dianna's Journal - How to Sew a Fitted Cloth diaper (on the cheap!) (http://mayna.livejournal.com/198548.html)

Sewing FItteds (http://fernandfaerie.com/sewing_fitteds.html)

Cloth Diaper Fabric, Diaper Patterns, Sew your own cloth diapers (http://verybaby.com/)

PUL, hemp, organic cotton and bamboo diaper fabric (http://www.celticclothswholesale.com/)

[MrsPinecone]

Toddler Dress from Buttoned Shirt:

button shirt to toddler dress recon *NEW MINTY FRESH TUTORIAL* - CLOTHING (http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=170402.0)

[MrsPinecone]

I-Spy Bags:

http://ajpadilla.com/patterns/reduce-reuse-recycle/i-spy-bag (http://ajpadilla.com/patterns/reduce-reuse-recycle/i-spy-bag)

Great entertainment for a long car ride!

[MrsPinecone]

64+ Girls Clothes Tutorials! Everything Your Mama Made & More (http://everythingyourmamamade.com/2008/12/03/64-girls-clothes-tutorials/)

An AWESOME collection of girl's clothing tutorials, all linked in one place.

[MrsPinecone]

Hair Bow Holder:

Hair Bow Holder Tutorial | My Magic Mom (http://mymagicmom.com/hair-bow-holder-instructions/)

[MrsPinecone]

Baby Tights:

Made By Rae: Tutorial by Rae: Make baby tights (http://www.made-by-rae.com/2010/03/tutorial-by-rae-make-baby-tights.html)

Baby Dress (with link to Toddler version):

Made By Rae: (Free!) Itty Bitty Baby Dress Pattern (http://www.made-by-rae.com/2008/04/free-itty-bitty-baby-dress-pattern.html)

[loaslaen]

Hooded towels are easy to make, and much more absorbant than the ones they sell for babies. These are even good for toddlers and small kids.
I could not find a link to the easy pattern I used...but you don't really need a pattern.

Materials...
1 bathtowel
1 washcloth

Stitch 2 edges of the washcloth together. Find center point on opposite side of washcloth.
Fold the bathtowel in half lengthwise and match center point of towel and center point of washcloth. Pin and stitch. Easy, Easy, Easy!!!


I have seen these done with plain colored towels and then embroidered with the childs name, or embellished with fabrics to coordinate with the childs bathroom. I just used coordinating bathtowel and washcloth.

I couldn't picture it from reading, but here's directions and pictures. A hand towel was used instead of washcloth for the hood part. CUTE!

Easy Hooded Bath Towel | Make and Takes (http://www.makeandtakes.com/easy-hooded-bath-towel)

[motherofmolly]

we are working on making a material hopscotch (one piece for the "concrete" and then fabric strips made into the squares sewn on and then the same for numbers) then bean or rice bags for the "rock". "extra points"....
or do a square bullseye (piece of fabric and fabric strips to make the bullseye)...add in point numbers for each layer and maybe an extra point square outside the bullseye..make your bean/rice bags to use to toss on the bullseye...indoor or outdoor.

[burgess4kids]

I couldn't picture it from reading, but here's directions and pictures. A hand towel was used instead of washcloth for the hood part. CUTE!

Easy Hooded Bath Towel | Make and Takes (http://www.makeandtakes.com/easy-hooded-bath-towel)


My kids each had 2 towels of thier own, my daughter had 2 pink and my son had 2 blue. I just went and got one matching hand towel each, and made them each 2 hooded towels. I am not great with a sewing machine, so if I can do it, anyone can. Only 2 lines of sewing for each towel. BTW, they LOVE them.

[MrsPinecone]

As of today, all links are working. Please PM me if you find any that are not in the future.

[loaslaen]

we are working on making a material hopscotch (one piece for the "concrete" and then fabric strips made into the squares sewn on and then the same for numbers) then bean or rice bags for the "rock". "extra points"....
or do a square bullseye (piece of fabric and fabric strips to make the bullseye)...add in point numbers for each layer and maybe an extra point square outside the bullseye..make your bean/rice bags to use to toss on the bullseye...indoor or outdoor.

That's sounds like a great idea! I would love to see pictures of the finished product.

[MrsPinecone]

Nursing/Breastfeeding Cover aka Hooter Hider:

Freshly Picked: Breastfeeding Cover Tutorial (http://freshlypicked.blogspot.com/2009/06/breastfeeding-cover-tutorial.html)