Handmade Baby Shower Gifts

I went to a baby shower for my cousin this past weekend and and had some fun making gifts! These are fairly simple projects and I used many materials that I already had on hand. One thing that is great about baby items is that you don't need a lot of fabric and tutorials and patterns are so abundant all over the internet!

For the onesie, I printed out a giraffe silhouette that I found online. You could do this for almost any shape! I used fusible webbing on the fabric so I could iron it on to the onesie. Then, I used a zig-zag stitch around the outside. I also used a small piece of black ribbon for the tail. Don't have any small pieces of thin ribbon? Go to your closet. I'm sure you have a couple dresses or sweaters that have the ribbon loops in the shoulders to keep them on the hanger! Yeah those things that you probably don't use once the item is home!

The pacifier clip is another easy gift to make. There's a great tutorial from Ruffles And Stuff. If you don't have a small piece of elastic for the loop end, you can use a hair elastic!

I just love this hat! Does the fabric look familiar? Remember the turtleneck I refashioned? The turtleneck that I removed was the perfect amount of fabric for the hat! You could make a mom and baby outfit :) I got the tutorial and pattern from Zaaberry.

I also made a rag quilt alphabet! I got the idea and printable letters from the blog, Happy Together.

I layered scrap fabric, batting, and old denim then quilted around the edges of the letters and the inside. It doesn't have to be perfect! I did it really quickly to get through all those letters! To finish them I used pinking shears around the edges then washed them.

I packaged them with twine and mini clothespins so they can use them for decoration or play when baby is a little older.

Do you like hand making gifts for baby showers? If so what do you make?

Quilt Story: Ella's Quilt Made From Crib Bedding

Hello friends! Yes I know it's been foreeeever since I last posted. I guess I just dropped off the face of blogland for awhile. Forgive me?! (Maybe the sheer amount of photos in this post will make up for it?!)

I know you've been waiting for this. I started this project back in March and it is now well loved in its new home! Which makes me so so so happy!

Here it is. The finished queen sized quilt! (Yes, queen sized! This thing is a beast!)

The pattern that was used can be found in my previous post.

Here's a little breakdown of where all that fabric from the original crib bedding went:

• Fitted sheet - cut for squares
• Quilt backing - back of pillow shams
• Quilt front - cut for squares
• Quilt batting - batting for pillow shams
• Quilt ruffles and piping - around pillow shams
• Crib skirt - cut for squares
• Crib skirt ruffles - ironed and used for some of the binding
• Bumpers - cut for squares
• Bumper binding - used as binding again

The small paisley print was provided by the mom and the large polka dot and pink striped fabric was added by me.

Any longer roughly 2.5 inch scraps were used for binding on the quilt.

The binding was made using various scraps following this tutorial and then hand stitched to the front.

The back is all the pink and white polka dots with a strip of scrap fabric.

My sister did an awesome job quilting it!

 Here are a couple close up photos of the pillow shams.

Out of the scraps, I also made a cute tote bag and flower clip (pic from the mom since I accidentally deleted the one I had).

 Here are a couple more in process photos. A.K.A cats who like quilts.

The quilt took up my parent's whole living room floor.

{my parent's cat swimming in a sea of pink and green!}

{my sweetie Elwood sleeping in the folds while I worked on hand stitching the binding}

This quilt had to travel a long ways to get to it's home. I can't believe the size box we fit a queen size quilt, 2 pillow shams, and a tote bag into! It took my husband and I and a couple clamps to wrestle it into a 12 x 12 x 8 inch box. I'm guessing it exploded out of the box upon arrival and opening it up.

{stuffed and taped every which way} 

And finally some proof that it is loved in its new home. 

My crafty heart is full and happy.

Linked up here:

New Project!

Hello friends! Got any fun projects you're working on?

Here is something my sister and I are working on.... turning this fabric into a quilt!

Guess what this fabric is from?!? If you guessed crib bedding you are correct!

A family member contacted us about taking her little girl's crib bedding and making it into a quilt for her big girl bed. Love this idea! I think it's a great way to reuse materials you already have and make it a sweet keepsake.

So far all of the fabric has been seam ripped and washed. It's waiting to be cut as we finalize the plans. We're doing a disappearing 9 patch pattern. There is a great tutorial here.

If you have kiddos, what did you do with the crib bedding? Future parents, remember this it might come in handy some day! :)