Easy to Make Baby Items from Patterns You Already Have

Babies need a lot of things as they grow, and they also tend to outgrow clothes before they even have a chance to wear them, so here are some easy to make baby items from patterns you already have around the house.

If you've never thought about making baby items, now is the time! It's very simple sewing, there is nothing difficult about it. If you have an old bib, an old baby blanket and one of those baby gowns with the drawstring at the bottom, then that's all you need.

You are going to use these to create new bibs, blankets and clothes for your baby. I remember all the baby items that either wore out, got really stained or they just out grew before they could wear them. So what you're going to do is save yourself some money by making and recycling these items.

I'm going to give you a list of everything you will need for each item and brief instructions on how to make baby items. Don't worry, brief instructions are all you will need, and of course, a sewing machine. If you don't have one, see if you can borrow one from a friend or relative.

Baby Bib (see baby bib picture)
You are going to start with the baby bib first, because it's the smallest of the three, so here are the materials you will need...

- Old Baby Bib
- String Ties from Old Baby Bib
- 1 yard of Pretty Terrycloth Fabric
- 2 yards of ½ Inch Trim to Match
- Thread to Match Fabric
- Straight Pins
- Scissors
- Razor Blade (optional)

All you have to do is fold your terrycloth fabric horizontally, and make sure the fabric is even. The fold represents the front and the back of a reversible bib. Place the old baby bib on the fabric and use it as a pattern to cut out a new bib.

You should now have two pieces of fabric for the bib, the front and the back. Take a few straight pins and pin these two pieces together. Take the old string ties from the old baby bib and pin one end between the two pieces of fabric. Be sure the ties are placed at the top of the bib.

When both ties have been pinned, sew across each string tie to secure them to both pieces of the bib. It doesn't have to be fancy, because the trim is going to cover it. Place the trim around the bib to see how much you will need, then give yourself about ½ inch extra and cut. Now take the ½ inch trim and fold it in half. Iron the trim so it stays folded.

Before you sew the trim around the bib, you need to cut two openings for the string ties to slide through. Place the trim on the bib so the two ends meet at the bottom of the bib, and using either a razor blade or scissors, make a slit in the fold of the trim, where the string ties will come through.

Now you can slide the ties through the openings, place the folded trim over the edge of the bib, and pin the trim in place. Make sure the two ends meet at the bottom of the bib. Let one end of the trim overlap the other. Fold that end under and pin it in place.

Sew the trim to the bib. I suggest sewing as close to the edge of the trim as you feel comfortable doing, and make sure both the front and back pieces of the bib edge is covered by the trim. When you finish, you should have yourself a new bib. Now all you have to do is finish the look by sewing across the openings where the string ties extend, and sewing down the folded under trim end and your bib is completed.

NOTE: Depending on how large you make the bibs, 1 yard of fabric, folded horizontally should give you at least three bibs. If you want them to look really beautiful, make sure you pick out beautiful fabric and trim. Something that has cute designs or baby toys on it would be adorable.

Baby Blanket (see baby blanket picture)
See how easy it is to make baby items! Now we will be making a baby blanket is so easy, you could probably complete it in 30 to 45 minutes. This is going to be the size of a receiving blanket, and this would be good for new born babies, or maybe if someone wanted to make a special gift for the new baby. Measure the size of an old receiving blanket before you go to purchase your fabric, and when you get the fabric, add 2 inches on to it. Here are the materials you will need...

- Old Baby Blanket
- 1 yard of Pretty Flannel Fabric
- 4 yards of 1 Inch Trim to Match
- Thread to Match Fabric
- Straight Pins
- Scissors

If you measured the old baby blanket before purchasing your flannel fabric, then you won't need it except as a sample to look at, because the fabric should already be the size you need. Basically all you need to do is fold the trim in half, and iron it so it stays folded, then begin pinning the trim around the blanket, making sure the edge of the blanket is in the fold.

When the two ends meet, do the same as you did for the bib. Let them overlap, fold under the end of the trim and pin it in place. Now you can begin sewing the trim around the blanket. When you finish, sew the folded under trim end in place, and your blanket is complete.

Baby Jumper (see jumper picture)
I could never think of what to do with old or new drawstring baby gowns that they outgrew, but now I do. You don't need any kind of pattern, and you don't have to buy fabric, because all you will be doing is modifying the look of a piece of baby clothes you already have. Here are the few items you will need...

- Scissors
- Thread
- Straight Pins
- Snaps (get the ones where the color matches the jumper)
- Snap Setting Tool

All you need to do is spread out the drawstring gown and cut it according to the picture for the jumper. When the center piece is gone, you will have your jumper. Now fold the edges in 1/4 of an inch twice. You want to fold it in twice because the snaps will be more secure on a thick edge compared to a thin edge.

After you fold the edges for the front and back, sew them in place. Now following the directions on the snap setting tool instructions, place the snaps evenly space around the jumper and secure them in place with the snap tool. The directions are very simple. If you've never used snaps and a snap tool before, you will be surprised how easy this is. However, you will need to use your muscles when pressing the tool to install the snaps.

When all the snaps are in place, close them to make sure they are secure. If they are secured, then your baby has a new jumper. You don't have to worry about hemming, because you will use the same hem that was in the gown. You also don't have to worry how short they are, because jumpers can be as short as you want them.

NOTE: If you don't feel like making a jumper, that's okay. Just remove the drawstring and turn the gown into a short gown for sleeping or make it shorter, and turn it into a shirt. Either way, you're recycling the drawstring gown and turning it into something your baby can still use.

I hope easy to make baby items from patterns you already have, has been of some help to you, and has also given you some ideas as to how to make baby items. Like I stated earlier, they do grow fast, and they will out grow a lot of their clothes before they even wear them. Bibs will become stained, and blankets will become faded.

Instead of purchasing these items, you can buy fabric and make 2 or 3 of the same things for the price of one. Your baby also has other pieces of clothes that can be recycled into something else. All you need to do is think about what they can become, before you pass them on to other family members or friends.

I find babies, toddlers and young children are the easiest to sew for, because they aren't judgmental about their clothes. So if you like to sew, now would be a good time... before they become teenagers and very picky about what they wear. Thank you for reading making baby items.