Simple Craft Ideas for Baby

Bringing a new baby into the family ushers in new expenses that must be absorbed into the budget. Here are some ideas for project's that will keep baby and you happy without breaking the bank.

Little hands need little mittens to keep scratches to a minimum but if you've looked at the price of a package of mittens you may have decided to pass on them. They aren't that expensive until you figure that you'll need a few packs and you know that the small things add up in a big way.

Try taking a few pairs of socks and stitching bright faces on them. The bright faces will attract your baby's attention when he or she discovers the fact that those things waving around in the air are attached to their body. This is a very simple project that anyone with the most basic hand stitching skills can do. I've found that the socks stay on better due to the fact that they can be pulled further up the arm and they also provide more protection against the elements in winter weather since they are thicker then traditional new born mittens.

Hooded bath towels are a great way to wrap your baby up after bath time. Instead of heading to the store to buy one let's take a look in the linen closet. You'll need a standard size bath towel and either two wash cloths (for a newborn) or a hand towel (for a toddler). Decide whether you want the towels to match or simply compliment each other

If using a hand towel trim 2" off the bottom and then serge or zigzag the raw edge. Fold, right sides together, so that the top and bottom edges of the towel are matched. Machine stitch a ¼ seam down one edge of the folded towel. See diagram #1 and #2
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If using two wash clothes lay them right sides together and machine stitch a ¼" seam along two edges. You are stitching two edges that form a right angle, not opposing edges. See diagram #3

Your towel or wash cloth's should now form a pocket of sorts, this will form the "hood" of the wrap with a fabric pencil or straight pin mark the center point on one long edge of the bath towel, this will become the top. Lay your towel out flat with the wrong side facing up. Lay your hood (right side to wrong side of towel) on top of the towel overlapping by approximately 1"and matching the back seam of the hood to the mark on the towel.
Top stitch. See diagram #4