Use Your Child's Favorite Clothing to Create Personalized Keepsakes

Your child has outgrown her favorite shirt. What can you do with it? You certainly don't want to get rid of it, for sentimental reasons. Here are some ways you can use clothing your children have outgrown to make personalized keepsakes for your children.

One way you can create a personalized keepsake for your child using their favorite old shirt is to make a pillow. You can choose to create a pillow by cutting out a square from the shirt. If there is a small area of design you can include that in the square. Cut out a square from the back of the shirt that matches the size of the square you've cut out from the front of the shirt. Sew together three sides and half of the remaining side. Stuff the pillow with the filling and hand sew the rest of the pillow closed. If you want you could iron on the letters of your child's name using iron on transfers before sewing the pieces together. If the shirt is large enough, such as teen apparel, then you may be able to make a pillowcase for their bed instead. You could always sew a square from the shirt into the middle of a pillowcase if you desire. You can leave one side unsown to function as a pocket on the pillow.

Another option would be to frame their favorite shirt to create wall art. You can often find sports jerseys and t-shirts framed and on the wall in bars, restaurants, and other such establishments. For a quick guide on how to frame a t-shirt you can click here. To find instructions on framing a t-shirt inexpensively you can visit this link.

Take several pictures of your child wearing their favorite article of clothing. Next use a digital software program to create a photo collage of your child wearing their favorite clothing. If you want a larger collage, such as an 11 X 13, you can use an online photo printing service. Another idea would be to use the pictures to create a page in your child's scrapbook with these photos. You or your child can write a description of why the clothing is so special to your child.

Store the article of clothing in a time capsule. Place the article of clothing into the capsule along with other things your child chooses. Then ten or so years after the capsule was made your child can open it to reveal their old favorite piece of clothing.

If you are an experienced quilter you can create a memory quilt for your child using various items of their favorite clothing. Cut out squares from your child's favorite shirts, dresses, or skirts to include in the quilt. You can also make squares of fabric with the child's picture on them to alternate with the fabric from the clothing.

If you have a favorite shirt that your baby or toddler has worn that you wish to keep you can create a keepsake with it. You can purchase a teddy bear that the shirt will fit and outfit it with your favorite shirt. You can create these keepsakes for each of your children. Build-A-Bear workshop will allow you to record a short message on a noise machine that says your message each time it is squeezed and place it in the hand or foot of your choosing. You can record a short message to your child such as "I love you.", "You are bear-y special.", and more followed by your child's name.

Creating keepsakes for your child is a great way to preserve your child's favorite articles of clothing. So don't let the clothing sit tucked away in a box, create a keepsake instead.