Babies go through clothing quicker than any age group. Instead of having loads of clothing for donation or lose storage space because of having to organize the clothes that build up so rapidly, find ways that the baby clothes can be turned into keepsakes instead.
Every few months, or in some cases, weeks, babies will outgrow their clothing. When this happens, the smaller-sized clothing begins to pile up quickly. And because garage selling, donating, or the like is generally not on the top of the list of things to tackle with an infant to care for, space needs to be found to store the clothing and stay organized.
As such, finding other ways to use the clothing might be to lessen the amount of clutter around the house, as well as to create an item that might just be kept for a lifetime.
Here are some ways that baby clothes can be turned into keepsakes.
8 Stuffed Animals
For those who are skilled with a needle and thread, there are a variety of patterns online to follow to create different types of stuffed animals out of baby clothes.
However, for those who are not as craftily-inclined, or perhaps do not have the time to make a stuffed animal out of clothes, Etsy is a wonderful marketplace to search for just the right animal to be made out of the little clothing. From bears to foxes, butterflies to cats, dolphins, elephants, and more.
Retailers will require customers to send in the clothing they want to be used for the animal. And then after a few weeks, the stuffed animal will be returned as an adorable keepsake for later or even a toy to play with now for the baby.
7 Quilts
Just like with the stuffed animals, there are designs and plans to follow on the internet as to how to make a keepsake quilt for a baby out of baby clothes. Be sure that the clothing on hand is enough to make the size quilt desired so that there is not a shortage once you're mid-quilting.
But, the nice thing about making a quilt is that it can be done over time. So, even if the necessary amount of clothing is not on hand at the moment, that does not mean that more cannot be collected as the baby ages to complete the quilt.
For those who want to have others construct their quilt, online marketplaces, such as Etsy and the like, offer their services to make a quilt. However, the quilters require that all of the clothing to be included in the quilt be sent at one time. Therefore, make sure that all is collected before deciding on what type of quilt to be made.
6 Doll Clothes
For many dolls, the smaller baby clothing is likely to fit. As such, without any alterations, the clothes can be repurposed to be used to play doll dress up. And if this is the case, the clothing can be saved if desired for future generations to play with as well.
There are designs to follow on the internet that change the original baby clothes into a completely different outfit for a baby doll. With the use of a sewing machine, a new wardrobe can be made for a loved doll out of pre-worn baby clothes.
5 Christmas Stockings
How fun would it be to turn a pair of Christmas pajamas into a stocking? It is possible!
A pair of Christmas pajamas that the baby wore for the first Christmas is the perfect material to use for a stocking. Not only are there memories attached to the pajamas but new memories can be made with the pajamas being made into a decoration that is taken out yearly during the holiday season.
Likely there will not be enough material to make an entire stocking from the small baby clothes. As such, it might be necessary to pick material for the backside of the stocking that matches the baby clothes to allow for a large enough stocking to be made.
4 Photo Album Cover
A photo album in and of itself is a wonderful keepsake. Adding a cover that is created from baby clothes makes the photo album that much more special.
There are a variety of ways to create a photo album cover that range from more simplistic to complicated. Choose a skill level that matches what you are comfortable with doing and create a keepsake unlike no other.
3 Pillow
For those who are new to using a sewing machine or sewing, creating a pillow out of baby clothes is one of the easiest keepsake crafts that can be made. And with a variety of templates to follow on the internet, choosing one to follow is fairly simple to do.
However, several marketplace vendors create keepsake pillows as well. As such, if not locating just the right template or would like someone else to create the pillow, look to one of those vendors to make an adorable pillow to be kept for years to come.
2 Taggie Blanket
A way to not only create a keepsake but to provide sensory, cognitive, and motor skill play for a baby is to create a taggie blanket out of baby clothes.
By using the different types of fabric from various baby clothes, there will be a variety of textures for the baby to explore, keeping him entertained for an extended period.
There may need to be ribbon added to the taggie blanket and crinkle material added for more sensory fun. Outside of that, however, the bulk of the material comes from baby clothes.
1 Sensory Activity Busy Book
Activity busy books are a hit with just about every baby. Why not create a special one that uses baby clothes that can be passed down from generation to generation?
By using old clothes that have zippers, buckles on suspenders, buttons on sweaters, and soft and rough materials, an amazing sensory activity book can be created.
For those who are not inclined to being overly crafty, a piece of felt with these materials stitched or even hot glued to it will work to create a page in the book. A double hole punch with a ribbon tied through will keep the pages together.
Of course, some designs require using a sewing machine and batting. If there is time and you have the skill to make such a book that would be incredible as well. Whatever is created, the baby will love it and will be a sensory busy book worth keeping.
Source: Momtastic, The Yellow Birdhouse, Empirical Mama, Etsy, YouTube: Whitney Sews, YouTube: Heartfelt By Charlie, YouTube: Ag Dolls Down Under, YouTube: Jessica Vanderveen, YouTube: Mary Makes Masks & More, YouTube: Tiffany Tuttle, YouTube: Limabean Living, YouTube: DIY with Danica