Gifts for a baby?

[Chibi Kiku-chan]

Okay...Here's the story, my cousin is pregnant, 6 months to be exact. She's due in June, the shower is in July, I asked my mom if I could make her something, and my mom's like Sure. So now the question is, what are some good items that can be made for a baby.
The baby is going to be a girl.
I only know how to sew, and I think I can quilt, I'll know for sure after I finish my Charlie the Unicorn quilt and see how it turns out, lol.
I can draw.
So does anyone know some good items that I can make that are sewing and/or quilting?  

[flightoftheunicorn]

You could make baby clothes, a baby blanket, and or a baby quilt. You could make .... *thinks* ... a bib, a dress ... etc. Being able to sew opens up a whole world of options to you. biggrin So, there's a lot you could do. If you're having trouble deciding what to make, go to your local fabric store to look at sewing patterns for baby items, that might help you to decide what to make. Oh! I forgot! Many major sewing pattern companies have websites - you could look at baby patterns on their sites to figure out what to make.  

[CrystalRose]

There was a baby outfit at the Walmart I was just at, made out of fleece, if you can sew clothes that would be just adorable to make.

If you make a quilt for the baby make sure you use plenty of textures, Flannels, that really soft furry stuff, cotton, satin... The more texture the more fun for the baby.


Btw... Omg Charlie the Unicorn!? You're so posting pics when you're done... Riiiight?!  

[kochi~mochi]

I'd suggest making large blankets, something that the kid can use when she's a teenager. When i was a baby, my mom was given a winter blanket and a summer blanket. The summer blanket is just two layers of cotton, no batting, and the winter one is good and warm, made of flannel. They're still love.

Whenever i give presents to expectant mothers, i like to give something that -they- can use, as well as the baby. I'm in the middle of making bunny slippers, and bunny baby booties. Trust me, slippers, a bathrobe, a good blanket, they'll be appreciated the first time that parent has to wake up at two in the morning and can't go back to sleep till the baby does.  

[Catcheen]

Jrocker Ali

Okay...Here's the story, my cousin is pregnant, 6 months to be exact. She's due in June, the shower is in July, I asked my mom if I could make her something, and my mom's like Sure. So now the question is, what are some good items that can be made for a baby.
The baby is going to be a girl.
I only know how to sew, and I think I can quilt, I'll know for sure after I finish my Charlie the Unicorn quilt and see how it turns out, lol.
I can draw.
So does anyone know some good items that I can make that are sewing and/or quilting?

Having just had a baby, I can tell you what I would have appreciated if someone had sewn for me...

~A baby sling (ring or pouch)
~A baby Mei Tai (OMG, I want one SO bad. I'm investing $100 for someone else to make me one.)

Website with how-tos for making slings http://www.mammasmilk.com/pages/makeyourown.php

I've made myself a pouch sling and it took less than an hour and only about a yard and a half of fabric.

~Dangly things to hang from the infant carrier handle for the baby to look at. (high contrasting colors and a loop to velcro onto the handle is great)
~Teething dolls and scent dolls http://www.polkadotsonline.com/products.php?catID=9901980

Whatever you make, be sure to wash the fabric first. And use baby-friendly fabrics that can be laundered easily and frequently. Pretty much cotton is a sure bet. Flannel is divine for baby skin. Synthetics are tricky because of fire hazards.  

[Chibi Kiku-chan]

CrystalRose

There was a baby outfit at the Walmart I was just at, made out of fleece, if you can sew clothes that would be just adorable to make.

If you make a quilt for the baby make sure you use plenty of textures, Flannels, that really soft furry stuff, cotton, satin... The more texture the more fun for the baby.


Btw... Omg Charlie the Unicorn!? You're so posting pics when you're done... Riiiight?!

*Sigh* Charlie died, lol. I'm going to try again at Charlie when I've had a little more practice, that and I'm going to ask my grandma for advice on how to make him, lol. Mine didn't make it past the sewing machine...(It has a mind of its own sometimes, lol.)  

[Chibi Kiku-chan]

Catcheen

Jrocker Ali

Okay...Here's the story, my cousin is pregnant, 6 months to be exact. She's due in June, the shower is in July, I asked my mom if I could make her something, and my mom's like Sure. So now the question is, what are some good items that can be made for a baby.
The baby is going to be a girl.
I only know how to sew, and I think I can quilt, I'll know for sure after I finish my Charlie the Unicorn quilt and see how it turns out, lol.
I can draw.
So does anyone know some good items that I can make that are sewing and/or quilting?

Having just had a baby, I can tell you what I would have appreciated if someone had sewn for me...

~A baby sling (ring or pouch)
~A baby Mei Tai (OMG, I want one SO bad. I'm investing $100 for someone else to make me one.)

Website with how-tos for making slings http://www.mammasmilk.com/pages/makeyourown.php

I've made myself a pouch sling and it took less than an hour and only about a yard and a half of fabric.

~Dangly things to hang from the infant carrier handle for the baby to look at. (high contrasting colors and a loop to velcro onto the handle is great)
~Teething dolls and scent dolls http://www.polkadotsonline.com/products.php?catID=9901980

Whatever you make, be sure to wash the fabric first. And use baby-friendly fabrics that can be laundered easily and frequently. Pretty much cotton is a sure bet. Flannel is divine for baby skin. Synthetics are tricky because of fire hazards.

Fire hazards? *shivers* Hmm...come to think of it, I don't really know much about baby-safe fabrics...Fleece is okay, right?  

[Catcheen]

Jrocker Ali

Fire hazards? *shivers* Hmm...come to think of it, I don't really know much about baby-safe fabrics...Fleece is okay, right?

Fleece is completely synthetic and melts when a flame is put to it. Not fire-friendly. BUT as long as the baby isn't sleeping with or in the fleece-made object unattended, it should be fine.

There was a big deal in the early 90s I believe about babies wearing synthetic (plastic) fabric as night clothes and in house fires at night they'd suffer horrible burns or death from the plastic melting into their skin. Cotton or wool simply burns and will not adhere to a person's skin when set on fire. People who use open flames in their job (like welders) will wear cotton shirts with no synthetics in the blend. Sometimes you'll see baby clothes that say "not intended for sleepwear."

It's not really a big deal... just something I remembered from the past. *shrug* It's not likely your cousin will have a house fire with her baby inside or anything.

If you line a fleece baby-sling with a non-stretchy cotton fabric, that'd be warm and swank! (I'm really pushing the slings because man are they neat, adorable, and best of all... useful! Receiving stuffed animals and quilts is nice and all, but not particularly functional.)  

[Chibi Kiku-chan]

Catcheen

Jrocker Ali

Fire hazards? *shivers* Hmm...come to think of it, I don't really know much about baby-safe fabrics...Fleece is okay, right?

Fleece is completely synthetic and melts when a flame is put to it. Not fire-friendly. BUT as long as the baby isn't sleeping with or in the fleece-made object unattended, it should be fine.

There was a big deal in the early 90s I believe about babies wearing synthetic (plastic) fabric as night clothes and in house fires at night they'd suffer horrible burns or death from the plastic melting into their skin. Cotton or wool simply burns and will not adhere to a person's skin when set on fire. People who use open flames in their job (like welders) will wear cotton shirts with no synthetics in the blend. Sometimes you'll see baby clothes that say "not intended for sleepwear."

It's not really a big deal... just something I remembered from the past. *shrug* It's not likely your cousin will have a house fire with her baby inside or anything.

If you line a fleece baby-sling with a non-stretchy cotton fabric, that'd be warm and swank! (I'm really pushing the slings because man are they neat, adorable, and best of all... useful! Receiving stuffed animals and quilts is nice and all, but not particularly functional.)

Okay ^^ Cuz yeah, I just don't want to end up making something that will end up killing my cousins baby, lol. I don't know what job she has, and her husband is either a baker or a chef or something along those lines, so unless he sets the kitchen on fire, it sounds like they'll be fine. ^^;  

[CrystalRose]

One thing you can check to see if it's fire resistant is at the end where they put the copy wright, is a disclaimer just like one the clothes Catcheen mentioned that says "Not intended for sleepware", atleast I found that on a lot of my fabrics for my quilt... xD But it's a teens quilt so if it goes up in flames it's her own fault.  

[Catcheen]

CrystalRose

But it's a teens quilt so if it goes up in flames it's her own fault.

Hahaha! That made me giggle!  

[CrystalRose]

Catcheen

CrystalRose

But it's a teens quilt so if it goes up in flames it's her own fault.

Hahaha! That made me giggle!

xDD Don't I sound nice?  

[Chibi Kiku-chan]

CrystalRose

But it's a teens quilt so if it goes up in flames it's her own fault.

LOL!  

[AriRashkae]

Definitly look into making a sling! I bought one when my youngest was born, and it is the most damned useful thing we had!

When walking the oldest to school, I could bundle him up under my (husband's) coat, snuggled up against our chests. As he got older, we let him face out and see the world. So much nicer than wrapping him up in a stroller. It was good until he got too heavy to have hanging off my shoulders (about 30 lbs) xd