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Crafts to Make for Babies
by Deborah H. Schreiben
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Overview
To a crafter, a new baby opens up a whole new area of creative possibilities. You can use your talents to sew, knit or crochet a host of items for your baby to wear and play with, to decorate a nursery, or to make life easier for mom. Handmade baby items are big hits at baby showers.
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Room Decor
You can decorate your baby's room with sewn items that are both cute and functional. After you have chosen a theme for your nursery, buy yards and yards of fabric in coordinating colors or prints. Make a quilt or comforter and matching bumper pads for the crib. A dust ruffle that goes around the bottom of the crib looks very nice and also provides a spot for storing items that you need, but want to hide from view. Use the same fabric to make curtains for the windows and a diaper stacker that can be suspended near a changing table from a hook on the ceiling.
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Sweaters
Knitted or crocheted baby sweaters and ensembles can be made quickly and economically because they are small and don't use a lot of yarn. Remember that babies have very sensitive skin, so always choose a very soft yarn. Most yarn manufacturers offer yarns specifically labeled for baby items. Standard four-ply, worsted weight yarn often results in a finished item that is too stiff or bulky. Three-ply sport yarn or very fine, two-ply fingering yarn are better choices.
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Toys
Stuffed animals are a traditionally favorite toy for babies. Sewing them from fake fur is not a good idea, though. When a baby chews or sucks on the animal, pieces of fur will almost surely come loose. Polar fleece is better option, as it is soft and washable, but doesn't have as much nap or pile as fur. Animals sewn from woven fabrics such as gingham or cotton plaids have a simple, homespun quality. Knitting or crocheting animals and dolls is another option. When constructing the toy, be sure to use a small crochet hook or knitting needle to keep the stitches tight and eliminate holes that tiny fingers can get into to pull out stuffing.
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Safety
When crafting items for babies, always keep safety in mind. Babies are inquisitive and love to put things into their mouth, so be sure that any toy you make is large enough that a baby cannot swallow it. The items also should not have small parts that could come off and present a choking hazard. This includes buttons and ribbons on clothing, eyes on stuffed animals and small wheels on movable toys.
