HANDMADE GIFT #17

For occassions like weddings and baby showers, I tend to stock up on gifts so that I'm not always running out to the store.  These bibs are the perfect baby gift to stock up with - they are quick to make, inexpensive, and great bibs (ties mean baby can't yank them off, extra large for coverage, and they are made of plastic so they wipe off nicely).  They are made with a plastic shower curtain (found on clearance!), and honestly I lost count of how many bibs one shower curtain made - it was a lot!  Once the bibs are all cut out of the shower curtain, you simply sew bias tape around the edges, leaving tails at the neck to create ties.  That's it - you're done! 

Skills required: easy sewing
Approximate time to craft*: 10 minutes
Approximate cost for supplies*: $3 each
*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.

HANDMADE GIFT IDEA #13

So I have to say, the moment I saw these baby hats, I knew I had to find an excuse to make them.  They are the kind of thing that gets most women gushing and using words like "adorable," "precious," and of course "CUTE!"  It gets even better though.  The author of this pattern (Lullaby Lamb) has a large selection of crochet and knit hat patterns that are - dare I say it - just as "adorable," "precious," and "CUTE!"  My favorites include the fruit orchard hats (of course), a pumpkin hat, a sailor hat, and a granny cloche hat.  Any of her hats would make an amazing gift for a baby shower, or a young child's birthday.  This pattern, called the "Fruit Orchard Rolled Brim Hat" is knit in the round, and was clear and easy to follow.

 Resources: YouCanMakeThis.com - Lullaby Lamb Patterns
Skills required: intermediate knitting
Approximate time to craft*: 2 hours (newborn size)
Approximate cost for supplies*: $5
*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.

E-I-E-I-O

You just have to love baby's first words.  There is just something about that sound that might, possibly, if you really listen hard, be "mama." Among these first words are usually animals sounds - and this is the perfect quiet book to inspire baby's budding vocabulary.  Pretty soon they'll be saying "woof," "baa," and something that might, possibly, if you really listen hard, be "you're the best mommy ever!"

Resources: www.copycrafts.etsy.com
Skills required: intermediate machine sewing, easy embroidery
Approximate time to craft*: 20 hours
Approximate cost for supplies*: $15
*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.

FISH TOWELS

Hooded bath towels are a great way for keeping babies and toddlers warm after a bath. With this pattern you can transform any bath towel into either a fish or shark to wrap up in. This pattern is designed to be very quick and easy, and you'll have a really cute towel to wrap up your little swimmer in no time!
Resources: www.copycrafts.etsy.com
Skills required: easy machine and hand sewing
Approximate time to craft*: 2 hours each
Approximate cost for supplies*: $10 each
*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.

FISH CLOTHS

Who wouldn’t want to take a bath or wash a pile of dishes with these fun and “fishy” wash cloths? Their texture makes them perfect for scrubbing even the dirtiest of the dirty. And being made of 100% cotton they are gentle on the skin.

Resources: www.copycrafts.etsy.com
Skills required: easy knitting
Approximate time to craft*: 1-2 hours each
Approximate cost for supplies*: less than $2 each
*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.

HANDMADE GIFT IDEA #11

I don't think I can call myself a quilter. I tell those who ask if I quilt, "Only when I need a quilt for something," and from the looks on their faces I think this response doesn't qualify me for "quilter" status. But I do craft and sew a whole lot, and inevitably there is a mountain of leftover fabric. So once or twice year I de-stash by making a scrap quilt.

Scrap quilts are quick and easy - no need to worry about the pattern turning out right. They're also a great way to practice, so that when I do want a pretty quilt for something, my corners are not a complete embarrassment. These scrap quilts make great baby, graduation, and wedding gifts. Or, if I don't have someone specific to give it to, the local homeless and women's shelters are always in need of quilts. So go ahead, get scrappy!
Skills required: easy sewing
Approximate time to craft*: 40+ hours
Approximate cost for supplies*: $5 (the above quilt was made for nothing!)
*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.

TO THE ZOO

If you've got some little monkeys, you know they'll love this quiet book about going to the zoo! Petting pandas, watching snoozing snakes, and playing peek-a-boo with a giraffe are just some of the fun activities that await them in "To the Zoo."

Resources: www.copycrafts.etsy.com
Skills required: intermediate machine sewing, easy embroidery
Approximate time to craft*: 20 hours
Approximate cost for supplies*: $15
*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.

HOW I FEEL

Toddlerhood can be exasperating. For them, and for their parents. Add to this the fact that most toddlers lack the vocabulary and understanding to appropriately express how they are feeling, and you've got a real recipe for frustration. "How I Feel" is designed to teach toddlers emotion vocabulary, helping them to better understand and express their emotions - hopefully making life a little better for everyone. But of course, the learning is kept fun with bright colors and fun peek-a-boo flaps, so they'll never suspect you're actually trying to teach them something.

Resources: www.copycrafts.etsy.com
Skills required: intermediate machine sewing, easy embroidery
Approximate time to craft*: 20 hours
Approximate cost for supplies*: $15
*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.

THINGS THAT GO

If you have little one who just can't get enough of anything on wheels - this is the quiet book for them! Cars, trucks, airplanes, boats, and many more . . . for the transportation enthusiast, that's all they'll need to know to love it.

Resources: www.copycrafts.etsy.com
Skills required: intermediate machine sewing, easy embroidery
Approximate time to craft*: 20 hours
Approximate cost for supplies*: $15
*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.

SING MY ABC'S

This quiet book has everything you need to make it a "red letter" day. After discovering that nearly every child will spend twice as long playing with Velcro pieces than any other page, we made a whole book of Velcro, with - you guessed it - RED letters. This is a great book to help children learn their ABC's and the sounds each letter makes. A perfect gift for kids from toddlers to kindergartners!

Resources: www.copycrafts.etsy.com
Skills required: intermediate machine sewing, easy embroidery
Approximate time to craft*: 20 hours
Approximate cost for supplies*: $15 
*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.

HANDMADE GIFT IDEA #6

Ask any mom who's ever used a hooded bath towel for their child, and they will tell you they are great! There is nothing better for keeping a kid warm after a bath. These "Fish Towels" are a great twist on the classic hooded towel. Why not make it a complete gift set with matching "Fish Cloths"? Both the towels and the wash cloths are fast and easy to make, and they are extra charming when given together!

Resources: Fish Towel pattern - www.copycrafts.etsy.com, Fish Cloth pattern - www.copycrafts.etsy.com
Skills required: towels - easy machine and hand sewing, wash cloths - easy knitting
Approximate time to craft*: towels - 1 hour each, wash cloths - 2 hours each
Approximate cost for supplies*: towels - $10 each, wash cloths - $1 each*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.

UNDER THE SEA

To help keep your toddler's squirmies at bay we invented this "Under the Sea" quiet book. And while your life is made easier because they're actually sitting still, why not have them learn their numbers while they're at it?! Fun and educational - a great combination.

Resources: www.copycrafts.etsy.com
Skills required: intermediate machine sewing, easy embroidery
Approximate time to craft*: 20 hours
Approximate cost for supplies*: $15*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.

HANDMADE GIFT IDEA #5

Our son's great-grandpa is an incredible wood-worker, so we were very excited when he gave these beautiful wooden blocks to our son for his first birthday. Made from the odds and ends of various projects, they were cut into rectangles, sanded down, and rubbed with oil. Our son loves to stack them high and knock them down (typical kid).

Skills required: easy woodworking
Approximate time to craft*: 2 hours
Approximate cost for supplies*: $10*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.

SPOT THE DOT

After our son was born, we read to him every day – but he never took much interest. The problem was that most books are not designed for new babies. That’s when “Spot” was born. . .

Spot is a dot that decides he is tired of being a dot. As he moves from page to page, he dreams of all the other things he could be. But in the end he decides that he is great just the way he is - just like your baby!

Check out our website to see exactly why "Spot the Dot" is the perfect quiet book for babies.

Resources: www.copycrafts.etsy.com
Skills required: intermediate machine sewing, easy embroidery
Approximate time to craft*: 16 hours
Approximate cost for supplies*: $15*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.

MY FAN CLUB

This quiet book has everything a baby could want from a toy - textures, red/black/white patterns, and the faces of their favorite people! One of our easiest quiet books, it's great for any day, but absolutely perfect as a first Valentine's Day gift.

Resources: www.copycrafts.etsy.com
Skills required: intermediate machine sewing, easy embroidery
Approximate time to craft*: 16 hours
Approximate cost for supplies*: $10*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.

ALL ABOUT SHOES

Have you ever noticed how much kids love to play with adult's shoes? And why not - all those colors and buckles and ties and textures just waiting to be explored! So it only seemed natural to make a quiet book inspired by all the wonderful shoes out there. This quiet book combines textures and activities for toddlers, with rhymes that teach colors. Interesting, educational, and safe - can't ask for more than that.

Resources: www.copycrafts.etsy.com
Skills required: intermediate machine sewing, easy embroidery
Approximate time to craft*: 20 hours
Approximate cost for supplies*: $15*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.

BUGGY FOR YOU

Just before our son turned 1 year old, he started to become quite the handful at church. Jennifer remembered a great quiet book from her childhood that kept her busy on many Sundays. We decided to make our son a quiet book of his own for his first birthday, but when we went to look for a pattern, we couldn't find anything that seemed right. They all seemed either too simple - basically just a fabric book, or too dangerous - to first time parents all those buttons looked like a trip to the emergency room. So we made our own pattern. We were so happy with the finished book, we just had to share it with others. That was the beginning of CopyCrafts.

We love quiet books as gifts - they are almost the perfect toy. Colorful, interactive, good for many stages of development, impossible to make a mess with, and very portable.

Resources: www.copycrafts.etsy.com
Skills required: intermediate machine sewing, easy embroidery
Approximate time to craft*: 20 hours
Approximate cost for supplies*: $15*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.

HANDMADE GIFT IDEA #1

Looking for something beyond the basic for a special baby girl? Try sewing this dress from Laura Ashley for McCall's Patterns (Pattern #M4424 - trust us, you have to see the back of this dress to understand just how cute it is). Then make it extra special by adding a sweet crocheted hem to the bottom. We used the "Dish and Spoon" edge from CopyCrafts' "Nursery Favorites" ePattern. Prepare and crochet the hem the same way you would a blanket or burp cloth. The result - a dress that is almost as adorable as the baby!

Resources: www.copycrafts.etsy.com, www.mccall.com
Skills required: easy sewing, easy crochet
Approximate time to craft*: 10 hours
Approximate cost for supplies*: $10
*Please remember that these are just approximations. CopyCrafts makes no guarantee of their accuracy.